With work underway to build the 2016 diocesan budget, the Budget Committee has scheduled a series of open budget hearings this spring and widely invites participation and input from Diocesan Convention delegates, clergy and parish and program leadership.
The committee is taking a new approach with this year's hearing schedule, and hopes to provide more in-depth focus on the income and expense sides of the budget by devoting separate hearings to each.
"The overall idea is to focus first on income, then expenses in a way that more closely parallels the budget process," the Rev. Canon Mally Lloyd, Canon to the Ordinary, said of the changes to this year's hearings. "It also gives staff and those responsible for strategic ministries the time to fine tune their expense requests," she said.
A hearing on Tuesday, March 10 will focus on income, including diocesan assessments from congregations. A subsequent hearing, on Thursday, May 7, will focus on expenses. In between, two additional hearings will be held, on April 15 and May 5, at which representatives from strategic ministries funded by the diocesan budget will give their required reports and submit their 2016 requests. [Full schedule appears below.]
The current assessment formula has been in use since 2010. With the Diocesan Council scheduled to vote in April on the formula for 2016, the March 10 hearing "is a good time to give renewed attention to revenue and have discussion that will inform and motivate the subsequent work of the Budget Committee," diocesan treasurer Jim Gammill said.
More information is available in the 2015 budget booklet, available here.
Hearings on the 2016 budget will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. as follows:
• Open Hearing on Income: Tuesday, March 10 at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (138 Tremont Street) in Boston
• Strategic Ministries Hearing: Wednesday, April 15 at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (138 Tremont Street) in Boston
• Strategic Ministries Hearing: Tuesday, May 5 at Emmanuel Church (15 Newbury Street) in Boston
• Open Hearing on Expenses: Thursday, May 7 at Emmanuel Church (15 Newbury Street) in Boston
Questions may be directed to Laura Simons in the Canon to the Ordinary's Office at 617-482-4826, ext. 406 or lsimons@diomass.org.
--Tracy J. Sukraw