Budget, Property and Finance Committee

1. Membership

a. The committee shall consist of nine (9) members, divided into three classes of three each. These will be balanced as equally as possible to one-third ministers, one-third laymen, one-third laywomen. All laypersons must be elders.

b. Care should be taken that the chairperson has experience in budget and finance matters.

c. The Stated Clerk and Treasurer/CFO will resource this committee as requested.

d. The Executive Presbyter will serve ex-officio without vote.

2. Accountability

a. The Budget, Property and Finance Committee shall be subject to the rules governing process as specified in the Administrative Manual, e.g., vouchers, monitoring committee budgets, how to apply for budgeted funds, unbudgeted funds.

b. The Budget, Property and Finance Committee is responsible to Presbytery but shall report through Council.

3. Duties

The committee shall prepare and present a Unified Presbytery Budget by:

a. Conferring during March and April with all standing committees of Presbytery, all ministry teams and the Council concerning their budget needs for the following year;

b. Preparing for submission to the Council in June a preliminary budget divided between ecclesiastical and mission expenses, together with the recommended per capita apportionment and level of general mission giving needed to fund those expenditures;

c. Publishing the preliminary budget divided between ecclesiastical and mission expenses, together with the recommended per capita apportionment and level of general mission giving needed to fund those expenditures;

d. Publishing the preliminary budget in concise form and causing it to be distributed to all sessions and Presbytery committees with invitations for response;

e. Preparing the budget for review by Council and adoption by Presbytery in November in light of responses received and early indications of General Mission income;

f. Consulting with particular committees regarding any significant budget revisions which affect the work of the committee;

g. Revising the budget, if necessary, after receipt of final reports on General Mission pledges, and presenting it to Council for review and to Presbytery for adoption in March;

h. Have responsibility for the management and recommendation of usage of any Presbytery-owned property;

i. Have responsibility for reviewing and making recommendations to Presbytery concerning all requests from particular congregations desiring to take actions as described in Standing Rules Section II.C.F & G; and

j. Be Presbytery’s agent for dealing with particular churches regarding property and investment matters.

4. Expenditures

a.  After approval of the budget by Presbytery, transfer of funds within a committee’s budget shall be allowed up to $500.00 or 10% (whichever is the greater amount), of the program portion of its budget, exclusive of salaries, allowances and employee benefits. Such transfers shall be reported to Presbytery Council at its next meeting.

b.  After approval of the budget by Presbytery, proposals for new programs or for expenditures of funds for unbudgeted items must be presented to the Presbytery Council through the appropriate committee(s); and the Budget, Property and Finance Committee setting forth the total estimated costs of funding.

5. Financial Records

All persons handling funds of the Presbytery, its committees, and activities under the auspices or purview of the Presbytery, shall maintain records sufficient to account for the sources and expenditures of those funds.

6. Reports

Financial reports shall be made in sufficient detail to demonstrate that expenditures were for authorized purposes; and should be in a format sufficiently like that of the approved budget to allow comparison with that document.

VII. Committees of Council

The Presbytery Council shall appoint special committees as needed to facilitate its mission or for special purposes. Unless otherwise provided, the Council shall name the chair and vice-chair of these committees.

VIII. Council Expenses

Expenses of the Presbytery Council shall be provided as prescribed in this Manual. The Council shall submit its budget for inclusion in the annual unified budget.