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Minutes of the Stewardship
Council Meeting
October 13th, 2005
Members Present:
Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Natalka Verzole, Donna Getman, Vera Kushnir, Stephen
Krill, Stanley Moczulsky, Helen Koshykar, and Kimberly Kotkoskie
Guests: Yaroslav Kushnir, Nick Fil, Andrew Demczar, Stefan Salasznyk, Roman
Salasznyk, and Paul Salasznyk
Father opened the meeting with a prayer.
I.
Old Business:
Interior Renovation:
The Salasznyk Family attended to express concerns with the plans to replace
the design in the sanctuary. They stated that many parishioners from both
the Ukrainian and English liturgies felt similarly to themselves and were
unhappy that they were not notified of the design change. They requested
that the decision be reevaluated and that a vote among parishioners occur
prior to proceeding with the work. The family was concerned that the
decision was “dictated” versus “voted upon”.
The members of the Stewardship Council,
Interior Restoration Sub-Committee and interested Parishioners who came as
guests to the meeting responded by reviewing the process behind this
decision with the Salasznyk family. All meetings regarding the Interior
Renovation Committee have been posted in the bulletin since conception in
2004 for any interested parties to partake. At the meetings, the committee
members, along with interested parishioners, spent many hours meeting with
artists and reviewing alternatives (including restoration of current
design). Through their research, it was discovered that preserving the
current design and canvas was not the best option. One reason is that the
current canvas material has hairline cracks in numerous locations and would
be difficult to repair. This canvas is over 50 years old and has also been
exposed to moisture during the roof repair work. All of the artists
expressed concern providing a warranty for the longevity of the artwork on
the existing material due to deterioration of the backing.
This concern created a dilemma for the members
of the Interior Renovation Sub-Committee: either restore with no warranty or
redesign. After evaluating all of the pros and cons of the situation, the
decision was made to replace the icons in the sanctuary with new ones. When
undertaking such a project, the traditions of our Ukrainian Catholic Church
and Byzantine Iconography must be considered. The traditional Icon of
“Oranta” was chosen for it is customary to find this icon in the Sanctuary
of Eastern rite churches. According to the “Pastoral Guide of the Ukrainian
Catholic Church in the United States of America”, a particular law that
governs our church in the US, neither pastor nor any lay person has the
right to make any major changes in the church without approval from the
Eparchial Office.
After the above details were discussed among
all, Father described the approval process for such decisions and explained
why a vote was not planned. The Interior Renovation Sub-Committee, along
with interested parishioners, was required to present their recommendation
to the Stewardship and Pastoral Councils for review and approval. Both of
these councils have elected participants (election occurs at annual parish
meeting) from both liturgies representing the various age groups of the
church population. After their review and approval, proposals are then sent
to the Eparchy for final approval by the Eparchial Administrative Council,
specifically the Eparchial Art Committee.
The Committee reiterated that all of the
meetings have been (and still are) open to all parish members. The proposal
of the “Oranta” is the product of many months of hard work by these members
to become educated in what is possible/feasible for our renovation project.
Without this time consuming research/education, knowledge of the current
physical condition of the church walls and ceiling, knowledge of church
Tradition and Iconography, and many more details, to have a vote of
parishioners would not be objective nor would it reflect the needs of the
church. One of the guests at the meeting expressed it well by saying that
he would be very uncomfortable voting on this subject. The above process
combined with tiered levels of approval by church elected officials is the
reason that a vote was not offered to the Parish. The committees felt that
members were included by opening every meeting to interested Parishioners.
Several did participate and provided feedback.
Harvest Festival:
Steve Krill reported that we will show an increase in money raised this
year. Approximately $12,500 - $13,000 has been raised. Some final receipts
need to be calculated. Kimberly Kotkoskie mentioned that she will arrange
for a follow-up meeting and discussed some improvements for next year with
the council.
Cleaning:
Natalka reported that a new person has been hired for cleaning of the church
and school.
Air Conditioning:
Stamford approved the air conditioning for the church. They also
recommended that we install units to cool the Church hall as well during
this project.
II.
New Business:
Nick Fil reported that we may utilize the Community Service workers through
the Albany County Sheriffs Department to help with raking leaves this Fall
at the cemetery.
Next years fundraisers and projects were
briefly reviewed.
III.
Centennial Update:
Meeting next Thursday, October 20th
a 6:30 PM.
Minutes of the Stewardship
Council Meeting
December 8, 2005
Members Present:
Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Steve Krill, Vera Kushnir, Stanley
Moczulsky, Lydia Belardo, Helen
Koshykar, and Kimberly Kotkoskie
Father opened the meeting with a prayer.
I.
Renovation:
An update on the interior restoration
was provided. The Bishop has provided a verbal approval to proceed with
project. Letter is to arrive shortly. We discussed how to improve
appearance of scaffolding over the holidays. As part of the work in the
sanctuary, we will be replacing the carpeting. Carpeting may be replaced
with hardwood flooring depending upon quotes received.
II.
Fundraisers:
All recent fundraisers were
reviewed.
Bread Sale: Bread sale was
determined to be successful.
Holupsti: We discussed having a
holupsti sale in January or February, but there is a need for someone to
lead it.
Entertainment Books: This was not
considered to be a successful fundraiser. Not enough books were sold and
this will not be continued in 2006.
St. Nicholas Play: Approximately 180
people attended. It was a wonderful gathering and a great success.
Pyrohy Sale: 242 dozen were made and
this event was also a success.
It was also mentioned that we will be
adding the Craft Fair to our list of fundraisers for 2006.
III.
New Business:
The boiler in the church hall needs
replacement. Father is working on obtaining quotes for this work.
Minutes of the Stewardship
Council Meeting
January 12, 2006
Members Present:
Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Natalka Verzole, Donna Getman, Steve Krill, Vera
Kushnir, Stanley Moczulsky, and Kimberly Kotkoskie
Visitors Present:
Yaroslav Kushnir
Father opened the meeting with a prayer.
I.
Renovation:
The interior work was initiated this past
Monday. The Sanctuary walls have been removed of all residue and patched
where needed. The application of canvas to the walls has also begun and is
going well.
Father requested that a few knowledgeable
individuals in the field of construction (from the committee and the Parish)
stop by regularly to help with technical building decisions as the project
progresses. The lighting in the sanctuary will be replaced with track
lighting.
Two quotes are in process for hardwood
flooring for the sanctuary area. Natalka Verzole volunteered to obtain a
quote for carpeting.
II.
Church Basement:
The barrier wall company is returning on March
8th to install a sump pump system in the basement. This work is
covered under the original agreement since the barrier wall system did not
prove effective.
III.
Centennial Committee:
The next meeting will be held on January 19th
at 6:30 PM to review the submitted logos and go through reports from the
subcommittees. Meetings are typically held on the third Thursday of every
month at 6:30 PM. We encourage all to get involved in the planning of this
great event.
IV.
Other:
New boilers have been replaced in the rectory
and the church. For the church it was only the upstairs boiler that was
replaced. Cost was $6,475 which includes a new circulator and boiler.
It was brought up that the cemetery roads were
icy and in need of snowplowing over the Christmas holiday. Father asked
that he or Nick Fil be contacted if this occurs again for the Church has a
contract with a snow removal company to assure these roads are in good
condition.
It was also brought up that the front doors of
the church require a sanding and refinishing. Father will ask the hardwood
floor companies for quotes on this work.
V.
Upcoming Events:
2/26 Pot-Luck Dinner and
Combined Liturgy
3/5 Annual Parish Meeting
3/19 Taras Shevchenko Concert
by School Students
4/9 Pre-Easter Bazaar
4/30 Easter Dinner
5/11 Pyrohy Sale (please come
to help and/or cleanup!!)
August Parish Picnic
9/30 Harvest Festival
Minutes of the Stewardship Council Meeting
February 9, 2006
Members Present: Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk,
Natalka Verzole, Vera
Kushnir, Stanley Moczulsky, Helen Koshykar, and Kimberly Kotkoskie
Father opened the meeting with a prayer.
I.
Renovation:
The sanctuary progress was reviewed. The artist plans on finishing the
ceiling with gold within the next week or two. There was concern that it
may be too cold for painting however, and they may need to adjust the
schedule accordingly. The project is in a hand painting phase at this point
which will be more time consuming than the pre-drawn icons.
An electrician has been contacted for the flood light and spot light
tracking. He will arrive next week to complete installation. A transformer
must be installed to convert voltage.
Natalka reported that some of the bids for the floor are being received.
The bids will be reviewed once all have been received.
II.
Boiler:
The boiler thermostat setting has been changed from the original
installation setting. The installers had set up the thermostat on a
“warm-start” basis which is common for most buildings. A “warm-start”
setting maintains a certain temperature of water to save energy in having to
reheat the water when it is time to raise the air temperature of a
building. Unfortunately, the building structure of our church does not
make the “warm-start” setting economical for us. Due to the boiler being
located in the basement, and the natural tendency for warm water to rise,
(since it is less dense than cold water), it continued to initiate the
boiler. The large elevation change in our church structure always returned
cool water back to the boiler requiring it to heat up again. The boiler has
been changed back to a “cold-start” thermostat.
III.
Upcoming
Events:
The pot-luck dinner on 2/26 was discussed. The need for photography at
these events was discussed. It would be nice to have several photos from
different events for the Centennial Yearbook.
The annual Parish meeting will be on 3/5. Steve Krill is preparing the
financial report. The speakers for the meeting were chosen and topics for
discussion were listed.
IV.
New Business:
Church Kitchen – The council discussed the need to complete a thorough
cleaning of the church kitchen and how this would be accomplished.
Insurance Upgrade – Father was requested to look into the insurance
policy on the church buildings. The property value may have to be adjusted
to include all of the upgrades that are occurring. Father will review the
policy with the diocese since it is maintained through the diocese.
V.
Thank-you:
We all thanked Helen for her time with the
Stewardship Council and for
her hard work and efforts. Due to the council rules, a parishioner must
take a year-long break after holding two terms (4 years) in office. Helen,
we hope you enjoy this well-deserved break.
The meeting was closed with
a prayer.
Minutes of the
Stewardship Council Meeting
May 11, 2006
Members Present:
Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Donna Geman, Natalka Verzole, Vera Kushnir, Stanley
Moczulsky, Lydia Belardo, Stephen Krill, and
Kimberly Kotkoskie
Visitors Present:
Yaroslav Kushnir
Father opened the meeting
with a prayer.
I.
Renovation:
The committee reviewed the
status of the proposals for the remainder of the church interior work.
Makarenko’s proposal for the remainder of the church ($253,000) which was
presented at the last meeting was too high in cost. He was asked to
complete an alternate proposal with significantly less cost. The committee
also took this opportunity to review Makarenko’s completed work in the
sanctuary. There were a few concerns about this work that were brought up
by the committee members. They will be brought up to the artist during the
next meeting. A second artist’s design was also reviewed by the committee.
II.
Air Conditioning:
Father provided a summary
of the air conditioning project. During prior communications with Stamford
it was requested that air conditioning be installed in both the upstairs and
the basement of the church. Father subsequently contacted three companies
and received quotes for this project. All three companies determined that
our church would need an electrical upgrade to handle the increased voltage
necessary to run the compressors. Each company however had alternate
designs for where the compressors could be placed and how to run the
ductwork. These designs were reviewed for efficiency and aesthetics with
the church interior and exterior. Points were also raised to consider the
noise of the blowers. The committee decided to review some of our local
churches plus some of the churches that the contractors have already
completed work in to come up with the least obtrusive design.
III.
New Business:
Dates for the proposed
craft fair were discussed. The committee decided that since the craft fair
is a new event for the church it would be best to choose a date in which
there are no other conflicts within the Ukrainian community to provide the
best possible outcome.
Natalka brought up the
possibility of the school holding a spaghetti dinner instead of a masquerade
party this fall as a fundraiser.
The church and the school
are in need of a maintenance person to replace/assist Mike Saluga who has
done such a good job for so many years. A request will be placed in the
bulletin.
Memorial dedications were
also briefly discussed and how they should be handled with respect to the
new interior work.
Father closed the
meeting with a prayer
Minutes of the Stewardship
Council Meeting
June 15, 2006
Members Present:
Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Donna Getman, Natalka Verzole, Vera Kushnir, Stanley
Moczulsky, Lydia Belardo, Stephen Krill, and
Kimberly Kotkoskie
Parishioners Present:
Yaroslav Kushnir, Andrew
Demczar, and Nick Fil
Father opened the meeting
with a prayer.
I.
Renovation:
The
committee met and reviewed the designs of an alternate artist, Roman
Markovich from MarkArt Studio. Mr. Markovich also had his specialist in
plastering and trim work present to explain the prep-work necessary prior to
painting. Mr. Markovich had prepared a draft design for the ceiling and the
walls. The Icon of Christ Pantocrator icon was the feature design in the
high point
of the ceiling. The four Evangelists (Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)
would symmetrically be placed on the ceiling around the Pantocrator design.
There would also be arches containing the eight feast days (four on each
side) along the length of the church ceiling covering a column design which
would be present along the walls. The committee clarified the sizing of the
icons along with the positioning on the ceiling. We also discussed removal
of the paneling along the walls and replacing it instead with the continued
design.
Timing of his work and
accessibility of the church during his work were found to be acceptable.
The timeline would start upon signing of an agreed upon contract.
The committee decided that
pending the cost and approval of the proposal, MarkArt Studio is preferred
over the previous artist. Stamford approval is also necessary.
II.
Air
Conditioning:
Father
provided an estimate in cost from the various air conditioning contractors
of approximately $23,000. The costs were approved by everyone and the
project will proceed. The installation of the air conditioning units must
be factored into the interior design work and timeline.
III.
Harvest
Festival:
The date for
the 2006 Harvest Festival will be September 30th. We discussed alternate
chair people for the festival and the possibility of cross-training others
with responsibilities. Kimberly will call all of last year’s chair people
to confirm they will be able to participate again this year. Father closed
with a prayer.
Minutes of the Stewardship
Council Meeting
July 13th, 2006
Members Present:
Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Donna Getman, Vera Kushnir, Stanley
Moczulsky, Lydia Belardo,
Stephen Krill, and Kimberly Kotkoskie
Parishioners Present:
Yaroslav Kushnir, Nick Fil, Andrew Demczar
Father opened the meeting with a prayer.
I.
Renovation:
Father Michael reported his conversations
with Markovich regarding our comments on the contract. There was concern
regarding his original price estimate. He verbally agreed to provide us
with a lower estimate but we are waiting for the written estimate which
should be received next week. We also discussed the contractor’s need for a
large payment initially. It is required for his purchase of materials and
to cover weekly salary for the workers needed. The committee will also be
looking into financial protection against such a payment if anything were to
go wrong with the project.
Another topic discussed regarding the draft
contract, was the decision regarding 23K gold leafing versus less expensive
gold colored paint. It was a unanimous decision by the committee to pay for
gold leafing throughout the design.
We also discussed having the icons within the
arches depicting events in the life of Jesus Christ rather than the feast
days since we already have the hanging icons showing the feast days. This
remains undecided at the moment.
Makarenko, the artist who completed the
sanctuary, had asked Father to present a third proposal to the committee.
Since there was concern over the cost of his first two proposals and his
initial work, the committee declined a third proposal. A letter will be
sent to him declining his proposal and requesting that he remove the
equipment in the choir loft by a certain date. Vera and Father will work on
the letter.
II. Air Conditioning
An update was provided by Nick Fil and Father
regarding the air conditioning project. The air conditioning team is
waiting for two more quotes on specific units and will make a decision
shortly. Most of the cost estimates appear to be within a similar range.
The subcommittee is seeking the best design and contractor reputation for
the project. They are also visiting other churches to evaluate systems
already in use. They have been asked to make a decision within a week.
III. Harvest Festival
The first planning meeting will be on July 27th
at 6:30 PM. Kimberly will arrange the meeting.
IV. Accessibility:
Donna provided an updated request from the
Pastoral council that the church accessibility issue be revisited. Donna
volunteered to work on the committee and received some old information from
the last review of this project when various options of lifts and locations
were evaluated.
Father closed the meeting with a prayer.
Minutes of the
Stewardship Council Meeting
October 12th, 2006
Members Present:
Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Donna Getman, Vera Kushnir, Stanley Moczulsky, Lydia
Belardo, Stephen Krill, Natalka Verzole, John Suchowacki, and Kimberly
Kotkoskie
Parishioners Present:
Yaroslav Kushnir, and Nick Fil
Father opened the meeting with a prayer.
I.
Renovation Update:
Father reported that the interior work is
currently on schedule. The compound prep work should be done within the
next month and a half. The artist is simultaneously working on the
Pentacrator icon in his studio and has almost completed it. The Bishop will
be visiting the artist’s studio in CT to review it. The artist will be
visiting the church in about 2 weeks.
It was voted upon by the council that the
paneling along the base of the walls will be removed and updated. A few
committee members have agreed to go shopping and retrieve some samples of
paneling to review at a future council meeting. Father will get a quote on
removal of the existing paneling.
It was also voted upon by the council to
replace the carpeting in the alter area with hardwood flooring. Natalka
had received quotes for flooring ranging from $12,000 to $19,000. Local
churches will be visited to see completed work. The lighting in the church
was also discussed and will be reviewed while visiting other church
facilities.
Seasonal prep work was covered in this
meeting. The outer glass layers on the windows (not the stained glass) will
have the cracks repaired. Also the new air conditioning units will have a
shelter built around them to protect these units from ice falling off of the
roof.
Father also reported that the company working
on the water issues in the basement completed the majority of their work yet
will be placing a sealer on the remaining portion of the wall by the ladies
room where they were unable to extend their work due to the existing
plumbing.
The Council also discussed ideas for
dedicating icons in recognition of donors. Levels of donation and forms of
recognition will be available in the future.
II. Harvest Festival:
Financial results of the Harvest festival
were not available at the time of the meeting. The festival was reported to
be a success in terms of publicity, sales and parishioner participation.
III. New Business:
Nick Fil came to represent the Ukrainian Club
and present an idea of having a separate food sale (pyrohy or holubtsi) to
raise funds for the Club. There was no opposition to this idea, however
dates for these sales were not yet determined.
Father mentioned the upcoming Celebration for
Deacon Tom Gutch. The Pastoral Council will be arranging the details of the
event and the Stewardship Council was in support of the funding for the
event.
Father closed the meeting with a prayer.
Minutes of the Stewardship
Council Meeting
November 1st, 2006
Members Present: Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk,
Stanley Moczulsky, Stephen Krill, Natalka Verzole, and
Kimberly Kotkoskie
Parishioners Present:
Nick Fil
The
Stewardship Council met on a non-routine date to decide on immediate-need
renovation decisions.
Chandelier:
The artist requested a decision on the placement of the large
chandelier in the center of the church. The concern from everyone on the
committee was that if the chandelier was placed back into the original
location it would subtract from the Pentacrator icon and would not be
appropriate to distract from an icon of Jesus. The Council determined the
chandelier will be kept, however will not be reinstalled at the original
location. No decision was made as to a new location for the chandelier to
date. Prior to installing again the chandelier will need cleaning,
refinishing of metal parts, and possibly height adjustment depending on new
location.
Paneling:
The Council also discussed
the replacement of the paneling beneath the windows along the sides of the
church interior. A variety of wooden designs were looked at and discussed.
It was decided to go with an oak design and to use a raised border pattern.
Minutes
of the Stewardship Council Meeting
November 9th, 2006
Members Present: Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Donna Getman, Vera Kushnir, Stanley
Moczulsky, , Stephen Krill, Natalka Verzole, and
Kimberly Kotkoskie
Parishioners
Present: Yaroslav Kushnir, and Nick Fil
I.
Renovation
Update:
Father opened the meeting with a prayer.
The Pentacrator icon has been completed. The council is very
pleased with the outcome. Questions were raised regarding the spacing of
the arches and placement of the columns in relationship to the windows. The
artist explained that our windows are not evenly spaced. That is why our
ceiling columns cannot be equidistant over the windows. He also explained
that the ceiling portion of the design will not be connected to the wall
part of the design. The committee asked Father to discuss alternative
options with the artist so that the walls look as if all windows are
equidistant.
We reviewed the paneling (along the walls below the windows) and
the proposal for a new oak wooden design with molding to replace the
existing paneling. Proposals received for this work were between $3-5,000.
Father had someone come in from a lighting company to review
the current six chandeliers. We may also have a lighting professor from RPI
come and evaluate the inside of the church. The council did agree that a
lighting design specialist should be utilized in addition to a professional
installer.
II.
Ushers
Workshop:
The initial ushers workshop meeting was held with a wonderful
discussion. Unfortunately, no one from first liturgy came. There is a need
for new volunteers in the first liturgy. There are only four groups left in
the first liturgy. Plans for a repeat ushers workshop meeting were
discussed.
While discussing the workshop the topic of church envelopes
came up. If you are a family household that currently has two sets of
envelopes and would prefer only one set (for example a husband and a wife
each have their own set of envelopes) please let Father know soon before
envelopes are printed for 2007.
III. Celebration for Deacon
Update:
D.
Getman provided an update on expected attendees for the celebration. There
will be one combined liturgy.
IV. New Business:
2007
Calendar of Events - A letter will be composed and sent to all local org.
requesting their plans for 2007.
V. Other:
The upcoming pyrohy sale was discussed. There is a need for
new volunteers to participate in some of the organizational activities.
Please contact Natalka Verzole if you are able to help.
Stewardship
Council Meeting Minutes
January 11, 2007
Members Present:
Fr. Mikhail,
Natalka Verzole, Nicholas Fil, Vera Kushnir, Stanley Moczulsky and John
Suchowachki.
Guest Present:
Yaroslaw Kushnir
Father Mikhail opened the meeting with a prayer.
N.
Verzole reviewed the agenda which was accepted without changes by all
present.
Old Business items
were discussed as follows:
1.
Renovation Update – Father reported that Phase I of the ceiling
interior restoration has been completed and contractor/artist paid another
$50,000. Phase II continues with additional iconography and ornamentation
painting by the artist which is expected to be completed sometime in
September. The remaining payment of $54,000 will be due at that time.
Stained windows were cleaned by one of the painters and work valued at $1500
was done free of charge. Lighting redesign and amplification system
improvements are currently being assessed and contractors sought.
2.
Centennial Kickoff Celebration Update – V. Kushnir, Reception
Committee head reported that approximately 170 persons attended at a cost of
close to $1600.
New Business items were
presented and discussed as follows:
1.
Stewardship
Council Member Nominations
– Father reviewed the
current list of members. While several are ending their 2 year terms and
can be considered for reelection, others are ending their 2nd 2
year terms and have to wait 1 full year to be nominated again. Although
candidates are actively being sought, volunteers and nominations are
welcomed. Parishioners are asked to contact Father or one of the trustees
before February 18th.
2.
Calendar of 2007 Events - N. Verzole reviewed the upcoming events and
asks that parishioners mark their calendars and watch for details in future
bulletin announcements. Dates were established for the following:
|
Date |
Event |
|
February 18 |
Pre Lenten Pot Luck
Lunch/Annual Parish Meeting |
|
March 18 |
Taras Shevchenko
Concert, Ukrainian School/UCCA |
|
April 1 |
Pre Lenten Bazaar,
Soyuz Ukrainok |
|
April 22 |
Parish Easter Dinner
|
|
May 11 |
Moleben 6pm followed
by Ukr School/Rel. Ed. End of Year/Graduation |
|
May 26 |
Parish/Alumni
Centennial Picnic |
|
Sept 22 |
Harvest Festival |
|
Oct 7 |
Centennial Liturgy &
Banquet |
|
Dec 2 |
St. Nicholas Lunch &
Play |
3.
New Renovation Projects – Father presented several renovation needs
for the church and rectory. Members discussed and made the decision to go
forward with plans to accomplish each of them as follows:
a. Altar boy/Sacristy Rooms – ceiling and wall repairs and painting; inside
door restoration
b. Vestibule – ceiling and wall repairs and painting
c. Front entrance doors – in need of refurbishing
d. Altar/Sacristy room flooring – install hard wood; proposals already
obtained and contractor to be decided on after proposals sent to Bishop for
approval
e. Rectory Kitchen – in need of redesign for better efficiency, renovation
and new appliances.
As
there was no further business the meeting was ended with a prayer led by
Father.
Respectfully submitted by Natalka Verzole, Trustee
Minutes of the Stewardship Council Meeting
February 8th,
2007
Members Present: Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk,
Stanley Moczulsky, Stephen Krill,
Natalka Verzole, John
Suchowacki, Vera Kushnir, and Kimberly Kotkoskie
Parishioners Present:
Nick Fil
I.
Renovation:
Father reported that the contractors remain on schedule
with no issues. The sacristy (the two rooms in the front of the church)
will also be renovated. Father reported on the quote he received to fix the
sheetrock walls, prime and paint these rooms. The quote of $1900 was
approved by the committee. It was also decided that this contractor should
leave the molding on the windows and doorways off so that they can be redone
when the floor is completed. The starting date of the floor work was
discussed. It will take a couple of months to complete, and we determined
it was best to start after the Easter Supper Sunday.
The church floor will also be stripped and waxed, however
this will be completed after the conclusion of all other renovation work.
Since pews will need to be moved to accommodate the machinery, it is
requested that a team of workers be put together to work on this project
along with some others. A team of approximately 10 people will be sought
after from our parishioners.
The bathrooms in the church hall will also be renovated.
Hot water is to be added to both bathrooms. It was also suggested that a
cabinet be installed beneath the sinks to improve appearance.
The original plan to hang the chandelier in an alternate
location is not looking to be feasible. The chandelier is too large to hang
in any other location, and modifying the height of the chandelier is a large
project. Alternate suggestions such as selling the lighting fixture and/or
disassembling it for other creative uses which salvage the crystal were
recommended. No final decision was made on this.
The rectory kitchen is to be upgraded. A new floor,
ceiling and cabinetry are needed. One quote was received, however the
council felt that the work could be done more economically. Additional
quotes are to be received.
II.
Parish
Meeting
The annual parish meeting was discussed. It was agreed
upon that there will be no elections this year. No volunteers came forth
from our group of parishioners to run for positions on either the
Stewardship or the
Pastoral councils. Therefore the council members agreed that Father could
appoint parishioners to positions without an election. A number of
parishioners were recommended to Father for the positions on the
Stewardship
council. Father will contact these individuals and see if they are
interested in participating.
Father thanked Stanley Moczulsky, Vera Kushnir and Lydia
Belardo for all of their time and effort on the committee since their terms
have now concluded.
Minutes of the Stewardship
Council Meeting
March 8th, 2007
Members Present: Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Deacon Tom
Gutch, Stephen Krill, John Suchowacki, Gary Mangione, and
Kimberly Kotkoskie
Parishioners Present:
Nick Fil
Father
opened the meeting with a prayer. He welcomed new member Gary Mangione. He
also mentioned a second new member, Jack Spiak, will be joining us once he
returns from being out of town. We are still in need of a new member from
the youngest age category.
I.
Renovation:
Father
reported that the artists have started the sketches of the remaining icons
in his studio. These sketches will be sent to Father for review prior to
being placed on the walls. The artist’s deadline for completion is
September 30th and everything is following this schedule.
The work
in the sacristy has been completed. The sheetrock has been repaired and
painted. The framing of the window and doorways still needs to be
completed, but as discussed in an earlier meeting – this will be done at the
time of the hardwood flooring project.
II.
Housekeeping:
The church
is in need of a janitorial service. Father has contacted 3 alternatives and
is in the process of obtaining quotes. Another alternate was proposed by a
council member and Father agreed to speak with this person as well.
We also
had some parishioners volunteer to clean out the choir loft. Thank you to
Vera Kushnir, Gary Mangione, John and Christina Cordi, Chris, Stanley and
Sam Levy for taking the time to help with this effort. Gary reported to the
council that there were several items that we needed to determine whether
they would remain with the church, be sold or disposed. Father agreed to
meet with Gary after the meeting to review these items.
III.
Lighting:
Father
reported on his meeting with lighting contractor Naomi Miller. Her
suggestion was to place lights around the surrounding side ledges and then
have “islands” of lights in the ceiling. She is also available to oversee
the project regardless of which contractor is chosen for a fee. Lighting
contractor Thorpe also gave Father similar suggestions.
We will
spend more time in our next meeting reviewing light designs and making a
decision upon what to use.
IV.
New Items:
The idea
of having a professional photographer take photos of our church was brought
up by Tom Gutch. These photos could then be turned into postcards or
greeting cards.
The idea
of placing an icon of the newly ordained Saints in the Vestibule was brought
up. This icon will be discussed with our artist.
Father closed the meeting with a prayer.
Minutes
of the Stewardship Council Meeting
May 10th, 2007
Members Present: Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk,
Natalka Verzole, Gary Mangione, Jack Spiak, John Suchowacki, and Kimberly
Kotkoskie
Parishioners Present:
Nick Fil,
Yaroslav Kushnir, Steve Krill
Father opened the meeting
with a prayer.
I.
Renovation:
Father reported on
his most recent discussion with the artist. The icons will not be complete
until August. He has started on the color portion of the icons in his
studio.
The hardwood flooring
was approved by the Diocese. A sponsor has volunteered to pay for the
flooring.
Gary reported on the
lighting tests that were completed. It was agreed that lower profile
lighting on the sidewalls would be needed than that which was used during
the test. Also, no spaces in side lighting could exist for a shadow was
created with each gap between bulbs. We also agreed, however, that until
the new lighting fixtures were chosen for the main part of the church
ceiling (the hanging chandeliers), no more tests would be conducted. The
hanging lights may be sufficient.
The lighting choices
were again reviewed. Questions were raised regarding the required light per
square foot of church. Jack Spiak provided some guidelines that will be
reviewed against our choices. The ability to change light bulbs in the new
fixtures was also discussed. A pulley system will be reviewed, however
seems unlikely given the existing architecture of the church. A
professional will be used for all lighting installations. Gary Mangione
agreed to follow-up on the pricing and availability of two fixtures.
Father mentioned that
Chris Levy is working with an auction house to potentially sell some of the
church’s items: the old chandelier, a dining room set, and some pews that
are located in the choir loft. The auction house contact said it is
reasonable to expect ~$3,000 to $5,000 for the chandelier. We are able to
set a minimum price during an auction though. The auction house receives
10% of the sale, and will take care of the transport and set up. The
committee agreed to set a minimum price of $5,000 for the chandelier. If it
does not sell, then the topic will be revisited. Likewise a minimum price
of $500 for the dining room set will be set.
Father is receiving
quotes for the repointing of the NE side of the church. He has received two
quotes so far, one of which has done approved work at the church before, and
will be meeting with a third company in the near future.
II.
Cemetery
Nick Fil reported
that a car had damaged the fence at the cemetery. A quote was received from
a local fencing company to repair this for $760. Nick, John Suchowacki and
Andrew Demczar have volunteered to save the repair costs and fix the fencing
together.
Other cemetery issues
were raised regarding plots that have been sold to people who are no longer
parishioners. The upkeep of the areas, and enforcement of the cemetery
rules is a challenge. The idea of creating a database for all known plot
owners was brought up. Rules would be sent to the owners as well as posted
by the water outlet on the garage.
Father ended the
meeting with a prayer.
Minutes of the Stewardship Council Meeting
June 14th,
2007
Present: Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk,
Natalka
Verzole, Gary Mangione, Jack Spiak, John Suchowacki, Nick Fil and Kimberly
Kotkoskie
Father opened the meeting with a
prayer.
I.
Renovation:
Artwork:
Father
reported on his most recent discussion with the artist. Roman Markovich
said he is still on schedule for September completion of the icons. Three
are completed thus far. Markovich also provided a quote of $15,000 for
restoration of the Iconostas. It was decided by the council to obtain
additional quotes and to wait until after the Fall Centennial Celebration to
complete this task.
Brick
Repointing:
Three of the brick repointing quotes were reviewed. The companies DeBrino,
Bianchi ad Devco were all considered. DeBrino’s proposal was the most
detailed and also had a lower unit price with all work considered. A vote
was held and DeBrino was chosen unanimously. This company has completed
work on the church steps before without any issues.
Flooring:
The hardwood flooring installation is progressing nicely. Since there is a
lot of manual hand cutting work around the corners and for the risers, it is
quite time consuming. Completion of the floor is expected within 2 months.
Lighting:
Gary
Mangione reported on the lighting fixtures for the church. There was a vote
to decide between two of the final light fixture designs: one of which had
19 bulbs, and the other had 31 bulbs. The council discussed placing the
fixtures on dimmers and chose the 31 bulb fixture. This will offer the
parish the most flexibility in lighting options.
A design
was chosen from the company Ambelos, located in Greece. Each chandelier
will cost $2,000. There is a 2-3 month lead time, however Father Mikhail
will contact the owner to confirm we will receive and install these by the
Centennial Celebration. Gary also confirmed pricing on the chandeliers by
checking with 3 other competitors (Thorpe, Schenectady Hardware, and Wolberg),
however all were higher in price than the company Ambelos.
II.
New
Business
Cemetery:
Nick reported that additional damage had occurred at the cemetery. This
driver went through the chain at the cemetery and broke the gate. Repairs
will be made.
Rectory
Kitchen:
Father reported on the quotes he received for the updating/remodeling of the
rectory kitchen. Council approved the work that needs to be done.
Father
closed the meeting with a prayer.
Minutes of the Stewardship Council Meeting
August
9th, 2007
Present:
Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Nick Fil, Gary Mangione, Jack Spiak, John Suchowacki,
and Kimberly Kotkoskie
Father opened the meeting with a
prayer.
I.
Renovation:
Lighting
- Father
reported that the new light fixtures arrived at the Albany Airport and were
awaiting pick-up. He requested assistance from the council members in
determining the best method in which to transport the fixtures to the
church. Several of the members went to the airport at the close of the
meeting to evaluate the situation.
Gary
Mangione shared the information he obtained on electrical installation
fees. A quote for $4,063 was obtained that included dimmers, scaffolding
and wiring for all of the fixtures. He also obtained a quote for a lift
system to raise and lower the light fixtures when routine maintenance is
needed (lightbulb replacement, cleaning, etc). Each light fixture would
have its own hoist and pulley system that would be located above the
ceiling. The cost to install this type of system on all of the new light
fixtures would be $3,812.
Additional
light fixtures were also reviewed for the smaller fixtures that are in the
back of the church. Nothing appealed to any of the council members and the
topic was put on hold for discussion at a later date.
Repointing
– Father
reported that the repointing work was completed and done to satisfaction.
DeBrino Company was used for this work. They also caulked around the
windows.
Entrance – The council discussed refinishing the front doors of
the church and potentially replacing the hardware. It was decided that this
item did not require completion prior to the Centennial Celebration event
and the project was put on hold.
Painting – The Council requested that Father Mike call the
painters to discuss the status of the icons.
II.
New
Business:
Harvest Festival - There will not be a Harvest Festival this
year due to the upcoming Centennial Celebration event. There will be a food
sale, however, which will include pyrohy and holubtsi. The reason for this
decision was to avoid overtiring our generous parishioners that have
volunteered for both events.
Calendar
–
The idea of posting a white board calendar
in the church basement was reviewed. The council has been looking for a way
to display upcoming events, and to coordinate schedules between the
different church organizations. The council would like to refine the idea
and possibly computerize the display to make it look more presentable.
Father
closed the meeting with a prayer.
Minutes of the Stewardship Council Meeting
October 11th, 2007
Present:
Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Nick Fil, Gary Mangione, Stephen Krill and Kimberly
Kotkoskie
Father opened the meeting
with a prayer.
I.
Renovation:
Lighting – Previously the council decided to wait until after the
centennial banquet to look at the replacement or repair of the smaller light
fixtures that can be found towards the back of the church. If these
fixtures get replaced, it was determined to do this purchase locally. Prior
to purchasing new fixtures the council will look into brass plating the
existing lights if a company can be found to perform such a task.
Recognition – The topic of recognizing families and individuals who were
significant contributors to the Centennial Renovation fund was discussed.
No conclusion was drawn at this meeting as to how the recognition will be
provided. Father was asked to let the council know how many
families/individuals (without knowing specific names and dollar amounts)
would be getting recognition so that we could better decide what would be
suitable. These parishioners would also be asked personally by Father if it
is acceptable to recognize them publicly for their donations. An important
point was brought up during this discussion that the renovation will be
ongoing as there are still many more projects requiring completion
(bathrooms, front doors, handicap accessibility, etc).
II.
New Business:
Handicap Accessibility
– The council discussed this project and the need to
move it to a higher priority. A growing number of parishioners are unable
to attend liturgy due to accessibility. The existing work that has been
done to review this project will be obtained so that we can determine at the
next meeting what the next step is. A few churches were also named that
have gone through this project and should be reviewed to see what approach
was used to solve their accessibility issues.
Windows–
Father obtained two estimates for restoring the windows. He
was looking for assistance in researching how to receive a grant for a
historical site. Gary and Kim volunteered to complete some website
searching to see what they could find.
Front Doors
–
The front doors of the
church need to be taken down, sanded, and refinished. The question of
whether replacement would be a better idea was brought up and will be quoted
to see if it is economical
Father closed the meeting
with a prayer.
Stewardship Council Meeting
December 20th,
2007
Present: Fr.
Mikhail Myshchuk, Nick Fil, Jack Spiak, and Kimberly Kotkoskie
Father opened the meeting with a prayer.
I.
Revisited
Topics:
Recognition of Donors
– Father Mikhail again stressed the need for
recognition of significant donors. The Council revisited the many ways in
which to do this. It was determined that the best way to do this is either
with a book that can be accessed in the Church Hall or a plaque to be hung
downstairs in the Church hall – both of which would be updated periodically
and would have some type of minimum donation quantity associated with them.
Specific donation quantities would not be visible. The Council was not in
favor of placing parishioner names/plaques on items within the church. The
topic was again tabled for later discussion.
Accessibility Project
– Father Mikhail reported that $4,000 was received as a
donation towards an elevator. We also discussed planning a visit to a
church in Maplewood
that recently installed an elevator.
Grant Money for Windows – Kimberly Kotkoskie
reported on a discussion she had with a government official (John Albert)
regarding state grant money. A letter will be sent to us in April 2008 with
an application for grant money included. The application is due within
10-12 weeks of the mailing. There is also a public workshop held in
Saratoga for assistance in completing the application. As for the
preservation covenant, Mr. Albert said the only thing that would be impacted
on our property is the item(s) that received the funding. For example if we
used grant money to restore our windows, then we would need to receive
government input/permission for any future projects we may have that would
impact our windows. When asked about federal grant money Mr. Albert
mentioned a small program available outside of
New York City. More research needs to be done regarding this
program.
Photo Cards –
Pat Gutch completed the church photo cards and will have them on sale in the
next liturgy. $1.25/card or $10/10 cards. 1,000 cards were printed.
II.
New Business:
Inquiry on School Property –
Father Mikhail received a call from the new mayor regarding the School
property. He knows of a party interested in purchasing the property for the
purpose of apartments/assisted living. The Council reviewed the positives
and negatives that go along with selling the school property. We also
reviewed alternate locations for the school to meet. We suggested that
Father ask how much they are willing to offer for the property to see if
this is a realistic possibility.
Church Budget
– Father Mikhail reminded the Council that our budget
will be discussed during our January meeting. He gave a rough overview of
2007 income versus expense. Exact numbers are not available yet since year
end has not occurred, however it looks as if our expenditures will exceed
our income due to the large amount of work that was completed on the church
interior this year.
Food Sale Pricing –
The pricing of pyrohy and
holuptsi at the food sales was discussed. Given the rise in food prices
during the year 2007, it was suggested that pyrohy be raised from
$6.00/dozen to $7.00/dozen and for holuptsi to increase from $2.00 each to
$2.50 each. The intention of our food sales is to be a fund raiser with the
public. It was also brought up that the demand always exceeds our supply.
We are unfortunately limited by the need for more workers. Father suggested
that the prices be discussed with the leaders of the food sales.
Father closed the meeting with a prayer.
Minutes of the
Stewardship
Council Meeting
March 13th,
2008
Present:
Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Deacon Tom Gutch, Anne Marie Hakeem, Gary Mangione,
John Suchowacki, and Kimberly Kotkoskie
Father opened the
meeting with a prayer and welcomed new member Anne Marie Hakeem. He also
mentioned our exiting members, Natalka Verzole and Stephen Krill, and all of
the hard work they had done while on the Council.
I.
Revisited Topics:
Accessibility
Project
– Father
Mikhail reported that Nick Fil plans to call the architect that completed
the work at the Maplewood church so that we can all go there for a visit.
Fr. Deacon
Tom Gutch also mentioned St. Anthony’s church in Schenectady that has
undergone such an accessibility project. They have both an elevator lift on
one side and a moveable chair lift on the other side of their church
building. In addition, St. Mary’s in Schenectady will be reviewed for they
had 12 steep steps entering their building and were able to build a ramp
with a glass enclosure. Tom offered to take photos/video of the churches so
the council can review.
Stairways
– The treading is completed. The council discussed whether or not to
replace the center hand rail on the steps within the church, but we decided
it was not necessary since most people use side handrails when needing
assistance.
Rectory
Kitchen –
Father reported that the floor still remains to be completed. He explained
that the floor has been sagging for years due to support beams being sliced
years ago when some plumbing work was done. The floor is slowly being
raised with a new support to allow for an even and safe floor.
Floor
Cleaning
– A cleaning, stripping and waxing of the church floor is planned for after
Easter. All of the pews will be moved for this task.
Front
Door
– Gary mentioned that the push bars for the front doors are now in and will
be installed.
II.
New Business:
Water
leak
– The Council also spent time reviewing wet spots in the Northeast corner of
the church building. The source of the water has not been determined
yet. It is possible a vent from the roof is causing intermittent leakage
during heavy rains. We agreed that before an expert should be called in, a
few people would look at these locations during the next heavy (and windy)
rainfall.
Fire
Alarm System
– The council discussed installation of a local fire alarm system and what
would be necessary/required regarding hard wiring. Father Mikhail would
like us to explore this further in the coming months to determine if there
is an economical way of completing this installation.
Father closed the
meeting with a prayer.
Minutes of the Stewardship Council Meeting
April 10th,
2008
Present: Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Anne Marie Hakeem,
Gary Mangione, John Suchowacki, Jack Spiak, Nick Fil, Mykhailo Oliynyk,
and Kimberly
Kotkoskie
Father opened the meeting
with a prayer and welcomed new member Mykhailo Oliynyk.
I.
Revisited Topics:
Accessibility Project
– A report was given of the trip to the Maplewood church to review their
elevator installation. Father Mikhail, Nick Fil, Anne Marie Hakeem and
Gary Mangione
attended this visit. They met with an official of the church. The elevator
has three levels with a ground floor entrance. It had an aluminum side door
for access. Five of them fit comfortably in it. They have been pleased
with the installation other than a few small circuitry issues. Nick
obtained the name of the architect who worked on the
Maplewood
installation and arranged for a meeting at St. Nicholas on April 17th.
There is no charge for the first visit from the architect.
The Stewardship council
discussed contacting at least 2 other architects, in addition to the one
currently found, to obtain different ideas and quotes.
Also on the visit they were
able to view a recognition plaque wall for donors and to obtain the name of
an artist who helped to develop it.
The Stewardship council
discussed whether a fund should be set up for this project. As soon as the
meeting with the architect(s) occur, and the feasibility of the project is
known, a separate fund will be set up to track all of the currently received
donations plus future ones and to record expenses on the project as well.
Fire Alarm/Security System
– Deacon Tom
Gutch arranged for a gentleman from GE Security to quote on installing a
system in the church building. The quote focused more on a security system
rather than a fire alarm system. GE would be able to secure 4 doors that
would be connected to the fire and police stations via satellite cell
phone. It would also contain two motion detectors with a cell back up unit
and would cost $47.99/month fixed for 3 years. Installation charges would
be free. Fire and smoke detectors could be added to go through the same
system. The Stewardship Council decided to pursue additional quotes.
Floor Cleaning
– Council discussed having the gentleman who completed the floors at the
Ukrainian Club quote on this project. It was determined to be a good idea
and the quote will be pursued.
Front Door –
The new push bars were installed by Gary Mangione and all of the council
members are pleased with their operation. There were some holes in the door
where the old hardware existed. The council will try one of two options to
repair the holes. Either a wood filler will be used or a plate will be
placed over the holes that matches the new push bar hardware.
Water Leak
– No new activity on this topic. The council was still waiting for a heavy
rain to monitor any leakage.
II.
New Business:
National Registry
– Jim Apulco from
the New York State historical society visited the church. There were no
action items from his visit. It was a routine inspection/visit of
historical sites.
Cemetery
– Nick mentioned that he was
going to rent a dumpster to clean out the garage at the cemetery. This
cleaning will allow for storage of additional items the church and school
may have.
Pyrohy Sale
– Father brought up
different dates for the next pyrohy sale. This also brought up the question
at the meeting about what price would be charged for the pyrohy. Some
council members proposed the church follow the pricing used at the Palm
Sunday Bazaar of $7/dozen. Father mentioned that the chair people of the
pyrohy sale will decide on the pricing.
Father closed the meeting with a prayer.
Minutes of the Stewardship Council Meeting
May
8th, 2008
Present: Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Deacon Tom Gutch, Anne Marie Hakeem,
Gary Mangione,
Jack Spiak, and Kimberly Kotkoskie
Father opened the meeting with a prayer.
I.
Revisited
Topics:
Accessibility Project
– On April 17th Father Mikhail, Gary Mangione, Nick Fil, and Jack Spiak met with architect Mr. Stephen Cotler to
review our church building. Mr. Cotler believes it is feasible for a lift
to be placed in one of two locations: the northwest corner or the southwest
corner of the building. The northwest corner would require relocation of
the air conditioning unit. The southwest corner would require renovation of
the bathrooms. He did not see a problem with the current sewer drain
location. He was favoring the south side. At the time of the council
meeting, we had not yet received his architectural estimate. His role would
be to supervise and oversee the project. Mr. Cotler has experience doing
this type of work with other parishes.
Gary agreed to follow up with Mr. Cotler on the quote.
Gary Mangione
also reported that he spoke with architect Rick Smith, however was told that
this project would be considered too small for his services. Deacon Tom
Gutch also has the name of another architect from Barrier Free who we will
meet with.
Front Doors
– Father shared a quote he received to refinish the front doors. The quote
including sanding and new coats of polyurethane and was for $4,600. There
was also an option to cut out two new stained glass windows in the doors
which would be an additional $600. The council members decided against the
new windows, but felt that the quote for refinishing was acceptable.
Water Leak
– Father Mikhail and Gary
Mangione met on April 12th to review the attic of the church. No
conclusions were drawn from their review.
Father also contacted Moisture Barrier to review the water leak. They
came and inspected but could not determine where the water would be entering
from. They sent their foreman who found two small holes, however they did
not think that these holes would be the cause of the leak. They agreed to
fix the holes. They also used a moisture probe to determine moisture levels
in various locations but did not find anything conclusive. They found that
the outside brick had expanded outward by 1/2 inch due to freezing. The
brick location where last summer’s repointing work occurred was also
cracked. He said he would like to visit during the next rainfall and use
tracing materials on the roof. The council decided to wait for the outcome
from moisture barrier prior to contacting DeBrino.
New York
State Grant Workshop – Kimberly Kotkoskie reported that Zoriana Mangione and she
will attend a workshop for completion of a NYS grant application. The grant
application was initially proposed to assist in repairing our stained glass
windows. The question was raised as to whether our windows were in urgent
need of repair this year or if the council should focus on one large project
– the accessibility project. It was determined by the council that we would
focus on the accessibility project. The concern was that if a grant was
received and we had two large projects going on at one time – there would
not be sufficient manpower to oversee both. Kimberly and Zoriana will still
attend the workshop to learn more about the process and what types of
projects would be applicable and not applicable. Also it was requested that
more information be obtained regarding the State’s Preservation Covenant
which provides NYS the right to have decision power in future projects at
the church if a grant were to be provided.
II.
New Business:
Preservation Merit Award
– Father
reported that the Historic Albany Foundation announced that our church had
been selected to receive the 2008 Preservation Initiative Certificate. It
is the Foundation’s effort to promote Albany’s unique architectural legacy
and to give awards to those that demonstrate excellence and a commitment to
preserving Albany’s
unique heritage.
Father mentioned that the Watervliet historic society also welcomed us to
their meetings. It was recommended that we meet with some of these groups
to learn more about being a registered historic site.
Harvest Festival
– The date for the
Harvest Festival was chosen to be October 4th. An announcement
will be placed in the bulletin looking for a new chairperson.
Old Light Fixtures
– Father reported some information obtained from Chris Levy. Chris has been
negotiating with antique dealer Fred Shapiro to purchase our old light
fixtures and chandelier.
He
agreed to purchase the old light fixtures and to consign the chandelier at a
minimum price. He was also interested in purchasing the dining room table
set that is in the choir loft along with two metal candlestick holders. The
council seemed pleased with his pricing suggestions, however recommended
that we get another antique dealer to look at these items prior to
committing to Mr Shapiro.
Father closed the meeting with a prayer.
Minutes of
Stewardship Council Meeting
June 12, 2008
Present: Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Anne Marie Hakeem,
Gary Mangione, Jack Spiak,
Nick Fil, Mykhailo Oliynyk, Rev. Tom Gutch
Father opened the meeting with a prayer.
I. Revisited topics
Accessibility Project-The
meeting started with a review of the meeting minutes of 5/8/2008. We then
proceeded to review the lift proposal provided by Barrier Free Systems. The
proposal calls for an electric chain hydraulic lift by Savaria with three
stops installed in the southwest corner of the church. The proposal is for
the lift installation only at cost of $21,637.00 for the basic installation.
Options for fire-rated metal doors and an automatic door could add an
additional $9,195.00. The church would be responsible for all building
alterations including door openings, shaft way construction, electrical
modifications, and all permits, variances, and licenses. Tom Gutch indicated
he knew of a previous Barrier Free installation at St. Mary’s in
Schenectady
and would arrange for a site visit. The proposed site visit is scheduled for
Tuesday 6/17/2008.
We next
reviewed the two proposals from Eazy Lift. Proposal one is for a curved
stair lift with a 24-volt motor that would move a chair along a rail that
would run from the basement to the main floor of the church utilizing the
northwest stair tower. The committee decided this proposal had inherent
problems: persons using the lift would need to begin in the basement with no
wheel chair accessibility, and a track/rail that would be permanently
installed in the stairwell. Proposal one would cost $17,990.00 and was
dismissed for the problems listed above. Proposal two is for a vertical lift
platform that was similar to the Barrier Free proposal. The base proposal is
$17,990.00 with options that could run up to $7,140.00.
The
committee concluded that a vertical lift by either company would cost
approximately $22,000.00 and a decision would be made after the site visit
to St. Mary’s church to inspect the Barrier Free installation.
The Cotler
Architectural proposal was reviewed next. The proposal includes two phases,
with Phase One providing the preliminary CAD drawings, checking code
compliance, identifying building systems, design documents, and a scheme
selection. The cost for Phase One is estimated at $3,000.00. Phase Two
includes preparing construction documents, obtaining building permits,
assisting with contractor selection, and administering the contracts. Phase
Two is estimated at $12,000.00. The committee decided to hold on hiring
Cotler Architectural in hopes that a General Contractor with experience in
lift installation may be able to assist with the design and permits.
Fire
Alarm System-
Gary Mangione met with International Built In Systems to provide a proposal
for a fire alarm system. The system includes installation of smoke detectors
in the church, stairwells, furnace room, kitchen, Sacristy, and church hall
with heat detectors in the attic. The proposal is $6,550.00 installed with a
$22.00 per month monitoring fee. The committee agreed that the price was
reasonable but was concerned about the appearance of the smoke detectors in
the newly renovated church. Gary will contact International Built In to see
if smaller detectors can be utilized in this area.
Front doors-
Peter Andrejczak was awarded the contract to refinish the front doors for
$4,600.00 and will begin work soon.
Water Leak-
Fr. Mikhail met with Moisture Barrier and they will bring a lift truck in
for minor repairs and inspection. No single cause has yet been identified as
the source of the water leak in the northeast corner of the church.
Grant
Research- Kim
Kotkoskie was unable to attend the meeting but submitted a letter indicating
her findings from a Grant application seminar attended by Kim and Zoriana
Mangione. The Accessibility project is not eligible for funding under the
guidelines. The window renovation project would be eligible up to a maximum
of 50% of the total cost but the church needs to be ready to do the project
regardless of the grant monies obtained. A Preservation Covenant would need
to be enacted in which NYS would need to be notified of any maintenance or
renovations projects during the next 10-20 years. The grant time frame for
this year has passed and the window renovation project was put on hold until
the completion of the accessibility project.
I. New Business
Pyrohy Sale-
Fr. Mikhail reported that 12,000 pyrohy were made during the last sale. The
final dollar amount for sales is still being worked out.
Cemetery
report- Nick Fil
reported that the back gate has been removed and is being repaired. Nick
also indicated that a review of purchase plans for lots should be conducted.
Also, there are head stones in the upper lot that are broken or misaligned
and should be repaired. The committee thought a volunteer group might be
able to provide the manpower necessary to repair some of the stones. A date
for repairs is to be determined.
Light
Sale- Fr.
Mikhail indicated that six lights and the dining room set were sold for
$1,750.00. The chandelier sale is pending.
Church
Assessment- Fr.
Mikhail announced that the diocese has reassessed all of our properties
(church, school, residence, cemetery) for insurance purposes. The new
assessment value is $7.8 million dollars. The net effect of an insurance
premium adjustment is pending with the diocese.
Bathroom
renovations-
Although bathroom renovations may be part of the larger accessibility
project, some minor alterations need to be accomplished to provide ease of
use in the current configuration. Nick Fil and Mykhailo Oliynyk will
research the cost of replacing the toilets with higher ones and Gary
Mangione will look into providing grab bars on the wall partitions.
Display
Wall in Church
Hall- Nick Fill
indicated that a display wall in the church hall might be appropriate for
displaying awards, certificates, photos, and other memorabilia. Nick and
Mykhailo will look into methods for providing a display wall.
Meeting
Notice- Fr.
Mikhail noted that there would be no
Stewardship
Council meeting in July.
Fr. Mikhail
closed the meeting with a prayer.
Minutes of the Stewardship Council Meeting
September 11, 2008
Present: Fr.
Mikhail Myshchuk, Deacon Tom Gutch, Nick Fil, Gary Mangione, Jack Spiak, and
Kimberly Kotkoskie
I.
Revisited Topics:
Accessibility Project – The council has obtained a range of quotes for an elevator
lift. The average price for a lift alone would be approximately $25,000.
The elevator companies that were spoken to all advised that the next step
would be to obtain the services of a general contractor (GC) who would
create a shaft for the elevator to ride in. The GC would create a hole in
the side wall, build a shaft, and add power to the shaft. The location of
this project would also require that the bathrooms be altered which would be
an additional expense. The council agreed to continue on with the project
to determine full costs after some quotes from general contractors were
received. Gary
Mangione agreed to contact a few contractors.
Fire Detection –
A quote from International Built In Systems was reviewed for a fire
detection system in the church building. The proposal that was offered
would involve placing 8 units in the ceiling of the church. Each unit would
be 6 inches in diameter. The units could be painted to match the ceiling.
The quote was for $6,550. The council agreed to obtain a quote from another
company. Kim Kotkoskie will call Sanders Fire Detection for a quote.
Deacon Gutch also brought up as a concern that the incense used during our
liturgies may accidentally set off the detection units and that this concern
should be raised to the companies.
The idea of placing fire
detection units at the school building was also discussed. Kim Kotkoskie
will look into what is located at the school.
Water Leak – Moisture Barrier visited the church and examined the roof. During this
visit they added a diverter on the roof around the shaft that is near the
cupola. The diverter will assist in sending rain water away from the shaft
and a potential leak point. The company also did some patching and caulking
and added a collar around the chimney. The whole roof was inspected once
again. This visit should be covered by roof warranty.
Harvest Festival – An update on festival planning was provided. Everything
moving along as planned. Various members of the council offered some of
their services that would be available for the day.
Cemetery –
Nick Fil reported the gate repair is complete. Nick also mentioned his
concern over the older stones in need of repair. In some cases stones have
fallen off of the base. The council agreed that it is the family’s
responsibility to replace these stones or repair them. Nick suggested
organizing a Saturday to work on slowly repairing these situations
(especially for situations where there may no longer be local family) along
with trimming some trees.
II.
New Business:
Light Fixtures – The gold plated chains for the lights fixtures were received. The cost
was $750 for a little over 100 feet. The chains were installed by Andrew
Demczar and Father Mikhail. The advantage of the installation is to allow
more light to people sitting in the pews for reading.
Railings – Father received a quote for $225 to fix railings in
front of church. The quote included painting, sealing and caulking. The
council approved this quote.
Fencing at Church – Father
reported that the fencing around the church needs to be welded and was
asking if anyone knew of a welder for the job. No one on the council had a
welding contact that would work for this situation.
Father closed the meeting
with a prayer.
Minutes
of the Stewardship
Council Meeting
October 9, 2008
Present: Fr.
Mikhail Myshchuk, Nick Fil, Anne Marie Hakeem, Gary Mangione, Mykhailo
Oliynyk and Kimberly Kotkoskie
I.
Revisited
Topics:
Accessibility Project
–
Gary Mangione
reported on his findings with three general contractor companies. (Zandri
Construction, Upstate, and Troy Management) Only Zandri has thus far
returned his request for quote. Zandri came to the church on 9/25 for a
site visit. He requested blueprints and plans, which at the moment are not
available for this project. He provided a budget estimate of $75,000 for
the project which could be made more accurate once drawings are available.
This estimate includes demolition work, electrical, excavation and backfill,
concrete work, mechanical, bathroom alteration resulting in American
Disabilities Act compliant bathrooms, construction of an elevator shaft, and
machine room. He also mentioned that a project such as this would require
signed and approved drawings from the City of Watervliet before beginning.
Zandri did not see any issues with the project completion.
Gary had also contacted the
architect (Cotler) that we previously had look at this job and asked him to
revise his quote to providing the drawings for us only – rather than
overseeing the entire project.
Currently a rough breakdown
for the cost of the accessibility project is as follows:
Lift
and Installation = ~$25,000 - $30,000
General
Contractor (shaft, demo work, bathrooms, etc) = ~$75,000
Architect
= ~$15,000
TOTAL
ESTIMATED COST = ~$120,000
A project of this large
dollar amount would need approval by the Diocese and would also require us
to raise ½ of the funds in a specific fundraiser for project. The
Stewardship council requests input from parishioners. Please feel free
to speak directly with Father Mikhail or anyone of the council members or
trustees regarding your thoughts on this expenditure. The council decided
to proceed forward on the project and see if we can complete above work
outline for lower costs.
If the project
proceeds, a fund drive would need to begin for the project.
Fire Detection – A quote from Sanders was reviewed for fire detection. Sanders offeres a
detection system that utilizes laser beams from the front to the back of the
church rather than placement of units into the ceiling. The council liked
this approach; however the quote was higher than the traditional approach.
Sanders quote was for $17,041 which also included the church hall, kitchen,
and other areas.
Gary agreed to call Built In Systems to see if they offer a laser
alternative.
The council asked Father to
communicate to the Diocese and determine what was the expectation regarding
fire protection in the church buildings.
Kim Kotkoskie also reported
on the school building. Four fire/smoke detection units and two carbon
monoxide units were installed last month. They are battery operated and
will need replacement batteries at the beginning of the school year.
Harvest Festival – This year’s festival had an excellent turnout of volunteer
parishioners. We thank everyone who helped, not only on Thursday and
Saturday, but throughout the whole week, many people were involved. Thank
you for your time. The financial results for the festival were still not
available.
Donation Plaque – The status of the donation plaque project was brought up. Father will
bring more information to our next meeting to see if we can complete this
task. Mykhailo Oliynyk suggested a design in the shape of our church
façade, where each plate with a name is a brick, or something similar.
He agreed to come up with a sketch of his idea.
Front Railing – Peter Andrejczak and Andrew Demczar fixed the front railing of the
church. They fastened it with an epoxy glue to prevent wabbling. Thank you
to both of you.
II.
New Business:
Bathroom Grab Bars – The council mentioned that since the last meeting John
Suchowacki was successful in installing grab bars in the bathrooms. Thank
you to John.
Father closed the meeting
with a prayer.
Minutes of the Stewardship Council Meeting
November
13th, 2008
Present: Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Nick Fil, Anne Marie Hakeem,
Gary Mangione,
Jack Spiak, Petro Andrejczak and Kimberly Kotkoskie
Father opened the meeting
with a prayer.
I.
Revisited Topics:
Accessibility Project
– Petro Andrejczak was present at this month’s meeting
to offer some ideas regarding the accessibility project. He shared concern
about the existing bathroom area not having enough space for American
Disability Act (ADA) compliant bathrooms to be installed in their current
location. ADA
bathrooms require specific regulated dimensions. We explored the idea of
making an additional
ADA bathroom in the current storage area location beneath
the staircase. It is believed that the necessary sewer and water hookups
can be accessible in this location. Petro also brought up the concern about
ventilation requirements.
After discussing the above
concerns, and sharing our choice of an elevator model, Petro volunteered to
draw up some plans for two
ADA bathrooms, an elevator shaft and a hydraulic room.
Nick Fil announced that he
had arranged for a contractor to visit the church that coming Saturday. The
contractor had recently completed installation of an elevator.
Father Mikhail also agreed
that he will consult with the diocese regarding approval for this project
since we now have some rough estimates of what will be necessary to both
physically change the church building and roughly how much this type of
project may cost.
Fire Detection – Gary Mangione
reported on his conversation with International Built In. They had provided
a quote for a fire detection system that was competitive, however we wanted
to see if they offered the same technology as another bidder. The alternate
technology involves a light beam across the church (from the choir loft to
the sanctuary) rather than detectors in the church ceiling. International
Built In does offer this technology. The council asked Gary to arrange for
us to meet with the company and/or to see how large and visually appealing
the beam detector equipment is.
Donation Plaque
– Father Mikhail reported on some statistics regarding recognition for
the Centennial donors. The council asked Father to determine how large this
plaque needed to be or how many people should be recognized individually.
Approximately 15 to 20 people/families contributed over $2500. The council
discussed formats for both a private recording journal that the priest would
have access to for recordkeeping purposes, and a public version (without
specific dollar amounts) for community recognition and thanks. The council
had a draft design being worked on for the plaque, however the sketch was
not available at the time of the meeting.
II.
New Business:
Church Hall Wall Covers – Mikhailo Olynyk had put together a proposed wall design to
hide the piping in our church hall. The council reviewed the design and
decided it was a good idea and we should proceed since it is a low cost
project that will improve the appearance of the church hall.
Suggestion Box Letter #1 – Father reported on a suggestion received by the
Stewardship council that the
church window renovation project should be addressed and is in great need of
completion. The council did evaluate the window renovation project and the
eligibility of the project for a NYS grant application and reported on our
decision in the meeting minutes of our June 12, 2008 meeting. Our
evaluation included window condition, the grant process, funding and human
resources to run such a project. It was determined that the window
renovation project was not an urgent project that needed to be addressed in
2008. Given our limited financial and human resources, the council decided
it would be best to focus our efforts on the accessibility project in
2008/2009. More specific details may be obtained from a council member or
Father Mikhail. The council appreciates the concern and will consider it
when discussing future projects.
Suggestion Box Letter #2 -
Father read a second suggestion received by the Stewardship council
regarding the gold coloring on the Iconostas and the need for
cleaning/repainting. The concern was that it appears dirty. The council
also looked into this project and received a quote on June 14, 2007 from Mr.
Markovich (the iconographer who did a portion of the centennial restoration
work). The quote was for $15,000 and included cleaning of the icons
themselves. Gold leafing would need to be added and the wood is in need of
restoration. At the time we received the quote, the council was concerned
the work would not be completed in time for the Centennial celebration in
2007. In tonight’s meeting Nick agreed to help find another quote to
perform such work and perhaps revive the discussion on completing the
Iconostas restoration.
Copper Recycling
– Vera Kushnir had spoken to a council member regarding the recycling of
the copper roof material that is left over.
Gary Mangione volunteered to
help in this task.
Fencing at the Cemetery
– Nick reported that the damaged areas of fence will be fixed
in the Spring.
Fire Inspection – Father reported that the fire department requested an inspection of
our church on
December 1, 2008. Father will meet with them at this time.
Grave Markers – Nick Fil was looking at grave markers for parishioners who are unable
to afford the larger monuments. He found one that costs $295 and has the
dimensions of 3” x 12” x 24”.
Gas Smell
– Parishioners reported a natural gas odor the previous week. It is
believed that the smell may have come from the kitchen stove area. Signs
will be placed on the stove regarding the proper use and to request
assistance if necessary or unsure. Father closed the meeting with a
prayer.
Minutes of the
Stewardship Council Meeting
December 18, 2008
Present: Fr. Mikhail
Myschchuk, Nick Fil, Jack Spiak, Mykhailo Oiliynyk, and Anne Marie Hakeem
I. Revisited Topics:
Accessibility
Project -
Reviewed Peter Andrejczak's specifications for two
ADA bathrooms, elevator shaft and a hydraulic room. Peter
was not at the meeting as he was on vacation. The committee had some
concerns and questions for Peter so the topic was tabled for the next
meeting.
Father Mikhail and Nick Fil
met with Ken Engersol, contractor on November 15 and Ken will be providing
us with an estimate to prepare the building for the elevator/lift
installation.
Father Mikhail contacted
the Diocese regarding the Accessibility Project and they indicated we need
to set-up a fund designated for this project and we need to get feed-back
from the parishioners.
Fire Detection
- topic was tabled for the next meeting as
Gary Mangione
was not present to give his report.
Donation Plaque
- the committee reviewed and discussed some concepts and Mykhailo Oliynyk
will submit a drawing for the next meeting.
Church Hall Wall
Covers - the committee reviewed again the proposal and design to
hide the pipes
in front of the wall
spaces in the church hall. We requested that Mykhailo Oliynyk build one
frame so
that we could visualize
what the design would look like on the wall.
Suggestion Box
Letter #2 - the committee reviewed this subject again (Iconostas
restoration) and
are considering some
other restoration ideas. We will be contacting some vendors for an
estimate.
Copper Recycling
- Gary Mangione contacted a vendor and the left-over copper was sold for
scrap
and the money was
placed in the church fund.
Fire Inspection
- the inspection took place on December 1, 2008. The fire department
notified us
with recommendations,
more emergency lights in the church, hall, and more exit signs. The
recommendations are
being worked on and should be completed by the next meeting.
Grave Markers
- topic was tabled for the next meeting.
Gas Smell
- topic was tabled for the next meeting.
II. New Business
- None
Father Mikhail closed the meeting with a
prayer.
Minutes of
the Stewardship
Council Meeting
January 22, 2009
Present: Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Nick Fil, Anne Marie Hakeem,
Gary Mangione,
John Suchowacki, Mykhailo Oliynyk and Kimberly Kotkoskie
Father opened the meeting with a prayer.
I.
Revisited Topics:
Accessibility Project
– The council reviewed Petro Andrejak’s drawings again
since some of the council members were not present at December’s meeting.
Andrejak also engaged the City’s building inspector to review the drawings
and our Church for any potential code issues regarding the bathrooms and
handicap accessibility. The City inspector gave a conceptual approval of
the design. The next step would be to create blueprints for official
approval.
The council sees
Andrejak’s drawings as a viable option for the installation, however also
believes it will be beneficial to obtain one or two more ideas on this
project. A previous architect provided a quote for $3,000 for drawings of
this project. Also, the architect that helped with our roofing project will
be asked to provide a quote. Nick Fil had yet another architect who agreed
to review the project. An advantage of using an outside firm would be
liability issues should anything unexpected occur during the project.
The council discussed
whether any parishioners have voiced opinions on this project. No negative
responses or concerns have been raised thus far. The highest quote received
thus far for the project has been $120,000 for lift installation and
bathroom renovation. If anyone has any concerns or opinions regarding the
use of money towards this project we strongly encourage you to discuss this
matter with Father Mikhail or a council member. It is important that we
know of concerns up front before the project proceeds.
Father discussed this
project with the Diocese. Comments included fundraising and making sure
that the parish supports the project.
Fire Detection System
– Gary Mangione
will follow up with International Built-In Systems regarding more
information on the aesthetics of their alarm unit.
Donation Plaque
– Mykhailo will provide a design at an upcoming meeting.
Church Hall Wall Covers – Mykhailo built a wall cover unit to be installed over the
pipes on the walls in the church hall. The council reviewed the sample unit
and approved the design.
Suggestion Box Letter #2 -
At a previous meeting Father read a second suggestion received by the
Stewardship council regarding the gold coloring on the Iconostas and the
need for cleaning/repainting. The concern was that it appears dirty. Since
then, Father followed up with the artist Mr. Markovich to see if it was
possible to lower the cost by using some or all gold paint on the Iconostas
instead of gold leafing. Parts of the Iconostas (such as the Royal door and
Deacon door) would remain in gold leaf, while moldings, etc would be in
paint. Mr. Markovich’s work would also include the restoration of the icons
of St Nicholas and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Once the new quote is received,
the council provided a budget to Father in which we were comfortable with
proceeding on work without waiting for Council approval.
Fire Inspection
– Father reported that the fire department inspected our church on
December 1, 2008. We were
required to install some emergency lighting, which was accomplished with the
help of Andrew Demczar. A letter came to the church dated January 9, 2009
stating that we are in compliance. It was suggested to also install some
lighted exit signs upstairs in the back of the church. The council will
pursue installing these signs.
II.
New Business
Annual Meeting
– We briefly spoke of the process for choosing new
council members for 2009. The annual meeting will be on
March 8, 2009. More on this
topic will be discussed at the February meeting. The council encourages any
parishioners interested in participating in our meetings as a member to
please let us know.
Father closed the meeting with a prayer.
Minutes of the
Stewardship Council Meeting
March 31, 2009
Present: Fr. Mikhail Myshchuk, Nick Fil, Anne Marie Hakeem,
Gary Mangione,
John Suchowacki, and Kimberly Kotkoskie
Father opened the meeting
with a prayer.
I.
Revisited
Topics:
Accessibility Project – Father and
Nick Fil reviewed their recent visit to see a screw mechanical lift. This
lift was newly installed at a Tae Kwon Do location in Latham. It made more
noise than we preferred to have. They also saw a hydraulic and chain lift
installed within a plastic enclosure. This was located at Achievements in
Latham. The lift made noise on the way up, however utilized hydraulics when
lowering which was quieter. There was an earlier visit to a church located
in Slingerlands that had a similar design but had built more of an enclosure
around it which eliminated a lot of noise to the point that it was
acceptable. The advantage of using this type of lift is that a machine room
is not necessary. Father had spoken to Glenn from Accessibility Solutions
and he said that the hydraulic lift we originally were leaning towards would
definitely require a separate machine room.
The council discussed the importance of the level of noise the lift makes
versus having a separate machine room take up space in the church hall
downstairs. It was decided that the noise made by a combination chain and
hydraulic model would be acceptable for our situation and we would not need
to go with an entirely hydraulic model. The combination chain and hydraulic
model also offers simplicity in maintenance. We would just need to install
some soundproofing insulation. The council decided upon the combination
chain and hydraulic model and will pursue getting the drawings completed
with an architect.
Gold plating on Iconostas
(Suggestion Box Letter #2) -
Father
received two quotes back from Mr. Markovich. One quote was for the entire
Iconostas to be done with gold leafing. (This would cost approximately
$15,000) The second quote was for a combination of paint and gold leafing
to be used and was about $3,000 less. Father also mentioned there may be a
donor interested in making a contribution for this project.
Fire Detection System –
Gary Mangione received a revised quote from International Built In Systems
which uses the laser beam detector in the main part of the church. The
quote was updated with 2009 pricing. The new quote came in at $8,675 for
the entire church. There would be a monthly monitoring fee of $22. The
reflector size and positioning was reviewed by the council. There would be
two reflectors located on the front wall of the church positioned outside of
the painted archway. One reflector would be locate on the bottom left of
the arch at approximately the second saint up from the bottom. The second
reflector would be on the right side, also near the second saint up from the
bottom of the arch. Gary will check on whether a separate phone line is
needed for this system to be installed or if the phone line at the rectory
can be used.
Cemetery Markers
– In a previous meeting
we discussed placing cemetery markers on the graves of parishioners who may
not be able to afford their own markers. Father announced that there is a
parishioner interested in donating money for this task.
Cemetery Fence
– Nick reported on a
conversation he had with the city to place a guard ramp alongside the road
to protect our fence. We have had repeated damage at this portion of the
fence by cars sliding off the road during icy conditions. The city said
that a ramp was not possible for this location. Nick will discuss with city
again if we are allowed to put our own protection in at this location. Due
to a $500 deductible on the cemetery insurance, the fence repairs tend to be
a repeated issue for us that we always end up fixing on our own.
II.
New Business
Pyrohy Dough Cutter
– Nick Fil reported
on some information he found for a dough cutting tool to assist with pyrohy
making. The tool costs $395 and the purchase was approved by the council
for one cutter. We will see how we like using it before any further
investments are made.
Father closed the meeting with a prayer.
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