At our SST meeting 8.16.2022 we discussed the finances for the UUCBV in regard to our church building project. We have previously added back two canceled Value Engineering* projects 1) and 2) of:
Finishing out the front two classrooms (Targeted**; encumbered*** donation)
Finishing out the movable wall between the Chapel & the Sanctuary (unencumbered**** donations)
And the,
Unexpected upgrade needed for enclosure of trash receptacle (unencumbered donations)
We also have in the works finishing out the Chapel bathroom (unencumbered donations).
Kitchen appliances, washer and dryer, and light fixtures for the building are at the UUCBV expense as per our contract.
There are several items in the works such as extra wiring for security cameras and infrastructure for hoped for future solar panels. Curtains for the Sanctuary and lighting for production are also being investigated. (No bids yet.)
Pricing for Security cameras, a permanent building sign, a cloth labyrinth, and fencing at the back of the lot are being investigated. Playground equipment and fencing around the playground area is targeted and encumbered and is to be investigated after we outline our playground area.
The SST is in process of prioritizing for the future when funds might be available: a list is being made of mostly reinstating features (some are mentioned in the above paragraph) we had to remove with Value Engineering. These are items that we may consider when our project is nearly finished and depends a lot on what money we have left. A financial cushion is desirable for unexpected expenses. By not committing too much at this point, we will be better able to evaluate the use of any financial cushion we have later. We have been blessed by generous donors making it possible to restore some of the items cut by Value Engineering! Also, we have been fortunate to have made income in our Fidelity account (not much in the last year) that has been left intact in the account. The funds have been invested in very safe investments (CD’s and US Treasuries) and the account has not lost value at any point.
We may need dedicated fundraisers in the future for desired projects!
Definitions as applied to our project:
*Value Engineering: A process where cuts are made in our architectural plans for our Church to meet our budget.
**Targeted: Donations made for a specific project
***Encumbered: Donations received as targeted donations, but not yet spent
****Unencumbered: Donations received to be used anywhere in the building project, as needed, with the approval of the SST.
Respectfully, -Kathy Wheeler, Chair, SST