Board of Trustees

Lake Fellowship Board of Trustees Roles and Responsibilities

February 2024 Revision

The board consists of 5 members elected by members at the annual meeting and is defined in Article IV of the By-Laws. A trustee is elected to a term of two years. A trustee may serve a maximum of four years in a row, then must wait one year before serving again. Each year, the board will determine which roles each trustee will fill. Some of the responsibilities listed below may be handled by other Board members based on availability, willingness, and ability. Minimally, these roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Role: Chair

Responsibilities: 

  • Ensure the board acts in accordance with the bylaws and in service to the members.
  • Ensure all board roles are filled.
  • Act as point of contact for issues brought to the board.
  • Act as liaison to the Unitarian-Universalist Association (UUA) and Mid-America Region.
  • Communicate to congregation as needed.
  • Ensure fellowship volunteers are recognized and thanked.
  • Organize and run board meetings.
  • Organize and run the annual meeting including ensuring that membership is notified in advance of the meeting according to parameters defined in the bylaws.
  • Notify members of upcoming meetings and invite input.
  • Ensure incoming e-mail from LFUU board account is distributed and discarded accordingly.
  • Ensure post mail is picked up from the post office and distributed and discarded accordingly.
  • Provide escalation support when needed for all committees.
  • Act as liaison to assigned committees and communicate their activities, needs, and concerns to the board.

Qualities & Skills needed:  Leadership, organizational, communication, and decision making.

Time commitment:  3-5 hours / month

Role: Treasurer

Responsibilities: 

  • Supervise the safekeeping of all funds and property of the fellowship and the keeping of complete books and records of all financial transactions of the fellowship.
  • Assist in the development of an annual budget and communicate progress toward that budget.  Recommend and establish policies related to receiving, accounting, and disbursing of monies.
  • Work closely with the bookkeeper.
  • When the bookkeeper is unable to, sign checks in accordance with church policies and procedures and verify the supporting data and keep documentation for each check request.
  • Responsible for acquiring, training, and management of any accounting-related software.
  • Make financial reports to the Board of Trustees and an annual financial report to the membership at large.
  • Keep the Board of Trustees informed of any trends or changes in fiscal matters.
  • Ensure the tax-exempt status as a 501(c)3 organization is maintained.
  • Ensure tax-exempt status with MN Secretary of State’s Office is maintained.
  • Instill and preserve high financial confidence throughout the congregation.
  • Audit the financial records.
  • Train a replacement as needed.
  • Act as liaison to the fellowship’s insurance company.
  • Review annual UUA dues with Board of Trustees and ensure its payment.
  • Review and adjust suggested annual member financial contributions.
  • Prepare and distribute year-end contribution statements.
  • Prepare and submit 1099 forms as needed.
  • Provide guidance, approval, and oversight of annual committee budgets.
  • Ensure incoming e-mail from LFUU treasurer account is distributed and discarded accordingly.
  • Act as liaison to assigned committees and communicate their activities, needs, and concerns to the board.
  • Ensure annual UUA Congregational Survey is complete and submitted.

Qualities & Skills needed: Communication, organizational, detail oriented, financial, computer, integrity, discretion, and decision-making

Time commitment:  3-5 hours / month + 2 hours at end of year to prepare for Annual meeting

Role: Bookkeeper 

Officer appointed by the Board; non-voting position regarding Board matters

Responsibilities:

  • Work closely with the Treasurer.
  • Pick up mail at PO box at least weekly and renew annual USPS box rental when due (annually or semi-annually).
  • Check LFUUTreasurer@gmail.com account at least a few times monthly for relevant emails, invoices, etc.
  • Make payments for routine operating costs and reimbursements. Check with the Treasurer before making payments of non-routine expenses (like building projects or UUA annual fees).
  • Make deposits of all incoming donations and receivables to the checking account.
  • Make payments and send communications to charity organizations when needed (for example, monthly donations for "SoupSunday" or specially-directed financial gifts through the "Les Kraus Charitable Outreach Fund").
  • Reconcile checking account with accounting software monthly.
  • Scan documents and register all transactions in accounting software.
  • Maintain donor list, provide donors with annual contribution statements (January each year).
  • Prepare and provide 1099 forms in January to individuals who have received more than $600 in reportable income from Lake Fellowship during the previous calendar-year; report to IRS and State of Minnesota as required (federal form 1096 can be ordered online). These 1099 forms are typically provided to cleaning service, snow/lawn service, RE teacher, and specialty labor (paid labor for building/grounds, piano tuning, etc.).
  • Audit the financial records.
  • Train a replacement as needed.

Qualities & Skills needed: Integrity and discretion are very important, as well as organizational skills, attention to detail, and comfort in working with spreadsheets; moderate accounting software experience is helpful.

Time commitment:  3 - 8 hours/month

Role:  Secretary

Responsibilities: 

  • Record meeting notes and distribute them to the Board for review.
  • Upon approval of the minutes send them to the archivist.
  • Record Annual meeting notes and distribute them to members.
  • Act as liaison to assigned committees and report activities and concerns to the board.

Qualities & Skills needed:  Communication, attention to detail, note taking, computer, and decision making.

Time commitment:  4-5 hours / month

Role: Vice Chair

Responsibilities: 

  • Stand in for Chair as needed.
  • Volunteer to do or assist with any Board follow-up task.
  • Act as liaison to assigned committees and communicate their activities, needs, and concerns to the board.

Qualities & Skills needed:  Communication and decision making.

Time commitment:  2-3 hours / month

Role: At-Large

Responsibilities: 

  • Volunteer to do or assist with any Board follow-up task.
  • Act as liaison to assigned committees and communicate their activities, needs, and concerns to the board.

Qualities & Skills needed: Communication and decision making.

Time commitment:   2-3 hours / month