President's Message - Annual Meeting Recap and More
Fellow Craigleith Members,
It was great to see many of you at our annual meeting last Saturday and at the subsequent social hour(s). The Depot is a wonderful facility and will only improve as various post-construction enhancements are completed. The performance of the acoustical panels in the ceiling is very promising!
I'm writing today to recap the annual meeting and remind you of opportunities to comment on the proposed new Club code of conduct and other matters.
The presentation slides and a video recording of the annual meeting have been posted on the governance page of the Club's website. The Simply Voting software used in connection with the meeting enabled much greater participation than has been customary at past annual meetings. Over 1000 members voted. Other than the two amendments to the new by-law, all of the resolutions passed with well over 90% support in almost all cases.
I thank members for their support of the work of the governance committee over the last two years in preparing the new by-law and related documents, and reiterate my thanks to the governance committee for their excellent completion of a necessary task that would not have appealed to many members. These documents provide a good foundation for the more vibrant decisions that the Club will make in the future, but they must also be revisited periodically to ensure that they continue to reflect the Club's needs and goals as times change.
I also thank members for their support of the Track3 initiative. Track3 has operated its great programs at the Club for many years and has contributed significantly to the Club in both tangible and intangible ways. The board will continue to work with Track3 to implement a long term agreement that will see Track3 construct a much needed new facility and receive the Club's ongoing support for its programs, all based on the principles in the letter of intent approved by the members. Track3 will now be stepping up their ambitious fundraising campaign to allow them to do so.
The amendments to the by-law proposed by members, known as the legacy badge proposal and the supermajority proposal, also carried with support of 52.3% and 54.8%, respectively. We had good discussions regarding these proposed amendments before and at the annual meeting, and we've learned about the law and our processes as a result of the proposals being made. While they obviously were less widely supported than the other resolutions, the board will do its best to ensure they work for all members.
The new by-law, with these amendments, is also posted on the governance page of the website. The articles of amendment are being filed in the public records and we'll then obtain restated articles of incorporation that will consolidate 65 years of history (beginning with our 1958 letters patent) in one document for easy reference.
The adoption of the legacy badge proposal means that a member who is at least 75 years of age and has been a member for the previous 25 consecutive years is not liable for annual fees, except for any part of the annual fees designated as a capital levy. Club staff are reviewing records and will communicate with anyone who appears to be eligible for this honour, not later than the end of November. Please be patient until then 🙂
In the annual meeting presentation, you'll find conceptual drawings and plans regarding a more modest expansion of the Base Lodge. These reflect work done by the building committee with the Club's consultants to explore what we might build with our current resources and without jeopardizing the Club's strong financial position. The presentation also announces a plan for member consultation at the beginning of the coming season, about the Base Lodge expansion and other matters.
In the meantime, as Jeff Courtemanche announced at the meeting, we're going ahead with a new Base Lodge bar slightly to the north of the existing location, so it's in the centre of the bay rather than against the wall. This will allow for more equipment and access and a better experience for members and staff alike. All due to happen in the coming weeks!
While the days become shorter and colder, spare a moment from your contemplation of snowmaking opportunities, edge sharpening and the snowboard World Cup race that we'll host next winter, to review the draft of the new code of conduct that's posted on the governance page for members to comment. The board will be grateful for your feedback before adopting a new code of conduct in time for the coming season.
As always, comments are welcome concerning that, voting, timing and format for the annual meeting, and other matters that interest you at [email protected].
Cheers,
James Mathers,
President
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