REPORT FROM THE SST TO THE BOT 1.6.2023
Earlier in December, 2022, the SST had to arrange to receive the 116 chairs made to order for our UUCBV Sanctuary with our order from 2020. In order to not have to pay a late extra 10% fee of $2,307 by delaying delivery to 2023 and an additional monthly storage charge of $461 per month, we had the chairs delivered on Friday Dec 30. I was able to negotiate delivery to the adjacent Cubby Hole Texas 2 storage facility next to our Church property although I had been originally told last month they could only deliver it to the church site itself.
We had 9 volunteers to help that Friday morning and all went well, especially the weather!
The storage facility required proof of insurance for our storage room. I added on the required insurance using our Church Mutual insurance at a significantly lower cost than Cubby Hole’s insurance partner. The estimate was $250-$300 per year extra for $23,100 in chairs. The appropriate amount will be prorated when we empty the storage facility as a refund or moved to our other church insurance when we occupy the new building. We will be billed in about 4 weeks; the bill is to be turned over to the SST. The insurance was effective as of 12.30.2022. The UUCBV also has $36,000 insurance for the Triangle Bowl storage facility.
On Thursday Jan. 5, 2023, we had our monthly meeting at the church site at 8:30 am.
Attendees: (SST)Kathy Wheeler, Ken Appelt, John Ivy, Joyce Langenegger, Brian Gibbs (architect), Paul Hawryluk (engineer, Keys & Walsh), and Charles Vernon (site manager, Keys & Walsh)
Subjects:
The next church-wide Walk-the-Property will be at 9:30 am on Saturday Jan. 21, 2023.
Brian and Paul are to work our sprinkler system issues with Ken A. (unsightly/not parallel; effect on acoustics).
I asked for photos of the sanctuary of another mentioned church with similar sprinkler system also approved by the city.
The skylight is to be delivered soon.
An official cost update will be sent soon for the updated increase for the chapel bathroom (original estimate for the upgrade: $8,000- $10,000; estimate should be a little more than $9,000).
The non-sanctuary side of the church will be finished out prior to the sanctuary side as we solve the sprinkler system issues.
Ken’s iPad will be used to work with lighting and sound in the sanctuary.
There has been a delay by a company getting info to us about the acoustical curtain. Our builders need to know where to put the beam that supports this curtain. Multiple tries have been done to get the info. More tries will be done and other options are being discussed.
Great news: We found out last month that the property has no gas lines to our property. Charles said that 2 other adjacent property owners also were without gas lines and wanted to have them. Charles was quoted $6,000 for gas lines to the street. He thought the other owners might go in together on the $6,000. After talking to the gas company, he was told if three property owners wanted lines, the infrastructure would be at no charge to any of us! We will only need to put in a line from the street to the side of the building where the cement pads are.
I also asked Charles about using gas for heating and electricity for cooling when we add on solar panels in the future. He said to use gas heating (much cheaper) and the electricity generated by the solar panels would be “sold back” to the utility company. It would be much more advantageous to have gas heating!
I asked about setting up infrastructure for solar panels and asked for an estimate for setting up a conduit to carry wires from the area of the panels to the electrical box. The time to set this up is now because you don’t have to tear into the walls later. An estimate will be made. Some attic space will be needed when solar panels are installed in the future; locations suitable near the stage side of the sanctuary were discussed.
Mention was made of timing of the project and the response was some things were not controllable and the good thing is our contract does not involve upping prices on our original contract; agreed upon upgrades to the contract do increase our price. They have come up with the solution to work on the side away from the Sanctuary until they can get the information about the acoustical curtain, sprinkler system, etc.
All windows are double-paned!
I am amazed how well these professionals work together and listen to each other. They want to be finished with the project as do we. With patience, I believe “all will be well”!
-Kathy Wheeler, Chair, SST