Minutes of the Parish Meeting - October 22, 2002

1. Barry Kray moved that a total amount of $1.38 million be spend on the building renovation project.

Bill Heenehan announced that we have received $50,000 from the Arekelian Foundation for the project. He explained that at the annual Parish Meeting we had failed to appropriate a dollar amount for the building renovation project.

Maura Perkins asked what amount Wayne Clarke had recommended that we use for attrition. Bill answered 3%, but added that we had made no projections for new member donations and that those, plus continuing fund raising should cover attrition.

The motion passed unanimously except for two abstentions.

2. John Mercer moved that we authorize the Parish Committee to donate our archives to the Public Library of the City of Newburyport. He noted that they would actually be more accessible there and that they would be better preserved.

Sue Creed, who works in the library archives in the summer supported the motion, along with Louise van Bokkeln who has been a library trustee for thirty years.

Ann White mentioned that this donation will not take care of all of our problems with our archives. The library may return some items to us, and those must still be taken care of properly.

Alec White asked whether the general public would be able to withdraw the items from the library. John Mercer replied that he assumes they won't circulate, but can be seen by anyone in the library.

Sue Creed asked whether we could make sure that someone from the church could remove items for high quality copying, as we did during the bicentennial celebration. John Mercer replied that the library has assured us we will have access.

Ray Wilson asked whether the library could give any of these items to a third party. Louise van Bokkeln vigorously shook her head - NO!

Gillian Chatfield asked to go on record to thank Barbara Owen for all of her work over the years on the history project and the archives.

The motion passed with two no votes and 1 abstention.

3. Gillian Chatfield moved that the Parish accept the recommendation of the Parish Committee to name Alexandra Mezey and Philip Hurzeler each to one year terms on the Parish Committee.

Candace Erickson asked, "Why we are doing this now, are there vacancies?" Florence Mercer replied, "Yes."

The motion passed unanimously.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:35 pm.

Respectfully Submitted,

K.C. Swallow
representing Peg Nicol,
Clerk of the Parish