Facility News 2003

Facility and Transition Committee News 2003

December 2003

MEGALOMANIACS, OR WORSE?

The Campus Use Committee has established quite a reputation for itself in the last few months. Our fans talk about us often. Sadly, some use words like autocratic, tyrannical, or repressive.

Our transition from a single 1000 square foot multi-purpose room at Lakeline Office Park to our new home with a 3000 square foot dedicated sanctuary prompted at least one seemingly unpopular policy (that closed container water and medically necessary food is welcome in the sanctuary, but no other food or drink).

It is human nature to complain about what might appear to be an arbitrary decision. Maturity and the spirit of community compels us to ask “Why did WE decide the sanctuary was a no-food, no-coffee space?”

The Campus Use Committee had the following inputs that it used in making this decision:

	Since we now have a dedicated room for our sanctuary, the Worship Committee is enthused about creating a sacred space, unlike any other in the building.
	The Membership Team wants to encourage mingling in the Fellowship Hall and narthex after services; they want to discourage people from spreading out to the point where it is hard to be social.
	The Facilities Team decided to hire a turnkey weekly cleaning service instead of taking on an additional employee (janitor or sexton).
	The Finance Committee requested that building maintenance costs be kept down whenever possible as the new building is currently quite a strain on our budget.
	The sanctuary is difficult and costly to clean. We would have to pay our cleaning service extra to take down the chairs and do a complete cleaning of the sanctuary. Professionally cleaning the carpets and/or chairs is very costly due to the size of the room and number of chairs.
	·We have many unfilled volunteer positions and no one is serving as a volunteer coordinator. Recruiting volunteers to clean the sanctuary was quickly dismissed.
	Speakers, choir members, and some individuals stated a need for water during the service.
	Some individuals have a medical need for food (some diabetics, for example).
	The plan was always to have food and drink in the other common areas: the comfort rooms, narthex, Fellowship Hall, Common Ground, and the Meeting Room.

Our consensus governance model gives everyone the opportunity to actively participate in the decision-making. Each individual is responsible for either actively participating in decision making or enjoying the benefits of other people’s work.

As we grow none of us will have the time or interest to offer input on every decision. If we begin with respectful questions and thankfulness for each other’s efforts, the spirit of Live Oak will be cultivated.

Campus Use Committee

BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS

Several building improvements have happened over the last month as we prepared for our building dedication.

You may have noticed new bulletin boards in the narthex. Thanks to Ben Dower, Katherine and Mike Enyart, George Huntington, John Phelps, and Tere Kaulfus. In the near future a wood border will be installed and painted. Thanks to Gregory Huntington for vacuuming out our return air grills. Thanks to Mike Enyart for changing out stained ceiling tiles. Thanks to George Huntington and Sue Ann Kendall for the new name badges. Thanks to Sue Ann Kendall for donating the electric hedge trimmer and George Huntington for trimming the hedges. Thanks to Dale Todd-Thompson for repairing the light fixture at the covered drop off. The Facilities Team welcomes all to attend our monthly planning meeting or to just do some of the project work. Contact George Huntington (ghuntington@austin.rr.com) for more information

November 2003

FACILITIES AND CAMPUS USE COMMITTEES

The Facilities and Campus Use Committees continue our monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 pm in Room 103. We have a group mail list and had two new volunteers join in the last month. We agreed to publish our meeting minutes to the Live Oak Business email list every month. Our meetings are open and we invite anyone interested to attend.

In our last meeting we agreed how the bulletin boards will be mounted in the narthex. This should be complete before the end of the year. Also happening in the near term is a red fire lane that will be painted on the parking lot. This will not change the number of parking spaces. Lastly, we agreed that the Campus Use Committee would approve all decorations, art, and changes in common spaces (hallways, Fellowship Hall, Narthex, and Common Ground). The Worship Committee is responsible for the sanctuary aesthetic.

We had our annual fire alarm tests and found two minor problems in the system. They will both be fixed by the time you read this. State law requires the fire extinguishers, kitchen vent hood, and fire control system be checked every year by licensed inspectors. These are just some of the new costs in next year’s budget.

A special thanks to Bill Dower, who has been documenting how to use the sanctuary sound system.

George Huntington, for the Facilities and Campus Use Committees

October 2003

BUILDING UPDATES

What is there to say? We have moved into the sanctuary! By the time you read this, the builder’s punch list (things to fix) will be complete. Below is a list of the builder and the key sub-contractors who did our remodel. I’m pleased with their work and you may want to check them out if you have a need in the future.

Designer: Patricia Michael Design 291-4300 patricia@patriciamichaeldesign.com
Contractor: Bill Stone Construction 784-6375
Plumber: Wes Shockley Plumbing 796-7179
Electrician: Mark Simpson Electric 423-0782
Painter: Rafael Gomez Painting 789-4293
Sheetrock: Steve Solis Drywall 470-8329
HVAC: Williams AC 255-2688

What all did we do in the remodel?

We removed all the old staging, baptistery, changing rooms, and six partition walls. We constructed the new hardwood stage and added the columns, archway, and ramps. The two comfort rooms were created and the three entries into the narthex (room between the sanctuary and kitchen) were created. All the light fixtures in the sanctuary were replaced. The rear sanctuary ceiling was rebuilt to match the rest of the room. The existing pairs of windows were removed from each wing and the twelve squares windows were added. We added cove lighting to the rear and wings in the sanctuary. We repainted a lot. The outside of the building was completely repainted. On the inside, we repainted the sanctuary, comfort rooms, narthex, three of our five hallways, two restrooms and room 106.

We also did a fair amount of building repairs. Three roof leaks were fixed, some rotten trim boards replaced, stairwell lights replaced, several emergency lights installed, handrails added to the Common Ground entries, new night lighting for the main parking lot, loose toilets fixed, and a few other minor plumbing, electrical, and HVAC problems resolved.

This remodel cost us about $68,000, all paid for from our Growth Fund Campaign (GFC).

The number of folks who have contributed time and effort to the remodel is huge. The NFTC (New Facilities Transition Committee) started collecting ideas to improve our future space over 18 months ago. Live Oak work crews helped finish the clean up and then set up the sanctuary less than 18 days ago. Lots of folks were involved in between. Give yourselves a hand! We did it!

Thermostats/HVAC

Our building has TWELVE HVAC units/zones! They are programmed to run as efficiently as possible, given the size of the building and our Texas heat, but we are not cooling the building when no one is there. You may find that a room is too hot for a meeting and will need to lower the temperature. All of the rooms have a small sign on the light switch stating where the thermostat for that room is located (often in a different room). When you change the temperature, just use the down or up arrows (for cooler or warmer) and NOT the HOLD button, which overrides the program. When you leave, it is best to press the RUN PROGRAM button to reset it, but if you forget, the program will resume at the next time period. If you use HOLD and forget, the air conditioner continues to run until someone resets the thermostat. There are signs on all the thermostats with instructions.

We have a parking agreement with Beaver Brook School so we can use their parking lot on Sundays. They use our parking lot for their staff Monday-Friday.

You may have noticed a real copier in the office (which doubles as a printer). This is a loaner from a church member and may be used for church business. The church is paying for paper from the operations budget.

George Huntington, for the Facilities Committee

September 2003

CAMPUS USE, FACILITIES,

We are nearing completion of our remodel. Our target is to be in the sanctuary space for the September 21 Sunday service. The Campus Use Committee decided that water, medically necessary food (diabetics, et al.), and baby food will be allowed in the sanctuary. Please keep water in closed containers. The Narthex (room behind the sanctuary), fellowship hall, and Common Ground (aka Shed) are spaces where food, drink, and friendship are encouraged.

Many thanks for the nice sofas and chairs in Room 103 and the Fellowship Hall. The Campus Use Committee wants to remind folks that all furniture/furnishing donations need to be cleared through the Campus Use Committee. This is just to make sure we don’t get things we don’t need or want. Please clear any RE items with Jenny Carloye, our Director of Religious Education.

If you have looked at the outside of the building recently, you likely saw our very yellow steeple. Did you notice the cross was gone? Accolades to the paint crew for completing the heroic task of removing the cross. It has already been delivered to the Church at Canyon Creek (previously Cypress Creek Baptist Church), as that item was not included when we bought the building.

Maybe you noticed that the “Common Ground” painting left by the previous church in the shed has been turned UU! Thanks are due to Katherine Enyart for this transformation. Tere Kaulfus, Maryann Todd-Thompson, and Katherine have been reworking some of the murals in the classrooms. Many of the Bible verses are now removed and the murals are refreshed.

The kitchen is fully functional! The dishwasher and stove are working. If you plan on using the dishwasher, please email me at ghuntington@austin.rr.com for the “How to Use Our Commercial Dishwasher” document.

You are welcome to join Dale Todd-Thompson and George Huntington for a building workday on Thursday, September 4, from 10:30 am to 4 pm. I know most folks work, but if you are free that day, just drop by and help us with some building projects. I will schedule a Saturday workday later in the fall.

How are we taking care of that big building? We have hired a cleaning service to clean the buildings once per week. They clean on Tuesday evening. If you have a problem with the cleaning service, please let me know. We have also hired service companies for yard maintenance, pest control, and HVAC filter changing.

I’ve had three folks offer to do parts of the grounds care. If you have specific interests in killing poison ivy, trimming shrubs, cutting grass, edging, planting, tree trimming, picking up trash, or any other outdoor area maintenance, please drop me an email.

The grounds crew is looking for a donation of a gas powered trimmer and a gas powered blower. We have a commitment for a riding mower. When we have all the equipment we need and a crew signed up we will drop the yard maintenance service.

Bill Dower and I will be scheduling education sessions on the sound system operation and building operations. We have not yet set the date or time. Look for an announcement in the October newsletter. There are two DVDs that can be borrowed to learn more about the building and audio systems.

Thanks to everyone for locking up and turning off lights when you leave the building. Don’t forget to check the lights in the restrooms. These are often left on.

The church needs one or two more volunteers to open up and lock up the building on Sundays. Let me know if you can help.

You are invited to join the Facilities and Campus Use Committees’ joint monthly meeting on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 pm in Room 103.

George Huntington

CHURCH TECHNOLOGY UPDATES

The Sunday services are now being recorded on CD instead of cassettes. In the past we have made one cassette copy of each Sunday service and checked it out as requested. Over the years we have lost some tapes and due to the cost of cassettes, we only keep the last three years on cassette and overwrite older services. Our new plan is to make a master and distribute only copies. There is no re-using a CD-R (blank CD disk) so we will keep an audio archive of our services from this point forward. We will continue to check out the CD to anyone who wants to listen.

If anyone is interested in volunteering to convert the sermon into an MP3 file to be posted on our website, please let me know. This is not technically difficult; it just takes time and a computer with a CD and broadband.

Many thanks are due to John Iacoletti and Katherine Enyart for moving us to a new church software package, ChalicePlus. This was purchased over a year ago and is now up and running. This program is used to keep all member info, print mailing labels, directory, handle RE registration and mailing, and even help the treasurer with tracking pledges. The church computers (server, admin, RE, and sanctuary) are all networked so to better share resources.

Our building came with a phone system. Call the main number sometime (219-9008) to listen to what information we have available by phone. Thanks to Katherine Enyart for the voice and setup of the phone menus.

George Huntington

June 2003

MOVE DETAILS

June 1, 2003, is the date. And we’re almost there. The Move Day schedule starts with the usual church services (9:30 and 11:15). At 12:30 we have a group lunch for everyone taking part in the move. It is important for EVERYONE who is participating to attend this working lunch. That’s where you’ll receive handouts and instructions.

Pre-Move Reminders

Sign up right away if you’ll be helping with the move. The signup sheet is in the back of the sanctuary, or you can call/email Mike Enyart or Doug Mar. We need to know how many people will be helping during what times, estimates for lunch and dinner, childcare needs, and how many vans, trucks, and 2-wheel carts will be available.

Every single item in the Live Oak property needs to have a label to identify how it should be dispersed (move it, trash it, donate it, etc). Please make sure you use the official labels. Contact Doug Mar for labels or for additional packing material.

ALL personal or group property at the church must either be labeled or picked up before June 1, or it will be thrown/given away. If you have items and need help with them, contact:

	RE area: Bobbie Hamilton or Mary K Isaacs
	Office: Katherine Enyart
	Kitchen: Alice Sessions
	Shed: Doug Mar

Keys: Out with the OLD and In with the NEW

Attention everyone who has a key to our current facility. As soon as you no longer need your key, drop it in the office mailbox (of current location). Or join the Key Collection: just drop it in the offertory collection basket during either of our June 1^st services. If you want a key to the El Salido church, we now have an official approved Key Policy. Just fill out a form which you can get from Katherine Enyart. If you have any questions or if you need access to our new facility before the move, contact George at 343-6356 or ghuntington@austin.rr.com.

Renovation of El Salido Facility

The transition committee's proposal for renovating the El Salido facility was approved at the steering committee meeting. This renovation is currently slated to begin the last week of June and will take approximately four weeks. The renovation will include structural changes to the stage, aesthetic changes to the sanctuary, and creation of a Narthex and comfort rooms at the rear of the sanctuary.

Lawn Maintenance at El Salido Property

Do you love being outdoors with the wind in your hair? Do you know the difference between St. Augustine and Buffalo grass? Are you looking for a way to volunteer some of your time and energy to LOUU? Do you have lawn maintenance equipment cluttering up your garage? If so, we need you!! We are considering our options for long-term grounds care at El Salido.

§ Hire a service: This requires little to no equipment purchase or volunteers but is expensive.
§ Hire a grounds keeper: This requires (probable) equipment purchase and managing and paying the employee.
§ Volunteer labor: This would require equipment and a LOUU volunteer to be the Lawn Maintenance Coordinator and organize all volunteer labor.

If you're willing to be the Lawn Maintenance Coordinator, or if you have equipment (lawn tractor, blower, trimmer etc) to donate, please contact George at 343-6356 or ghuntington@austin.rr.com .

May 2003

Movin’ Movin’ Movin’

Are you excited? Our move to the new facility at El Salido is upon us. What a grand step in the life of our family. Our last service in our current location is June 1^st. On June 8^th we’ll have our 1^st service in the new El Salido location. Stay tuned for details about these services.

Move Preparation

The Transition Committee continues to meet each Sunday through May at 1pm. Working sessions include move planning and task status, as well as new facility remodel planning and budget reviews.

Doug Mar is working on a labeling system. Every single item in the LiveOak property needs to have a label to identify how it should be dispersed (move it, trash it, donate it etc). Please make sure you use Doug’s official labels.

MOVE DAY is June 1^st

Boy have we been meeting and planning and prepping and deciding. Thanks so much for all who are lending a hand. Don’t quit now. As we reach the homestretch, it’s even more important that everyone gets involved. And here’s how:

Volunteers Needed

We need ALL of you, no matter what your talent. Please signup on the volunteer board at the church. You should also signup there if you can lend us move equipment (vans, trucks, 2-wheeled carts, etc). Also indicate if you have childcare needs during the move. Our move captains, Doug Mar and Mike Enyart, will be guiding us through the day. If you have any question about volunteering contact:

Doug Mar dmar_77@yahoo.com 750-9503

Move Activities

On June 1^st, we begin with a lunch in the sanctuary immediately following Sunday services. After lunch, IT’S TIME. With plenty of help and equipment, we should easily transport our belongings from here to there. We’ll make sure you are properly nourished and hydrated along the way. And for those of you who are there at the finish line, we’ll end the day with more food.

Calling all Keys

Attention everyone who has a key to our current facility. As soon as you no longer need your key, drop it in the office mailbox (of current location). George Huntington is working on a way to organize key distribution to our new location. Stay tuned. If you need access to our new facility before the move, contact George at 343-6356 or ghuntington@austin.rr.com