Agreement between the Cantons of Schaffhausen and Thurgau concerning the Protestant-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 Burg parish.

2. It transfers the right of parish election to the church community.

3. It transfers ownership of the buildings and properties previously associated with the patronage, currently registered in the Land Register of Stein, to the church community. These include the parsonage (Reg. No. 1027, insured value CHF 26,700), the associated ancillary building (Reg. No. 1028, insured value CHF 3,300), the choir and tower of the church along with their contents (insured value CHF 6,000), and the parsonage garden with courtyard and pathways.

4. Simultaneously, it discharges all duties associated with the collature and patronage, particularly the remuneration (including age allowances, pension, etc.) of the pastor and the maintenance of the buildings, through a one-time monetary payment amounting to CHF 50,000.

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

a. from CHF 50,000 (amount for the redemption of collation and patronage obligations) as a one-time monetary contribution from the Canton of Schaffhausen together with the Central Treasury of the Evangelical-Reformed Church of Schaffhausen;

b. from CHF 10,000 as a one-time monetary contribution from the Canton of Thurgau from the Reserve Fund of the Thurgau Evangelical Church Parishes together with an extraordinary state contribution;

c. from the existing church property of the Church Parish of Burg amounting to CHF 11,181.29 (according to the church property account as of December 31, 1917);

d. from a fund contribution of CHF 10,000, to be paid by the Church Parish of Burg in ten annual installments and, if not paid in, to bear interest at a rate of 4 ½%;

e. from legacies 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. Otherwise, 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 the two 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.