Members present: Paul Johanis (chair), Iola Price, Tony Keith. Erwin Dreessen, Arto Keklikian, Nicole DesRoches, David McNicoll, Stephen Hazell
1. Adoption of the agenda
The proposed agenda was agreed upon
Moved by Iola, seconded by Erwin. Approved.
2. Administrative items
a. Minutes of June 17 2024 meeting (for approval)
Moved by Erwin, seconded by Iola. Carried.
b. Website report
As contract costs are coming out below projections, several additional activities that could be undertaken by the team and would enhance the website were proposed. Paul read from the final report due on July 31 regarding the Canada Community Services Recovery Fund grant that financed the project to improve the comprehensiveness and timeliness of our website updates. The project has met its objectives, on time and on budget. All disbursements have been made, including the GAs share for its oversight role. He played a video that showed the look and feel of the upgraded website and of the control panel that will be used to manage the automated content creation and posting feature, which was the main objective of the project.
c. Treasurer’s report
Despite having to cancel the in-person plant sale due to illness, and thanks to the tireless work of GA member Janice Seline, who carried on with the sale from her home, the plant sale raised about the same as in past years. On a motion from Tony, attendees unanimously passed a vote of thanks for her dedication and service running the plant sale all these years. Next year’s will be the 20th edition of the sale. Paul also gave an update on the GA’s bank balance post plant sale and grant operations.
d. Association report
Paul reported on the FCA’s AGM and retreat, noting that he would be taking on a delimited role as Chair under a new governance model consistent with Ontario Non-Profit Corporations Act, under which the FCA is incorporated. He also reported on a visioning exercise that the Peoples Official Plan coalition will be holding on August 15, 2024 to evaluate its performance and deliberate on its future activities. In this respect Erwin counseled that POP should, in addition to environment and climate, maintain and reinforce its focus on social justice, which he views as a unique characteristic of POP. He also proposed that an effort be made to research and document POP’s history and process, in particular how it managed to be so successful in having so many of its proposals on the new Official Plan adopted by motion at City Council.
