LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — December 12-13, 1975, Page 7

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

539. District Bylaws (Ag. 9, 11 12, 236, 344, A,B,C, 625, 653): Carl Eberhard was asked whether he
would be willing after his retirement becomes fully effective to comb through these District bylaws and
make recommendations to the Commission.
The meeting adjourned with the Lord's Prayer in unison.
Herbert Mueller, Secretary
Opinion re Springfield--Ft. Wayne Move
The Commission on Constitutional Matters has been asked whether Anaheim Resolution 6-08A is
constitutional in the light of Bylaw 1.27 h which states:
h. Overtures and recommendations involving capital outlay or current expenditures shall be
accompanied, to the extent feasible, by cost projections and the basis thereof; furthermore, each
proposed resolution involving expenditures, prior to its consideration on the floor of the
convention, shall be presented to the floor committee on financial matters, which in consultation
with the Controller shall attach to the recommended resolution accompanying information on
estimated cost thereof on an annual basis or on a project basis, as the case may be.
I.
The Commission on Constitutional Matters has determined the background of Bylaw 1.27 h. It was
intended to prevent a convention from taking hasty actions on proposals involving expenditures of money
without adequate information regarding start-up and continuing costs in order to make certain that the
Synod could afford to undertake the proposal offered.
II.
The following facts should be borne in mind:
A.

The move from Springfield to Fort Wayne was proposed by the special Task Force on
Higher Education which was created by the New Orleans convention for the purpose of
improving -also from ,a financial standpoint -- the Synod's long standing system of colleges
and seminaries. During the course of its work this Task Force gave intensive study to the
validity of the Fort Wayne program and to the possibility of moving the Springfield seminary
to the Fort Wayne campus. The cost factor was given careful attention. The Task Force
recommended to the convention:
"That the proceeds from the disposition of the Springfield property be used to offset any
costs involved in (1) the transfer of appropriate resources of the seminary, (2) the
transfer of appropriate resources of the preministerial program at Fort Wayne, and (3)
for any necessary remodeling of facilities to accommodate these purposes. Any
remaining proceeds shall be set aside as an endowment for needy students attending a
synodical seminary. program." (Workbook, p. 300)
This judgment was known to all delegates long before the convention.

B.

The floor-committee was aware of the argumentation of the Task Force, that it was a
reasonable expectation, based on estimates, that the proceeds of the sale of the Springfield
campus would more than cover the cost of moving faculty families, the library, and other