Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees holds the legal and fiduciary responsibility for governing Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church as a non-profit organization in the State of Maryland. The Board hires paid staff members, adopts the annual congregational budget, appoints people to standing committees of the church, and sets the general policies for church programming, building use, and major repairs.
The nine members of the Board of Trustees serve staggered three-year terms and are elected by PBUUC members at the Annual Congregational Meeting in June. Each member of the Board serves as a liaison to several standing committees, working groups and special project teams. The minister is an ex-officio member and attends all meetings.
The congregational secretary attends meetings of the Board of Trustees to take minutes, and he or she also keeps the records of all official congregation-wide meetings. The treasurer attends to report on the financial status of the church. All meetings are open.
The Board appoints a Budget Leadership Team to work with the Trustees and representatives of standing PBUUC committees to develop the budget for the next PBUUC fiscal year (July 1 through June 30). The annual meeting is usually held on the second Sunday in June.
Although serving on the Board of Trustees involves significant responsibility, many former Board members report that their terms resulted in lasting friendships and a real sense of "making a difference" in our congregational community.
The Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of our church call for the staggered election of nine trustees to serve as the Board of Trustees. These documents permit the Board to elect its own presiding officer and make rules for their own governance. Currently, the Board has an elected Chair and two Vice-Chairs that, collectively serve as the Board?s Executive Committee. The Minister is an ex-officio member of the Board.
As a Trustee, you will be responsible for working as a team to:
- Exercise general direction and supervision to the affairs of the Church;
- Call regular and special meetings of the Congregation. Usually, there is one Annual Meeting and one-to-two informational Town Hall Meetings each year.
- Approve the annual budget.
- Appoint the Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary and Assistant Secretary
- Approve the contract of all settled ministers.
- Hire interim minister(s) (as recommended by a Board-appointed committee).
- Hire additional church staff (as recommended by by the Minister, other senior staff or by a Board-appointed committee).
- Authorize all committee or affinity groups of the Church and approve their charters.
- Serve as liaison to one or more committees of affinity groups of the Church.
Trustees must be:
- Able to work together as a team to advance the Church?s mission, vision and goals.
- Active members of the Church. They should attend Sunday Services and participate in other Church-based activities.
- Committed to the Church?s resolution on becoming an intentional multicultural congregation.
- Able to attend a two-hour meeting once a month. (If a member of the Board Executive Committee, must also attend an additional two-hour meeting monthly in preparation for the full Board Meeting.)
- Be willing to perform Board work outside of meetings, which may include but not be limited to:
- Prepare and respond to e-mails for time-sensitive matters that arise between formal Board meetings.
- Prepare written reports for dissemination to the full Board before each Board meeting on liaison committees/groups, or other significant projects.
- Attend meetings of liaison committees/groups; participate in or lead special Board-appointed committees or workgroups; e.g., Budget Leadership Team, Capital Campaign.
- Open to opportunities for leadership development provided by the Church, local, district, regional and denominational organizations from time to time.
