by the Rev’d Sharon Alexander, Chair of Dispatch
Actions Taken at Special Meeting of the Convention of the Diocese of the Louisiana on October 31, 2015
A Special Meeting of the Convention of the Diocese of Louisiana was held on October 31, 2015 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge. This was a Special Meeting, meaning that it had an agenda limited to the actions that needed to be taken before the next Annual Meeting, to be held next fall.
Elections
Les Bradfield, parishioner at Christ Church Cathedral in New Orleans, was elected to a one-year term as Treasurer of the Diocese.
Drew Broach, parishioner at All Saints Episcopal Church in River Ridge, was elected to his second 3-year term as Trustee for the University of the South (Sewanee). His term will begin in October 2016.
Resolutions
Resolutions A-1 and A-2 give the Executive Board the authority, as delegated by the Convention, to approve the Bishop’s nominees for the 2016-17 school year for the new Trustees for The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge and St. Martin’s School in Metairie, respectively. The schools had requested more time to seek out and interview prospective Trustees.
Resolution B-1 gives the Executive Board the authority, as delegated by the Convention, to approve minimum clergy compensation for full time priests in the Diocese. Because the Social Security Administration’s official release of its Cost of Living Adjustment for 2016 came too late for the Executive Board to analyze and recommend minimum compensation for 2016 to Convention, Convention has authorized the Executive Board to make the determination.
Resolution B-2 authorizes and directs the Executive Board to develop and implement a process for review, evaluation and approval of appeals of amounts the Diocese assess congregations pursuant to Canon 22. The focus of the process is to assist parishes and provide support rather than on applying sanctions.
Resolution R-1 brings Canon 6 of the Diocese in conformity with the amendment to Canon I.9.7 of the Episcopal Church that was passed at General Convention in June 2015. Canon I.9.7 now requires that deputies to Provincial Synod meetings (including Province IV Synod) be elected rather than appointed. General Convention deputies and alternates will be elected at the fall 2016 Annual Meeting of the Convention of the Diocese of Louisiana and these deputies and alternates will serve as deputies and alternates to Province IV Synod in June 2017.
Budget
After an amendment from the floor of the Convention requesting the removal of a proposed $20,000 management fee to be charged to the Gaudet Fund was approved, the budget for the Diocese for 2016 was approved, with a budgeted income of $1,692,005 and budgeted expenses of $1,715,760, resulting in a deficit of $23,755. The Executive Board has the authority to make adjustments to expenses that it may deem necessary. Since 2010 the budgeted income/loss of the Diocese has been:
Budgeted Actual
2010 (17,976) +29,962
2011 (57,617) (19,398)
2012 (72,292) +1,018
2013 (6,211) (5,388)
2014 (29,523) +20,430
2015 (7,522)
2016 (23,755)