Interim Meeting - April 9, 2011
Draft Interim Meeting Minutes
April 9, 2011, 9:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Arch Street Meetinghouse
1. Opening Worship
Friends gathered at the appointed hour for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s Interim Meeting Session and settled into worship in the west room of the meetinghouse.
2. Welcome
Out of deep worship at about 9:50 the Clerk Thomas Swain (Middletown MM Concord Quarter) greeted us in love and grace. He introduced himself and others at the clerk’s table. On the facing benches were members of the financial stewardship committee and representatives of Young Friends and Young Adult Friends.
We welcomed a newly appointed representative to Interim Meeting, Todd Reed from Gwynedd Monthly Meeting.
We had many guests in attendance who were also welcomed.
Clerk urged us to be aware that our primary purpose is to recognize our community. Our secondary purpose is to share and consider our proposed budget.
3. Financial Stewardship Committee
TylaAnn Burger (Green Street MM), PYM Treasurer, gave us some preliminary information to consider before hearing about the budget. She explained our declining income, coming from an enormous reduction in the value of our investments. Our members have recognized this and are trying to make up for it; although contributions to the annual fund have been basically flat, the covenants have gone up considerably. However there has been a huge increase in expenses. Most of this has been an increase in personnel cost, and the largest piece of this has been the cost of our pension fund and health insurance—not an increase in staff. Many other expenses for Yearly Meeting have gone up as well. Because costs have gone up far faster than income, we have less to spend on programs. In the past 5 years, we have spent $1.75 million more than our unrestricted fund income. TylaAnn reminded us that this problem of unbalanced budgets has been with us, with increasing intensity, over the past 5 years.
Jack Mahon (Woodstown MM), clerk of Financial Stewardship, took on the challenge of introducing the budget for FYE 2012 as provided earlier. He urged us, as we go forward, to keep our entire Yearly Meeting in perspective, not just favored programs.
Arthur Larrabee (Central Philadelphia MM), General Secretary, explained that he was asked to find $600,000 in savings from personnel costs, and he gave us a brief summary of his suggestions for a new staff structure. His attempt in all recommendations was to maintain the programs affecting our most vulnerable members. Many programs will need to rely much more heavily on volunteer assistance. Although he found this project incredibly difficult, he urged us to find a “new normal” for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
4. Questions for understanding
Clerk asked for questions to understand the nature of this budget. Later he reminded us that we need to ask questions for understanding, not to “solve the budget.”
There were questions about restricted funds. The largest are for aging and education; income from all restricted funds is always spent.
Questions about closing programs at this time, based on a draft budget, were answered that these closings have not been made. Pertinent staff, standing committees and working groups have been informed of possible changes in their future.
A question was asked about future budget challenges. TylaAnn told us that because our investments will probably increase value, eventually we’ll be doing better. But the next few years will indeed be challenging.
There were several questions concerning the importance of Young Friends and Young Adult Friends for the growth of the Yearly Meeting. The answer was that some things had to be cut, and no one was happy with everything being cut. Funding for the programs themselves has not been cut, only the staff persons for them. It is planned that the remaining staff can help these programs continue.
A friend urged us to consider a long-term solution. The Clerk told us that the Advisory Committee is working on developing an ad hoc long-range planning committee to work on a proposal, with plans to bring it to Interim Meeting for suggestions within the next two months.
A friend who had questions about the closing of Burlington said he would try to avoid his heart questions and stick solely to the fact questions of who is the ultimate trustee of Burlington.
A questioner asked why these challenges are facing us now, when we were told at Residential Yearly Meeting last year that we had two or three years. The answer was that the deficit we have seen this year is larger than what was anticipated to be seen over the next three years.
A friend urged us to recognize an abundant God, to avoid focusing on a sense of scarcity.
A Young Friend asked how many bake sales it would take to make up the cost of funding a staff position for this program. A Young Adult Friend said he has been greatly affected by the Young Friends program and is outraged we are considering reducing it. Another friend asked if we have looked at funding for Young Friends, Young Adult Friends, and other forms of growth. We have looked at ways of funding these programs and TylaAnn reminded us that we must find some way to create a balanced budget based on spirit-led decisions.
A friend asked if there would be a way to cut a little from everyone’s salary, and/or selling some property. Jack Mahon said the amount of one million dollars is too great to take a little bit out of everything.
A friend expressed great appreciation to the Financial Stewardship committee for their work. He asked that Young Friends be included in the process as we move forward.
A friend asked for specific numbers on savings from the proposed shutdown of Burlington meetinghouse and was told shuttering it would cost about $60,000.
A friend asked why five Quarters have coordinator programs maintained while others do not. The answer was that eight Quarterly Meetings have coordinator programs. Three are funded entirely by their Quarters. The others have grown over the years, with various levels of financial support from the YM, based on historic perspectives.
A friend urged us to consider what Spirit is truly calling us to do, and way will open.
BREAK
Initially after break, the Clerk suggested we return this budget proposal to Financial Stewardship for their reconsideration, in light of some of the concerns expressed today. As a second track, Jack Mahon urged us to mail out the proposed budget to the Monthly Meetings, with the understanding that it is merely a preliminary proposal. Meeting agreed to this dual track, with the Financial Stewardship Committee and other Standing Committees given time to thresh it more before the Interim Meeting in June, and the Monthly Meetings given a chance to see it for their input before June as well. Then, at the June Interim Meeting, we will be given a revised budget for six weeks of consideration before Annual Sessions.
A friend urged us all to be part of the solution. And, continuing this, another friend urged us to recognize the financial wall we have run into and the need to cut $600,000 from salary. This does not mean the end of programs, merely staff support for the programs.
A friend suggested that schedules for teenagers’ summers must be considered very soon. He asked that YM support a planned week at Camp Onas in August for Young Friends, with or without staff. Meeting approved finding a way to support Young Friends in this gathering.
A friend suggested we have been talking finances, but not listening enough to the Spirit. He asked us to be honest about our romantic attachment to our life together and to hear better where God is moving among us.
A friend asked us to consider the process of eliminating staff, urging us to use a group instead of throwing the task to the General Secretary alone.
A question was posed about the need for money for severance, and we were assured this is included in the proposed budget for FYE 2012.
A friend urged us to allow Young Friends an opportunity to interact with Monthly Meetings as decisions are made on this budget. And another friend expressed concern that without the “life raft” of the Young Friends gatherings, Monthly Meetings must pick up the slack to recreate what we are losing.
Jennie Sheeks (Central Philadelphia MM), our new Director of Annual Giving, introduced herself and urged everyone present to carry the involvement they expressed by being here today back to their Monthly Meetings.
5. Minutes provided in advance of this meeting
In advance of consideration of the budget, six groups presented minutes, which are attached. These were read and/or explained by representatives of these groups.
6. Consent Agenda
A minute from A Quaker Witness on Economy and Ecology (AQWEE) was approved for forwarding.
After a period of worship, we adjourned at 2:15. We agree to meet again on Saturday, May 14, at 9:30 AM.
Thomas Swain, Clerk
Jim Herr, Recording Clerk
