2 Florida United Methodist Review Online

Delegates pass budget at annual event

The Rev. Dr. Kevin James, the Rev. Dr. Anne Burkholder, and Carlene Fogle-Miller

Photo by the Rev. David L. Adams

Are they for or against the budget? The Rev. Dr. Kevin James, superintendent of the St. Petersburg District, the Rev. Dr. Anne Burkholder, superintendent of the Melbourne District, and Carlene Fogle-Miller (right), take a break during the presentation of the 2002 conference budget, which was approved 505-339 in a hand count because the vote was so close.

By Michael Wacht

LAKELAND — Delegates to the Dare to Share Jesus 2001 Florida Annual Conference Event passed the 2002 conference budget in one of the closest votes of the event. Delegates voted 505-339 in favor of an amended $17 million budget.

The Conference Council on Finance and Administration (CF&A) presented two budgets. The first included amounts requested by all conference agencies and groups. The other included only amounts recommended by CF&A.

Delegates voted to amend the recommended budget twice. One amendment added $14,400 to fund the Gainesville Group Ministry, a program of the Gainesville District that helps smaller churches with administrative costs. The second added $106,813 originally requested by the Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry, but cut by CF&A.

The Rev. Bob Standifer, pastor of First United Methodist Church, Jupiter-Tequesta, in Jupiter and chairman of CF&A, thanked delegates for taking an active role in the budgeting process. “You did what we hoped you’d do,” he said. “You claimed the budget as your own.”

Dr. Randy Casey-Rutland, conference treasurer, also thanked the conference’s churches for their response to last year’s financial crisis. He said the Florida Conference had an operating surplus in 2000 for the first time in two years. “The crisis has passed, but the challenges continue,” he said, adding that connectional giving is “especially vital to ongoing programs and ministry.”

Delegates also approved a recommendation from CF&A asking the bishop to appoint a commission to study the capital needs of the Florida Conference, including the Heritage Center, renovation of the United Methodist Building in Lakeland, and upkeep and expansion at the Life Enrichment Center and Warren W. Willis Youth Camps in Leesburg.

The Rev. Dr. Keith Ewing, the bishop’s administrative assistant, told delegates the recommendation would help the conference decide how best to accomplish its goals. “We’ve set ourselves an ambitious agenda,” he said. “Let’s stop and analyze what we’re doing…and report how best to accomplish all our ambitious needs.”

Leland McKeown, a lay delegate from the Leesburg District, amended the recommendation and moved to suspend the conference’s standing rules to allow the Youth Camp’s board of trustees to purchase 19 acres of land adjacent to the youth camp for $500,000. The land was offered exclusively to the camp at a discounted price through the end of the annual conference event, he said.

The amended recommendation passed.