The Madawaska Club of Go Home Bay

 Board Meeting Summary

  Tues Feb 25th, 2014

Michael Williams’s house

362 Deloraine, Toronto

Board Members Attending: Michael Owen, Bill Lougheed (by phone), Roger Ashton (by phone) Dottie Graham, Doug McKenzie, Michael Stephens, Dana Stewart, Michael Williams

Absent:  David Cape

1.    Formal Business  - Dottie

·         Approval of Jan  minutes

2.    Board Succession  – Michael O

·                 Michael O suggested that it might be appropriate to develop a definitive policy on board succession and renewal including term limits and a formal process for finding and nominating new board members.  This would then be reflected the bylaws with a vote at the summer meeting.

·                 Board discussion and subsequent conclusion was that by-law changes not required.  We will continue with the open and transparent policy of ‘advertising’ open board positions and finding the most qualified volunteers for open portfolio positions.

·                 Board was reminded that Michael O and Roger will be stepping down at this August’s meeting.

3.    Environment/Managed Forest Plan  – Michael W.

·         It was agreed that Mike S will take on the role of reviewing Managed Forest Plan in absence of Hugh W’s replacement as this is a  key environment portfolio responsibility and will require action.

·         Michael W. and Bill L. will brief Mike S on the exiting plan so he is up to speed

4.     Zoning Bylaw – Michael W.

·         Michael W. reported that work continues on the deck size issue and developing some sensible guidelines.  He will provide recommendations for the boards consideration at the next meeting.

5.     Hunting Policy – Dottie

·         The background is that people in the past and this year have complained about non Go-Homers hunting or trapping on private or Club property. Licensed hunters can shoot anywhere except private property (unless they’ve been given permission). There are also rules about how far from a house or roadway a hunter can shoot. Private property is private property, and entering it with permission is legal trespass.  To indicate that private property is private and no use by anyone other than its occupants is permitted; red dots have to be put up, 4 inches across.

·                 Policy has been that you don’t hut without permission, either Go Homers of non-Go Homers.  It worked well, outsiders were co-operative: Suggested that we  need to update the policy.  We need a separate policy for migratory bird policy as it has a different opening.

·          Michael O. agreed to take on the drafting of an updated policy

·         Doug M will ensure that we post links on our website to the MNR trapping, hunting and fishing regulations.

·         Michael O spoke to Drewbrook who is a licensed trapper and would like to make a proposal to the club that may have general overall benefits to the membership.  He will be granted an audience at the next meeting

6.     Strategic Discussion Financial Structure of Mad Club– Roger

·         Roger developed a position paper on this subject that was circulated for board discussion and deliberation.

·         The background to the initiative is based on the ‘confluence’ of several significant factors coming together at this point in our history. These include: Members inputting their views to Roger that they feel fees are too high and that is dissuading some in the community to join the club, slow decline in membership over the past several years and that approximately 20% of sites in the community are not members. Combined with these membership points, the club faces a number of significant major financial issues in the fairly near term, including the next scheduled site auction, heavy maintenance costs re the caretaker site and the renewal of the caretakers contract in 2015.

·         All board members were given the floor to voice their reactions to this discussion paper after Rogers review of key points.  Individual comments will not be published and the board will collectively determine what the next steps will be before taking any further action.  All agreed that the exercise of reviewing ‘core values’ was valuable and that the Board will work to come to conclusions and report to membership on a consensus position as developed from now until the summer.

·         Further it was resolved that we would include a thorough review of the club’s costs/benefits as part of the site dues mailing to reinforce the importance of being members in good standing. Consensus is that the environment created and enjoyed by all in the community thru over 100 years of the club’s existent is priceless in terms of open spaces, views, lack of traffic, no over development etc.   Dottie will spearhead this.

Motion to adjourn: – Meeting adjourned