Negative budget balance

[drepouille]

Got it. The "church van" is a 15-pax van that is used to ferry poor members from what might be considered a dependent branch to the ward meetinghouse. It's not really a dependent branch, though. No priesthood other than missionaries. I have asked whether the stake could help the ward foot that bill.

[jdlessley]

The "church van" is a 15-pax van that is used to ferry poor members from what might be considered a dependent branch to the ward meetinghouse.

This sounds like budget funds are not being properly used. The purpose of budget funds is to pay for stake and ward programs and activities. Providing transportation to members to attended Sunday meetings is not in line with this purpose. When members need assistance with transportation expenses then fast offering assistance is used. A review of Handbook 1 may be needed.

[fernsten]

Seriously, the ward had a $400 Staples bill for toner in December, and ended with minus $1400 at the end of the year. They received $900 last week for their quarterly budget disbursement.

I just started doing manual toner refills in our ward along with replacing the chips on our library's MFC drum to try to save some $. It hurts when those huge bills come through. $18 for a drum reset chip is far more palatable than $340 for a new drum.

[nrajeff]

Got it. The "church van" is a 15-pax van that is used to ferry poor members ....

If the van is actually owned by the ward, there might be something in the Handbook regarding the appropriateness of that, if memory serves. I can see how it would come in handy in many wards, if we could buy a big van or old school bus, and use it to pick up people who need a ride to church, or to take the YM/YW on temple trips or to Youth Conferences, etc. But I think there might be a policy against it.

[aebrown]

If the van is actually owned by the ward, there might be something in the Handbook regarding the appropriateness of that, if memory serves.

Handbook 2, Section 13.6.24: "Church organizations may not own or acquire automobiles or buses for group travel."