Board Minutes August 2012
These minutes were approved in the Board Minutes September 2012.
EBC Board Meeting Minutes for August 16, 2012
- Time: 6:30pm
- Location: LAW 101
- Food: Bernadette
Call to order
18.45
- In attendance: Adam, Neil, Steph, Micah, Alex C., Paul, Bernadette, Duncan, James, Chris Chan, Chris Corrigan.
- Regrets: Brett, Lee
- Absent: none
- Guests: none
- Chair: Bernadette
- Minute-taker: Micah
Approval of agenda
- Steph: I move to approve. Seconded by Adam. Carried.
Approval of minutes
- Adam edited July minutes 'for tone'.
- Steph: I move to Approve. Seconded by Adam. Carried.
Next meeting
- Date: 12 September @ 18.30.
- Location: Micah will attempt to book Law 101 once more.
- Food: Paul
Reports
President's Report
None this month.
Treasurer's Report
Currently sitting on a $17,000 loss, though several grants will be recognised in August, as we'll bill the Police for Spoke-related reno costs, receive funding from MEC for the rental program and file the reimbursement request for STEP funding towards Justin's wages. Still expect a year end loss of approximately $8k. Have spent $15k this year renovating the North Shop. We need to stop now and work with it as is.
We discussed briefly.
Executive Director's Report
Executive Director Report - August 16, 2012
We discussed.
Question: why weather analysis? Answer: It can be effective to pull out graph when people say, It's winter basically most of the year.
Question: it's ok that Lee gets SCiP grant to do EBC work? Answer: We're pretty sure it's legitimate but we're going to double-check.
Question: are we any closer to automatic membership renewals? Could be good source of income. Answer: No. Working on script but not sending.
Question: luncheon presentation happened yet? Answer: No, maybe September.
BikeWorks Report
BikeWorks Director Report - August 7, 2012
Summer Coordinator Report - August 10, 2012
We discussed briefly. Nothing remarkable.
Committee Report
None.
Old business
Action Items from Last Meeting
Carried forward from earlier meetings
- re: Stollery grant: new action item: produce new invoice: Neil and Paul.
- Paul: if someone can forward me info I can try to put it together on my own
- re: Nigerian Ass'n: continuous attempts at communication
- Bills taken out of next month's rent, poss also October's.
- re: fence: assigned to Justin
- done
New action items from last meeting
- for all: Review Bern's notes: Board Development Workshop
- Duncan's - position statement about helmet law - Adam made one. Obviously a work-in-progress. Duncan will see about Adv. comm. to work further on this.
- review committees: general feeling that we are doing better but not done
- board member job descriptions (exec): should be done before December, but preferably before AGM. Adam will write something.
- we are not to have the apostrophe in Edmonton Bicycle Commuters' Society, says Alberta Registries. EBC's officially filed name is without an apostrophe, so anything filed with Registries (Society Return, Bylaw changes, etc) should not have one. We can leave it on our letterhead, etc.
- things that were starred: discussion; incl. mission statement (will do in fall)
- action item (for all): Recruit!
- Micah and Adam: Dan T.
- Duncan: Alex Aboud
- new action item: read: Policies>Job Description>Board Member
New business
WCB Pricing Question
- We have been asked to vote on a question regarding the way our WCB account is priced. Our vote affects the whole industry group (community service organizations). Out of some 6 pages of information from WCB, the bottom line seems to be that we'll save around $0.02 per $100 of payroll (maybe $20-$30 year), by moving costs related "longer recovery due to pre-existing condition" out of the industry cost pool an onto individual employers that run into this kind of workplace injury. How does the board want us to vote?
- Neil - I'm bringing this up because the best interests of EBC seems to be "yes," though marginal, but I'm concerned about that other employers in our group who aggressively manage their WCB costs might start screening applicants for potentially expensive pre-existing conditions, so if it were up to me I'd be voting against EBC's financial interests, and felt I should clear this by the board. I suspect it'll pass regardless of how we vote.
- we vote thus: Micah: I move to vote no; Bern seconded; carried. That is, the NO vote carried.
Reviewing the need for formal position statements
- from the most recent newsletter:
"One of the big takeaways was this: in cities throughout Canada, the United States, Australia, and the world, at all stages of bike infrastructure (from almost nothing in American cities to European cities with established cycle paths), there has been a move away from painted bike lanes as ineffective, instead favouring separated cycle tracks (like in Ottawa, Montreal, New York City, and Vancouver), for arterials, and bike boulevards and neighbourhood greenways for lower-traffic roads.
It's what's needed to make the 60% of "interested, but concerned" potential cyclists feel safe enough to ride on the road. Would you be comfortable with a child or a grandmother riding down Edmonton's streets? If not, then are we only building bike lanes for people who will ride anyway?"
-I don't necessarily have a problem with this idea, but do we need a broader discussion (within the board, advocacy committee, or members) before something becomes a de facto position of EBC? -Adam
Duncan stated that we need to be able to accept a spectrum of improvements when talking to the City and be able to say: "Bike lanes are nice but we'd really like XYZ or whatever."
Chris Chan gave us a mini-prezi from his Prezi. Wants to push the city towards cycle tracks rather than bike lanes: lots of folks who don't ride would be more likely to ride.
2013 Budget
Our financial year ends at the end of August, and we need to establish a budget for 2013. Neil has put together a starting point which includes a planned loss of $20,000, after a loss in the $8k range during 2012 (Based on preliminary estimates for August). While we have reserves to cover this kind of loss in the short term, it isn't a good plan, and takes us below a prudent reserve level. Action should be taken to increase revenue or cut expenses in some way.
Raising revenue is generally the path of least resistance, as the deficiency could be covered by one or receiving just one or two grants, depending on size. Much of the expenses are salaries and rent, which - while not entirely immovable - would be a major change of direction to cut.
The 2014 casino is scheduled for the 3rd quarter, a full two years from the last one, so casino revenue must be stretched over a longer time period than previously.
We discussed, looked at Neil's spreadsheets.
Discussed staffing options, what is needed (e.g. p/t winter f/t summer), what it would save us, what Chris needs, etc. Chris wants someone new before Alex leaves; that leaves us with 3 weeks to post & hire. We are not sure about the feasibility of that. Chris wants certain things/skills from a potential BW coordinator. He has a draft description in the works.
Six month reserve OK since 2 shops ∴ low interruption risk. Still need to come up with a way not to have a $20 000 shortfall for the AGM budget. Chosen methods: Cutting BikeWorks Director hours to 20 over the winter, planing for $8 000 for McCauley grant, reducing food provided at bike-building, board meetings, and AGM. These changes bring us to $8-9 000 shortfall. Additionally, Chris Chan will solicit members for office supplies donations.
Neil: I move to approve budget as amended during the meeting. Seconded by Adam. Carried.
Audit
We should audit our financials before our AGM. Chris Chan will put out a call out for a couple of volunteers.
AGM planning
- where: Parkallen Community League
- when: Sunday 30 September 13.00
- how to be publicized: newsletter, website, calendar; social media?
- who to lead: Adam, Chris Chan, Duncan (committee)
- what's on the agenda: committee
- food: committee
- what info to ask potential board members for, and how to make that visible in advance to members
- ask people to state interest in advance for running for 5 open positions
- if anyone has ideas, send to committee
- who's attempting to come back: Bern. who's not: Steph, James, Alex C. unknown: Brett.
- what to look for: board experience, knowledge of advocacy in Edmonton, connections with diff groups in city. INTEREST! In participating, in our mission, etc.
Whether hiring a full-time BW Coordinator is warranted
see discussion under 2013 Budget.
In Camera
Duncan: I move to go in camera; seconded by Adam; carried.
End of Meeting
Adjourned: Micah: I move to adjourn. Seconded by Chris. Carried. 21.43