Annual Report 2023-2024-DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 34
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Chair: Rachel Boon
Vice Chair: Wade DeWald
Secretary: Kathy Murphy
Staff Liaison: Jared Wortman
Mission from Bylaws:
The board will oversee and provide recommendations to the
Executive Committee of the Church Council on Plymouth’s
property, finances, business, contractual affairs, and recommend a
budget to the Executive Council each year.
Major Events/Achievements in 2023-2024:
The Board of Trustees had a busy year working with the Senior
Pastor, the Director of Finance and the Director of Operations
and Technology to ensure the financial and physical plant needs
of the church are met. Due to various life circumstances, there
were two vacancies on the Board for much of the year. We hope
to fill those partial terms by early summer.
Highlights of our work this past year included the following:
• A major emphasis of the Board of Trustees in the past year
was on issues from the Building and Grounds Committee
(B&G), led by Galen Howsare, that pertain to building
repairs and maintenance. The largest items were the contracts
with OPN Architects and Neumann Brothers for construction
management services in regards to the roof and related facility
needs. The update from the B&G provides ore detail, but note
that the Trustees spent a portion of every meeting receiving
updates and having discussions with leaders from B&G.
• Plymouth had a successful year in terms of meeting giving and
other income targets, while staying on budget with expenses.
We ended 2023 needing to draw only $140,000 from the
Foundation Sustainability Grant (which was approved for up
to $350,000).
• The Memorials and Bequests Committee, led by Doug Jeske,
nearly completed review of existing undesignated funds and
has ensured they are directed in alignment with donor wishes
whenever they are known. The Trustees also developed a
policy regarding the disposition of future undesignated memorial
and bequest gifts to ensure more clarity for both staff and
donors in the future.
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• The Trustees reviewed and approved fundraising requests
and continue to work on the processes required for Plymouth
Boards and Committees to engage in fundraising outside of
their regularly budgeted efforts.
• In budget planning for 2024, the Trustees worked closely with
the Senior Pastor and the Director of Finance to identify areas
of cost savings in staff and programming, without compromising
the strategic goals of the church. An open position for an
additional pastor supporting social justice and spiritual growth
and a position for support of children and youth needs are
part of the current year budget in alignment with the strategic
plan and previous Financial Sustainability Group report.
• The cash management policy established by the Trustees in
2023 was used effectively to generate interest earnings that
support the overall annual budget of the church. This approach
will be maintained as interest rates remain very favorable.
• The Trustees authorized submission to the federal Employee
Retention Credit program based on continuing to pay its staff
while shutting down in the pandemic. This filing met all
deadlines and is likely to result in receiving a significant payment
from the federal government in late 2024 or early 2025.
Board Members:
2023-2024
2023-2025
2023-2026
2023-2027
Kathy Murphy
Rachel Boon
Benton Maas
Jim Green
Linda Sullivan
Wade DeWald
Chuck Smith
Irene Hardisty
Dick Swanson
Amber Leon
