Budget time is an important time for the Properties Group to be present since we are able to ask them to examine the proposals for special projects as well as the bids that have come into the office. These bids arrive in sealed envelopes and are opened in the presence of the guardians and local economos who participate in a special meeting some days before the Properties Group come in. In this way we hope to optimize transparency and trust between the office of the General Economato and the various Entities dependent upon the Minister General. Opening the envelopes some time ahead of the arrival of the Properties group also gives us a chance to clarify any points in the bids that might seem in need of discussion.

The Properties Group examines the bids and the work proposals and give their evaluation and recommendations. This allows us some sense of peace that the work being proposed and the prices being asked are reasonable and in line with the current norms and market value. This group also allows us to objectively evaluate the work of the professionals who assist our office throughout the year.

There are a number of projects on the drawing board for the year 2001 but one project seems to have exciting possibilities. In the Spring it became obvious that much of our time was spent reacting to urgent problems that developed in the various structures. In the process of discussing the situation, the team proposed a different approach to our work.

At the suggestion of the Properties Group, a team of local professionals was called together in order to provide a preliminary evaluation of the actual state of our properties. They met with those responsible for and living in the various structures, obtaining hard copies of documentation when it was available and consulting with them face-to-face on what practical situations were a real concern. In keeping with the suggestion of the Properties Group, the professionals went beyond the information garnered from the highly co-operative friars and also examined the properties to ascertain our conformity with present European standards for different areas, including electricity, plumbing, heating and safety, among others.

After the Properties Group went through the preliminary report of over sixty pages, they recommended that work and costs of the next phase be approved. This would mean that each aspect of the report would be considered in more detail with proposals on the priority of future work, the route to be taken and the costs involved. This second phase by the small team of professionals would take us through to next summer and enable us to begin planning some very intentional projects that would start to appear in the budget for 2002.

The project is exciting because it will give us a handle on what we need to be looking at and allow us to plan accordingly. In effect, it will map out a way that can be followed in our remaining years of service and into the next administration. This continuity will help avoid the frustration of having to start out an new period of service without any indications as to what went on before and how things should move in the coming years.

Another important aspect is that this project will also provide us with technical archives. In a number of cases we have not been able to put together certain documents and plans. After this work is done, we will have a good set of blueprints and other information that make life much easier when one needs to intervene in a situation.

We have no illusions that we can ever avoid all the surprises that come with buildings. This project will, however, give us the opportunity to better plan our work and to avoid the costly mistake of taking on a project without being conscious of the various elements. A parallel example of this phenomenon is when a street is repaved, only to discover that the water pipes were not adequate. These have to be done and the road is opened and patched. Then the electricity board needs to pass new lines and the road is opened again, etc.

At this point it is easy to see how these three friars, in their expertise, are helping us to better organize our work to the advantage of our interests as Entities Dependent upon the Minister General. We thank them for their generous availability.