approving a church budget

[Pastor Tim]

Our church's annual meeting is coming up in a few weeks; one of our tasks is to approve the 2023 budget.

A challenge is that due to financial constraints, we have had to propose some significant cuts, which may prove unpopular, however necessary they might be. 

I recognize that any member can make a motion along the lines of "I move we increase line item 100 by $500" etc. etc.  But I also know that if we start down that road, our meeting is likely to become very confusing and unproductive.  Good folks, but we don't do well with a large group tinkering with things like that.  

If the congregation has significant concern with the budget, I believe it would be much more productive for them to vote the proposed budget down, then send the whole matter back to the Board with some instructions on what they'd be willing to approve.  We'd then need a called meeting to try again.

What would be the motion to make that happen?

[Josh Martin]

On 10/4/2022 at 8:07 AM, Pastor Tim said:

Our church's annual meeting is coming up in a few weeks; one of our tasks is to approve the 2023 budget.

A challenge is that due to financial constraints, we have had to propose some significant cuts, which may prove unpopular, however necessary they might be. 

I recognize that any member can make a motion along the lines of "I move we increase line item 100 by $500" etc. etc.  But I also know that if we start down that road, our meeting is likely to become very confusing and unproductive.  Good folks, but we don't do well with a large group tinkering with things like that.  

If the congregation has significant concern with the budget, I believe it would be much more productive for them to vote the proposed budget down, then send the whole matter back to the Board with some instructions on what they'd be willing to approve.  We'd then need a called meeting to try again.

What would be the motion to make that happen?

A member could move "To refer the budget to the board, with instructions to..."

[George Mervosh]

Agreeing with Mr. Martin, the assembly does not have to vote the budget down to adopt a motion to refer.  I can simply refer it by a majority vote.  I'd recommend one of the instructions be for the board to hold a hearing, the way committees sometimes do on important matters.  This would allow members to offer input to the board and may reduce the time it takes to adopt the budget next time the assembly meets, since members have already had an opportunity to present their views outside of a regular meeting setting.

[puzzling]

while I do agree with the intention of Mr Martin and Mr Mervosh.

RONR does not mention referral to a board as option in RONR 13.  only referral to an ad-hoc or standing committee are mentioned. (excluding discuss informally , committee of the whole and quasi committee of the whole)

II am not sure if this is an oversight, on purpose (a similar result follows from the voting down of the motion), or because it is maybe better to keep it out of the board hands and give it to a separate independent committee 

 

 

[George Mervosh]

On 10/4/2022 at 2:06 PM, puzzling said:

while I do agree with the intention of Mr Martin and Mr Mervosh.

RONR does not mention referral to a board as option in RONR 13.  only referral to an ad-hoc or standing committee are mentioned. (excluding discuss informally , committee of the whole and quasi committee of the whole)

II am not sure if this is an oversight, on purpose (a similar result follows from the voting down of the motion), or because it is maybe better to keep it out of the board hands and give it to a separate independent committee 

Oh it's really no different than an assembly referring the approval of the minutes to either the board or a committee as described in 48:12

Edited October 4, 2022 at 09:01 PM by George Mervosh