First Presbyterian Building Project

April 2009

2009-04-09T07:27:00.001-05:00

The Project Team is continuing to meet and work on our three goals as defined by the Session:
1) Major repairs to the Church (e.g. furnace)
2) An elevator
3) Multi-purpose space

As most of you are probably aware, following the December Congregational Meeting, the furnaces that heat the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall were replaced with new units that will be used moving forward even after the addition is completed. We are expecting to see a dramatic improvement in our operating expenses based on the new furnaces having a burner efficiency of over 90% verses the approximate 40% efficiency for the 70 year old units. And, this doesn’t take into account the relief of the staff that doesn’t have to (sometimes heroically) relight the furnaces six or more times a day. In addition, the Congregation should be aware that the heating and air conditioning system in the Christian Education Wing is also over 30 years old and starting to show its age with increased maintenance costs and will be evaluated by the Team moving forward.

The other two legs of the project are also progressing. The Team just met to approve the final changes to the site plan as completed by our Architect, Daryl Drake. The addition, that will include an elevator that will serve both the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall, will extend from the rear of the Church, over the current furnace room, out into the parking lot towards Webster Street. While the addition will have about half of the footprint of the previous, more expensive plan, we are planning on having a lower floor at the same level as Fellowship Hall, and an upper floor at the Sanctuary level.

Moving forward, the Team is anticipating the project will proceed as follows: finalize site plan; request zoning variances from city; authorize the architect to create detailed design drawings; put the drawings out for bids with local contractors; use final bids to create final scope and cost of the project; distribute project information to the congregation and hold a “major” congregational meeting for final project approval.

The purpose of our planned congregational meeting is two fold. First, the project scope has changed from our original plan and we want everyone to fully understand the new proposal. And, secondly, we are all aware that the economy has impacted our congregation, in some cases dramatically, and we need to have agreement on the costs and commitment required to successfully complete the project.

It has been our goal through the leadership of Pastor Bob to keep the Congregation fully informed as to the progress of the Project Team. Our meeting minutes are posted on the Church website and through communications such as this newsletter, Fireside Chats, Belvidere Brewers and Congregational Meetings. We hope that the Congregation feels that they are full partners in this endeavor. As always we invite input from the Congregation as well, so that we can consider all aspects of the project moving forward. The Project Team consists of:

Spiritual Leader: Pastor Bob
Team Members: Richard Carrick, Dale Drake, Carl Lindaas, and Pat Goymerac
Consulting: Rick Belinson

We look forward to our continued partnership in doing God’s will at Our Family of Faith.

In Christ,

Richard Carrick

Project Team Minutes March 15, 2009

2009-03-15T22:01:00.003-05:00

The Project Team met at the Church between 2nd and 3rd services on March 15, 2009. All members were present and the meeting was opened in prayer by Pastor Bob.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

* The site plan drawing from Architect Daryl Drake was reviewed. The Team was pleased with the drawing and discussed changes that need to be made prior to final submittal.

* After discussing changes that the new building will require to the parking lot, the Team agreed that the rental house will need to be removed to leave adequate clearance around the addition.

* Minor changes to the drawing with respect to the rear entrance awning, and the Lincoln Avenue entrance at the rear of the sanctuary were also agreed to. Finally a ramp to the lower level of the addition and a location for the Church’s dumpster were discussed and agreed to.

As a result of this meeting the following action items were agreed to:

1) Communicate final changes to the site plan to the architect, Daryl Drake. - Dale

2) When the site plan is completed, contact Lois Ramon and arrange a meeting to present the site plan to the City Planning Department. - Richard

The next meeting will be scheduled when these action items are completed.

Project Team Minutes February 15, 2009

2009-02-16T09:27:00.003-06:00

The Project Team met at the Church between 2nd and 3rd services on February 15, 2009. All members were present and the meeting was opened in prayer.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

* The furnace replacement for the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall is complete. The heating problem in the CE wing was repaired at the same time. The comment was made that the furnace in the CE wing may also need to be replaced in the near future due to age, and would probably yield a similar efficiency improvement.

* The final drawings from General Steel were reviewed. The Team expressed general dissatisfaction with the quality and responsiveness of General Steel's work. It was decided that any additional changes to finalize the site plan will be pursued with the architect.

* The Team discussed the sequence of events moving forward and agreed to the following process:

finalize site plan; receive zoning variances from city; contract architect for detailed design drawings; put drawings out for bids; use final bids to create final scope and cost of project; hold "major" congregational meeting (4 weeks notice, with information available to congregation) for final project approval.

As a result of this meeting the following action items were agreed to:

1) Work with the architect, Daryl Drake, to finish site plans. - Dale

2) Work with Lois Ramon to fill out zoning variance paper work and turn into city. - Richard

The next meeting will be scheduled when these action items are completed.

Project Team Minutes January 4, 2009

2009-01-07T09:10:00.001-06:00

The Project Team met at the Church on Sunday, January 4, 2009. Present were Dale, Carl, Pat, Rick and Richard. Pastor Bob was available for part of the meeting and Murph also sat in.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

* Bids were received from three vendors for replacing the furnaces for the sanctuary and fellowship hall. The bids were discussed in detail, and the Team selected the bid from LM Sheet Metal for $26,480. It was the lowest bid of the three and the Team felt it was the best solution. Given the authorization from the Congregational Meeting on December 21, 2008 for the Project Team to spend money from the Blessings Campaign, the work will be scheduled ASAP.

* The Team received the site plan drawings from General Steel and reviewed them. The drawings are now very close, and with minor changes, are ready to be sent to the architect.

* The Team discussed the next steps and agreed that as soon as the site plans and variances were returned from the architect that the City Special Use/Variances paper work would be completed and filed with the City. This will start the process for any necessary zoning changes. Once approval is received from the City, the architect will be hired to make the detailed drawings. Once the detailed drawings are completed we will put the project out for bids. When the bids are received, the Project Team will agree to a final scope of work, select a contractor(s) and present a final package to the Congregation for approval.

As a result of the above discussion, the following action items were agreed to:

1) Contact General Steel to receive the final site plans. Contact Daryl Drake to request information necessary for City Special Use/Variances Documentation. - Dale

2) Fax Furnace Contract to LM Sheet Metal and schedule the work. - Pat

3) Send thank you to unsuccessful bidders. - Carl

The next meeting will be scheduled, as required, pending completion of City Special Use/Variances Documentation.

Project Team Minutes November 21, 2008

2008-12-05T22:12:00.002-06:00

The Project Team met at the Church on Friday morning, November 21, 2008, to review the project with the architect, Daryl Drake. Richard and Dale were available for the meeting with Daryl. Pastor Bob and Carl were available for part of the meeting. Pat and Rick were unavailable. Murph also assisted during the Church walk around.

The following items were discussed:

* The heating units for the sanctuary building are becoming extremely problematic. The main focus of the discussion centered around what to do if the old heating units could not be sustained until the new addition is completed. It was determined that, if necessary, new unit(s) could be purchased, and installed in the current location, to heat the existing facility, and then those units would be relocated for use after the project is completed.

* The scope of the revised project was discussed with sanctuary access from the new addition being reviewed.

* The need for site plans, a list of variances and presentation drawings were agreed to for the Team to be able to pursue zoning variances with the city.

As a result of this meeting, the following action items were assigned:

1) Work with the architect and General Steel to complete site plans, a list of variances and presentation drawings. - Dale

2) Work with Murph and our HVAC service provider to keep our furnaces working. However, replace as-required, if the units are not repairable (the new unit(s) can be salvaged as part of the new project). - Pat

3) Review with Lois Ramon, the architect contract and the process for achieving zoning variance approval. - Richard

The next meeting will be scheduled when the above action items are completed.

Project Team Minutes November 16, 2008

2008-11-16T16:24:00.000-06:00

The Project Team met between 2nd and 3rd services on Sunday, November 16, 2008. All team members were present. Pastor Bob opened and closed the meeting with prayer.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

* The Team discussed the congregational meeting that was held on Sunday, November 2, 2008 and the Session Meeting that was held on November 10, 2008. The result of these meetings is that the Project Team is to proceed with the revised plan.

* The Team discussed the next steps and agreed that it was now appropriate to meet with the Architect, Daryl Drake, at the church and finalize the project for the purposes of generating a site plan/presentation drawings.

* When a site plan/presentation drawings are ready the Team needs to start the approval process for city zoning variances.

As a result of this discussion the following action item was assigned:

1) Contact the Architect and arrange a meeting at the church with the Project Team. - Dale

The next meeting will be scheduled when the Architect is available.

Project Team Minutes October 19, 23, 28

2008-11-05T08:59:00.002-06:00

The Project Team has had three meetings (October 19, 23 and 28) at the Church. The purpose of these meetings has been to fulfill the Session's request for a project update to the Congregation to be given at the Congregational Meeting on November 2, 2008. The Session, at its October 13 meeting, asked the Project Team to see if a scaled down, revamped project can still be completed in line with the pledges received (total cash and pledges of $750,000). All three meetings were covered in Prayer by Pastor Bob, and proceeded as follows:

* The Team reviewed the three goals for the project as assigned by the Session when the Team was formed: elevator, repairs (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning - HVAC) and multi-purpose space.

* The budgeted amount for the elevator is $200,000 and for the Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing (MEP including HVAC) is $300,000. While the final cost of the Elevator and MEP may vary some based on the final project scope, these are relatively fixed costs; and the Team agreed that a total budget of $500,000 should be maintained for these items. Therefore, the rest of the project should be resized accordingly.

* The Team discussed the need to plan for future growth given the reduced space in the revised Phase I plan. Additional space (and expense) could be added to future phases of the project.

As a result of these meetings the following action items were assigned:

1) Work with the architect on revised space requirements - Dale
2) Discuss cost of revised project with area contractors to determine cost savings - Carl
3) Prepare a presentation for the Congregational Meeting - Richard

The next Project Team Meeting will be scheduled following Feedback from the Congregational Meeting and as additional project information is made available.

Project Team Minutes September 30, 2008

2008-10-03T12:56:00.002-05:00

The Project Team met on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at the Church. All members and Rick Belinson were present. Pastor Bob opened and closed the meeting with prayer.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

*The Team received the results of the blessings campaign. To date we have approximately $720,000 in cash and pledges. While additional pledges and donations may continue to come in the Team agreed to use this figure for working purposes moving forward.

*The Team discussed at length the different financing possibilities (current cash and pledges, borrowing and the endowment fund) and decided to use a maximum budget figure of $1,000,000 for the project moving forward.

*The Team spent the bulk of the meeting talking about how to best meet the project objectives given the $1,000,000 budget goals. Each Team member discussed ideas for adjustments and timing for the project and how we might address current and future needs. A general consensus was reached on the project scope that would address all 3 project goals (elevator, repairs and space). However, the Team agreed that the architect (Daryl Drake) should be consulted for feasibility before proceeding.

Based on the above discussion, the following action items were agreed to:

1) Contact the architect and get his feedback on possible project revisions. - Dale
2) Discuss with the Finance Committee financing alternatives for achieving the $1,000,000 budget goal. - Dale

The next meeting will be Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 6:30 PM at the Church.

Project Team Minutes August 19, 2008

2008-08-22T08:49:00.002-05:00

The Project Team met on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at the Church. All members were present, and Pastor Bob opened and closed the meeting with prayer.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

* The action items from the previous meeting were reviewed.
* The results of the Blessings Campaign were reviewed, and concerns were expressed regarding the pace of campaign pledging.
* Alternative methods for pledging were also reviewed.
* Next steps were discussed. The Team agreed that the slow pace of pledging could be at least partially attributed to summer attendance and the lack of a published deadline. Therefore, the Team agreed to a deadline of September 28, 2008.

As a result of this discussion the following action(s) were agreed to:

The target date of September 28, 2008 for members to return their pledge cards will be published in Church Publications (Bulletins, Newsletters, Web Site etc.) - Pastor Bob

The next meeting date is T.B.D.

Project Team Minutes July 29, 2008

2008-08-01T08:29:00.003-05:00

The Project Team met on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at the Church. All members were present. Pastor Bob opened and closed the meeting with prayer.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

* The Team discussed the preliminary results of the campaign to date. So far, there is approximately $148,000 in pledges. This is in addition to the $128,000 in cash on hand, that had previously been raised.

* The Team shared the feedback that had been received from the congregation, both at the Fireside Chat and individually.

* The Team discussed what additional campaign activities should be taken at this time. (e.g. contacting top givers)

* Finally, materials for the Church's Boone County Fair Booth were discussed.

Based on the above discussion the following action items were agreed to:

1) The office staff will be asked to include a pledged amount, cash on hand and a Project Total in the church bulletin. - Pastor Bob
2) The Project Team agreed to ask the Finance Committee to move the Nursery Renovation Funds to the Project Account so that it can be included in the total available. - Dale
3) The Team agreed to have the Financial Secretary generate a list of top givers; and to send Blessing Campaign materials to those who have not already responded. - Pastor Bob
4) The Team approved a "one pager" hand out for the Boone County Fair, as discussed with Rick and Katie Belinson. - Richard
5) The Team asked for Pastor Bob to announce at Church that Team Members are available between Second and Third Service in Fellowship Hall for questions. - Pastor Bob

The next meeting is to be determined based on ongoing campaign results.

Project Team Minutes June 17, 2008

2008-06-18T20:57:00.002-05:00

The Project Team met on Tuesday, June 17, 2008 at the Church. Pastor Bob, Dale and Richard were present. Carl and Pat were absent. Also, in attendance was Rick Belinson to work with the Team on our Blessings Campaign.

The meeting was opened in prayer by Pastor Bob and proceeded as follows:

* The Team discussed the Session's approval for spending authority for the Team. Pastor Bob indicated that the Project Team was to be accountable for reporting all spending to the Finance Committee.

* The Session also gave the Project Team approval for launching the Blessings Campaign at the three Church services on Sunday, July 13, 2008.

* The Team reviewed the Blessings Campaign materials and approved the printing, with minor corrections, as presented.

* There was extended discussion based on comments from the Session regarding how people may give. It was agreed that an addressed, stamped envelope will be included in the Blessings Campaign folder for ease of return. In order to assure thoughtful giving, Pastor Bob is planning on announcing a time(s) for meeting with him for prayer. In addition, the Team discussed the need for people to have the ability to remember our church in estate planning. However, the Team decided that our focus was to be on the immediate needs for Phase I of the project. A line will be added to the return card that will allow individuals to request additional information about longer term giving.

* The Team spent the remainder of the meeting discussing the actual format of the July 13 services and the launching of the Blessings Campaign. It was agreed that Pastor Bob will be the only speaker at the 7:30 AM Service, and Dale will talk at the 8:30 and 10:30 Services along with Pastor Bob. The rest of the Team will help hand out the materials.

As a result of the above discussion the following action items were agreed to:

1) 1000 copies of the final version of the campaign materials will be ordered, with 500 folders being assembled for July 13. - Rick Belinson.

2) Request the Church Office make 500 addressed (to include the words "Blessings Campaign") and stamped envelopes for inclusion in the folders. - Richard

3) Provide posters (to Pastor Bob) for the church and an electronic copy (to Harlan Lutzow) of the cover of the campaign brochure for the big screen. - Rick Belinson

4) Notify the Finance committee and the Church Financial Secretary of the need for their support in receiving, tracking and reporting the pledges and donations that are generated for the project, and for reviewing all Team spending. - Dale

5) Prepare a short presentation for the July 13 services. - Pastor Bob and Dale

The next meeting will be called after the July 13 launch of the Blessings Campaign.

Project Team Minutes June 10, 2008

2008-06-18T14:14:00.002-05:00

The Project Team met on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at the Church. All members were present. The team was joined by Rick Belinson to review the latest campaign literature. After Pastor Bob opened the meeting with prayer, the meeting proceeded as follows:

* We discussed the need for the Team to have spending authority to buy materials for the fund raising campaign.

* The Team discussed the next steps in presenting and launching the campaign, as well as the timing of the launch given Summer Holidays, vacations and upcoming events/opportunities such as the Boone County Fair.

* The Team reviewed the campaign brochure and slip sheets as provided by Rick. The Team agreed upon the content and proposed project budget figures to be in the campaign literature. The Team also agreed that the campaign folders will include a pledge card and an addressed envelope (with postage) to return pledges to the Church office.

* The Team discussed the number of brochures/folders to be included in our initial printing and concluded that given the scope of the project ($3,000,000) and the time line (3 years) that a printing of 1000 was reasonable.

As a result of the above discussion the following action items were agreed to:

1) A brief project time line needs to be written and added to the brochure. - Richard and Pastor Bob
2) At the Session Meeting on June 16, a request will be made for a monthly $2,500 spending limit for the Team (with the Team to report it's spending to the Session at each meeting). - Pat and Dale
3) Also, at the June 16 meeting, the campaign materials will be shared with the Session; and the Session will be asked for approval to launch the campaign at the 3 services on Sunday July 13, 2008. - Pat and Dale

The next meeting for the Project Team will be to discuss the campaign launch.

The meeting will be Tuesday, June 17, 2008, at 6:30 PM, in Pastor Bob's office.

Project Team Minutes June 3, 2008

2008-06-10T09:52:00.002-05:00

The Project Team met on Tuesday, June 3, 2008 at the Church. Pat and Richard were present. Carl, Dale and Pastor Bob were absent. The purpose of the meeting was for Rick and Katie Belinson to present the preliminary fund raising campaign materials they have been working. After the meeting was opened in prayer, it proceeded as follows:

* Rick and Katie reviewed a 4 page brochure and the plan to provide additional information using slip sheets. The materials were excellent in layout and design and were enthusiastically received.

* Budget figures were discussed for the cost of both designing and printing the materials.

* The content of the materials is not complete and requires additional input from the Team. Rick indicated he had e-mailed to Pastor Bob a pdf file of the materials (since Pastor Bob is out of town, teaching a class) for his review and input.

As a result of the above, the following action items were agreed to:

1) Additions and changes to the content to be provided to Rick and Katie. - Pastor Bob and Richard

2) Budgetary figures for the cost of Phase I to be finalized. - Carl and Dale

3) Budgetary figures for the cost of design and printing of campaign materials to be finalized. - Rick Belinson

4) Current pictures for the brochure (e.g. VBS and Adult Education) to be provided. - Katie Belinson and Ann Carrick

5) The goal was set of presenting the campaign materials, along with next steps for the project, to the Session at the June 16 Meeting.

The next meeting for the Project team will be Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at 6:00 PM at the Church.

Project Team Minutes May 6, 2008

2008-05-09T12:52:00.002-05:00

The Project Team met on Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at the Church. All members were present, and the meeting was opened in prayer.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

* The final quote from General Steel for $637,000 was received and reviewed. The fee included the cost of the structural steel, but did not include the wrap around portion of the addition with the entrance, nor did it include the construction. In addition, other quotes and budget estimates were received: architect ($50,000), foundation and concrete work ($200,000 - $250,000), interior framing ($200,000), elevator ($110,000) and several quotes for electrical, plumbing and HVAC work, along with additional quotes on competing structural design work and drainage and parking lot engineering and design. The Team spent a great deal of time comparing quotes based on content (addition, old structure or both). The Team also received a budget estimate for the entire project cost of the design and completion of all mechanical, electrical and plumbing, including fire protection for the entire new and old structures of $1.4 million dollars! (not including the cost of the new structure or structural changes to the old building).

* Based on the cost of the entire project the Team decided to split the project into phases:

Phase I - will accomplish the three primary goals of the project: multipurpose space, an elevator and repairs/HVAC. Accomplishing these goals requires demolition of the rental house (requiring Congregational approval to remove it as an asset from the Endowment Fund), the construction of the addition as presented on the website and in the church displays (with an interior layout to be modified as-required at the final design stage), and the construction of a temporary entrance from the addition into the sanctuary for elevator access.

Phase II - will include the turning of the sanctuary, changes to the parking lot to add additional spaces and additional remodeling to fellowship hall and the CE wing as determined by the Session and Congregation at that time.

* Given the above phased approach, for Phase I the Team set a budgetary limit and fund raising goal of $3 million.

* The team next discussed fund raising. Feedback at the last Fireside Chat reinforced the belief of the Team that the fund raising should be done in-house and not with the help of a professional fund raiser. There has been assistance offered within the congregation that will be pursued.

As a result of this meeting the following action items were agreed to:

1) Obtain an additional quote on the construction of the addition. - Carl
2) Work on a fund raising brochure with the available help

Project Team Minutes April 13, 2008

2008-04-14T15:50:00.002-05:00

The Project Team met on Sunday, April 13, 2008 at the Church, between the second and third services. All members were present (Pat by conference call) and the meeting was opened and closed in prayer.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss feedback that the Team had received from the March 30 Fireside Chat; and to discuss next steps.
The Fireside Chat had been well attended (60 people), and the Team had received some feedback. All agreed that what we had heard was very favorable regarding the scope of the project and the planned layout and content.
There were some concerns regarding the cost of the Project. At the Fireside Chat it was stated that the total project cost (for the entire project as presented) was estimated to be between $2.3 million and $3 million. While some in the congregation felt a lower number of $2 million might be more attainable, there was also feedback given that the entire project was within the reach of the congregation.
After discussion the Team decided that the next steps should be to prepare a Project Proposal for the entire project as presented at the Fireside Chat. This Proposal is to be presented at the May Session Meeting (A special Session Meeting could be called if the Proposal is completed sooner). The Team will be requesting the Session endorse the Project Proposal and call for a Congregational Meeting in May. The purpose of the Congregational Meeting will be to vote on the Project, and if approved to allow a formal Fund Raising Campaign to begin.

As a result of this meeting the following action item was agreed to:

Continue to gather cost information regarding the addition. - Carl and Dale

The next meeting will be Sunday, April 20, between the second and third services.

Pictures of the proposed new addition!

2008-03-18T15:43:00.003-05:00

Project Team Minutes March 18, 2008

2008-03-18T15:41:00.002-05:00

The Project Team met on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at the Church. All members were present.

The meeting was opened and closed in prayer by Pastor Bob.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

The action items from the previous meeting were reviewed. Richard reported on contacting John Bowman of Westminster Presbyterian, regarding program management. The Team decided not to take any further action at this time.
The Team also discussed the action items regarding architect fees and a structural quote from General Steel.
The bulk of the discussion was surrounding the final layout of the project and the presentation at the fireside chat scheduled for March 30. The Team decided to post the new layouts on the church web site, and to display them in the Church.
Finally, the Team discussed the difficulty in getting detailed price quotes for much of the work. Given the age of the building and the extent of the proposed work, exact quotes require detailed engineering studies (to include evaluation of the structure and HVAC system) and detailed design work on the sanctuary, roof line, parking lot etc.

As a result of this meeting the following action items were agreed to:

1) Display the new layouts in the Church prior to Easter. - Pastor Bob

2) Send the layouts to Kathie G. for the Web Site. - Richard

3) Continue to work on preliminary estimates for budgetary purposes for the project. - Carl and Dale

The next meeting will be scheduled after the March 30 fireside chat in order to give the Team time to receive congregational feedback.

Project Team Minutes February 16, 2008

2008-02-16T15:32:00.001-06:00

The Project team met on Saturday, February 16, 2008 at the Church. All Team Members were present. The meeting proceeded as follows:

Pastor Bob opened the meeting with prayer.

The Team reviewed the drawings and pictorial views that had been completed by Daryl Drake and by General Steel.
The review of the exterior resulted in minor window changes; however, the Team accepted the overall location, size and shape of the structure.
The Team reviewed the interior layout of the facility and discussed at length the location of the music room and office space (including the Senior Pastor’s Office) and agreed that pastor’s office would remain at its current location, but the music room should be moved to the new addition.
There was a discussion regarding the potential for a book store area. Since the addition of a book store was not part of the Project Teams charter it was decided that it would require Session action to move in that direction.
Additional work regarding the layout of the interior will require architect input. Daryl Drake has performed many hours of work, without charge; however to demand additional work without compensation seemed inappropriate to the Team. Given the Team’s satisfaction with the work provided so far, and with Daryl’s history and connection with the church, we were confident in his personal commitment to the successful completion of this project. Therefore, the Team unanimously agreed to recommend to the Session that Daryl Drake be hired to be the Architect of record for this project.

As a result of this meeting the following action items were agreed to:

1) Pastor Bob asked that a member of the Team contact John Bowman of Westminster Presbyterian Church regarding our building project. – Richard

2) Contact Daryl Drake about architect fees for the project and present to the Session for approval. – Dale

3) Communicate changes to the layout to General Steel for incorporation in the layout and receive a budgetary quote for the cost of the structure. – Dale

The next meeting will be scheduled when a joint meeting can be arranged with Daryl Drake.

A layout exterior view of the addition will be e-mailed, as an attachment to these minutes, when it is received from General Steel.

Project Team Minutes January 5, 2008

2008-01-05T15:30:00.001-06:00

The Project Team met on January 5, with Carl, Pat and Richard present. Dale and Pastor Bob were absent.

The following items were discussed:

Carl reported on his discussions with the office staff regarding office requirements. The details will be provided to Dale for forwarding to the architect.
Richard has received input from Christian Growth and Nurture regarding youth and nursery space requirements. This information will also be forwarded.
The Team discussed the Sunday town hall meeting and reviewed the concerns to be discussed regarding turning the Sanctuary.
The Team spent time walking the facility, measuring office space and looking at the stain glass window in the furnace room.

The next meeting will be scheduled when the next design iteration is completed and available.

Project Team Minutes December 29, 2007

2007-12-29T15:28:00.000-06:00

The Project Team met on December 29, with all members present except Pat, who was out of town.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

Pastor Bob opened the meeting with prayer.

Dale presented the Team with drawings that Architect Daryl Drake had created. Dale had met with Daryl for several hours over the Holidays and had discussed several aspects of the project. Daryl has indicated he is at a stage were he needs specific detailed specifications in order to proceed.
After discussing how to gather the needed information, the Team decided that direct contact with the affected user groups and Town Hall meeting discussions, would be preferable to general congregational surveys.

As a result of this meeting the following action items were agreed to:

1) Carl will discuss specific office requirements with the Staff.

2) Dale will discuss Music Department needs with Lisa Zimber.

3) Richard will contact Ann Carrick (Chair of Christian Growth and Nurture) and Jeremy Van Gendren regarding youth space needs, including nursery, children's church, junior and senior high youth space.

4) The Team will present for discussion at the January 6 Town Hall Meeting issues regarding the changes to the Sanctuary: sun exposure through the South windows, the cost effectiveness of moving and repairing the pews, organ placement, the new carpet, and the structural challenges of removing the balcony.

The next meeting was scheduled for Saturday January 5, 2008 at 7:00 AM at the Church.

Project Team Minutes December 14, 2007

2007-12-14T15:26:00.002-06:00

The Project Team met to visit the First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn on Friday, December 14, 2007. Carl, Dale and Richard were present, Pat and Pastor Bob were unavailable.

The Team met architect Daryl Drake (Dale's brother) at the Glen Ellyn Church. The Senior Pastor, Jerry Andrews, greeted the Team and gave us a tour of their facility. The Church had recently completed a 7.5 million dollar expansion, that included a gymnasium, educational wing and office area.

Following the tour that involved a great deal of discussion and input from the Pastor, the Team reconvened at Daryl Drake's Office to review our project.

The following items were discussed:

Daryl stated that, while he does not wish to be the architect of record for our project, he would be willing to assist our Team with some ideas and sketches.
The Team again discussed how our new facility could be best laid out to take advantage of what we had learned.
The Team also decided that a multi-purpose facility floor similar to the one in the Glen Ellyn gymnasium would be desirable. (The floor had a wood-floor appearance, but was of a composite material that was rolled out like linoleum and then the seams were sealed) The pastor indicated that in the 3 years since the gymnasium portion of their project had been completed the floor had been used for basketball, volleyball, weekly contemporary services, a homeless shelter and various other events involving tables and chairs without the floor being damaged or needing repair.

The Team will not meet on Tuesday, December 18, as previously scheduled.

The next meeting will be scheduled when additional information or sketches are available.

Project Team Minutes December 9, 2007

2007-12-09T15:23:00.003-06:00

The Project Team met on December 9, between second and third services. The entire team was present.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

Pastor Bob prayed for the Team and our mission.

The latest revision of the layouts from General Steel were discussed and the Team agreed to the general layout with one change to the roof line.
Carl presented a preliminary floor plan for the addition given the agreement to exterior dimensions.
The Team discussed the possible changing of the Lincoln Avenue entrance to break up the line between the Sanctuary and the multipurpose building.
Miscellaneous items were discussed and added to the Project Team Issues List for future consideration.

As a result of this meeting the following Action Items were agreed to:

1) Receive design changes to the roof line (per Dale's and Carl's e-mails) and facility foot print from General Steel. - Carl

2) Review possible floor plan options with architect Daryl Drake. - Dale and Richard

3) Continue work on Congregational Power Point presentation. - Dale

The next meeting was scheduled for Tuesday December 18, 2007 at 6:00 PM at the Church.

Project Team Minutes November 18, 2007

2007-11-18T15:20:00.002-06:00

The Project Team met on November 18, between the second and third services. Carl, Dale, Pat and Richard were present, Pastor Bob was out of town.

The meeting was opened with prayer.The purpose of the meeting was to continue to discuss the layout of the proposed multi-purpose addition.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

The Team reviewed Design 1 Revision 3 layouts and discussed changes.
It was agreed that the addition roof line should be dropped below the sanctuary roof line and the the main wall (along Lincoln Ave) should be set back at least 2 feet from the sanctuary wall (inside the column line). This is so that the sanctuary building will be "proud" to the addition for appearance purposes.
The rental house will need to be taken down to allow access around the addition.
The sanctuary will need to be turned around.

The following action items were agreed to:

1) Actual sanctuary building dimensions will be taken and forwarded to US Steel. - Carl

2) A verbal report will be given at the November 25 Town Hall Meeting. - Richard

3) Create possible floor plans for addition space. - Team

The next meeting will be called when US Steel has completed the latest revision.

Project Team Minutes November 6, 2007

2007-11-06T15:18:00.001-06:00

The Project Team met on November 6, with Carl, Dale, Pat and Richard present. Pastor Bob was unable to attend. The meeting was opened with prayer.

The purpose of the meeting was to review the preliminary design footprint for the multipurpose addition from US Steel. After reviewing the US Steel images and walking the building and the grounds the Project Team reached a consensus on "Design 1" parameters:

A two story building of approximate dimensions of 90' x 100' will be placed at the rear of the Sanctuary building. The Long axis will run perpendicular to the Sanctuary, with the ground floor level with Fellowship Hall and the main floor at the same level as the Sanctuary.
The Sanctuary will be turned 180 degrees with the primary entrance being at the back were the alter is currently located.
A three level, two door elevator will be placed in the new construction to serve both the new and old buildings.
The Nursery and handicap accessible restrooms will be placed in the lower level of the addition. A new Mechanical/HVAC Room will be in the lower level of the addition, replacing the current furnace building.
A one story entry way will replace the current rear church entry, and will connect the addition with the CE wing. The Team hopes to place the stain glass windows stored in the furnace room in this new entry way. This one story structure will also house the church offices.
The Team will recommend that, as part of this project, the Rental House be taken down and the parking lot be reconfigured for proper clearance and traffic flow.

Carl will contact US Steel with these parameters and ask that when the next phase of Design 1 drawings are available a US Steel Representative meet directly with the Project Team.

Next meeting time and date is T.B.D.

Project Team Minutes October 9, 2007

2007-10-09T15:16:00.001-05:00

The Project Team met on October 9 with all members present.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

Pastor Bob opened and closed the meeting with prayer.

The Team discussed the "Town Meeting" to be held at the Church on Sunday, October 14, at 4:00 PM. All team members indicated that they would be available for the meeting and that a rough outline for the meeting is: Pastor Bob - Opening Prayer and comments; Richard - Introduction of Team; Dale - Power Point presentation; Discussion.
The Team discussed how to proceed given Session's approval of funds for design work.
The Team discussed the need for improved communication with the congregation.

As a result of this meeting the following action items were agreed to:

General Steel will be contracted to perform design work on the multipurpose addition starting with guidelines previously communicated by Dale. - Dale
A meeting will be arranged as soon as possible for a design representative of General Steel to see our facility and meet with the Project Team - Dale
Kathie Goymerac will be asked to make all Project Team Meeting Minutes available through the Church Web Site. - Pat

The next Project Team Meeting will be with the General Steel Representative, and will be scheduled as he is available.

Project Team Minutes October 2, 2007

2007-10-02T15:14:00.000-05:00

The Project Team met on October 2 with all members present.

The meeting was called ahead of the next scheduled meeting at the request of Pat and Dale. The purpose of the meeting was to determine if the Team was ready to request funds for design work at the October 8 Session Meeting.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

Pastor Bob opened and closed the meeting with prayer.

Dale presented information he had received from General Steel regarding design and construction costs.
After discussing the timing of the project, the dates of the Session meetings and our current project scope; the Team unanimously agreed to request the Session approve funds ($10,000-$15,000) for the purpose of having General Steel begin design work for our multipurpose facility.

As a result of this meeting the following action items were agreed to:

Additional information will be gathered from General Steel regarding design content, timing and design reimbursement if General Steel receives construction bid. - Dale
Continue with design plan view and internal layout detailing. - Carl
Present to Session on October 8, the request for design funds. - Dale and Pat
Contact the City Planning Office to begin zoning discussion. - Richard

The next meeting will be Tuesday, October 9, 2007 at 6:00 PM at the Church.

Project Team Minutes September 25, 2007

2007-09-25T15:09:00.002-05:00

The Project Team met on September 25, with all members present.

The purpose of this meeting was to take the gathered information for steel buildings, previous design plans, and team member proposals and combine these into a single proposal.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

Pastor Bob opened and closed the meeting with prayer.

The team shared various ideas and discussed the pros and cons of each.

The discussion resulted in the team agreeing to the following parameters:

The multi purpose facility will be built adjacent to the sanctuary extending along East Lincoln Ave. towards Webster St. (The option of building next to the CE Wing in the grassy area was rejected for several reasons not the least of which was the cost savings of combining the HVAC system with the new system required for the sanctuary building.)
The new building will be L shaped, wrapping around to the rear entrance and connecting to the middle building area between the CE wing and the sanctuary building. The new facility will have a new entrance to replace the rear entrance.
The team would like the primary structure of the multipurpose building to have a full basement at the level of Fellowship Hall and the main floor at the same level as the Sanctuary. The team agreed that the basement could remain unfinished at the completion of this project, but the main floor should be finished to provide multi-use space to include athletic type activities (e.g., basketball and volleyball).
The location of the elevator will be determined after the final multipurpose design is agreed to.

As a result of this meeting the following action items were agreed to:

A design sketch will be generated of the agreed to parameters and sent to a steel building contractor (General Steel) for a design proposal. - Carl
The approximate cost of a full basement foundation will be determined for the purpose of the team determining the cost feasibility of the plan. - Carl
A pictorial presentation of the proposed addition will be received and included into a Power Point presentation for later use. - Dale

The next meeting will be Tuesday, October 9, 2007 at 6:00 PM at the Church.

Project Team Minutes September 18, 2007

2007-09-18T15:07:00.000-05:00

The Project Team met on September 18, with Carl, Dale, Richard and Pastor Bob present.

The purpose of this meeting was to meet with an engineered/steel building contractor.

The meeting proceeded as follows:

Pastor Bob opened the meeting with prayer.

Carl introduced the Team to Jerry Meister of Area Erectors, inc. Jerry provided the Team with brochures and discussed the types of products available. Also, Jerry reviewed other projects his company had completed including multipurpose facilities and church projects.
The Team had the opportunity to discuss all aspects of a project including cost, exterior finishing and potential attachment methods to our current facility.

The meeting concluded with and interior and exterior walk with Jerry.

As a result of the information gathered the following action items were agreed to:

Additional contractors will be contacted for comparative pricing - Carl
The team members will bring ideas/sketches to the next meeting for building project definition and scope. - Team

The next meeting will be Tuesday, September 25, 2007 at 6:00 PM at the Church.

Project Team Minutes September 8, 2007

2007-09-08T15:04:00.000-05:00

The Project Team met on September 8, with all members present.

The following items were discussed:

The meeting was opened and closed in prayer, led by Pastor Bob.

Pat handed out the list of repairs that are needed. The HVAC system having been discussed at the previous meeting; the remainder of the list was reviewed. The team decided to delay action on the louvers at the back of the church pending a final placement of the multipurpose facility. Also, the team discussed the need to make the Fellowship Hall Restrooms handicap accessible after the elevator is installed.
Carl brought information he had received about Kone Elevators. The team decided to investigate the feasibility (shaft footprint and expense) of installing an elevator large enough for a casket. In addition Carl reported contacting an engineered building supplier for information. Regarding cost, it was learned that a steel type engineered "shell" might be erected for $20-$25 per square foot (not including foundation and finishing). Carl is continuing to gather additional information.
The team received a report from Christian Growth and Nurture (Jeremy and Ann) about the type of space (quantitative and qualitative) required for youth programming.
The team received blue prints, proposal sketches and survey information from Studio Gang Architects. Carl took this information for review.

The above discussion led to the following action items:

Present to Session HVAC recommendation. - Pat
Present to Session Timeline/Flow Chart. - Dale
Provide the Session with the Christian Growth and Nurture Facilities Report for review and discussion. - (Jeremy and Ann)
The team decided that at the next meeting we should meet with an engineered building representative to discuss cost, timing and scope of a multipurpose facility. - Carl

The next meeting will be Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 6:00 PM at the Church

Project Team Meeting Minutes August 28, 2007

2007-08-28T14:59:00.001-05:00

The Project Team met with all members present on Aug 28th. The following items were discussed:

Meeting opened in prayer by Pastor Bob.

Carl reviewed with the Team his thoughts and preliminary drawings for the elevator, followed by Team discussion.
Pat handed out his list of required church repairs. The Team discussed the desirability of considering the integration of HVAC/Mechanical project items into the multipurpose facility. (the remainder of the list will be discussed at next meeting)
Richard handed out the Project Flow Chart, followed by Team discussion of timing and budget parameters.
The Team received a folder of various drawings that Darrel Davis dropped off at the Church Office. Carl took the drawings for review. Also, the Team received an e-mail from "Studio/Gang/Architects" indicating that all First Presbyterian materials (sight survey, old blue prints and drawings of various proposals) would be Fed-Exed to the Church this week.

The above discussion led to the following action items:

Prepare report to Session regarding HVAC - Pat
Gather information regarding specifications and cost for Kone Elevators. - Carl
Gather pre-engineered building literature and local contractor information. - Carl
Update the Project Flow Chart (re: preliminary Zoning approval) and forward to Dale for Session review. - Richard
Arrange appropriate file space in the Church for receiving and storing Church Blue Prints and Facility Materials. - Pastor Bob
Bring Coffee to next meeting. - Dale

The Team agreed to next meet on Saturday, September 8, 2007 at 6:00 AM at the Church

Project Team Minutes August 18, 2007

2007-08-18T14:11:00.000-05:00

Carl, Pat and Richard (Dale was absent) met at the Church on Saturday, August 18, 2007, from 7:00 AM to approximately 8:45 AM. The meeting proceeded as follows:

Opened in prayer

Discussion of our respective roles, and our understanding of the projects scope
Discussed project priorities: 1) repairs, 2) elevator and 3) multipurpose facility.
Discussion of process for moving forward (i.e., definition of what we want and where we want it; timing of presenting proposals to Session and congregation; and appropriate timing for bringing in outside help such as architects, contractors, etc.)
For the purpose of setting some discussion parameters talked about a budget target of approximately $1,000,000
Walked the church to discuss elevator location, and church electrical upgrades

The above discussion led to the following action items:

Generate a comprehensive list of church repairs and facility upgrades. - Pat
Create a process flow chart of steps and timing for project (to serve as a strawman for discussion at next meeting) - Richard
Receive report from Jeremy and Ann (as chair of Christian Growth and Nurture Committee) regarding youth needs in a multipurpose facility and plans for usage of the facility. - Richard
Gather all drawings and surveys already performed regarding this project (previous church facility blue prints, Ev's sketches, Jeannie Gang's line drawings of various proposals and the sight survey that was already approved by the Session). - Richard
Rough sketch a potential plan for the elevator as discussed by the Team. - Carl

The Team agreed to next meet on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 6:30 PM at the Church.