We would like to announce two votes that are currently open. You may vote by emailing board@churchinthecliff.org. See below for details on each vote.
Vote #1:
If you agree to empower the board to negotiate in good faith and sign a lease for the building at 1719 W. 10th Ave., vote, “Yes.” If not, vote, “No.”
Vote #2:
If you approve of the following changes to the board, vote, “Yes.” If not, vote, “No.”
Janalee Shadburn Wiles will continue for the remainder of her two-year term as Moderator.
Mikal Beth Fortenberry will continue for the remainder of her two-year term as Trustee
Nelis Potgieter will move from Treasurer to Trustee for the remainder of his two-year term.
Jen Mauldin will move from Trustee to Clerk for the remainder of her two-year term.
Ashley Pena will begin a two-year term as Treasurer.
Detail for Vote #1
At the church planning retreat in May, there was a strong consensus that finding permanent space is the next step for Church in the Cliff. “Church-in-a-box” takes its toll on everyone involved. It is time to find a home.
The board has looked at several spaces in Oak Cliff, but one just became available that has generated a lot of excitement. The building is a Mid-Century Modern located at 1719 W. 10th St. It is 2600 square feet with a large area at the front that could be used for worship and 9-10 smaller rooms that can be used for offices, studios, kitchen, classrooms, and childcare. Our hope is to rent four of the rooms as studios for an artist’s co-op.
The numbers are as follows: $1375 in rent + $600 (max) in utilities – $800 in income for studio rentals (4 rooms at $200 each) = $1175 per month. This is almost exactly what we pay at Kidd Springs for 4 hours of access each week. However, there are still a few unknowns.
We had a meeting on Sunday for questions and comments and two possible costs were revealed. First, we need to clarify with the property manager who is responsible for maintenance, both routine, such as custodial and lawn care, and emergent, such as broken pipes or HVAC. Our assumption is that we would be responsible for the routine and the owner would be responsible for the emergent, but we need to make sure. Second, it was suggested that we get an insurance policy, both to cover property for theft or damage and for basic liability. We will have to get some quotes, but some present at the meeting suggested that such coverage is inexpensive, perhaps $50 per month.
This vote would empower the board to negotiate and sign a lease, assuming the costs are roughly in line with what has been outlined here. It is simply not feasible to bring every point of negotiation back to the community, so the board is asking for your trust as good stewards of the church’s finances and future in this matter.
Our normal voting procedures require two weeks notice. Our processes were put in place to protect the community, but we would not want them to keep us from doing something that it seems everyone wants. Therefore, we will attempt to keep to that standard, but it may be necessary to move on a lease before the two week period has ended. If there is a substantial consensus in the early votes and no dissent and those votes appear to represent the church community, we may have to cut the voting period short in order to get the building. Janalee and Scott have spoken to all the regular attendees personally and, assuming the numbers work the way we anticipate, everyone has been very supportive. We want everyone to make an informed decision, but we would appreciate everyone voting as quickly as your conscience allows.
Details for Vote #2
We are always trying to match people’s gifts with the needs of the church as we configure the board. Nelis has served us well as Treasurer, helping us to move our accounts to a neighborhood credit union and ensuring that deposits were made in a timely manner. However, it became clear that this is not a life-giving position for Nelis, and so he would like to serve in the capacity of Trustee instead. We are certainly glad to have him continue! We are also glad that Ashley is looking for more ways to serve the church. Her skills are a perfect match for the position of Treasurer. Ashley is an accountant for the Dallas Opera and has many years of bookkeeping and accounting experience. She has already blessed this church by helping to navigate some issues with tax filing and reporting. We are excited to have her join the board.
Our Clerk position will soon be vacant as Valen Chavez’s two-year term is ending. Valen has served us well, providing excellent notes and communication. We will miss Valen’s generous spirit and insightful questions in our board meetings. Jen has served for the past year as a Trustee, but throughout her tenure has always taken detailed notes and communicated efficiently on board matters. It is a natural fit for her to move from Trustee to Clerk.
Janalee Shadburn Wiles and Mikal Beth Fortenberry will continue in their current positions as Moderator and Trustee, respectively. They each have one year remaining in a two-year term.
Thank you for your participation,
The Board of Church in the Cliff