Congregational Meeting

Vice President of Administration Report 2020-2021

Submitted by Charlie Valan – Vice President of Administration

The administration end of B’nai Tikvah has made a great deal of progress, despite the challenges of the pandemic.  We have been working to maintain the safety and security within the building and grounds.  The process of fortifying our entire security protocols have been completed and happy to report we  exhausted all the funds provided to us ($147,500) via the Homeland Security grant we won three years ago.

Communication, Building Maintenance, Chabad School, and Overall Improvements

As our building ages, there are maintenance items that fall upon us.  The most important steps we can take is addressing these issues before they become more expensive or result in further decay.  In addition, this year we have engaged in a process of accessing our communication on many levels to make improvements and better exchange information with all aspects of the synagogue

• Our new Synagogue Administrator, Lesley Lewkowicz thus far has made her impact felt in many positive ways as she’s embraced our CBT community and has learned how we operate. She has also been feverously working to improve our “way of operations” on many levels.
  1. Connecting with other synagogues and exchanging ideas
  2. Improving our electronic communications
  3. Streamlining our infrastructure and expenses
  4. Bringing an expanded knowledge of technological innovation to the role
• Given the advancements of our electronic communications, the Board has aligned our creative innovations behind the leadership of Kim Riemann working with The Administration of Lesley and Charlie redesigning and improving our website, constant contact, and other communication forms of reaching out to membership with more to come
  1. The Weekly Announcements have been reorganized and prioritized in a manner that places emphasis on the most important items upfront
  2. Streamline the role of this valued communication piece in an effort to simplify reading through it
• We have received equipment and cost estimates to upgrade our aging and technological outdated computer and phone systems
  1. New systems will allow easier in house, but as critical, satellite and outside secure access to ensure our communications are innovated and consistently available
  2. Unfortunately, the pandemic has led to delays in equipment availability and these processes will be completed as soon as possible
• The roof over the new wing covering from the gift shop down to the end of that hallway reached the end of its life and was replaced with a quality upgrade that was negotiated at a discounted price. As with all our roofing items, this is under a yearly contract which always provides us emergency patch work and TLC as needed.  A flat room presents many challenges and our yearly contract more than pays for itself
• Another one of our HVAC Units reached the end of its life and needed to be replaced, this one down by the last series of classrooms in the newer wing. During that replacement, our HVAC partner looked over the other units and at the moment, everything is operating normally.  We can never fully anticipate a unit failure, but always our goal is to invest wisely in what can be saved, but replace when we are just spending “bad money over good”.
• Throughout the COVID pandemic, our protocols and policies continue were consistently updated leading to far fewer health related concerns generated from presence within the building itself.
  1. Be ensured that the positivity we all have seen regarding the pandemic has and will continue to be addressed as updated information becomes available and we adhere to mirroring the most current guidelines
  2. If matters call for restrictions in our actions as a family, we will adhere and adjust accordingly
  3. The communication between us and the Chabad School has been mandated to follow these guidelines
     1. Documents outlining their own guidelines have been shared throughout the entire past school year. Please note that CBT takes the safety and security very seriously and as we observe violations, we remind all of the importance and are prepared to take any and all necessary steps if it is felt we can’t ensure as safe of a situation, that most importantly protects all our occupants
• Classical Caterers has been significantly impacted during the last fiscal year
  1. The Board of Directors of B’nai Tikvah recognize and value this long standing partnership and worked very closely with Evan and Classical Caterers to maintain the functionality of their business during this challenging period
  2. Classical Caterers continued producing meals and services for clients which is critical at this point for not only members that were not able to access kosher meals as they are accustomed, but to maintain their business that was challenged without being able to conduct in house events
  3. Classical Caterers was able to partnership with outside events that couldn’t be housed here at CBT

Safety and Security Grant

We have thrilled to report that we have been able to complete the remaining critical aspects of the grant, thus improving the safety and security of CBT

• New security lighting was installed in our parking lot and around the entire building grounds; front and back.
  1. The entire back of school playground, and previous darken areas are now brightly illuminated making it extremely easy to identify any disturbances
  2. Our parking lot now has bright stadium lightening and the feedback from those experiencing it has been amazing
  3. We added new lighting by the Caterer’s areas and driveway by the dumpsters ensuring complications to anyone intending to explore those areas
  4. Additional lights were added by the Sukkor pad which now illuminates the side of the building of our sanctuary.
  5. A few more minor aspects of the lighting are being completed well by our vendor partner and we hope to complete those shortly
• Our new Fire, Security, and Entry System has been installed as with advance and innovated technology
  1. The New system is key fob entry
     1. Each family will receive a complementary key fob from CBT. Please call or email Lesley to obtain yours if you haven’t
     2. Extra key fob are available for $18. These funds are solely going to be used for the cost of the key fob and maintaining the cost and system for the long term
  2. This new system is not internet based, but rather satellite based. Why should that matter?  Well between that and a strong battery backup across all aspects, CBT will always be securely covered from threats.  No wires can be cut and power failures of any type can’t intercept our abilities to be always protected