Decision Number 659
SUBJECT TO FINAL EDITING
Legality of Delegating to Districts the Authority to Determine and Apportion Salaries for District Superintendents.
Digest
Virginia Conference is consistent with the provisions of ¶¶ 710.1(a) and 711 when it allows the district stewards of the various districts to set the salaries of the district superintendents, using conference established guidelines.
Statement of Facts
The Virginia Annual Conference, on recommendation of the Conference Council on Finance and Administration, delegates to the districts of the conference, through its district stewards, the responsibility of setting the salaries of the district superintendents. The conference has asked the Judicial Council for a decision as to whether the phrase "unless otherwise provided" in ¶ 710.1(a) of the 1988 Discipline can be interpreted as allowing the Annual Conference the option of delegating to its districts the authority to determine and apportion the salaries of their superintendents.
Jurisdiction
The Judicial Council has jurisdiction under ¶ 2615 of the 1988 Discipline.
Analysis and Rationale
Par. 710.1(a) states:
It shall be the duty of the council [on finance and administration] unless otherwise provided, to estimate the total amount necessary to furnish a sufficient and equitable support for the district superintendents of the conference, including salary, staff, office and housing.
The phrase "unless otherwise provided" gives the Annual Conference the authority to provide for options in the way support for the district superintendents is determined and implemented. Further, ¶ 711 stipulates that:
The council shall recommend to the Annual Conference for its action and determination the methods (emphasis added) or formulas by which the approved budgeted amount for ministerial support, administration, World Service and Conference Benevolences, and other causes ... shall be apportioned to the districts, churches or charges of the conference.
The method by which the Virginia Conference has chosen to support its district superintendents is to allow the district stewards to set the salaries of the superintendents, using certain guidelines. This authority is consistent with ¶¶ 710.1(a) and 711.
Decision
The Virginia Conference is consistent with the provisions of ¶¶ 710.1(a) and 711 when it allows the district stewards of the various districts to set the salaries of the district superintendents, using conference established guidelines.