Greenspace Alliance of Canada’s Capital

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of October 22, 2003

Billings Room, City Hall

Attendance

Members: Bill Royds (meeting chair), Chris Szpak (Secretary), Barbara Barr, Quentin Bristow, Al Crosby, Amy Kempster, David McNicoll, Juan Pedro Unger, Svetlana Venetsky

Guests: John Calvert, Etler Bird, Bruce Finlay, Cynthia Levesque

Regrets: Stephen Artelle

The meeting was called to order at 7:36 p.m.

ITEM

1. Determination of Quorum:

It was determined that at least 1/5 of the total membership was present to establish a quorum as per Alliance by-laws.

2. Approval of the Agenda:
   

Motion: A. Crosby moved and Q. Bristow seconded acceptance of the Agenda.  Carried. (Note: The agenda items were re-numbered in these Minutes to correct a typographical numbering error in the Agenda.) 

3. Adoption of Minutes of Annual General Meeting of October 16, 2002:

Motion: A. Crosby moved and Q. Bristow seconded acceptance of the Minutes of Oct. 16, 2002. Carried.

4. Invited Speakers:

Cynthia Levesque, the City’s Program Manager of Environmental Management and Bruce Finlay, the staff person responsible for the Greenspace Master Plan, gave presentations on the environmental strategy for Ottawa – a component of Ottawa 20/20, the city’s growth management strategy – and the Greenspace Master Plan, its objectives and methodologies.

5. Year-end Report: 

The report will be prepared and sent later to the Alliance Membership. B. Royds will prepare the Report.

6. Treasurer’s Report:

The Treasurer, B. Barr, reported that:

• the current balance is $2,980.20 with outstanding expenses of $20.38;
• the major sources of income were proceeds from the Run/Walk for Clean Air, sale of Run/Walk T-shirts, sale of tulip bulbs and membership dues.  The Run/Walk proceeds of $1,500 were the largest source of income;
• the major expenses of the past year were costs associated with incorporation, operation of the website and domain name registration, postal box rental, a donation to Evergreen for the Aylmer Land Trust, and membership in Volunteer Ottawa.  The incorporation related expenses of $230 were the largest expense item; and
• the Greenspace Alliance is now banking at the Desjardins Credit Union which assumed ownership of the Province of Ontario Savings office on April 1, 2003.

Motion: B. Barr moved and Q. Bristow seconded to accept the Treasurer’s report. Carried.

7. Appointment of an Auditor:

B. Royds informed the meeting that he knew of a retired auditor who might volunteer his services for auditing the Alliance’s books.  An audit will need to be done on an annual basis as a requirement of federal incorporation. B. Royds will contact potential auditor.

8. Elections:

(a) Election of the Chair:

Nominations and a vote were held to elect the Alliance’s Chair for the coming year.  Q. Bristow nominated B. Royds and J.P. Unger seconded. No other nominations were received.

Motion: B. Barr moved and C. Szpak seconded to close the nominations. Carried.

Vote: B. Royds was unanimously elected as Chair.

(b)  Election of Directors:

B. Barr, A. Kempster, B. Royds, C. Szpak, S. Venetsky and J. P. Unger agreed to stand for election as Directors. No other nominations were received.

Motion: A. Kempster moved and B. Barr seconded to close the nominations. Carried.

Vote: All nominated Directors were unanimously elected.

9. Other Business:

(a) Poet’s Pathway:

Steven Artelle could not attend the AGM but sent a note with an update on the Poets’ Pathway project.  Plans have been developed to place a commemorative plaque at a gateway site where McCarthy Park enters the McCarthy Woods in the southern corridor.  B. Royds was thanked for providing the preliminary funds for the plaque.  The Project will be launching a communications campaign with volunteers from the Ottawa Literary Heritage Society to have the pathway extended throughout the southern corridor.

(b) FCA Appeals to the Official Plan:

The meeting was informed that the Federation of Citizens’ Associations (FCA) was holding a meeting 15 November 2003 to consider appeals to the Official Plan.

10. Adjournment of the AGM:

Motion: B. Barr moved and C. Szpak seconded the adjournment of the Annual General Meeting.  Carried.