The 2020 Annual Report of the Building & Property Committee ~ Clark Moose, chair

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The Building and Property Committee (B&PC) directs the maintenance and repair of our church building and grounds by our custodian staff, contractors, and volunteer church members.  Todd Hockenberry has successfully completed his second year as the SCPC Building Manager/Head Custodian and continues to implement cost effective task planning.  Todd works Sunday through Thursday and frequently supports special events.

The general operating budget, the Sam and Mary Bayard Endowment Fund, and other designated contributions provide funds for general maintenance, maintenance contracts, repair projects, utilities, cleaning supplies and equipment, trash removal, snow removal, and recurring maintenance inspections.  The facilities budget also pays the property tax on the additional parking lot SCPC owns and leases to the Borough of State College.  In 2021, the B&PC budget breakdown of the Facilities budget line ($93,800) is proposed as:

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Only the Maintenance Expenses are available funds to support discretionary building upkeep and repairs.  The other three categories are annual fixed costs.  Historically, the building maintenance budget has been underfunded.  As a church, we should be budgeting 1-2% of the value of our property (currently just under $10,000,000) for maintenance contracts and expenses, instead of 45% below the minimum recommended).

The 2020 B&PC members were Clark Moose (Chair), Glen Blume (Minutes Recorder), Carolyn Bryant (Session), Al Butler, Dale Cox, John Denunzio (Session), Don Hartzell (Session, Past Chair), Todd Hockenberry (Building Manager), Dean Lindsey (Pastor), Sharon Manno (Deacon), Pete Moyer (Session), Jim Powers, Scott Sesler and Laura Steager (Stay &Play Director).

Routine Maintenance and Repair Projects.  During 2020, the B&PC oversaw numerous recurring repair, renovation, and maintenance projects and continued its efforts to support sustainability and energy efficiency.  SCPC continues to be certified as a PC(USA) Earth Care Congregation.  (Note: “Building 1” refers to 1914 Sanctuary building; “Building 2” refers to the 1948 education building that contains the main office; “Building 3” is the 1994 education wing.)  During 2020, B&PC coordinated the completion the following significant projects:

• Repaired dishwasher door and replaced dishwasher parts.
• Repaired, repainted and insulated the Parking Lot stairwell including new wood columns to match Columbarium door. – Greenland Construction
• Performed annual exterior window cleaning of Building #1 and Building #3.
• Continued contract with Water Treatment by Design to monitor and treat the water used by the boiler on a monthly basis and also monitor water softener. – Action will extend life of boiler and components.
• Painted main office, Martha’s office, financial administrator’s office, and Todd’s office. – Don Hartzell & Todd
• Painted Room 12, new Stay & Play Preschool office and conference area. - Todd
• Installed phone lines and network connections in Room 12. – HouseWire.
• Inventoried the church vault to reduce documents and protect critical ones. – Don & Mary Hartzell with assistance from church staff. All discarded documents shredded.
• Replaced Westminster Stage exit door. – Greenland Construction.
• Removed exterior window at back of Westminster Stage and replaced with matching stone veneer with insulation. – Greenland Construction, Don & Mary Hartzell donation.
• Painted the ceiling in the second floor hallway in Building #2.
• Renewed contract with Jabco Pest Control to perform quarterly pest inspection and treatment.  Areas of the church have seen ingress of ants at various times. 
• Replaced several steam pipe seals in late spring to mitigate reoccurring leaks. – McClure.
• Replaced failing secondary circulating pump on boiler in early fall. – McClure.
• Added power and network connection for copier/printer to hallway outside main office to assist with COVID safety protocols. - HouseWire.
• Rerouted boiler overflow piping to interior drain. – Greenland Construction.
• Replaced worn entrance (anti-skid) mats.
• Repainted parking lot markings. – Todd and Hockenberry relatives.
• Renewed 2-year natural gas contract with UGI Energy Systems.
• Replaced four emergency exit signs. – Bernie Steager.
• Passed fire/safety code inspection. – Identified issues corrected by Todd.
• Renewed snow removal contract with Todd Fuller.
• Repainted first-floor hallway in Bldg #3 (outside Rooms 100-102). – Don and Mary Hartzell.
• Repaired anti-ice conduit on bridge and sanctuary slate roofs. – Marcon
• Repainted bridge/elevator stairwell and stairwell to Maneval Garden. – Greenland Construction.

Additional COVID safety protocols were implemented and executed by Todd, volunteers, maintenance persons and contractors to complete the listed tasks and many other day-to-day tasks in support of church activities (Stay & Play, outdoor worship, etc.).

Restoring God’s House (RGH).  As a result of the 2016-2017 Capital Campaign, the SCPC congregation donated $1,172,367 towards a goal of $1,000,000 to tackle 10 building renovation projects and establish a B&P Maintenance Reserve fund.  The reserve funds will be used to address other anticipated projects, such as slate roof repair (completed in 2020), exterior stone maintenance, and major heating and plumbing expenses beyond the current items which the Restoring God’s House campaign is addressing.

This table shows expenditures as of the end of 2020 on the 10 categories of renovation and repair projects outlined in RGH literature.  Bear in mind that the budgets for each category were in some cases based on contractor estimates and were fairly accurate, and in other cases were our best guestimate.  When restoring a 105-year-old structure, you will run into hidden expenses.  Most remaining repair/upgrade tasks must be scheduled during the summer months to avoid disruption of Stay & Play, LOGOS, FISH and other weekly programming. 

In 2020, Durable Slate was contracted and completed the slate roof repair on the building exterior (no impact to Stay & Play or other activities) and proceeded slowly due to COVID and weather throughout the spring and into summer.  The recommended repairs were based on a comprehensive report from Joseph Jenkins in 2019.  An extra square of Buckingham slate was purchased for future repairs.  Total cost was $102,151 and was financed from the established Maintenance Reserve fund.  Additionally, Durable Slate repaired the slate on the Fraser St. porch roof at no cost (a $10,000 savings) as B&PC had planned to replace it with a shingle roof.  A letter of appreciation was sent to the company for their excellent restoration work and the no-cost porch repair.  The copper valleys are expected to last for ~50 years and the original slate for another ~90 years.

We have let a contract with Gavek Graphics, Centre Hall, PA, to replace the three wooden exterior free-standing church street signs with high density polyurethane signs, to be installed by mid-January 2021, weather permitting.

Special recognition to Al Butler, Dale Cox and Don Hartzell for going “above and beyond” on a weekly basis steering the Restoring God’s House effort.

SMART.  The SCPC Maintenance and Repair Team (SMART) is our “self-help” building and grounds maintenance and repair team organized by Don Hartzell.  The team meets the third Tuesday of each month from January to November.  Due to COVID, this team did not meet collectively due to safety protocols after February.  Individual members worked independently as noted in the B&PC projects.  Typically, this team donates over 300 labor hours per year and accomplishes many small to medium sized tasks in support of general church maintenance and repair from the numerous on-going activities.
We appreciate the efforts of Boy Scout Troop 32 in helping to maintain our grounds.

A ‘big’ thanks to Todd for his frequent on-site updates to the B&PC during the limited building access in 2020 and his planning and implementation of safety protocols.

Respectfully, Clark Moose, Building & Property Committee Chair