Board of Directors/2017-02-07/Minutes

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Present:
Present:
* {{member|Brett Wuth}} (President)
* {{member|Brett Wuth}} (President)
-
* {{member|Igor Grujic}} (Secretary/Treasurer) (joined at 18:16 and left at 18:50)
 
* {{member|Frank Melo}} (Director at Large)
* {{member|Frank Melo}} (Director at Large)
-
* {{member|John MacGarva}} (Director at Large) (via phone)
 
* {{member|Susanna MacGarva}} (Administrator)
* {{member|Susanna MacGarva}} (Administrator)
 +
Brett Wuth
 +
Frank Melo
Absent with Regret:
Absent with Regret:
-
* none
+
* {{member|Igor Grujic}} (Secretary/Treasurer)
 +
* {{member|John MacGarva}} (Director at Large)
-
Quorum was achieved.
+
<!-- Quorum was achieved. -->
 +
Quorum was not achieved. All motions must be ratified at the next meeting with quorum.
Guests:
Guests:
Line 27: Line 29:
=== Call to Order ===
=== Call to Order ===
-
The Meeting was called to order at 17:40 by Brett.
+
The Meeting was called to order at 17:37 by Brett.
=== Agenda ===
=== Agenda ===
-
No additions to the Agenda
 
-
'''Moved''' by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo that the Agenda be adopted as presented. Carried.
+
'''Moved''' by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo that the Agenda be adopted as amended. Carried.
=== Minutes ===
=== Minutes ===
-
Minutes of 2016-12-06 meeting. No Errors or Omissions
+
Minutes of 2017-01-17 meeting. No Errors or Omissions
-
'''Moved''' by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo that the minutes of the December 6, 2016 board meeting be adopted as presented. Carried.
+
'''Moved''' by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo that the minutes of
 +
the January 17, 2017 board meeting be adopted as presented. Carried.
-
=== Community Response Group ===
+
=== Administrator's Report ===
-
In a final review of our membership 7 members will meet the Provincial Status. 5 are local and 2 are from Lethbridge. By default the remaining members will be moved to the Community Response Group.
+
Susanna reported that the CRA Annual Filing has been completed and sent off.
 +
She will be completing the Alberta Annual Return and mail out.
-
After a pros and cons discussion it was decided to do a mail out to
+
=== New Administrator Search ===
-
this Community Response Group with a signed application to complete
+
-
their Criminal Records check along with a covering letter advising
+
-
these members that this step is still missing to meet Provincial
+
-
requirements if they are interested in being a part of the formal
+
-
SAR group, it will also include the date of Feb 28th, 2017 for
+
-
ICS 100 workshop and the web address to do the course which is 3 hours
+
-
in length.
+
-
John and Susanna will draft the letters. Susanna will mail them.
+
The following resources were use to place ads
 +
The Pincher Creek Voice, Pincher Creek Echo, Shootin the Breeze, and Kijiji.
 +
It was discussed that the Advertising Budget be Amended to allow for these ads.
-
=== Administrator's Report ===
+
'''Moved''' by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo that the Budget for Advertizing be increased from $0.00 to $300.00. Carried.
-
Susanna reported that
+
-
"I met with the new account manager at the ATB. First to advise them
+
Frank Melo presented the committee with one resume and one phone number of people who had expressed interest in the Administrators job.
-
that, Diann Piwek's card # is no longer required and so her a/c # was
+
-
deleted from PCSAR a/c.
+
-
Then I discussed the option of leaving the annual fee at $35.00/year
+
=== Financial Statements ===
-
not the $65.00 that they charge businesses for having their business
+
-
credit card. Dianne (ATB) said she would take it to the branch manager
+
-
and get back to me. Lastly we discussed PCSAR's $1000.00 GIC security
+
-
required by ATB to have a credit card. This GIC was set up to mature
+
-
into our current bank account then upon maturing a new GIC was created
+
-
triggering a service fee for this transaction. I had this process
+
-
changed. This GIC is now locked in place and upon maturing it will
+
-
automatically roll over and the interest will be transferred into our
+
-
current account.
+
-
Shell has requested our bank information for electronic deposit,
+
Susanna drew it to the board's attention that the Bank Charges to date
-
because moving forward they will not be mailing out cheques for the
+
are over budget due to the increase in the Mastercard fee from $35.00
-
grants they approve. (Humorously we had just received Shell's cheque
+
to $65.00.
-
in the mail for our last grant application).
+
-
Thank you notes were sent out to the Ladies Livingston Social Club and
+
'''Moved''' by Brett Wuth seconded by Frank Melo to increase the
-
Val Jankunis along with the requested Tax Receipt, for the donations
+
budget for Bank Charges from $50.00 to $140.00. Carried.
-
we have just received. Val advised us that her donation will be
+
-
matched by Home Depot.
+
-
Susanna reported problems with Phone.com during the registration of
+
There are a couple of Administrator accounts that were over budget due
-
students for the recently hosted SAR course. She will go back and find
+
to the fact that mileage had not been included in the budget
-
the dates and contact the company.
+
calculations. Brett requested that the Administartor verify charges to
 +
these categories and that a budget adjustment be proposed keeping the
 +
total Administrator unchanged.
-
=== Administrator Resignation ===
+
'''Moved''' by Frank Melo, seconded by Brett Wuth that the Financial
 +
Statements be accepted as information. Carried.
-
Susanna's letter of Resignation as Administrator was circulated to the
+
=== Approval of cheques over $500 or outside budget ===
-
board for review. After some discussion she said she would stay on
+
-
after February 28 if we had still not found my replacement. She is
+
-
willing to help with the training of my replacement.
+
-
Replacement Search will be done by Brett Wuth, Susanna MacGarva and Igor Grujic.
+
'''Moved''' by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo that payment of
 +
$768.59 to MacGarva Company Ltd. for administrator's services in the
 +
month of December 2016 be approved. Carried.
-
'''Moved''' by Frank Melo, seconded by John MacGarva that a committee
+
'''Moved'' by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo that payment of
-
of Brett Wuth, Susanna MacGarva, and Igor Grujic be formed to search
+
$1212.09 to Rocky Mountain Mechanical for repairs to the Mobile
-
for a new administrator, and recommend an individual and terms to the
+
Command Post be approved.
-
board. Carried.
+
-
=== Financial Statements ===
+
A motion that payment of $2,884.67 to Wildsoft Consulting for
 +
instructional services at the SAR Basic Course was tabled until the
 +
next meeting
-
'''Moved''' by Igor Grujic , seconded by John MacGarva, that the
+
=== Liaison ===
-
Financial Statements be accepted as information. Carried.
+
-
"Budget vs Actual" is presenting a nicer format to see monthly
+
Brett reported that the RCMP remain comfortable with the Community
-
expenses and YTD expenses. Both of these amounts are being compared to
+
Response Group and they will be looking to include the CRG in a Search
-
the monthly and annual budget figures.
+
along with PCSAR.
 +
Some potential problems that were discussed was, will the higher ups
 +
approve this new Group. It was discussed that in the past that once
 +
things have gone to head office there have not replied thus going into
 +
a void.
-
=== Audit ===
+
The Board discussed liability issues faced by members of the CRG that
-
Audit has been completed and the records and Sign off Sheet have been
+
respond to searches. These are the same issues that are faced by
-
picked up.
+
specialized individuals (such as outfitters and sledders) or
-
An email needs to be sent to the
+
spontaneous volunteers, that the RCMP have request in the past. The
-
membership with the Financial Statements and Auditor's Statement attached.
+
tasking agency is considered responsible for the people they request
 +
help from.
-
=== CRA Annual Filing ===
+
The request will come from the RCMP to the individual CRG members.
 +
PCSAR may offer to help communicate that request to the individuals.
 +
But neither PCSAR nor the CRG will be making the request to the
 +
individuals.
-
Moving forward the CRA Charities Return will be completed
+
There was a discussion about whether the CRG might want to have the
-
and sent out by the end of the week.
+
arrangements formalized in an MOU. Brett will discuss with Wanda.
-
=== Donations ===
+
However in the past negotiating written agreements with the local RCMP
-
We have just received another Anonyms Donation from the TD Private Giving Foundation in the amount of $3,373.01.
+
have been unsuccessful. PCSAR's MOU with the local RCMP was agreed,
-
=== SAR Basics Financial ===
+
but needed to be sent to the provincial RCMP 'K' Division beauracrcy
-
Susanna reports:
+
for approval. They submitted it to the national RCMP lawyers for
 +
review, and after a year still did not have any response.
-
"I am still missing invoices from the instructors who taught at our SAR
+
Brett went to the provincial SAR workshop in Nordegg and presented
-
Basic course. This is due to the fact that they were not advised of
+
on how the CRG was created to allow the community to use some of our now
-
the hourly rate we are willing to pay. Igor and I were able to
+
former members that don't meet the new provincial requirements. It was
-
discuss the budget that I completed prior to the course being
+
well received.
-
started. At this point Igor approved this budget as it stood. This
+
-
states a rate of $18.50/hr for all certified instructors. I can now
+
-
email the instructors with this rate so they can submit their invoices
+
-
to me. It was noted that this approval needs to be done prior to these
+
-
grant courses are run."
+
-
=== Approval of cheques over $500 or outside budget ===
+
Brett spoke extensively with the SAR Alberta President, who didn't
 +
feel the solution was ideal, but understood the need.
-
'''Moved''' by Brett Wuth, seconded by Igor Grujic that payment of $734.06 to MacGarva Company Ltd. for administrator's services in the month of November be approved. Carried.
+
Brett later brought up aspects with the Fire Commissioner.
-
'''Moved''' by Igor Grujic, seconded by Frank Melo that payment of $526.06 to Chris Jorgensen for instructing our SAR Basic course be approved. Carried.
+
Both the OFC and SAR Alberta expressed an interested in making small
 +
adjustments to provincial requirements to make it easier for groups
 +
like ours. This is the first time we've received such a response.
 +
The changes however appear to require a lengthy process and it may be
 +
some time before we see any improvements.
 +
=== Fundraising ===
 +
 
 +
The Calgary Scrambling and Mountaineering Club is hosting a fundraiser
 +
on February 9.
 +
Brett and hopefully Igor will attend.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
The Shell Social Investment Fund new application deadline is March 31, 2017.
 +
The application is about 16 hours to complete
 +
for our target of $10,000 - $12,000.
 +
=== Training ===
 +
Jan 24, 2017 a ICS 100 workshop is being offered at the fire hall.
 +
 
 +
Thursday February 16 is our regular Technical Rescue practice
 +
at the Pincher Fire Hall.
 +
 
 +
On Saturday February 18, we have a snowshoe up to and around the Akamina Pass in Waterton. 
 +
 
 +
ICS workshop at the firehall to work through the online course at
 +
18:30 (6:30 pm) on Tuesday February 28
 +
 
 +
Lethbridge SAR is running a SAR Basics course over 6 days: March 3-5 and March 17-19.
 +
 
 +
Lethbridge SAR will be running a Swiftwater Rescue Course in our area
 +
(at the Oldman Dam), June 10 & 11.
 +
=== Membership ===
 +
John and Susanna are preparing the letter to former members that are missing either the Criminal Records Review and/or ICS 100. They will have a draft ready by next Tuesday.
=== Equipment ===
=== Equipment ===
-
John will be reviewing the Rocky Mountain Mechanical bill, Started
+
John had forwarded a report thate he had reviewed and approved Rocky Mountain
-
truck and command post, checked over vehicles during the cold
+
Mechanical Invoices. He also advised that he had
-
weather. John is still looking to have Fraser Smith give him an
+
not stopped by the firehall and started either the truck or command
-
orientation on how to run the Command Post. Light switches, generator,
+
post since Jan,2017.
-
etc.
+
-
=== Liaison ===
+
-
Brett was unable No meet with Crowsnest Fire/Rescue and Crowsnest RCMP.
+
-
Pincher Creek RCMP is still on board with our new structure
+
-
Brett is off to the provincial workshop in Nordegg to sell the
+
=== Prevention ===
-
Community Response Group to the rest of the SAR Alberta groups that
+
-
will be attending.
+
-
=== Fundraising ===
+
-
The following fundraising applications have been approved:
+
Brett was invited by Pat Neumann (PCES)
-
* Joint Council Funding $20,000
+
to co-present and answer questions for a grade 5 Canyon School class
-
* Shell Community Service Fund $2,000, $1,000 Solar panel $500 computer and $500 boat safety equipment.
+
on rescue equipment following a story they had read.
 +
Trip plans and recruitment flyers were sent home to parents.
-
Shell Social Investment Fund application is to be completed by 2017-01-31
+
We need to print more recruitment flyers.
-
Received monies from the 2001 McWhirter search and Home Depot matching amount is enroute.
+
=== Strategic Planning ===
 +
The board went through a strategic planning session.
-
Calgary Scramblers are hosting a fund raiser in Feb 2017 and Igor Grujic and Brett Wuth will attending this event in Calgary.
+
Our big task in the last year was meeting the provincial
-
=== Training ===
+
requirements. Now what is the next major area we are struggling with?
-
Jan 24, 2017 a ICS 100 workshop is being offered at the fire hall.
+
 
 +
The problems with the province have greatly reduced our core group.
 +
We're seeing attendance numbers of 4-10 vs previously 15-20.
 +
How can move forward with these number? Work load has now been
 +
downloaded to this small group. Burn out for this group is becoming
 +
very real.
 +
 
 +
The goal for future strategic planning should be
 +
to develop a plan to address the level of participation,
 +
number of members, and rejuvination of the organization.
 +
 
 +
Barriers we are currently facing include:
 +
* amount of work
 +
* burn out
 +
* mindset
 +
* life has changed for long-time volunteers
 +
* the disparity between paid and volunteer responders on the same incident
 +
 
 +
brainstorming some solutions:
 +
* Look at a paid model
 +
* lots of community members with Basic SAR training like the first aid model
 +
* bring in fresh blood
-
=== Technology ===
 
-
Matt is authorized to purchase the computer that we received funding for from Shell
 
=== Adjournment ===
=== Adjournment ===
-
The Next Board Meeting is scheduled for February 7, 17:30.
+
The next regular Board Meeting is scheduled for March 7, 17:30.
 +
Brett will call a sooner meeting by e-mail to ratify the motions of
 +
this meeting which was held without quorum.
-
'''Moved'' by Frank Melo, seconded by Brett Wuth to adjourn. Carried.
+
'''Moved'' by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo to adjourn. Carried.

Revision as of 22:38, 16 February 2017

Status of this document

This document is a draft. It has not yet been adopted by the board.

Attending

Present:

Brett Wuth Frank Melo

Absent with Regret:

Quorum was not achieved. All motions must be ratified at the next meeting with quorum.

Guests:

  • none

Meeting

Call to Order

The Meeting was called to order at 17:37 by Brett.

 Agenda

Moved by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo that the Agenda be adopted as amended. Carried.

Minutes

Minutes of 2017-01-17 meeting. No Errors or Omissions

Moved by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo that the minutes of the January 17, 2017 board meeting be adopted as presented. Carried.

Administrator's Report

Susanna reported that the CRA Annual Filing has been completed and sent off. She will be completing the Alberta Annual Return and mail out.

New Administrator Search

The following resources were use to place ads The Pincher Creek Voice, Pincher Creek Echo, Shootin the Breeze, and Kijiji. It was discussed that the Advertising Budget be Amended to allow for these ads.

Moved by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo that the Budget for Advertizing be increased from $0.00 to $300.00. Carried.

Frank Melo presented the committee with one resume and one phone number of people who had expressed interest in the Administrators job.

Financial Statements

Susanna drew it to the board's attention that the Bank Charges to date are over budget due to the increase in the Mastercard fee from $35.00 to $65.00.

Moved by Brett Wuth seconded by Frank Melo to increase the budget for Bank Charges from $50.00 to $140.00. Carried.

There are a couple of Administrator accounts that were over budget due to the fact that mileage had not been included in the budget calculations. Brett requested that the Administartor verify charges to these categories and that a budget adjustment be proposed keeping the total Administrator unchanged.

Moved by Frank Melo, seconded by Brett Wuth that the Financial Statements be accepted as information. Carried.

Approval of cheques over $500 or outside budget

Moved by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo that payment of $768.59 to MacGarva Company Ltd. for administrator's services in the month of December 2016 be approved. Carried.

'Moved by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo that payment of $1212.09 to Rocky Mountain Mechanical for repairs to the Mobile Command Post be approved.

A motion that payment of $2,884.67 to Wildsoft Consulting for instructional services at the SAR Basic Course was tabled until the next meeting

Liaison

Brett reported that the RCMP remain comfortable with the Community Response Group and they will be looking to include the CRG in a Search along with PCSAR.

Some potential problems that were discussed was, will the higher ups approve this new Group. It was discussed that in the past that once things have gone to head office there have not replied thus going into a void.

The Board discussed liability issues faced by members of the CRG that respond to searches. These are the same issues that are faced by specialized individuals (such as outfitters and sledders) or spontaneous volunteers, that the RCMP have request in the past. The tasking agency is considered responsible for the people they request help from.

The request will come from the RCMP to the individual CRG members. PCSAR may offer to help communicate that request to the individuals. But neither PCSAR nor the CRG will be making the request to the individuals.

There was a discussion about whether the CRG might want to have the arrangements formalized in an MOU. Brett will discuss with Wanda. However in the past negotiating written agreements with the local RCMP have been unsuccessful. PCSAR's MOU with the local RCMP was agreed, but needed to be sent to the provincial RCMP 'K' Division beauracrcy for approval. They submitted it to the national RCMP lawyers for review, and after a year still did not have any response.

Brett went to the provincial SAR workshop in Nordegg and presented on how the CRG was created to allow the community to use some of our now former members that don't meet the new provincial requirements. It was well received.

Brett spoke extensively with the SAR Alberta President, who didn't feel the solution was ideal, but understood the need.

Brett later brought up aspects with the Fire Commissioner.

Both the OFC and SAR Alberta expressed an interested in making small adjustments to provincial requirements to make it easier for groups like ours. This is the first time we've received such a response. The changes however appear to require a lengthy process and it may be some time before we see any improvements.

Fundraising

The Calgary Scrambling and Mountaineering Club is hosting a fundraiser on February 9. Brett and hopefully Igor will attend.


The Shell Social Investment Fund new application deadline is March 31, 2017. The application is about 16 hours to complete for our target of $10,000 - $12,000.

Training

Jan 24, 2017 a ICS 100 workshop is being offered at the fire hall.

Thursday February 16 is our regular Technical Rescue practice at the Pincher Fire Hall.

On Saturday February 18, we have a snowshoe up to and around the Akamina Pass in Waterton. 

ICS workshop at the firehall to work through the online course at 18:30 (6:30 pm) on Tuesday February 28

Lethbridge SAR is running a SAR Basics course over 6 days: March 3-5 and March 17-19.

Lethbridge SAR will be running a Swiftwater Rescue Course in our area (at the Oldman Dam), June 10 & 11.

Membership

John and Susanna are preparing the letter to former members that are missing either the Criminal Records Review and/or ICS 100. They will have a draft ready by next Tuesday.

Equipment

John had forwarded a report thate he had reviewed and approved Rocky Mountain Mechanical Invoices. He also advised that he had not stopped by the firehall and started either the truck or command post since Jan,2017.

Prevention

Brett was invited by Pat Neumann (PCES) to co-present and answer questions for a grade 5 Canyon School class on rescue equipment following a story they had read. Trip plans and recruitment flyers were sent home to parents.

We need to print more recruitment flyers.

Strategic Planning

The board went through a strategic planning session.

Our big task in the last year was meeting the provincial requirements. Now what is the next major area we are struggling with?

The problems with the province have greatly reduced our core group. We're seeing attendance numbers of 4-10 vs previously 15-20. How can move forward with these number? Work load has now been downloaded to this small group. Burn out for this group is becoming very real.

The goal for future strategic planning should be to develop a plan to address the level of participation, number of members, and rejuvination of the organization.

Barriers we are currently facing include:

  • amount of work
  • burn out
  • mindset
  • life has changed for long-time volunteers
  • the disparity between paid and volunteer responders on the same incident

brainstorming some solutions:

  • Look at a paid model
  • lots of community members with Basic SAR training like the first aid model
  • bring in fresh blood

Adjournment

The next regular Board Meeting is scheduled for March 7, 17:30. Brett will call a sooner meeting by e-mail to ratify the motions of this meeting which was held without quorum.

'Moved by Brett Wuth, seconded by Frank Melo to adjourn. Carried.

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