Agreement between the Cantons of Schaffhausen and Thurgau concerning the Evangelical Reformed Parish of Burg bei Stein am Rhein

1. The Parish of Burg consists of the Protestant-Reformed inhabitants of the Schaffhausen state territory of Stein am Rhein-Vorderbrücke, as well as those from the Thurgau municipalities of Eschenz, Kaltenbach (including Bleuelhausen and Etzwilen), and Rheinklingen.

2. The Cantons of Schaffhausen and Thurgau grant this parish the rights of a public ecclesiastical corporation. As such, it is capable of owning property and is authorized to levy taxes.

1. The Canton of Schaffhausen renounces its rights as the collator and patron of the parish of Burg.

2. It transfers the right to elect the parish priest to the parish community.

3. It conveys to them in ownership the buildings and properties previously pertaining to the patronage, currently registered in the land register of Stein, namely the parsonage (Land Reg. No. 1027, insured value CHF 26,700.00), the associated outbuilding (Land Reg. No. 1028, insured value CHF 3,300.00), the choir and tower of the church including contents (insured value CHF 6,000.00), the parsonage garden with courtyard and paths.

4. Simultaneously, it discharges all obligations associated with the collature and patronage, specifically the salary (including seniority allowances, pension, etc.) of the pastor and the maintenance of the buildings, through a one-time monetary payment of CHF 50,000.00.

1. The Parish of Burg is obligated to establish a Church and Benefice Fund. This fund shall be constituted as follows

a) from a one-time monetary payment of CHF 50,000.00 (amount for the redemption of collation and patronage duties) provided by the Canton of Schaffhausen together with the central treasury of the Schaffhausen Reformed Evangelical Church

b) from a one-time monetary payment of CHF 10,000.00 provided by the Canton of Thurgau from the reserve fund of the Thurgau Reformed Evangelical parishes together with an extraordinary state contribution

c) from the current church assets of the Parish of Burg amounting to CHF 11,181.29 (according to the church asset accounting as of December 31, 1917)

d) from a fund contribution of CHF 10,000.00 to be paid by the Parish of Burg in ten annual installments and, to the extent not paid, to be interest-bearing at 4½%

e) from bequests and donations

1. The ecclesiastical needs, including the remuneration of the pastor, shall be covered from the income of the church and benefice funds and, insofar as these means are insufficient, from church taxes.

1. The church community levies its church taxes as a unified corporation with a uniform tax rate. The basis for the taxation of the obligors is the respective wealth and income assessment in Schaffhausen and Thurgau.

2. The general contributions and taxes of the national church are paid by the members of the church from the Schaffhausen part to the Schaffhausen central treasury and from the Thurgau part to the Thurgau central treasury.

3. Tax disputes are decided by the competent cantonal authorities for each part.

1. In addition, the church organization of the Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Schaffhausen applies to the parish of Burg, subject to the implementation agreement to be agreed upon by the bodies of both national churches and the parish of Burg.

1. This contract shall enter into force upon approval by all competent authorities.

2. Each contracting party shall be furnished with a signed copy of the contract.

3. The agreed performances shall be executed no later than one month after mutual approval is obtained.