Storing things in the attic at a ward building.

We have 4 wards meeting at one building and there is a storage shed in the parking lot that has three units. Our ward did not get one so we have to have the members store things that the ward uses throughout the year. It is hard to keep track of things which has been hard to count on using the items. The bishop said we can use a corner in the attic which has been nice but we were just informed that the church has a policy that nothing can be stored up there. We only stored decorations for Christmas and Easter parties so no perishables. Is there any wiggle room on that or are we just stuck?

nielsonray wrote: Wed Apr 23, 2025 12:52 am we were just informed that the church has a policy that nothing can be stored up there.

I can't say as I've heard of that. It probably came from FM and we don't have access to their Handbook.

I'd say your best option is to have the stake president pressure FM to come up with a solution.

FM "owns" the building. Wards and Branches are tenants. I agree that a conversation needs to happen with FM on this. The stake president will likely have a better chance at starting the discussion - in my experience as a bishop and branch president on different occasions, FM typically only listens to the stake president unless it is something they are already planning do anyway...

Another option would be to suggest a "rotating schedule" where a different ward is left without a storage unit each year. It's often interesting to see how offering for everyone to share a bit of the "pain", can help motivate others to speak up on your behalf!

A bit tongue-in-cheek, but the underlying point remains that it's unfair if the other three wards all have access to something necessary and there's no desire to share the load. I'd hope you can speak with the other three wards and then approach the stake president with a unified voice, as opposed to it just being one ward asking for something.

Guessing no fire stops or sprinklers in the attic and combustibles up there would not be a great idea from a fire perspective. Since the Church self insures on most properties I can see where FM would say no storage up above.

Are there no hall and/or classroom cabinets which all of the wards should be sharing?

garystroble wrote: Wed Apr 23, 2025 5:31 pm Are there no hall and/or classroom cabinets which all of the wards should be sharing?

I'm going to take a guess this is largely camping equipment.

russellhltn wrote: Wed Apr 23, 2025 5:59 pm

garystroble wrote: Wed Apr 23, 2025 5:31 pm Are there no hall and/or classroom cabinets which all of the wards should be sharing?

I'm going to take a guess this is largely camping equipment.

OP said Christmas and Easter party decorations.

Camping equipment should definitely be stored outside the church building.

garystroble wrote: Wed Apr 23, 2025 9:02 pm OP said Christmas and Easter party decorations.

Ah, so he did. That must be quite a set.

What some wards have done is coordinate decorating so that the wards share - at least for the weekend. For example one will set up Thursday, have the Christmas party Friday, and the next ward will have their party Saturday and then take down the decorations. Or something along those lines.