Board Minutes June 2014

These minutes are not yet approved. They are scheduled for review and approval at the upcoming board meeting.

EBC Board Meeting Minutes for June 18, 2014

Board meetings are open to the EBC members and the public.

• Location: BikeWorks North, 2nd floor
• Start Time: 6:30 pm

Please RSVP to [board@edmontonbikes.ca] if you plan on attending. Please include a brief summary of any agenda item you would like to table. Thank you!

Attendance

• Meeting Chair: Caylie
• Minute-taker: Anna
• Food by: Doug
• Board attendance: Caylie, Leila, Anna, Doug, Steve, Chris CO, Sarah 645, Derek 650
• Staff attendance: Chris, Coreen
• Regrets: Bernadette, Kristen, Carlos, Matt
• Absent:
• Guests: Neil C 630-900, Janine H (You Can Ride Too Coordinator) 645-700

Call to Order

• Meeting called to order by Caylie at 6:42pm.
• Welcome to Janine! Introductions and process for board meetings (overview)

Logistics for Next Meeting

• Date: Mid Year Board Retreat Sunday July 13, 2014 @ 10am-4pm
• Location: TBA
• Chair: n/a
• Minute-taker: Anna
• Food by: TBA
  • Action Items: Anna will review 2014 budget to determine if any food budget is available. If not, BYOL/potluck.
• Caylie and Doug met a person who runs Thrive Facilitation who would be able to facilitate this session.
  • Action Items: Doug will contact her by June 30 to get details of what she is willing to do.

Approval of Agenda, Minutes, Reports (5 min)

• Clarification on May minutes:
  • two motions to approve agenda and minutes, one included approving reports. Which one is accurate?
    • consent agenda is correct.
    • Action Items: Anna to update May minutes.
  • Derek's resignation: when does it take effect? Action item required to close his EBC account?
    • effective June 30th 2014
    • Action Items: Anna will update May minutes

• Motion: To approve June 2014 agenda, May 2014 minutes as amended, and reports as presented below. Motioned by Leila. Seconded by Anna. Sarah abstains. Motion Carried.

President's Report

• via email: I won't be submitting a report this month as all my work will be summarized in the HR report.

Treasurer's Report

• Financial Report May 2014 - submitted by Neil on June 15

Executive Director's Report

• No April report submitted.
• No May report submitted.

BikeWorks Report

• BikeWorks Report May 2014 - submitted June 6

Advocacy Committee Report

• No report for May 2014

H.R. Committee Report

• No report for May 2014

Policy Committee Report

• No report for May 2014

Strategic Planning Committee Report

• No report for May 2014

Volunteer Appreciation Ad-hoc Committee Report

• No report for May 2014

AGM Ad-hoc Committee Report

• No report for May 2014

Current & Completed Business

Updates on Action Items From Previous Meeting (5 min)

• Everyone log your 2014 board volunteer hours for the past month.
• Everyone sign reports that you have reviewed each month.
• Ongoing: Committee chairs to post all committee meetings to EBC calendar - public ones go on "EBC Events", other committee meetings go on "EBC Internal" calendar.
• Oct 2013: Anna to make record of what to do for next AGM.
• Nov 2013: Executive Committee (Leila, Sarah, Anna, Carlos) will pursue a Servus credit card for EBC in the name of the Executive Director.
  • Anna will check with Servus to clarify what status of card application is...
• Jan 2014: Kristen present proposed bylaw change at AGM 2014.
• Feb 2014: Kristen/Policy Committee will incorporate petty cash max in future Financial policy.
• Feb 2014: Strategic Planning Committee will continue to gather info to bring a proposal regarding EBC name change to the board in July 2014.
• April 2014: Bernadette will get further details on procedure to submit a letter to AGLC or sign onto a group letter.
• April 2014: Anna will draft a response to patron about EBC current and proposed practices re inclusion/accessibility.
• April 2014: Chris Co will draft an Advocacy Coordinator description by April 25 and pass to Chris Chan for posting.
  • Chris Co will send to Caylie for review. Final position will be posted to Advocacy listserv.
• May 2014: Chris Chan will follow up with ATB and YCR2 with report/thank you for donations.
  • Anna writing these.
• May 2014: Chris Corrigan will follow up with the person about BW Contractor position.
  • Person is no longer interested. Doug and Chris Co will formulate plans about future contractor position.
• May 2014: Executive Committee (Leila, Sarah, Carlos, Anna) will create an info sheet outlining the expense reimbursement process.
  • Policy or probably more like a procedure for how to get reimbursements.
• May 2014: Doug will follow up with Bern re: Hazard Assessments and coordinate to get this done.
• May 2014: Sarah will research organizing First Aid classes for staff and BW volunteers.
• May 2014: Anna, Sarah, Caylie will plan July mid-year board retreat.
• May 2014: Chris Ch, Coreen to consider job description for workshop/class instructor and make future recommendations to Board.
  • this is a larger discussion!
• May 2014: Women, Trans, and Femme board members please consider volunteering for WTF days, 1 shift per month

COMPLETED

• Feb 2014: Anna to take pics and write bio for website.
• April 2014: Carlos, Chris Chan, Neil to start drafting Sept 2014-Sept 2015 budget.
• May 2014: Chris Chan will send an email to see if anyone can attend Neighbourhood Action Program meeting.

Coordinators, Contractors, and Other Paid Positions (15 min)

• Anna: The board and staff have discussed various ideas to have program coordinators, contractors, and other paid positions in the past year.
  • Workshop instructors (May 2014)
  • Bike builders
  • Administrator
  • Other?
• We would benefit from some scenarios to decide whether one or more of these positions are feasible:
  • revenue vs expense?
  • costs and benefits to our current employees' work load
  • job description, duties?
  • number of hours/month?
  • wage, benefits?
• Discussion notes:
  • Caylie: staff, do you think additional staff is necessary and if so in what areas?
  • Chris: Two categories:
    • Revenue neutral: bike building, maybe course instructors (will know more by end of summer)?
    • Other: Communications, advocacy, manage north shop, admin, etc.
  • Chris' priorities would be to hire someone for Fundraising for EBC programs to get funding that would hire other roles. Charitable status is important as a factor because can pay for staff, but it also makes more work for our programs like YCR2 and Spoke who have to then spend time creating partnerships and work getting basic resources. We currently can access individual donors who are not interested in tax receipts and government grants.
  • Coreen: I too see the need for more staff. BWN Manager position esp if we want to go through improvements/renos at BWN. I currently dont have time for staff development because I just have too much to do. Bike BUilder position would pay for itself.
  • Anna: Staff could go forward at any time with creating and posting a bike builder position since it is very likely no risk. This was action item in past. Coreen: We currently have ~5 people coming out to bike building. Neil: Concerned that hiring bike builders......
• Coreen: Do we have room in budget to hire another position? Neil: Board has not decided yet but it is realistic and seems to be of interest to hire a part time contract position.
• Chris Ch: We have considered this. If you are a certified mechanic you can be hired. Have software for tracking productivity of bike repairs. There are still details to be figured out in terms of our practice for volunteering vs paying...
• Caylie: Could we give it a try as a summer contract? I can help draft a job description. It is low risk.
• Coreen: Just too busy to do the proper thought into this position during the summer. Could look at something for the fall...
• Steve: Any ideas of wage? Chris: These are details we would have to figure out.
• Anna: Could we post by Sept 15, promo at AGM, close posting Oct 1, hire by Oct 15? Need to put some timelines to this project if it is going to happen.
• Chris Chan: There are budget considerations for this position. We also need to have a discussion with our volunteers... board could help with this consultation.
• Leila: In some ways Coreen has done this informally...
• Caylie: Include this in budget, then consult with volunteers.

• Action Items: Caylie will write draft job description. Send to staff to present to volunteers. Go from there.

New Business

Guest Speaker: Janine - You Can Ride Two (20 min)

• EBC's You Can Ride 2 program info: youcanridetwo.ca and edmontonbikes.ca/services/youth-adapted-services/
  • Learn-to-ride program is a free, accessible program teaching children with special needs or coordination challenges (autism, cerebral palsy, downe syndrome, etc) how to ride a conventional two-wheeled bicycle. Each youth is paired with a volunteer pediatric physiotherapist or occupational therapist.
  • Adapted bicycle loan pool provides bikes on loan to children whose special needs prevent them from riding a 2-wheel bicycle. The program launched in 2011 and loaned out over 40 bikes in its first year.
• Janine has been involved in coordinating YCR2 since 2003!
• 2003 - Janine connected with John Collier (Canbike instructor) to create a Learn To Ride program. Currently have 140 kids for Learn To Ride.
• 2011: began Adapted Bike Loan Pool. In 2013, had 44 bikes loaned out!
• Alberta Association of Community Living is YCR2 charity partner to enable larger fundraisers - eg. $25k
• needed to hire a coordinator and mechanic. Janine was working 5-10 hrs/week!
• Partnerships: NAIT (website, logo), UofA Engineering (remote control breaking system! folding balance wheel system, bike tracking system for short term loans of bikes), Law students (legal review), UofA marketing students (marketing plan), River Valley Programs (locker room for loan bike storage), City of Edm Fleet Services (current loan bike storage but may be kicked out any time), Paraplygic Asso (can write tax receipt for donation of materials), AACL (can write tax receipt for monetary donations)
  • Doug suggested a fellow who is running a social enterprise storage facility.
  • Action Items: Doug will send contact info to Janine.
• Future: would like to hire a staff who has downe syndrome, would like to purchase a car-trailer, would like to make the program information available online so that other cities can use the info, website/database,
• Would like to make adapted bike loan pool available to more people because it is expensive to buy an adapted bike and this way they know for sure that this is the adapted bike that works for their kid.
• Lots of little projects!
• Janine/YCR2 needs:
  • mechanics: we have mechanics for big events but dont have anyone who can consistently fix the bikes on short timelines. Paraplygic Association has to hire someone to fix their bikes so they are willing to pool the money to split payment for this mechanic position.
  • drivers to pick up bikes and bring to storage facility!
  • Payment of big purchases. Need a bank account or credit card. YCR2 has a volunteer who is willing to do treasurer role. Is it possible to have a separate banking account? Neil: Need a Financial Policy but yes it is possible.
  • looking at becoming its own charity. Was denied some grants because EBC's budget is too big. This program cannot run without EBC! Would like to program to be self-sustaining and not burn out volunteers and EBC staff.
  • For 2015: Spent all the $ we have. If EBC is able to fund a piece of a mechanic wage that would be amazing. $2-3k to fix up entire fleet and fitting days (end of Feb) and return days (Oct 25), loaned out to schools during winter.
• So much potential! Feedback from families has been amazing! Have had so many great news articles about the program but need to coordinate this to get out to the community.
• Discussion notes:
  • Leila: Considering YCR2 brings in its own grants, own unique partnerships, etc. Is it feasible to be own charity?
  • Janine: Only worry is that I dont have any other time to spend coordinating. Dont have the connection to the cycling community - this program runs because of the partnership with many different groups! Not sure if it is best to be under EBC, on our own, etc.
  • Neil: Could set up a Society that is specifically set up to run this program, which is under EBC. Relativel easy to do.

• Action Items: Strategic Planning Committee will contact Janine to have further meeting.

In Camera Session - part 1 (20 min)

• Motion: To go in camera. Moved by Doug, seconded by Leila. Motion Carried.
• 2015 Budget Draft - 20 min
• Motion: To end the in camera discussion. Moved by Doug, seconded by Chris Co. Motion Carried.

ED Verbal Report (20 min)

• In lieu of April and May written report, ED will provide verbal report to inform board of critical news.
• May was all about media about BWS, summer events, advocacy. June is all events.
• Garbage disposal issue at both shops as we do not have our own dumpster at either location. Landlord is not amenable to having a dumpster on site - other tenants take it home with them. Might be a budget item for consideration = waste disposal.
• Spoke, YCR2 budgets? Neil: started with what spoke had this year but I dont have a good idea of what YCR2's budget needs or plans are.
• Grant Writing position. This could fund the hiring of a BWN Manager, Spoke Coordinator, etc.
• Selling bike racks, getting regularly paid requests for presentations
• End of May attended event for Canadian Mental Health Association to build partnerships as it relates to cycling community and EBC's specific staff, volunteers, etc.

Accepting paid advertising (10 min)

• We've been approached by an agency wishing to place some form of paid advertising on our website. In this particular case, I'd like to say yes, but am looking for agreement from the Board, and a policy for future.-Cwc (talk) 10:19, 17 June 2014 (PDT)
• Paid advertising for What The Bike. Ad firm has contacted EBC to get advertising on our site. 1) graphic sidebar ad 2) cookie for next site person visits to tell them they came from EBC site. Would be active for 2 months. Do not know how much to ask for? Probably couple hundred dollars?
• Chris is not interested in opening up website to other advertising. However, would be useful to have an advertising policy.
• Discussion notes:
  • Steve: I dont know how i feel about this topic in general, but in this specific case I support it.
  • Chris: Could open EBC up to being perceived as supporting bike plan. Derek: Campaign is more about the consultation process, not so much the plan.
  • Leila: Tempted to say it is not a priority to start supporting paid ads. This offer is low and we will be supporting this campaign anyway.
  • Sarah: Could we not ask for payment but rather ask that they make a donation to our program?

• Motion: To advertise What The Bike campaign for 2 months on EBC website. Moved by Sarah, seconded by Steve.Motion Carried.
• Action Items: Policy Committee to add an advertising policy to the wish list.

Honoring Member

• Coreen: WOuld like to have an organizational action/effort to honour Des. This has hit the EBC community very hard. Memorial Ride? Volunteer Award in their name? Would like to do something more creative.
• Neil: Creating an award may not be sustainable for EBC...
• Caylie: Ride is a good community building activity.
• Sarah: Met her at a potluck which is also a great community building activity.
• Leila: Is there a way to address mental health in the space that we create? Explicitly recognize that support is needed in our community. Coreen: How can we create a space where we can talk about mental health in the same way that we talk about cancer? Encourage people to reach out in the community. How can our action de-stigmatize the issue.
• Doug: CMHA offers Assist program training (suicide intervention skills training). I think this would be a value to offer for volunteers and community. Coreen: Our strength is bikes but partnering with other organizations in other topics could combine our strengths.
• Chris Ch: 1) How do we make shop more supportive and provide the resources? This needs further discussion with volunteers, community, partners. 2) What do we do to commemorate Des specifically? Ride and picnic in park could be appropriate.
• Coreen: Small family memorial is Monday. Would like to share a card with family. Leila: Will get a card and sign on behalf of EBC.

• Motion: To approve $100 for food for ride event. Motioned by Leila. Seconded by Chris Co. Motion Carried.
• Action Items: Chris Co will begin coordinate ride event (contacting people, food pick up, etc). Leila will get card. Sarah will look into mental health partnerships or initiatives that EBC could take on.

Closing TD and RBC accounts (5 min)

• From May Financial report: "We still have an outstanding GIC [at RBC]... ideally Leila and Micah, if they're available. We need to both close the bank account and request that the GIC be cashed out when it matures. They can either mail us the cheque or deposit straight to our Servus General account.

• Action Items: Leila will contact Micah and coordinate this.

In Camera Session - part 2 (15 min)

• Motion: To go in camera. Moved by Leila, seconded by Sarah. Motion Carried.
• Please list how long you believe your topic will take to discuss:
  • 10 min topic
• Motion: To end the in camera discussion. Moved by Leila, seconded by Steve. Motion Carried.

Adjournment

• Motion: To adjourn the meeting. Moved by Leila, seconded by Chris Co. Motion Carried.