A few months ago, Broadway learned that it was the recipient of a very generous bequest from the estate of June Hook. The family indicated that she particularly loved the steeple of our sanctuary and so designated a portion of this bequest to the Capital Campaign with a request that we use these monies for the steeple repairs and painting. The remainder of the bequest was split among our three endowment funds.
This generous gift allowed us to immediately address the steeple repairs and now, those repairs are complete. The total cost for this project was $33,060, close to our original estimate when presented to the congregation. However, we were able to find a contractor who was willing to do the work without scaffolding and our next lowest bid was more than $20,000 higher (with scaffolding). We must keep this in mind when this recurring maintenance issue is again confronted in ten to fifteen years.
Monies that have been spent also include the expenses of the Capital Campaign. That total was $11,075, most of which was for our outside consultant. This also includes all stationery, printing, and mailing costs. We feel that we were frugal with these expenses, particularly when the first consultant we contacted wanted over $28,000 for his fee alone.
We have also authorized $3,000 to Dumas Architects for architectural drawings for the bathrooms renovation project and $1,600 for oversight of the project (meeting with potential bidders, help with evaluation of bids, and ensuring that the contractor is complying with specs). The start of this project is dependent on our grant application to the Gheen’s Foundation, the result of which we will receive in late September.
We obtained bids on replacement of the asphalt shingle roof over the music suite and the FLC, but advice from a reliable roofer indicated that he felt we had a couple of years of use left. Accordingly, we spent (from regular budget) $500 to tighten up the roof around the stacks and at the flashing. We will reexamine this next year, but it is comforting to know the monies are there if it becomes an issue.
Also, quotes have been solicited for repair of the front cornice of the sanctuary and replacement doors and windows in the parlor and breezeway, but no decisions on these have been made.