This past year was the second full year of work by the Master Plan Committee, appointed in the late fall of 2001 by the Parish Committee. The charge of the Master Plan Committee is:
To inventory, assess and look at alternatives for the physical facilities needs and related financial needs of First Parish over the next 10 years.
The members are: Ken Bassett, Kathy Corbin, Joe Hallstein, John Kerr, Alex MacLean, Max Mason, David O’Neil, Colin Smith, and Katy Walker. Mary Helen Lorenz is chair. Barbara Sampson and Jeff Eaton shared the role of Parish Committee liaison to our committee, and Roger Paine and Barbara O’Neil served ex officio.
Highlights of the last year included the installation of the new septic system for the Parish House, the partial paving and clean up of the south parking lot, the clarification of the vision for the church properties, detailed planning for parking reorganization, improving budgeting for capital needs, responding to several relatively minor physical plant crises, and communicating with the congregation about our facilities needs.
Over the summer of 2003 the new septic system for the Parish House was installed at the south end of the Parish House parking area, under the careful supervision of Jeff Eaton. In the fall, two clean up days resulted in some re-grading, brush clearing, seeding and planting of pachysandra on the west and north side, all done by a hearty group of volunteers, including Eph and Warren Flint and members of the Master Plan Committee. And the fourth grade Sunday school class finished off the work by planting spring bulbs.
Also during the fall, the Master Plan Committee studied in more detail the long term physical and program needs of the church, and presented their vision to the Parish Committee on December 17. Short-term urgent repairs, long term program needs, management and finance issues, and action steps were thoroughly discussed at the December and January meetings.
The Parish Committee approved the hiring of a site engineer to further study expanding parking and approved monies for repairs and maintenance needed in the spring and summer. The Master Plan Committee asked its design members to look again at alternatives schemes for parking, and meetings were held with abutters to discuss various schemes. In March the Parish Committee approved a revised plan that reorganizes and expands parking with some additional paving. We solicited proposals for survey and site engineering work, as authorized by the Parish Committee. Once the scheme is designed in detail, cost estimates will be prepared, and the Parish Committee will decide whether to approve construction.
In terms of repairs, a few minor unforeseen problems had to be addressed such as a persistent odor in the basement of the Parish House, some electrical problems, and new health regulations affecting our kitchens. Colin Smith, Joe Hallstein and Jeff Eaton continue in their role as the managers for the many small repair, painting and improvement projects that require hiring contractors. They will oversee work planned for the summer, such as painting the exterior of the Church and minor repairs to that building. June 12 will be a basement clean out day organized in conjunction with the Lincoln Nursery School workday.
Throughout the year, several members of the Master Plan Committee along with Jeff Eaton and sometimes Barbara Sampson participated in meetings of the Historic Center Committee, chaired by Selectwoman Sara Mattes. Composed of representatives of the First Parish, the library, the COA, the selectmen, the Historic District Commission, and the neighbors, the group focused on parking problems surrounding the library, but also on the wider town center parking problems.
In May, the Master Plan Committee distributed through the Parish News a report to the congregation on Master Plan issues. A comment sheet was included, hoping for ideas on the needs and priorities. This report and any congregational comments will be discussed at the Annual Meeting on June 7.
Many thanks to all the members of the Master Plan Committee for their time and commitment. Special thanks to the design group (Ken Bassett, Max Mason, David O’Neil, and Colin Smith) who explored every possible solution on several topics with good grace, good humor and good design. And thanks also to Gert McDermott for all the ways that she supports our efforts to get things fixed and working better.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Helen Lorenz, Chair
As all facility related issues have been discussed in the Master Plan Committee Report (see above), a separate Facilities Management Committee’s Report is not necessary.
Respectfully submitted,
Colin Smith, Chair