This is part of a series of articles on the responsibility of vestries to lead by taking the long view in their stewardship of the congregation’s resources.

Last time we considered the fiduciary duty Vestries have to the past and future to maintain their buildings in good repair. We spoke of the duty we have to the present not to allow our buildings to look neglected or to become eyesores.

We emphasized that good maintenance of the buildings is not optional; it’s something we need to get used to planning and providing for.

And we defined the following:

Look Around Regularly
The best way not to be caught short by building problems is simply to inspect all the buildings regularly. Walk around and look. Inside and out. From the roof to the basement. And for the sake of heaven — and for the sake of the rector — don’t forget the rectory.

Is there any loose flashing? When were the gutters last cleaned? Are all the leaders connected to the gutters? Are they draining far enough from the foundation? Why is that paint peeling on the nursery wall? Is water getting in? What needs a minor repair? What needs to be replaced? Make a list, and follow it up.

Then look around again in three months.

Get It While It’s Small
Everything wears out or needs sprucing up eventually, but the most severe building problems come from water getting where it ought not to be. Some years ago the Chair of the Property Support Committee, Kelsey Graham of Grace, Nyack, told the Wardens’ Conference that the main rule of building maintenance is, “Keep the water out!”

Everywhere it finds a way — bad flashing, missing shingles, weak pointing, poor drainage — water will get in. Virtually every water problem starts small, and most can be fixed at very little or no cost if they’re caught early. But a drop becomes a trickle, then a torrent. What began as a small problem with the flashing or the drainage at the foundation, if left unattended, will turn into a major repair job. Water intrusion is like a toothache; it doesn’t get better on its own. Hoping it will go away isn’t the answer.

Make Plans in an Orderly Way
It’s easier to get people to give or to pay attention to building improvements that can be seen. However, it’s usually the case that something that can’t be seen needs to be done first. The Property Support Committee has frequently told congregations that they will not give money for interior cosmetic work when there are exterior jobs that need to be done first. What’s the point of fixing the plaster and painting if the roof still leaks? There’s no point in treating the symptom and ignoring the disease.

The Property Support Office can be of great assistance in this regard. Michael Rebic, Director of Property Support, will work with any congregation to do a conditions survey that will help you make priorities for repairs and improvements. The Property Support Committee will regularly make funds available toward such a survey; in addition, congregations with historically significant buildings are eligible for partial funding from other sources.

Get a handle on the problem so you can approach it in an orderly way.

Do It Right
Many of our buildings date from the pre-income tax era. The assumption seems to have been that congregations did not need endowments because there would always be prominent Vestrymen (and they were men) who could make up the deficit at year’s end and fund other needs along the way.

Few, if any, congregations can still do business that way. One result has been a great increase in repairs done on the cheap that are incongruent with the rest of the structure. Often these modifications date to the mid-20th century before there was a general awareness of the importance of preserving of historic buildings.

So we have asphalt roofs that replaced slate roofs. We have fake paneling and dropped Celotex ceilings in once-grand rooms. We have sheet linoleum over hardwood floors. I suggest that there are two problems with the “let’s do the cheapest thing” approach to building maintenance.

The first problem is what it says about our attitude to the legacy of past generations and our lack of faith in the future. “If you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own?” Jesus asks His disciples (Luke 16:12). If we believe our congregations have a future, then we will want to pass on to our heirs a patrimony at least equivalent to what we received. If we think we’re going out of business, then it doesn’t matter how we limp along until then. The first problem with doing the cheapest thing is that it says, “We lack leadership and vision.”

The second problem is much more practical: you get what you pay for. This is a lesson I have learned personally in the 20 years I’ve owned a 19th-century house. What we did right is still in good shape. Where we “cheaped out” it’s cost us more in the long run because we’ve had to do it again. An asphalt roof is cheaper than a slate roof, but a proper slate roof properly done lasts a century; a shingle roof would need to be replaced twice in that time period.

So do it right. It says that you’re grateful for the past and that you have faith in the future. It’s also less expensive in the long run.

Call on Assistance
This comes at the end, not because it’s least important, but so that you’ll remember it. It’s the most important point. The Director of Property Support and the Property Support Committee are available to help you with every aspect of the care of your buildings. The Property Support function has some grants available and offers guidance, technical support, loans, and assistance with obtaining outside funding when that is possible.

Look at the extensive information on the Property Support page of the Diocesan Web site, www.dioceseny.org, and contact Michael Rebic at 212-316-7428 or mrebic@dioceseny.org.

You’re not alone. Get assistance. It’s available. And remember the future.