General Meeting – 14 September 2000

Greenspace Alliance of Canada’s Capital

Minutes of Meeting

September 14, 2000

Present: Erwin Dreessen, Barbara Barr, Bryan Hawley, Amy Kempster, Mike Lascelles.

Regrets: Shelley Parlow

Documents Circulated: Minutes of previous meeting August 27/00

Minutes

Action

1.    Approval of Agenda.

  
 The following changes were made to the Agenda: Add 5 b) Other membership matters and 5 c) Potential approach to developers. Location of next meeting corrected to Billings Room.  The Agenda as amended was agreed to by consensus.

2.    Approval of circulated minutes (Aug. 27/00).

The following corrections were made to the minutes: Action items: Replace Bryan by Bill in the item re Poets’ Pathway.  Action re AGM changed to read …”names for Chair to a Nominating Committee”.  Body of item to refer to October not November (but see discussion later in the meeting). Barbara moved and Bryan seconded that the minutes of August’s meeting as corrected be approved.  Carried.

3.    Urgent items or short announcements:

There were no urgent items.

4.    Business arising from the minutes:

a) Mayoral debate: Currently set for November 1 at RMOC either the Champlain Room or the Council Chambers.  Team is considering having a question on process/public consultation.  Still seeking other sponsors.
Committee to continue seeking other sponsors.
(b) Poets’ Pathway: Bill and Erwin met and have discussed a concept plan and a work plan.  Suggest using Eastern and Southern corridors with McCarthy woods as a focal point.  Bill to contact Michael Gnarowski, a retired Carleton professor, who is an expert on the Confederation poets.  They hope to walk the route. They may try to have a public walk which might attract some people. Bill to contact Prof. Gnarowski. Bill and Erwin to walk the route.
(d) Carleton Woods letter: There has been no action on the condemnation re precipitate cutting of the woods letter. Shelley to draft if possible
(c) Leitrim Wetlands: The “bump-up” letter was sent and the problem of to whom it should be addressed was resolved.
e) Administrative matters.  Since no preparations had been made for the AGM and no speaker contacted it was agreed that it should be rescheduled to November 15.  Erwin will send Secretary the by-law amendments he feels needed for circulation. (Corrections mainly but also quorum requirements at a general meeting.) The Treasurer said the best banking deal she had found so far was the Province of Ontario Savings Bank.  Amy moved and Bryan seconded that the Treasurer use her best judgment re costs to select a banking service. Treasurer to select banking service.
f) Website: Bryan said that he had just had notice of several volunteers for the webmaster job but the question of an editor for what goes on the web site was still open.  Mike indicated he might be able to find an editor. Bryan to review volunteers’ resumes.

Mike to talk to potential volunteer editor
g) Brochure: The copy is final, but some French may be added.  Amy to check whether printing price included half-tones printing. Erwin to forward final copy for printing when ready.  Amy to recheck re prices.
h) AGM: Amy moved and Barbara seconded that a call re need for volunteers for a nominating committee be issued and that in the interim members should submit names for positions to the Secretary. Barbara moved and Amy seconded that Charles Billington be invited for the AGM with requirement that an answer be received early enough to make a poster by Nov. 1. Secretary to issue call for members  for a nominating committee.

Erwin to call potential speaker.
i) Leamy Lake: Erwin obtained information re the environmental assessment which involves Fisheries and Oceans, who are finalising the first round of questions. They haven’t determined how public consultation will be done. Erwin to follow-up.

5.    New Business:

a) ECOS membership application/Rideau River Roundtable: Mike Lascelles explained the history of ECOS (Environmental Committee of Ottawa South) and some of their work re the Rideau River.
Amy moved and Bryan seconded that ECOS become a member and that they represent the Greenspace Alliance on the Rideau River Roundtable. Mike Lascelles to act as liaison with Rideau River Roundtable.
b) Other membership matters:- None
c) Further information re Leitrim wetlands: Prof. Michael, an expert on hydro-geology will review this aspect of the documents on the Public Registry.  He will give an estimate of how much water will drop. Bill and Mike will keep us informed.
d) Approach to developers.  Bryan suggested we investigate ways to approach developers so that they are more sensitive to environmental issues.  It was agreed to place this on the next agenda Chair to place question of methods of approaching developers on the next agenda.