Membership Approves New Pews

The UUCA membership approved the expenditure of $100,000 for the replacement of sanctuary seating at a congregational meeting January 10. The vote was 155 to 15, with one abstention.

The work is expected to take place over about a week in April.

About 40 of the congregation's 900-plus members have pledged a total of $35,000 to the project. The Board of Trustees calls on all members to contribute and to ensure that we raise the money we need to recreate our sanctuary.

The Board of Trustees is grateful to the staff task force that has worked for more than two years to develop the plan: Jane Buckman, Carol Hopper, Mike Hynak, Susan Young and Church Administrator Bill Peters. Special thanks to Carol for her thorough explanation of the group's vision and decision-making.

The congregational meeting drew 188 members and lasted about 90 minutes. The Board appreciates the time you devoted to this important church business.

I wish to explain a procedure that I did not during the meeting. David Tilson "called the question," meaning that he asked the membership to end the debate. David's motion was not debatable; an immediate up-or-down vote is required under Robert's Rules, which our church constitution names as our procedural handbook. Therefore, the chair was required to move to a vote, first on David's motion (which passed overwhelmingly by voice), and then on the sole business of the meeting -- the motion to authorize the expenditure.

For the Board,
Bennett Minton
Chair