20-22 Opening Worship
Friends gathered over Zoom teleconference for a called Permanent Board meeting. We opened with a period of worship.
20-23: Roll Call
In order for the Permanent Board to hold a called meeting a quorum of one third of the appointed members must be present. That requirement was met.
The recording clerk called the roll.
Present: Leslie Manning, Clerk; Hannah Zwirner Forsythe, Recording Clerk; Travis Belcher, Peter Bishop, Deana Chase, Darcy Drayton, Martin Zwirner Forsythe, Ben Guaraldi, Ian Harrington, Rebecca Leuchak, Ed Mair, Christopher McCandless, Jean McCandless, Gina Nortonsmith, Anna Raddochia, Carole Rein, John Reuthe, Martha Schwope, Sara Smith, Elizabeth Szatkowski, Will Taber, Bill Walkauskas, Tom Vargo, Mary Zwirner
Ex Officio: Noah Merrill (Secretary), Bob Murray (Finance Clerk), Bruce Neumann (Presiding Clerk), Elizabeth Reuthe (Secretary’s Supervisor), Shearman Taber (Treasurer)
Visitors: Gretchen Baker-Smith (JYM/JHYM Coordinator), Andy Burt, Susan Davies, Diane Dicranian, Sophie Forsythe, Sarah Gant, Gideon Guaraldi, Elizabeth Hacala (Events Coordinator), Anna Hopkins (Friends Camp Director), Janet Hough (serving as elder for the clerk of Permanent Board), Sara Hubner (Office Manager), Frederick Martin (Accounts Manager), Phebe McCosker, LouAnne McDonald, Nancy Middleton, Ken Oye, Jennifer Smith, Jackie Stillwell, Nia Thomas (Quaker Practice and Leadership Facilitator), John Wojtowicz, Honor Woodrow (Clerk of Ministry & Counsel), Kathleen Wooten
Regrets: Fritz Weiss (Former Presiding Clerk); Chris Gant, Kim Harvey Garcia, Betsy Kantt
20-24: Welcome
Leslie Manning, Clerk, welcomed Friends to our called meeting and reviewed best practices for use of Zoom technology.
20-25: Update from the Presiding Clerk
Bruce Neumann, Presiding Clerk, brought five recommendations from Coordinating and Advisory (C&A) for the next steps for Yearly Meeting (YM) to take in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. C&A has been meeting weekly since early March to discuss and discern how the YM’s gatherings, business, and support of Friends throughout New England could best be maintained while caring for the safety of Friends and their communities.
20-26: Recommendation to Cancel In-Person Gathering for August 2020
The first recommendation from Coordinating and Advisory is that New England Yearly Meeting (NEYM) of Friends will refrain from gathering in-person for Annual Sessions in August 2020.
Background information and details on this recommendation are in the appended document.
Friends had the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns and comments. Among questions and clarifications about the logistics of holding versus cancelling Sessions, we heard clearly that Friends are prepared to cancel an in-person gathering for the sake of the physical health of our community and the wider communities of which Friends are a part. There was much sadness about not being able to be together in person. There was also a sense of gratitude that our NEYM community is paying attention to the public health risk of COVID-19 and making sacrifices to help decrease the spread of the virus.
We are reminded that this proposal is not to cancel our annual gathering for August 2020; the proposal is that we will not meet in-person. Language matters in our presentation of this change; we will be together though it will be in a different way.
Friends approved cancelling in-person sessions for August 2020.
20-27: Recommendation to Appoint a Working Group to Plan a Virtual Gathering
The second recommendation from Coordinating and Advisory is that a working group on Summer 2020 Programming be appointed to lead, design, and coordinate planning and programming for engagement in lieu of an in-person event in August. Background information, details on this recommendation, and the proposed charge for this working group are in the appended document.
Friends had the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns and comments. Feedback was provided about who should be involved in the planning of virtual events for Summer 2020--a diverse group of people will be consulted and included, the proposed working group is intentionally small so as to be able to work quickly and nimbly given the tight time frame. There is an online suggestion box that Friends can use to submit ideas for summer programming. In particular the working group will be interested to hear what sort of programming will be most valuable to Friends in light of the current circumstances. Many Friends also highlighted a concern that the working group think carefully about how to make online gatherings accessible to a diverse cross-section of Friends.
Friends approved the recommendation to appoint a working group to plan virtual gatherings for Summer 2020 in place of in-person Sessions.
20-28: Recommendation to Authorize the Presiding Clerk to Convene Virtual Business Sessions
The third recommendation from Coordinating and Advisory (C&A) is that the Presiding Clerk is authorized to convene the Yearly Meeting by videoconference for necessary corporate discernment. Background information and details on this recommendation are in the appended document.
Bruce Neumann, Presiding Clerk, is currently considering what business can and should be done corporately during virtual Sessions in August 2020. He will bring a proposed agenda to the Permanent Board’s June 6 meeting.
C&A proposed the following minute for Permanent Board's approval:
In approving this authorization, the Permanent Board understands that only business the Presiding Clerk deems necessary will be considered at such a digitally-convened meeting. Issues requiring more in-depth corporate discernment will be delegated to the Permanent Board, carried over or postponed until Friends are able to gather again in person for business.
Friends approved the recommendation that authorizes the presiding clerk to convene the Yearly Meeting by videoconference for necessary corporate discernment.
20-29: Recommendation to Extend Our Contract with Castleton University
The fourth recommendation from Coordinating and Advisory is that the Yearly Meeting (YM) Secretary is authorized to propose an extension of New England Yearly Meeting’s (NEYM) contract with Castleton University by one year, through Summer 2023. This extension will allow for the Site Selection Committee, which is working to identify the next location for Annual Sessions, to faithfully complete its work. Background information and details on this recommendation are in the appended document.
Friends approved the recommendation to authorize the YM Secretary to extend our contract with Castleton University for one year.
20-30: Update from Friends Camp
John Reuthe, Clerk of Friends Camp Committee, and Anna Hopkins, Director of Friends Camp (FC), updated the Permanent Board on plans for the camping season in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been meeting and working with staff, the Permanent Board clerk, the Yearly Meeting (YM) Secretary, and the Treasurer of FC to develop contingency plans in the event that FC cannot run this summer. The current assumption is that camp will run this summer but the priority is the safety of staff, families, and the wider camp community. Anna expects that recommendations for summer camps from public health officials in Maine will be out at the end of April or early May. At that point Anna, the camp committee, and other necessary people will consider the safety of running FC for Summer 2020.
In light of the current situation, Anna expressed her sense that the relationship between FC and the YM is stronger than ever. Though this may be a hard summer for FC, Anna is optimistic that the support of the YM will see the camp through.
Friends expressed deep gratitude for Anna’s faithful service as director of Friends Camp.
20-31: Recommendation to Authorize NEYM to Apply for and Execute Loans
Noah Merrill, Yearly Meeting Secretary, updated Friends about the financial situations of Friends Camp (FC) and New England Yearly Meeting (NEYM). Both are currently financially stable but both are facing the potential of large losses of income. Facing the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and seeking to alleviate the potential financial disruption from pandemic, Yearly Meeting (YM) leadership has been looking ahead to what may be needed to maintain the financial health and viability of both the camp and the YM.
The YM Secretary, in collaboration with the Friends Camp Director, the Camp Clerk, the Camp Treasurer, and the Accounts Manager, received preliminary authorization from Coordinating and Advisory to apply for loan programs made available through recent federal coronavirus legislation.
The fifth recommendation from Coordinating and Advisory is that Permanent Board approve the following minute authorizing NEYM to apply for PPP and EIDL loans:
More details and background information on this recommendation are in the appended document.
Friends approved the recommendation to apply for PPP and EIDL loans and to authorize Noah Merrill and Leslie Manning to enter into any agreements related to the loans.
20-32: Closing Worship
Friends closed with gratitude for all those who are working to keep our Yearly Meeting strong and vital in these challenging times.