Report to BFM Business Meeting on Oct. 17, 2009, BYM Interim Meeting
Youth Safety Policy: Two years in development, the Youth Safety Policy for the first time offers a comprehensive written policy to 'maintain quality care and protection of the children and youth of BYM'....while 'protecting staff and volunteers working in contact with youth in any of the Yearly Meeting programs from false accusations.' The policy is an overarching set of guidelines for all Yearly Meeting programs offered to children and youth -- the summer Camp Program, Youth Programs weekend conferences and retreats during the year, and the Junior Yearly Meeting program for pre-adolescents offered during annual session. The individual programs previously have had some written policies and will continue to have procedures that meet their particular needs; but these will now fall within the guidelines of the overall policy. The policy does not apply to Monthly Meetings within the YM but Monthly Meetings which do not have a written policy are strongly encouraged to do so and can use the YM policy as guidance. (BFM has a written policy.)
Conflict of Interest and Whistleblower Protection: Both these written policies were presented as good governance needed by the Yearly Meeting and were received without objection from the body, but it was suggested and accepted that policies of this type should be laid over. Both policies reflect practices espoused by Quakers.
2009 Camping Program: The Camp Program was concerned in the spring that due to the economic downturn, camp enrollment might be down this year. In fact this was not the case; in total 531 youth attended BYM camps in 2009, very slightly more than the 527 who attended in 2008. A second worry was that the program could not offer the same number of scholarships because the income from investments in the Barry Morley Scholarship Fund was down substantially. However, by finding savings in other areas, the program was able to offer some $36,000 in 'camperships' to 49 youngsters. These averaged $739/camper. By careful budgeting, this year the program was able to have a positive balance of some $30,000 in revenues over expenses. This was largely due to deferred purchase of durable equipment such as new canoes.
Development Report: Last year Bethesda FM responded to the YMs request to provide first-year start-up support for a new YM development position. BFM contributed $10,000 toward this new full-time position. At Interim Meeting Development Director Robinne Gray reported that as of the end of the third quarter (September 30) the YM had received $96,000 in cash gifts, primarily from individuals within the YM. Of this $53,000 was earmarked for the camping program. The new monthly auto-give program generates about $600/month so will bring in about $4,600 by the end of the fiscal year. The auto-give was set up with a first-year challenge grant, so it will actually generate a total of $9,000. This income is over and above the annual apportionment that all Monthly Meetings make to the Yearly Meeting.
Treasurer's Report: Treasurer Marion Ballard summarized the YMs 2008 financials, which appear in the new 2009 Yearbook (a copy is in the library). For 2009 income exceeded expenses at the end of the third quarter by $13,000. The YM is expecting to end the year with a modest $6,000 net income.
Submitted: Liz Hofmeister and Susan Kaul, BYM representatives to BYM
