St. Mary/ St. James

Planning Advisory Committee

Minutes of December 6, 2004

The planning committee meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Gary Loertscher. Present at the meeting were: Gary Loertscher, Bob Nolden, Steve O'Connor, John Buscemi, Joe Stadelman, Brian Lamboley, Joe Donlin, Mark Dohm, Lori Brown, Janet Hardyman, Jim Kniffin, Russ Cichy, Steve Rohde, Joan Hollis, Sheldon Hollis, Ann Legris, Jerry Rabas, Tim Stadelman, Tim Blair, Don Mussehl, Barb Wachter, Bob Hoffman, Mike Warmuth, Carla Wolf, Doug Waelti, Gary Ziegler, Dan Edge, Jerry Remy, Jerry Jansen, Maralee Gabler, Ken Klink, Mary Fleming, Kay Parish, Pauline Fahey, Carol Eberhardy, Dave Beck-Engle.

The meeting began with a prayer by kk.

Dave Beck-Engle of J.H. Findorff & Sons was introduced.

Since the last meeting, a number of significant events have occurred. Three construction firms were interviewed and J.H. Findorff & Sons was selected as our contractor. Hiring the contractor at this time allows the firm to be involved with the "final design phase" of our process. In addition, John Buscemi, Joe Stadelman, Ken Klink, and Gary Loertscher have met three times to "fine tune" the schematic plan.

Ken Klink, Gary Loertscher, Jerry Rabas, and Joe Stadelman met with the Diocese Building Committee on October 27, 2004. Father Klink summarized the meeting as follows:

• Our plan and process was positively endorsed by the committee
• The committee recognized and supported our need to build
• Cooperation of St. Mary's and St. James in the process was cited as positive
• The committee directed us to keep going with our plan
• The committee directed us to develop a 10-year plan showing the budgeting process, detailed breakdown of construction costs, proposed operational costs and how they will be paid, and the scenario for financing the project including a summary of fundraising initiatives, future plans for additional fundraising, plans for acquiring financing of the project, and adherence to diocese guidelines.

Joe Stadelman presented a plan for the formation of seven committees to facilitate the design development process. These committees are: liturgical arts, hospitality, music liturgy, staff/education, exterior building and grounds, finance, and ministry/dedication. Membership for these committees will be recruited from the parish councils, planning committee, and membership of both parishes. Joe Stadelman will meet with the committees on the evenings of January 4-5, 2005, to get initial input. He will meet with them again on January 25-26, 2005, to finalize design details.

Joe Donlin, Russ Cichy, Mike Warmuth, and Tim Stadelman will develop a budget process for St. Mary/ St. James. Carla Wolf prepared a Building Fund update. As of November 30, 2004, the fund shows a total value of cash and land of $1,095,270.76 and $1,388,319.80 in pledges to be collected. This gives a total value of $2,483,590.56 for the building fund.

Joe Stadelman and John Buscemi presented an update of the design planning process. Changes have included pew arrangement, refinement of gathering space, location of Eucharistic chapel, design of font area, location of primary mechanical space, altar design, and a number of other small alterations. Changes have focused on the goals of maximizing the significance, meaning, and aesthetics of liturgical spaces, increasing efficiencies of access and traffic flow through the physical complex, developing a seating plan with good sight lines and proximity to the key liturgical locations in the church. A number of questions were asked and addressed concerning specific space in the structure, amount of "seating room" allotted per person, and width /access of primary pedestrian areas.

The soil boring test results have been received. A ground water depth of 5-6 feet eliminates any plan to do any type of "basement" space. In addition, the soil's capacity to bear a weight load is not as high as hoped and will have to be addressed with more substantial footings, pilings, or other strategies. This is not viewed as a significant problem, but will have to be addressed with construction methods that will require some additional costs.

Dave Beck-Engle presented an overview of the role played by the contractor in the design development phase of the process. The contractor will be able to itemize specific cost details, provide possible strategies for doing the project in phases, and work with the architect to maximize quality, but at the same time, design in efficiencies in material selection and construction techniques.

It was noted that Tim Stadelman and Doug Waelti have been involved in the entire 3 1/2 year planning process that we have gone through and that they are employees of Findorff. That is viewed as a positive in transitioning from the planning to the construction phase of our project. Doug will serve as site superintendent for construction of the new facility.

The design plan as presented to the committee and both parish councils was endorsed, and Joe Stadelman was given direction to move into the next stage of the design development process. The overall goal is to "break ground" in the summer of 2005. Construction will require approximately one year to complete.

Joe Stadelman scheduled times for specific meetings of committees on January 4-5, 2005.

The next meting of the planning committee will be on Monday, January 31, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. in the parish hall.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

NOTE: It is so rewarding and exciting to bring together the vision developed over the past 3 1/2 years, the architects' physical plan for our vision, the liturgical consultant's interpretation of our vision, and now the contractor's strategy to build based on that vision. The ideas, insights, common sense, expertise, and enthusiasm that have been generated by the planning committee and both parish councils have brought us to this point.

Thanks to Kay Parish for the "Christmas goodies" at the meeting.