Aging infrastructure requires ongoing investment. Since our newest building is now 50 years old, it presents a challenge to paid and unpaid staff (i.e. volunteers) as well as congregational leaders. In recent weeks, church and school staff have begun to develop three “lists” to help guide our ongoing efforts.

AL’S LIST

Named as a bit of a humorous recognition that Al Vollmer ends up completing plenty of smaller repairs around our school building, but includes items that many other “unpaid staff” have been undertaking.  A sample of projects includes:

• Transition to LED: Numerous volunteers have recently undertaken more work in the multi-year effort to transition AWAY from 4’ fluorescent tubes. Most classrooms are now completely transitioned to LEDs. Work in the kitchen and cafeteria will require taller ladders and/or scaffolding. 
• Karen Masterson and Jim Peters are working to organize and clean more areas of the church impacted by recently-completed projects. 
• The faucet in the teacher’s restroom in the school office suite needs to be replaced. A faucet will be purchased and on-hand for a skilled volunteer to install at their earliest convenience.
• A new disconnect must be installed in the church boiler room that will provide power for exterior lighting. The current disconnect works, but the cover was misplaced many years ago and the fire inspector has identified it as needing a new cover.

WANT TO HELP? If you want to help, just call the church or school office and they will get you the details. Often a project can be completed at your convenience.

PROJECTS

Our project-manager-pastor (Pastor Albers) is obviously NOT shy about undertaking larger projects, each of which require some ongoing coordination and effort. These projects may require an outside contractor or vendor and/or more highly-skilled volunteers.

• A church member and school parent (Todd Schultz) stepped up to install SAFETY BOLLARDS at the outside gate, further restricting the area to pedestrians only.
• He also completed temporary work on the TRENCH that was necessary to bring power and controls to the new retractable gate. The result is something like a large “speed bump” of stone that will continue to be packed down into the trench all winter. Permanent repairs will be put in place next spring.
• Our skilled volunteers have added a new audio monitor for the NEW OUTSIDE GATE. Our plan is to include a new, more powerful video monitor system in the ‘26-’27 school year.
• Jim Peters has continued efforts to improve DRAINAGE at the church building, each step means less and less water infiltration in areas of the basement.
• The Board of Trustees has contracted with a painting contractor to refinish the SANCTUARY DOORS. Work should begin soon and should not disrupt our usual activities.

WANT TO HELP? If you want to help, just call the church or school office and they will CONNECT you with the project leader. Projects often take two or three work sessions to complete, but any help you can provide will be appreciated.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

Our Board of Trustees and other leaders are making plans for larger projects that will require more funding than is immediately available. Currently plans are being made for several improvements:

• A leader is securing quotes to repair the Sanctuary HVAC units before next spring. The good news is that the furnaces are NOT obsolete and are functioning normally. This should somewhat help moderate the cost.
• The Board of Trustees are making plans to investigate and initiate repairs to the GYM ROOF DRAINS.  We certainly have several problems with this roof system, but the trustees are hopeful this will stop most of the water infiltration.