CHURCH's NEW BATHROOM PROGRESS

Here is where we are with the Church bathroom project. The architect, consulting a structural engineer, has drawn up the plans. A copy of the plans has been sent to Cheyenne for review. There was a meeting with the architect, the contractor who will oversee the project, Phil Gonzales and myself to review the plans.

A major issue was the recommendation to install a series of trusses that will distribute the weight of the roof over the new facility. It is a major undertaking that significantly adds to the cost of the project. Discussion is taking place at this point about the possibility of creating trusses to accomplish the same goal without having to purchase the more expensive made to order trusses. Originally, we thought that the project would cost a maximum of $80,000.00. With the added costs of the trusses the project could go up to $120,000.00. We have the money in our investments with Wyoming Catholic Ministries Foundation. The question we need to address is: how much is the congregation willing to spend on this project? Some have suggested we put the bathroom somewhere else. There simply isn’t anywhere else it would work. Some have suggested we get rid of the baptistry to create a bathroom. On a purely practical level we would have to create an entirely new plumbing system. Additionally, there is no room in the small sanctuary to place the baptismal font on a permanent basis.

The baptistry was specifically designed for baptisms, not to respond to a call of nature. I was impressed with the architect and the structural engineer’s goal: to create an “addition” that looked like it was always a part of the Church. Here is my question to you: how much of your money are you willing to spend for an upstairs bathroom in the Church? Please feel free to let me know so this can be part of a discussion at the Finance Council meeting in September. Your name and message (email / letter) will be shared at that meeting. I shall interpret a lack of response to mean it is not a serious matter for the congregation.