Wednesday, November 8, 2000
Trinity Episcopal Church, Irvington, New Jersey
Approved Minutes of Regular Monthly Meeting
Present: The Rt. Rev. John P. Croneberger;
President; Mr. Robert Simmons, Vice President; Mr. Michael
Francaviglia, Secretary ; Mr. John Zinn, Treasurer; Michael
F. Rehill, Esq., Chancellor
Bishop's Appointments: Mr. Alan Bowen; The Rev. Geoffrey Curtiss; The Rev. John
G. Hartnett
Elected by Convention: Mr. Leonard Glenn; Ms. Bonnie Magnuson; The Rev. Dr. Robert
A. Schiesler; Ms. Joyce Skipper
Elected by Districts: Mr. Steven Boston; The Rev. Canon Gervais Clarke; The Rev.
Susan Fortunato; Ms. Kathy Ganim; Ms. Ann Hirsch; Ms. Naomi Horsky; Ms. Claudette
Lewis; Ms. Elizabeth Moss; Mr. Robert Simmons; The Rev. Mildred J. Solomon; The
Rev. Paul Walker; Ms. Patty Watts
Absent: The Rev. David Badgely; The Rev. Martin Bagay; The Rev. Dr. Ellen Barrett;
The Rev. Kevin P.J. Coffey; Mr. Richard Fifield; Mr. Gerald Harvey; The Rev.
William Lantz; Mrs. Doris Mardirosian; The Rev. Kenneth Near; The Rev. William
Parnell; Ms. Diane Rhodes; Ms. Susan Schink;; Ms. Lynn Tyler; The Rev. Denise
Yarbrough
Others: Mr. Bert Jones, Mission to Dismantle Racism; the Rev. Jeannette DeFriest
and Mr. Peter Van Brunt, Messiah, Chester; Ms. Kathleen Ballard, Ms. Jean Jones
and the Rev. Richard Bardusch, Child Protection Policy Committee; Mr. George
Hayman, the Voice.
Staff: The Rev. Canon Paul Hunt, Ms. Susan Robinson
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Bishop Croneberger.
The Rev. Canon Paul Ekezie, rector, greeted the members of Council, and introduced
the parishioners present. They included Ms. Winifred Kelly and Mr. Coghlan Abraham,
wardens; Ms. Melanese Stoute, Ms. Monica Lewis, Mr. Charles Otto, and Mrs. Paul
Ekezie. He described his ministry as a challenging one. The congregation grew
from a Sunday attendance of 15 to nearly 100. An outreach ministry was started
last year and had been honored by the town recently. He expressed gratitude for
past diocesan support to correct facilities difficulties with the 160 year old
church and appealed for additional ongoing assistance, especially with a roofing
problem. He expected that with the help of the diocese the place will be transformed
even further.
AGENDA
It was moved and seconded to adopt the agenda. The motion was adopted.
MINUTES
It was moved and seconded to accept the minutes for the October 11, 2000. The
motion to accept the minutes was adopted.
EPISCOPAL COMMUNICATIONS:
THE RT. REV. JOHN P. CRONEBERGER
- Welcomed the guests who had business before Council this evening, Mr. Bert
Jones, Ms. Kathleen Ballard, Ms. Jean Jones, the Rev. Richard Bardusch, the Rev.
Jeannette DeFriest and Mr. Peter Van Brunt.
- Congratulated Mr. George Hayman on his election as Council member in the Borough
of Madison.
- Reported on the clergy conference held in October that featured Dr. Leonard
Sweet as a guest lecturer.
- Reported on the services held this past week for the Rev. Canon Francis Bancroft,
III, who retired after 40 years of active ministry.
- Announced the Standing Committee approved for postulancy Anne Koehler, Willie
Smith, William Feus, Tay Moss, Jim Petrocione, Beth Glover.
- Announced the Standing Committee approved for candidacy Robert Keaten.
- Announced two staff changes at Episcopal House with Pat Hawkins leaving the
Oasis for a position with ECD and the finance department hiring a replacement
bookkeeper, Walter Clark.
- Reported The Commission on Liturgy and Music met recently. There were subcommittees
working on different services, including the blessing of same gender relationships.
- Dates were set for the ordinations to priesthood, Tanya Wallace on 12/16, and
Howard Hess on 12/11 in South Carolina.
DEPLOYMENT
The Rev. Canon Paul Hunt announced that the Rev. Kimberly
Hegg was called as rector of Annunciation, Oradell. He
reported on a recent conference for a clergy in transition
program, called "Fresh Starts." The program
will be used in the diocese of Newark beginning early
next year.
TREASURER'S REPORT
Mr. John Zinn presented the report. October was the second consecutive month
when pledges were behind budget. There were eight churches that should have given
over $200,000, and only $10,000 had been received to date, but of those six always
gave fully toward the end of the year. A search firm and a higher salary was
necessary to hire the replacement bookkeeper. It was moved and seconded to accept
the report, subject to audit. The motion was adopted.
BUDGET COMMITTEE
The Budget Committee was scheduled to meet on November 11 for hearings. The council
will receive the proposed budget by overnight mail in time for the December 13
meeting. He urged members to carefully read the proposed budget for a full discussion
at the meeting.
ST. JAMES' CDC INTERIM ELECTION
Mr. Zinn explained that the election for board members
to St. James CDC would not take place until the first
quarter of next year. In the meantime, an individual – Mr.
Ross Mangina, Our Saviour, Denville – had been identified to fill a vacancy and
willing to serve as the treasurer. Hence, his election to the St. James CDC Board
as Treasurer was sought. Mr. Zinn moved the election of Mr. Mangina until the
full board was elected in the first quarter of 2001. The motion was seconded
and adopted.
MEDICAL INSURANCE
Mr. John Zinn reported on the recommendation by the Insurance Committee. He moved
the following resolution:
Resolved that the Diocese of Newark's group medical insurance plans currently
with Prudential Health Care be transferred to the Episcopal Church Medical Trust
effective January 1, 2001.
The motion was seconded. After discussion, the motion was adopted.
Supporting information: Prudential Health Care has been acquired by Aetna US
Healthcare. As part of that acquisition, Aetna is in the process of closing out
all existing Prudential group health plans. In order to arrange for an orderly
transition, proposals were solicited from the Aetna as well as from the Episcopal
Church Medical Trust. The Medical Trust effectively operates as a broker obtaining
proposals from different carriers and offering some specialized enhancements
to the basic coverage offered by these carriers.
During this process it developed that the replacement POS and HMO coverage being
offered directly by Aetna could be provided through the Medical Trust at the
same cost. There are advantages to purchasing this coverage through the Medical
Trust that will be discussed later. In terms of the Aetna POS and HMO plans there
are some changes to the plans that would be made as part of this action.
With regard to the HMO plan, the basic change is an increase in the co-pay from
$5 to $20 and the introduction of a $150 co-pay for hospitalization. These increases
are necessary to limit the increase in cost of this coverage. With these changes
the cost will increase between 12 and 26% depending on the type of coverage,
without these changes the cost would increase by between 30 and 45%.
For the managed care or POS plan the changes would be as follows:
1. The co-pay for doctor's visits would be increased from $5 to $20 and the emergency
room co-pay would be increased from $25 to $35.
2. A prescription drug program would be introduced for the first time. This would
enable plan participants to obtain prescription drugs at the cost of a $10/$15/$30
co-pay depending on the type of drug involved. Aetna has a very broad network
of participating pharmacies where such drugs could be obtained.
3. The maximum number of mental health outpatient visits would be increased to
60 per year. Within the network this is subject to a $25 co-pay, outside of the
network, this would be subject to deductibles and co-insurance.
The basic effect of these changes is to obtain two important benefit
enhancements, prescription drugs and expanded outpatient mental health
coverage, with most of the additional cost financed by the increased
co-pays. Increased co-pays are especially appropriate given that
plan participants pay only a miniscule portion of the premium. An
analysis by Aetna indicates that this move would require only about ½ dozen
members of our group to choose new primary care physicians.
Purchasing both the POS and HMO coverage through the Medical Trust offers a further
enhancement in the mental health area. The Medical Trust provides a mental health
supplement at an annual cost of $240 per employee. Under this supplement there
is a pre-certification process for each kind of treatment. Once the pre-certification
process is complete, the insured goes through the first ten sessions under the
basic Aetna coverage. When the 10 sessions are complete the insured will receive
70% reimbursement for the balance of the treatment. Pre-certification occurs
only once and the coverage is reported to be fairly broad.
The Medical Trust will also directly bill each congregation and participating
entity which would relieve the diocese of both the billing work and all of the
related cash flow problems. There is an annual cost for the billing and for administration.
For the past five to six years, our rates have included an add-on for administrative
costs. We are still working on the best way to make a smooth transition of the
billing. This may involve the diocese doing the billing for one more year with
a goal of the Medical Trust taking it over in 2002. Additional analysis and planning
is necessary in this area.
Under this arrangement the cost of the POS coverage will increase between 7 and
14% including the cost of all these changes. A year ago the diocese was confronted
with a 30% rate increase that after some intense negotiating was reduced to 15%.
For 2001 we have the opportunity to significantly improve our coverage at a lower
rate of increase than we paid for no improvements in 2000.
ACTS/VIM BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS
Mr. Michael Francaviglia presented the recommendations from the ACTS/VIM Board.
It was moved and seconded to adopt the recommendations and refer them to the
December meeting for ratification. The motion was adopted.
AV-00-14 Union City, Grace - Multicultural & Inner City Ministry
requested $16,000
Motion to fund: 10 yes.
Motion to fund $9,000: 10 yes.
AV-00-15 Boonton, St. John's - St. John's CDC After School Program requested
20,000
Motion to fund: 9 yes, 1 abstention.
Motion to fund $12,000: 9 yes, 1 abstention.
AV-00-16 Paterson, St. Paul's - St. Paul's CDC Emergency Shelter requested 20,000
Motion to fund: 9 yes, 1 abstention.
Motion to fund $10,000: 9 yes, 1 abstention.
AV-00-17 Fort Lee, Good Shepherd - Friends for Life requested 8,200
Motion to fund: 10 yes.
Motion to fund $6,000: 10 yes.
AV-00-18 Harrington Park, St. Andrew's - Food Pantry requested10,000
Motion to fund: 10 yes.
Motion to fund $5,000: 10 yes.
AV-00-19 Hackensack, Christ Church - CDC/Peter's Place expanded services req.
20,000
Motion to fund: 9 yes, 1 abstention.
Motion to fund $8,000: 9 yes, 1 abstention.
AV-00-20 Belleville, Christ Church - The Care Closet requested 4,500
Motion to fund: 10 yes.
Motion to fund $4,500: 10 yes.
AV-00-21 Hoboken, All Saints' - All Clean Care requested 20,000
Motion to fund: 10 no.
AV-00-23 Newark, Grace - Homework Club at Grace Church requested 12,000
Motion to fund: 10 yes.
Motion to fund $3,500: 10 yes.
AV-00-24 Newark, The Oasis - The Wellspring Educational Project requested 12,500
Motion to fund: 2 yes, 5 no, 3 abstentions.
AV-00-25 Jersey City, JC Episcopal CDC - Outreach Extension Project requested
10,000
Motion to fund: 9 yes, 1 abstention.
Motion to fund $7,000: 9 yes, 1 abstention.
Any funds provided will be held until the CDC can secure the total amount necessary
to purchase a van.
AV-00-26 Newark, St. James CDC - Employment Initiative Program requested 15,000
Motion to fund: 10 yes.
Motion to fund $10,000: 10 yes.
AV-00-27 Newark, Episcopal ECD Corp. - The Samaritan Project requested 15,000
Motion to fund: 10 yes.
Motion to fund $10,000: 10 yes.
Total recommendation to Diocesan Council: $85,000
WARD J. HERBERT FUND BOARD
RECOMMENDATIONS
Mr. Steve Boston, Board Member, presented the recommendations. It was moved and
seconded to adopt the recommendations and refer them to the June meeting for
ratification. The motion was adopted.
The Rev. Jeannette DeFriest, vicar of Messiah, Chester, and Mr. Peter Van Brunt,
church member, addressed the Council to appeal the decision of the board. They
explained the three components of their grant request: security lights for the
back lot; tree trimming for safety issues which would had been covered if the
DOM had responsibility for property; and then the vicarage garage roof. The total
asking was $3,440.
Mr. Robert Simmons moved that Council approve the appeal and that the request
be reconsidered by the board. The Rev. Geoff Curtiss amended the motion that
Messiah, Chester be notified of the board decision prior to the December Council
meeting. The motion passed with three abstentions.
WJH-00-18 Montclair, St. Luke's - Repair to Assembly Hall windows requested $8,000
Motion to fund: 14 yes, 1 abstention.
Motion to fund $5,000: 14 yes, 1 abstention.
WJH-00-19 Belvidere, St. Mary's - Vicarage roof replacement requested 1,100
Motion to fund: 15 yes.
Motion to fund $1,100: 15 yes.
WJH-00-20 Hackensack, St. Cyprian's - Heating system replacement requested 4,640
Motion to fund: 15 yes.
Motion to fund $4,640: 15 yes.
One-third of the funds will come from the WJH monies and one-third from the DOM
monies transferred to WJH.
WJH-00-21 Union City, St. John's
Sidewalks, electrical upgrade, basement ceiling requested 14,340
Motion to fund: 15 yes.
Motion to fund $13,000: 15 yes.
WJH-00-22 Mendham, St. Mark's - Parish hall repairs requested 15,000
Motion to fund: 15 yes.
Motion to fund $15,000: 15 yes.
The funds will not be released until the bids requested were received.
WJH-00-23 Boonton, St. John's - Bell tower repairs requested 1,250
Motion to fund: 15 yes.
Motion to fund $1,250: 15 yes.
WJH-00-24 Teaneck, Christ Church - Capital improvements continued requested 3,474
Motion to fund: 15 yes.
Motion to fund $3,400: 15 yes with covenance.
The funds will not be released until a presentation and a written report is presented
to the executive committee.
WJH-00-25 Chester, Messiah - Security light, tree removal, new roof requested
3,440
Motion to fund: 14 no, 1 abstention.
The liaison team recommended no funding for the request. The church may resubmit
an application, but needed to supply additional information: clarification on
the historical status of the barn, and plans for the usage after the renovation
of the shed. The tree trimming work will not be considered for funding, however.
Church representatives would need to meet with the liaison team, as well.
WJH-00-26 Clifton, St. Peter's Haven - Bathroom requested 5,000
Motion to fund: 15 yes.
Motion to fund $5,000: 15 yes.
WJH-00-27 Newton, Christ Church -Front gable wall, chimney requested 33,725
Motion to fund: 15 yes.
Motion to fund $33,725: 15 yes.
WJH-00-28 North Bergen, Transfiguration - Vicarage and garage roofs requested
4,900
Motion to fund: 15 yes.
Motion to fund $4,900: 15 yes.
Total Recommendation to Diocesan Council: $84,695
MISSION TO DISMANTLE RACISM
Mr. Bert Jones, Chair, reported that 70 congregations had participated already
or were scheduled to do so by year's end, as well as a number of diocesan committees
and commissions, in the dialogues. Over 400 individuals took part. There were
two diocesan training weekends in May and October; 65 attended the former and
75 for the latter. Fourteen facilitators had been working with the churches and
groups. There was discussion on the resistance that some persons have to participate.
CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION POLICY
MANUAL
Ms. Kathleen Ballard, committee chair, the Rev. Richard Bardusch, Youth Ministries
Director, and Ms. Jean Jones and Ms. Bonnie Magnuson, committee members, presented
the Manual of Policies and Procedures for the Care and Protection of Children.
The Chancellor will review the document to consider any canonical or legal implications.
Over the next month the members of Council have the opportunity to review the
manual. The Council will take action at the December meeting.
DEPARTMENT OF MISSIONS
The Rev. Canon Paul Hunt presented a status report on the work of the DOM. Work
continued on focusing their life as a corporate entity, especially since the
DOM gave up the property issues. Discussions continued on what it meant to call
a congregation viable. Contact had been made with other dioceses on their policies
regarding the same issues. A budget presentation will be made to the Council
Budget Committee, but will be much reduced from previous years. Two congregations
were working on strategic seven year plans in coordination with the Trustees.
By June or September 2001, there should be a model for congregational development
ready; some of the planning will be a result of the Visioning Convocation in
January. The DOM may cease to exist in 2002 once the congregational model was
implemented. Training for resourcing small congregations had been held recently
with additional ones planned.
PLANNING COMMITTEE
The Rev. John Hartnett, chair, reported on the plans for redistricting proposals.
Using a map of the diocese, he explained the response from clergy in attendance
at the recent conference when asked which churches do they see themselves working
with or currently work with in ministry. The committee will have a report and
recommendation for new districts at next month's meeting. The size of Council
membership will likely reduce with the new district alignment. He stressed that
the process should not be viewed as one done by a small group or just by the
folks at 31 Mulberry Street to eliminate some people from the dialogue.
EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN
Ms. Kathleen Ballard reported that Ms. Doris Mardirosian had recently been re-hospitalized.
The ECW board will have brunch on November 11 at the home of Mrs. Marilyn Croneberger,
co-hosted by Ms. Jennifer Hunt.
STEERING COMMITTEE - CONGREGATIONAL
VISITS
Ms. Liz Moss shared the experience that she and Denise Yarbrough had recently
with representatives from Grace, Madison, St. Peter's, Morristown and St. Paul's,
Morris Plains. She urged other members to continue the visiting process.
STEERING COMMITTEE - DIOCESAN
CONVENTION WORSHIP OFFERING
Mr. Robert Simmons presented the following resolution:
RESOLVED, that the offering from the Convention Worship Service be equally divided
between the St. Paul's Community Development Corporation, Paterson, New Jersey
and the Dalit Solidarity Forum-USA, Morristown, New Jersey.
The motion was seconded and adopted.
Supporting Information:
St. Paul's CDC has
provided a number of services to the population in Passaic
County over the past decade, such as the food pantry,
a men's emergency shelter, transitional housing, teen
mother education and case management. An example of one
the programs is the emergency shelter and transitional
housing for over 5,000 homeless persons in the Passaic
County area. The demand far exceeds the supply of shelter
and transitional housing in the cities of Paterson and
Passaic, where there is the highest incidence of homelessness.
St. Paul's CDC has designed a program to address multiple
presenting problems through on-site and off-site social
services. It offers a real intervention to break and
end the cycle of homeless for this target population,
which affects families, couples and individuals alike.
Their vision for combating homeless in their community
is to provide opportunities for homeless persons to access
a variety of services that meet their individual assessed
needs, including outreach, emergency shelter, transitional
housing, supportive services and permanent supportive
housing.
The Dalit Solidarity Forum-USA is
seeking to expand its work with international, Indian
and U.S.-based non-governmental organizations and activists
on mobilizing international and national communities
against caste-based violence and discrimination. The
aim is to continue to work with the National Campaign
for Dalit Human Rights in India and the International
Dalit Solidarity Network.
The Indian sub-continent is home to one of the most rigid
social structures in the world. This structure, known
as the Caste System, divides all human kind into five
hierarchially arranged categories. Members of the fifth
and lowest category, known as India's "untouchables" or
Dalits, have faced socially sanctioned discrimination,
and unspeakable human rights violation for over two thousand
years. As India faces the turn of the millennium, this
system, which has been termed India's hidden apartheid,
remains virtually unchanged. It is estimated that every
hour two Dalits are assaulted, every day three Dalit
women are raped, every day two Dalits are murdered, and
every day two Dalit houses are burned down in the name
of India's caste system and its associated laws of purity
and pollution. These human rights violations occur despite
constitutional guarantees abolishing untouchability,
and criminal legislation to prosecute atrocities against
India's 200 million Dalits.
The Dalit Solidarity Forum-USA is located in Morristown, New Jersey with offices
at St. Peter's Episcopal Church. Ms. Roja Singh is the president of DSF-USA and
her husband, the Rev. Prince Singh, rector of St. Alban's, Oakland, is a trustee,
as is Ms. Donna Fleetwood, wife of the Rev. Zach Fleetwood, rector of St. Peter's,
Morristown.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Bishop Croneberger announced that at next month's council meeting, the appreciative
inquiry process will be done. Preliminary financial work and staff resources
to assist the new district structure and missions.
Announced that Barbara Carpenter, wife of Tim Carpenter, passed away this morning.
A memorial service will be on Sunday, November 12.
The benediction was pronounced by Bishop Croneberger.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Francaviglia,
Secretary
The next meeting
will be held on Wednesday, December 13, Apostles
House, Newark.
Consider car pooling to the meeting.
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