As we begin the careful process of re-gathering in-person at the UUCC Shaker Heights building during this COVID-19 era, the Buildings & Grounds (B&G) Team has been working hard to make our building more safe, welcoming,and appealing. The Board of Trustees has approved significant capital funds for a number of projects that B&G has prioritized. We will use this space in the Weekly Update to update the Congregation periodically on the progress of these projects and other efforts to maintain and improve our physical surroundings.

Major Projects

• Second Floor Repairs and Improvements
  • Repair the stubborn roof leak near the skylight; we are getting bids and timing from a 2nd contractor as the first one we were working with could not commit to a time frame due to its overall work schedules and material shortages. (NOTE: the completion of this project is a prerequisite to working on much of the next two projects.)
  • Replace the ceiling tile – a contractor has been identified and we are awaiting the proposal.
  • Repair and replace the floor tile – a contractor has been identified and we are awaiting a proposal
• Parking Lot repair and re-striping
  • Asphalt patching and repairs have been COMPLETED.
  • Re-striping will occur in the spring.
• New carpeting in both the east and west entries – COMPLETED
• New chairs for Fellowship Hall
  • The gold chairs have served us well but they are beginning to show their age.
  • B&G is searching for a vendor that can provide suitable, padded chairs that meet our requirements for environmentally suitable materials and stackability for storage.
• Repair the crumbling masonry for the front steps and east retaining wall of the Shaker building.
  • Proposals will be solicited from contractors with work targeted to begin in the spring. 
• New assisted hearing “loop and coil” system for the Sanctuary.
  • A contractor has been selected and the timing of this work will be coordinated with work on a new sound system for the Sanctuary, a project that is being led by Mike Carney.
  • Target for completion of these projects is early 2022.
• Kitchen Improvements
  • A new Dishwasher and “Disposal” have been installed over the past couple years.
  • At the request of the Meals-on-Wheels group that uses our kitchen 3 times/week to prepare meals, we are getting proposals to improve the “draft” of the venting over the stoves and ovens.

Also, please welcome a new custodian, Vertis Nelson, who joined us in October.  Vertis will generally be working during weekday evenings and every other weekend.

The B&G team members are Pat Dillard, Ray Gonzalez, Michael Kuehm (custodian), Ken Kuehm (co-chair), Ryan McGuire, Tom McKenna (co-chair), Vertis Nelson (custodian), Dell Salza and Matt Smith.  We welcome your feedback and input.