First Unitarian Society
Madison, WI
December Parish Meeting
Minutes
December 14, 2003
CALL TO ORDER
First Unitarian Society president Jim Jaeger declared that a quorum was in
attendance and called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m.
APPROVAL OF LAY MINISTERS TO PERFORM WEDDINGS
Michael Schuler presented the list of lay ministers seeking approval to perform
weddings for the Society as follows:
New lay officiants
Adrienne Sager
Emily Melcher
Lay officiants to be renewed
(Having been “certified” for two years)
Wendy Cooper Nancy Vedder-Shults
Barbara Nehls-Lowe Vicky Jones
Lori Cresswell
MOTION by John Young to approve the presented list of lay ministers to perform
weddings.
CARRIED
APPROVAL OF BY-LAWS CHANGES EXHIBIT 1
Dennis Birke of the By-Laws Committee outlined the proposed changes to the
by-laws as detailed in exhibit 1. He noted in particular the provision
for an annual All-Parish Forum (Section 3.7), changes in governance structure
to establish at-large trustees and a “past president” position
(Section 5.2), changes in Article X on ministers and other staff to bring
it into conformity with current practice. He also noted that, while the
Committee had attended to the expectations of membership (Article IV),
it found these difficult to state in by-laws.
MOTION by Vicky Jones to approve the amended by-laws as presented.
In response to a question, Dennis clarified the relationship of the roles
of at-large trustees and council chairs: these are two distinct roles;
trustees will no longer chair councils but will be assigned a council with
which to work.
MOTION by John Schweitzer to amend this motion to reinstate the words “present
and voting” to Section 3.2 of the by-laws.
CARRIED
The main MOTION, as amended, CARRIED.
Jim Jaeger thanked the members of the By-Laws Committee (Dennis Birke, Prudy
Stewart, Alan Knox) for their work.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION by Anne Mosser to adjourn.
CARRIED.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:28 p.m.
Minutes by Susan Koenig, First Unitarian Society Secretary
EXHIBITS
1. Proposed amendments to Bylaws of the First Unitarian Society