Facilities Care Sub-committee

Charter

Introduction

This charter document details the parameters, roles, responsibilities, and authority by which the building and grounds (Facilities) of All Saints’ will be maintained and cared for through a Facilities Care Sub-committee.

Background

The Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church, Revised by the 2003 General

Convention:

Title 1. Cannon 14:  Of Parish Vestries, Section 2

Except as provided by law of the State or of the Diocese, the Vestry shall be agents and legal representatives of the Parish in all matters concerning its corporate property.

The Rector and Vestry of All Saints’ possess the sole responsibility and authority to maintain and care for the Facilities and may, at their option, appoint representatives to carry out their responsibility and authority.

Objective

The Facilities are All Saints’ “primary physical asset and symbolize the care and love of previous generations of the congregation.”  The Facilities are also held and maintained in trust for future generations of All Saints’.

In the absence of a Jr. Warden role with authority to provide for the maintenance of the Facilities, a new structure of responsibility and authority must be established to assure All Saints’ parishioners that the building is being looked after; that there is a process in place to coordinate and manage repairs, modifications, and upgrades to the facilities; and that every parishioner who wishes, has a voice in the planning of any modification or upgrade project.

Unlike that for a school or office building or warehouse, care for the Facilities is performed in the service of a faith community.  This faith community uses the Facilities to worship; to discern, develop and practice individual and communal ministry; to support each other in doing so; and to celebrate. Therefore aesthetics is an important factor of accessibility, usability, and quality when setting standards for and evaluating repairs, modifications and upgrades.

Solution

The Rector and Vestry shall appoint, from the sitting Vestry, a three member team to establish, nurture, and lead a Facilities Care Sub-committee to be known as the FCC.

Scope

Membership    

· The FCC serves at the will of the Vestry for a term of 1 year.

· Three members of the vestry will be appointed by the Vestry, with the rector’s approval,to lead the FCC each year. They will be the Chair and two Vice Chairs. A different person will be appointed as Chair each year.

· The three appointed leaders will appoint all other members of the Sub-committee each year for a term of one year.

· In addition to the appointed leadership, the FCC will consist of no less than three nor more than six additional members for a maximum of nine members.

· All members of the congregation are welcome and encouraged to attend committee meetings and provide input, however, only actual committee members will be able to be part of the discernment/decision process.

Authority

The Vestry grants authority to the FCC to:

· Affect repairs to the Facilities where the cost of such repairs is up to $500 per month. (Repair costs over the established limit must be approved by the Vestry).

· Arrange for inspections and bids.

· Negotiate contracts for approved repairs and upgrades.

· Develop a long-term maintenance plan.

· Develop standard design parameters.

· Approve and supervise volunteer upgrades.

· Plan, schedule, and coordinate Parish clean-up days

The FCC will attempt to operate according to the discernment model where feasible, seeking consensus and paying particular attention to concerns of all team members. However, the appointed leadership, as the representatives of the Vestry, shall have the final say on all decisions.

When appropriate, the FCC will present maintenance projects to the Vestryfor approval and will plan, supervise, and/or execute such projects.

From time to time the Vestry may grant similar authority to the FCC to plan, supervise, and/or execute upgrades to the Facilities.

Responsibility

Communication

The FCC as a body and every FCC member individually is responsible for having in place and using a communications process that will provide timely and informative feedback to any member of All Saints who reports a problem or makes a modification/change suggestion concerning the facilities.

Building Upkeep and Cleaning

· The weekly, janitorial upkeep of the building is contracted out by the Vestry and is not a responsibility of the FCC.

· Month to month lawn care is contracted out by individual parishioners and is not a responsibility of the FCC.

· The FCC plans, schedules, and coordinates all periodic Facilities cleaning days.  This responsibility includes the traditional spring and autumn Parish clean-up Saturdays.

Building Repairs

The FCC is responsible for identification and completion of all repairs to the Facilities.  The FCC will:

• Provide single-point-of-contact information for reporting of any needed repairs
• Establish and use a process to identify emergency vs. non-emergency repairs
• Identify possible solutions and associated costs for repairs
• Assure parish review and input for non-emergency repair work where applicable
• Authorize repair work if the cost is within parameters or get approval from the Vestry
• Delegate repair work ‘in-house’ or contract as appropriate
• Review completed work for adherence to standards

Maintenance

The Sub-committee assures the Facilities are properly maintained.

• The Subcommittee inventories all mechanical systems, including appliances, the roof system, the electrical system, the plumbing system, and the structure; that inventory including:
• type and purpose
• key elements
• location
• date of acquisition or approximate age
• maintenance/repair history
• inspection schedule
• replacement schedule
• The Sub-committee plans and supervises maintenance projects;
•  a process is established for determining costs, obtaining approvals, providing for review and input, assigning work, and reviewing results.
• The Sub-committee establishes design standards for the building including
• adherence to existing context, including existing design and current use of the space
• range of materials choices for main spaces
• range of color choices for main spaces

Volunteer Upgrades

Grounds Maintenance

Appendix

Include Glossary, and other attachments.

[1] The Vestry Resource Guide, Volume I, Servants Called to Leadership, Cornerstone, 2005