Presbyterian Mission Agency Board renews De La Rosa’s contract

One-year extension for interim PMA director, Ghost Ranch transfer details

by Gregg Brekke | Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE – The Presbyterian Mission Agency Board (PMAB), gathered as the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) A Corporation, met this afternoon to vote on Tony De La Rosa’s contract extension as PMA interim executive director and finalize details of the transfer of Ghost Ranch Education and Retreat Center to the National Ghost Ranch Foundation (NGRF).

Prior to going into closed session for the majority of the meeting, the Board voted to approve a capital expenditure by Stony Point Conference Center for the purchase of a new van used to transport guests to and from airport and train hubs. Stony Point received a $19,000 bequest for the purchase. Board approval is required for capital expenditures over $5,000.

Actions reported by the Board following its closed session include:

1. That the Corporation approves one or more grants to the National Ghost Ranch Foundation, Inc. (NGRF) totaling in the aggregate up to Two Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($275,000) for the support of the mission of the Ghost Ranch Education and Retreat Center, said grants subject to the reporting requirements of the Corporation’s grant procedures and in addition to other amounts to be provided to NGRF under the operations transfer agreement, which also will be undertaken by means of a grant.
2. That the Corporation approve a one year renewal of Luis Antonio De La Rosa term as Interim Executive Director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, commencing December 1, 2016 and expiring November 30, 2017, with terms and conditions more specifically set forth in the agreements between Mr. De La Rosa and the Corporation.

The $275,000 in grants to the NGRF are anticipated to be the final detail of the transfer of Ghost Ranch scheduled to occur on January 1, 2017.

De La Rosa said of his contract renewal, “I’m grateful to the board for its action and ongoing trust in my leadership.” Saying he has a full set of goals for the coming year, his top priorities rest in facilitating and advising the several General Assembly appointed groups looking at the structure and work of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) agencies.

“Chief among [the goals] is to provide whatever support I and the Agency can give to the various General Assembly committees: the All Agency Review, the Vision 2020 and the Way Forward Commission,” he said. “There will be opportunities to engage the Mission Agency on a number of fronts and we need to make sure everything is coordinated so the committees receive consistent and reliable information.”

The next scheduled meeting of the PMAB is March 22 through March 24 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where they will meet concurrently with the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly. The Executive Committee of the PMAB will convene prior to this meeting on March 21.