Board and Governance FAQs
How is the Board organized (standing committees, etc)?
How do I find out what actions the Board has taken or is about to take (access to agendas and minutes of the Board)?
Where are the Church’s by-laws and policies?
What is Policy-based governance?
Who is on the Executive Team (ET)?
Who sets the salaries of ministers and staff? What are the salaries of the Executive Team?
How is the church’s budget set?
What is the relationship of our church and the national organization (UUA)?
What is fair share and does our church participate in it?
What is the process for changing bylaws or policies?
Where can I learn more about Board-Sponsored Forums or Events?
I want to share my views with the Board of Trustees. What should I do?
Please see the Board’s main page for a current listing of Board members. Board members may serve two (2) consecutive, 3-year terms if they are re-nominated by the Nominating Committee. A trustee may serve additional terms after taking a break from the Board.
Board members who are appointed to fill an unexpired term may run for two additional terms.
For more information, see Bylaws–– Article IV, Section 3.
How is the Board organized (standing committees, etc)?The Board of Trustees elects as officers a Moderator, a Secretary and a Treasurer, who is the Chair of the Finance Committee. The Chairs of the Governance and Communications Committees are assigned the roles of first and second Vice Moderator.
There are four Board standing committees. With the exception of the Board Officers Committee (BOC), the Moderator appoints members and committee chairs.
The BOC consists of the Board officers: the Moderator, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Chairs of the Governance and Communications Committees. The Senior and Associate Ministers serve as ex officio members. When the Board is not in session, the BOC has all powers of the Board to manage the affairs of the church in connection with matters that must be decided before the next regular Board meeting. The BOC meets monthly to plan the board meeting agenda.
Finance Committee: Has core responsibility of fiscal oversight while striving to share the Church’s finances clearly with the congregation.
Governance Committee (formerly Policy Evaluation Committee): Performs a comprehensive review of policies and by-laws, and makes recommendations for policy revision to the Board and recommendations for bylaws changes to the congregation. The Governance Committee also oversees that annual Evaluation of the Ministry, Congregational Survey and Board Self-Evaluation.
Communications Committee: Communicates actions of the Board of Trustees and facilitates engagement (linkage) among the congregation, the Board, and the Church’s Executive Team.
More information about the responsibilities and membership of these committees may be found by clicking on each committee’s respective link on the left-hand side of this page.
How do I find out what actions the Board has taken or is about to take (access to agendas and minutes of the Board)?The Board meets monthly during the church year, usually in the evening on the first Thursday of the month. Additional meetings may be called by the Moderator or the request of three Board members. All meetings are open to the congregation except for matters requiring executive session (personnel matters, matters that would impact an individual’s privacy, legal matters, etc.). Check the Board’s main page or church calendar for specific dates and times of Board meetings.
Board packets consisting of agenda, minutes and related information are posted approximately one week prior to the monthly Board meeting here.
Where are the Church’s bylaws and policies?The bylaws and policies are on the Board of Trustees webpage What is Policy-based governance?
Like many congregations in the Unitarian Universalist Association, our church’s bylaws follow a policy based governance model. This means that the Board is focused on identifying the church’s mission and goals (Ends policies) and relies on the Senior Minister and staff to implement the church’s mission and goals. The two features common to most forms of policy-based governance are (1) delegation of authority to manage the church to the senior minister, and (2) reliance on the use of written policy statements to direct both the Board’s own actions and to provide guidance to the Senior Minister. At First Unitarian Church of Portland, the bylaws allow the Senior Minister to appoint an Executive Team (ET), which is responsible for the da-to-day management of the church and the implementation of the church’s policies as set by the Board. The ET currently consists of the Senior Minister, Associate Minister, and the Church Administrator (see related FAQ on ET). Who is on the Executive Team (ET)?
The Executive Team (ET). is appointed by the Senior Minister and consists of:
Rev. Bill Sinkford, Senior Minister
Rev. Thomas Disrud, Associate Minister
Kathryn Estey, Church Administrator
The salary of the senior minister is set by the Board. The Senior Minister sets the salary of the other ministers and Church Administrator. All other church salaries are set by the Executive Team. Salaries of certain staff are now governed by collective bargaining.
The current salaries of the Executive Team are:
Senior Minister, $160,000
Associate Minister, $107,000
Church Administrator, $64,000 (note: this is an 80% FTE role)
Budgeting at First Unitarian is led by the Executive Team with input from the Board and congregants. Our policies direct the Executive Team to present a draft budget to the Board’s Finance Committee at their February meeting. The Finance Committee and Executive Team review the draft budget in detail at this meeting, and the Executive Team takes the budget back for revision. The Treasurer, as Chair of the Finance Committee, schedules an informational meeting on the budget for congregants in February to receive congregant input on the budget and relay this feedback to the Executive Team. The Executive Team presents a final balanced annual budget proposal to the Finance Committee at its March meeting. On occasion, another revision and an extra Finance Committee meeting to review and approve the final budget must be held. The Finance Committee then presents the recommended budget to the Board for review and approval at the Board’s April meeting. The Board schedules information sessions for congregants on the budget and other items being voted on in the May election. In May the congregation votes on the budget and other Church matters.
To see the latest approved operating budget and budgets from prior years, please see Annual Meetings and Annual Reports.
What is the relationship our church and the national organization (UUA)?First Unitarian is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations located in Boston, MA. Formed from the merger of Unitarian and Universalist organizations in 1961, the Association provides key communications and services for us. Our annual support of the UUA brings national leadership and visibility, support services and focus for our professional personnel. What is fair share and does our church participate in it?
Fair Share is a guideline provided by the Unitarian Universalist Association to help congregations determine an appropriate level of annual financial contribution in support of the UUA and the denomination as a whole. First Unitarian participates in Fair Share at both the National and District level. First Unitarian’s contribution is not currently at the full recommended amount. The congregation currently contributes 28% of its Fair Share obligation. This represents a 10% increase over prior contributions. It remains our goal to become a full contributor as quickly as is possible and practical as formally stipulated in First Unitarian’s Governing Policies. What is the process for changing bylaws or policies?<
- Bylaws may only be amended by both a vote of the Board followed by a vote by the congregation at the annual meeting or at a meeting called specifically for such a vote. See our bylaws for more details.
- Policies are set by the board and may be amended by a majority vote of the board. For policies updated in the 2019-20 church year, see the Governance Committee page.
With the assistance of the Communications Committee, the Board sponsors periodic forums to engage in dialog with congregants on the Church’s mission and goals as well as to hear concerns. The Board greatly values the perspective provided at these forums and the opportunity to engage with a diverse set of congregants. Information on upcoming forums as well as notes from prior forums may be found on the Board’s main or Communications Committee page. I want to share my views with the Board of Trustees. What should I do?
The best way to share your views with the Board is to send an email to Board@firstunitarianportland.org. Each Board meeting also has a short open session for congregants and interested parties to make comments. The Board strives to respond to all comments and statements in a timely fashion.