Now is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It won’t last forever. We must take it or leave it. – C.S. Lewis
Thursday, May 19, 2011
2009-2010 parish financial statement
The parish financials for last year are online here. You can get to more financial info here.
So true, Dr. K. And when salaries and benefits are your main expenses, how can you not cut staff? We talk about growing up in the 1970s and 1980s when everything was handled by the pastor and a single secretary.
Dr. K, do your church financials (somewhere in the Rochester area) look like this? Or are parishioners given more details? Just curious.
Gee, a little late aren't we? Are these actuals? Is there anything being kept on the side, or is this everything? I don't see the Bishop's Appeal...or is that part of School Assessment/Subsidy Clearing $185,000?
The parish I grew up in Westchester County had over 4000 families and half as much staff. Time to cut more. Do we really need both a Pastoral Administrator and a Pastoral Associate? We surely don't need a paid youth "minister." Not sure how much their total compensation is, but, when i used to do budgets in the corporate world each person represented $130-160K on the general ledger depending on benefits and actual salary.
Just a question...the statement shows the operating expense for rectory (priest) but no expenses shown for operating St. Mary's Rectory...who pays their house expenses, utilities, insurance etc....that should be a line item also unless I missed it.....
Parish staff salaries should be posted. The PA makes in the area of $60,000, plus benefits, plus no property taxes, plus no mortgage, plus a cleaning lady, plus no utilities, plus free renovations, plus no property insurance...not bad, eh?
I am grateful for the release of the financials, but they are so different from year to year as far as categories and such that one can make no real comparison or find any kind of consistency.
Gretchen, I observe the same thing regarding consistency, even within the actual reports given. What's the story here? Is it deliberate in order to keep us from really seeing what is going on? Although, it kind of follows the pattern of giving information to the people practiced here. On one report there are line items for funerals and weddings and in another the weddings and funerals are together as one line item. This alone is not good financial accuracy. I am glad we finally got a report too but really why did it take eleven months to figure out last years report. Maybe time for a new committee and financial person.
A couple of years ago, I called the Diocese to request the salaries of parish employees. I was told that "unless the situation warranted it", this was not public information. I found this to be interesting, in that WE pay the salaries. Public officials, educators, etc...we pay these salaries and they are all public information.
7:20 Oh my goodness, the monitary value for those benefits for a family of that size - it's a lot! I wouldn't be surprised if he decides to stay with this deal in a different role such as full time Deacon after his 4 years are up. Shoot if he is empowered by the Holy Spirit (translation- not held accountable) then why not stay as long as possible?
It took over a year to produce these numbers. Hmm? They are not consistent with the 2009 reports. Strange?
The change in the balance sheets 2009 to 2010 does not tie to the 2010 Income Statement. The fund balance on balance sheets declined $27,002(a loss), yet they show an income statement with a loss of $134,744. So where did the $107,742 difference go? They have to be kidding playing with the numbers when they are trying to close a parish based on flimsy financial justification.
Bequest/donation dropped to $23,692 from $195,475 in 2009. Thru 2006-09 they averaged $289,858. If I had to guess I would look closely in this area. Besides bequest and their supposed uncertainty have been part of the narrative from the start of this fiasco. Mark Twain was correct; "Figures don't lie..." Vinnies'69
I apologize, ASP is consistent regarding their financials, consistently incomplete. Just for giggles I looked back at prior years and the change in fund balance does not match what is presented on the income statement in the past years as well. So apparently they paint whatever picture they like with no concept of balancing the figures. In 2009 I am guessing the gain on the sale of St. Pats was ommitted. If one wants to get the true financial picture I suggest asking the Diocese for the annual report which is submitted to them each year. The numbers on the ASP website do not balance. Vinnies'69
If they want to cut costs, start with the salaries. For example, is the pastoral administrator needed?
ReplyDeleteSo true, Dr. K. And when salaries and benefits are your main expenses, how can you not cut staff? We talk about growing up in the 1970s and 1980s when everything was handled by the pastor and a single secretary.
ReplyDeleteDr. K, do your church financials (somewhere in the Rochester area) look like this? Or are parishioners given more details? Just curious.
Gee, a little late aren't we? Are these actuals? Is there anything being kept on the side, or is this everything? I don't see the Bishop's Appeal...or is that part of School Assessment/Subsidy Clearing $185,000?
ReplyDeleteThe parish I grew up in Westchester County had over 4000 families and half as much staff. Time to cut more. Do we really need both a Pastoral Administrator and a Pastoral Associate? We surely don't need a paid youth "minister." Not sure how much their total compensation is, but, when i used to do budgets in the corporate world each person represented $130-160K on the general ledger depending on benefits and actual salary.
Just a question...the statement shows the operating expense for rectory (priest) but no expenses shown for operating St. Mary's Rectory...who pays their house expenses, utilities, insurance etc....that should be a line item also unless I missed it.....
ReplyDeleteParish staff salaries should be posted. The PA makes in the area of $60,000, plus benefits, plus no property taxes, plus no mortgage, plus a cleaning lady, plus no utilities, plus free renovations, plus no property insurance...not bad, eh?
ReplyDeleteI noticed that too, 6:44 a.m.
ReplyDeleteI am grateful for the release of the financials, but they are so different from year to year as far as categories and such that one can make no real comparison or find any kind of consistency.
Gretchen, I observe the same thing regarding consistency, even within the actual reports given. What's the story here? Is it deliberate in order to keep us from really seeing what is going on? Although, it kind of follows the pattern of giving information to the people practiced here.
ReplyDeleteOn one report there are line items for funerals and weddings and in another the weddings and funerals are together as one line item. This alone is not good financial accuracy. I am glad we finally got a report too but really why did it take eleven months to figure out last years report. Maybe time for a new committee and financial person.
A couple of years ago, I called the Diocese to request the salaries of parish employees. I was told that "unless the situation warranted it", this was not public information. I found this to be interesting, in that WE pay the salaries. Public officials, educators, etc...we pay these salaries and they are all public information.
ReplyDelete7:20 Oh my goodness, the monitary value for those benefits for a family of that size - it's a lot! I wouldn't be surprised if he decides to stay with this deal in a different role such as full time Deacon after his 4 years are up. Shoot if he is empowered by the Holy Spirit (translation- not held accountable) then why not stay as long as possible?
ReplyDeleteI believe that the deacon is obliged to pay some form of rent. Not sure how much or where it goes. I will try to confirm that with the Central Office.
ReplyDeleteIt took over a year to produce these numbers. Hmm? They are not consistent with the 2009 reports. Strange?
ReplyDeleteThe change in the balance sheets 2009 to 2010 does not tie to the 2010 Income Statement. The fund balance on balance sheets declined $27,002(a loss), yet they show an income statement with a loss of $134,744. So where did the $107,742 difference go? They have to be kidding playing with the numbers when they are trying to close a parish based on flimsy financial justification.
Bequest/donation dropped to $23,692 from $195,475 in 2009. Thru 2006-09 they averaged $289,858. If I had to guess I would look closely in this area. Besides bequest and their supposed uncertainty have been part of the narrative from the start of this fiasco.
Mark Twain was correct; "Figures don't lie..."
Vinnies'69
I apologize, ASP is consistent regarding their financials, consistently incomplete. Just for giggles I looked back at prior years and the change in fund balance does not match what is presented on the income statement in the past years as well. So apparently they paint whatever picture they like with no concept of balancing the figures. In 2009 I am guessing the gain on the sale of St. Pats was ommitted. If one wants to get the true financial picture I suggest asking the Diocese for the annual report which is submitted to them each year. The numbers on the ASP website do not balance.
ReplyDeleteVinnies'69