|
|
Expense Categories |
Includes |
Spending Parameter |
|
Personnel |
Clergy & Lay Staff |
All salary & benefits |
≤ 2% net increase (≤ $23,000) |
|
Non-Personnel |
Administration |
Computers, networks/data, office supplies, postage, payroll services etc. |
No increase |
|
Ministry Shares |
See below |
Not applicable |
|
|
Communication |
Internal communications, website etc. |
5% increase ($1,311) |
|
|
Ministries |
Music/Arts, Education, and Congregational Care |
No increase |
|
|
Facilities & Custodial |
See below |
See below |
The minimal General Budget Personnel increase is much lower than in recent years- despite an increase in healthcare premiums of almost 15%- and still allows for an up to 2.5% cost of living increase (COLA) for eligible staff. This minimal increase represents the excellent work accomplished by our Senior Minister, Michelle Bogue-Trost and the SPRC. For more information about the staffing reconfiguration that made this possible, please see the Sept 22 Monday Reader.
2026 Ministry Shares (also known as Apportionment) are determined by the Conference and based on our 2024 income (not counting COC designated dollars). Our Ministry Shares will be $279,359 which is $38,831 less than 2025.
Facilities & Custodial non-personnel expenses have been the most problematic budget category in recent years. These expenses include utilities, janitorial and maintenance supplies, maintenance contracts, uncovered maintenance and repairs (those expenses not covered by our maintenance contracts), and insurance. From 2019 through 2023, our facilities & custodial expenses were in flux due to the COVID-19 campus shutdown, closure of 1010 for renovations, post-pandemic cost increases and the gradual return to full campus activities. With 2024 as our new all-campus baseline, we continue to see challenging increases: an overall 27% increase from 2023 to 2024, and a 35% increase for the 12 month period Sept 2024 – Aug 2025, compared to all of 2024. The main cost drivers are utilities (gas and electric), maintenance contracts and uncovered maintenance/repairs, and the cost increases in each of these categories are multifactorial. The Finance and Property Stewardship Committees have been working closely to better track and manage these expenses. The Finance Committee’s Facilities & Custodial Budget Team will take the lead in overseeing utilities, janitorial and maintenance supply expenses. The Property Stewardship Committee will help oversee and optimize maintenance contracts and oversee uncovered maintenance and repair expenses, alongside the Capital Improvement Funds (CIF) dollars they already manage. Final 2026 budget numbers for these categories are still a work in progress.
The COC Director, Rev. Pat Dupont, and the Outreach Committee are working on a similar expenses draft for the COC Budget.