Vestry met in Serson Hall with a call to order at 6:34 p.m. There was a quorum. Fr Tom opened with a prayer and a Psalm of changing work.

 Members Present: Fr. Tom Thoeni, Rector; Steve Carnell, Sr. Warden; Paul Nelson, Jr. Warden; Tom Connolly, Mary Lou Dogoloff, Judy Martin, Rose Porembo, Jeannie Smith, and Murray Smith. Absent was Peter Lund. 

Motion to approve vestry minutes: Fr. Tom asked for a motion to approve the minutes from June 19, 2024. Murray S made a motion and Rose P seconded. The motion was adopted by acclamation.

Treasurer’s Report: Rose P presented the treasurer’s report with handouts. Fr Tom informed vestry that a donation of $5,000.00 was made to St. Paul’s without a specific designation for its use. Fr Tom asked for discussion. It was decided that the money should be split between building and grounds and St Paul’s ministry endowment. He called for a motion to vote. Tom C made the motion and Judy M seconded that $5000.00 should be split evenly between building and grounds and ministry endowment. The motion was adopted by acclamation.

Fr. Tom continued by saying that Bank of America finally issued three bank cards. The cards will be held by Fr. Tom, the sexton, and one card can be accessed from the office administrator when needed. Rose P finish with saying to the vestry that St Paul’s closed out accounts with Truist Bank after a long transition. She added that $11,000 has gone into our current operating account and $7,000.00 will remain in our Truist Bank Brokerage account. 

Business:

Land Lease Update: Fr. Tom received a three-part agreement from Lang Lowrey who we are working with from the diocese. The document he sent has two minor changes from previous discussions. Paul N volunteered to read the document before the vestry signs off on it. Fr. Tom and others are putting together a Standing Committee of seven people to meet for several years while Lang Lowrey and his advisors coordinate the necessary stages of reports and permits for the land lease.

Hearing Loop Technology: At the last vestry meeting this was described as a wire or ribbon of copper, perhaps affixed to the baseboard, that would surround the nave. A special hearing Loop amplifier creates a magnetic field. This in turn induces the T-coil or Telecoil in a person’s hearing aid to convert the signal to sound, blocking out background noise and delivering a clear sound. Fr. Tom announced that a donor has volunteered to support the installation of the hearing loop.

Solar Panel Project:  Paul Nelson reported a proposal for solar panels on the rectory needs more followup time. 

Rectory maintenance: Fr. Tom reported that an unwanted rat has been removed. A leak in one of the bathrooms came from a water line in the attic and it was repaired. Unfortunately a deep freezer malfunctioned during the month and the food inside it thawed out. Last month Rose P concluded that the A/C efficiency report should be resolved and Judy M suggested that a warranty on the existing HVAC could cover some of the expenses. This month several HVAC contractors offered ways to make the A/C more efficient. A motion was called for. Steve C made a motion to hire AJ Brett & Sons A/Conditioning and Paul N seconded to accept their contract. The motion was accepted by acclamation. 

Replacing more rectory windows will be moved to next year’s discussions. Fr. Tom said he will honor the proposal made by Tom C that the rectory be considered for removal if the land developer's projections recommended that course of action.  Lang Lowrey committed to making that judgment within six months.

Holy Name of Jesus semi-annual meeting: Fr. Tom called for a semi-annual review with HNJ worshiping community which met June 23 in the library. The meeting included Fr Tom, Charlene & Tom C, Fr. Panel Guerrier and his vestry. It was agreed that prayers would continue for each congregation. Fr. Panel would like St. Paul’s to continue including family photos and celebration days of Haitian families in our annual directory. 

Shadowlawn Elementary Volunteering: Jeannie S wrote instructions in the UPDATE for interested volunteers to contact Shadowlawn Elementary School.  After necessary forms are finished the school will customize the times and days for the volunteers. Shadowlawn school office opens 8.1.24 and East Naples Middle School office opens 7.26.24. Volunteers can email the school to initiate their interest. 

Justin’s House donation box: Judy M asked for reminders to be repeated in the service announcements and the weekly UPDATE to refresh the awareness of donations to Justin’s House.

Tenoy Speaker: Tom C has not received repair and return dates for the church speaker that was sent out for repair.

God’s Gardeners: Mary Lou D represented the Thursday morning volunteers by asking vestry for the purchase of rather expensive barrels with wheels. Prices range $85. to $165.00 each. Fr Tom asked for a motion to spend $500 for several barrels. Paul N made the motion and Judy M seconded. The motion was accepted by acclamation. An amended motion was called for by Rose P and Judy M raising the expense to $600.00 for the better designed barrels. That motion was accepted by acclamation.

Audit Committee: Rose P reminded vestry that she, Murray S, and Carol O’C were readying the audit paperwork for the diocese due by September 1, 2024.

Fr Tom closed the meeting with a prayer at 7:25 p.m.

 The next vestry meeting will be August 21, 2024

Respectfully Submitted, 

 Charlene Connolly, Recording Secretary

 Nora Broszeit, Clerk of the Vestry