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By Lucy Chumbley
Washington Window
Vol. 75, No. 6, May 2006

At its April 4 meeting the Diocesan Council created a new Committee on the Environment, closed the Working Group on the Use of Soper Funds and gave two new panels - task forces on Development and Affordable Housing - their official charge.

The Environment Committee previously was a sub-committee of the diocese's Peace Commission, but "we felt it might make more sense to stand on our own and make ourselves known as a separate committee," said chairman Reid Detchon.

The panel will continue its work, which includes "attempting to engage churches in the issue of how we use energy" and cleaning up the Anacostia River, Detchon said.

The new committee wants to "broaden and diversify" its membership, he said, as well as involve more people in its work. He suggested that each parish in the diocese designate a liaison to the committee, and said that committee members are available to give talks on environmental issues at adult forums around the diocese in order to raise awareness.

The council asked the Development Task Force, which Bishop John B. Chane chartered during his address to the 2006 Diocesan Convention, to make its first report in October.

The panel has been charged with identifying new strategies to increase revenue in the diocese and creating a vision, infrastructure and staffing for the establishment of a permanent development function in the diocese.

Another panel chartered by Chane, the Task Force on Affordable Housing, has been asked to submit a progress report and recommendations by November, and will present an affordable housing policy to the council in September 2007.

This group also has been charged with cataloguing unused land in the diocese.

Finance Committee chairman John Welch gave a preliminary report on the creation of a policy to guide the disposition of proceeds following the sale of diocesan assets.

"Something like this policy is going to be in place to guide not just this council but also future councils as they do this," said Welch, speaking on behalf of the Revenue Group, which was formed at the council's retreat in February.

The policy could include a commitment that money from land sales "should in no way, shape or form be used for operating assets" Welch said, and that the acceptable uses be clearly set out.
How clearly these uses should be defined is a delicate issue, he said, as a balance must be struck between creating too many restrictions and making the money too easy to access.

"I agree that the proceeds should not be used for operating expenses, but I think it should be a much stronger statement," said the Rev. Richard Downing. "Will not, shall not, should never be used for. I don't think should is a strong enough statement."

But "I do think it's important not to be too specific so you can use the funds without too much trouble," said the Rev. Carleton Hayden.

The Rev. Joseph Trigg suggested that "some history of how the property was bought and where the money came from would be relevant here."

"As well as the history, we might also want to take into consideration the geography," said the Rev. Martha Bonwitt. "Before we pull the money out of an area, we should see if there's still a need there."

In other matters the council:

- Went into closed session to discuss four offers to purchase a tract of land owned by the diocese in Germantown.
- Learned from canon to the ordinary Paul Cooney that letters and posters for the 2006 Bishop's Appeal would be mailed on Easter Monday to households across the diocese.
The goal for this year's appeal is $225,000, "which is formidable," Cooney said, adding that last year's goal was $200,000 of which $196,000 was collected.

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