VMAS 2021 AGM Minutes

VMAS

 Annual General Meeting 

2021

Date: October 24th, 2021

Start Time: 7:08pm

End Time: 8:40pm

Venue: Long Lake Music Studio 

Electronic Platform: Zoom (Z)

Attendees

Donna F: President

Chao C: Treasurer

Carla V: Secretary

April H: Board Member

Megan N-D: Board Member

Carol R: Board Member/COVID-19 Safety Response Manager

Genevieve J. (Z)

Katya M.

Mary-Jo M. (Z)

Thea M.

Kate P. (Z)

Christy P.

Debbie P: Recreational Coach (Z)

Carol S.

Heather W.

Janet W.

Agenda

  • Call to Order and Determination of Quorum
  • Adoption of 2020 AGM Minutes
  • Treasurer’s Report
  • Coaches’ Report
  • Bylaw Update
  1. Rationale for Bylaw Changes and BCAS/CAS Stipulations
  2. Questions and Discussion
  3. Vote
  • Election of Officers
  • Fundraising Update (time permitting)
  1. Beer and Burger
  2. Other Suggestions
  • Swim Cap Update (time permitting)

Opening

Meeting Called to Order

  • Meeting called to order by Donna Falconer at 7:08pm

Determination of Quorum

  • With 14 attendees (13 members and 1 coach), Carla confirms we have the required Quorum of 75% membership to amend our current bylaws.

Adoption of 2020 AGM Minutes

  • 2020 AGM minutes are reviewed by Donna.

Motion to accept 2020 AGM minutes as presented:

Motioned: Carol Ramey

Seconded: April Harkness

All in Favour: Unanimous

Motion Carried

Business

Treasurer’s Report

Chao announces VMAS is in its healthiest financial state since its founding

  • Total Chequing/Savings: $9.093.43
  • Gaming Account: $3,308.95

Total Liabilities and Equity: $12,402.38

Status of Venue Rentals

  • We were able to pay for our summer program at Kin Pool in full
  • We have paid for our upcoming blocks at the Ladysmith Pool
  • We continue to pay the NAC on a month to month basis

Fundraising

  • Our recent bottle drive brought in over $500 

Funding

  • We hope to receive funding through the community gaming grant in 2022, just as we have the two previous years
  • The Local Sport Relief Fund assisted in our ability to cover the rental costs for the dive tank

Member Questions

  • There is an inquiry as to how often we do bottle drives. In conversation, the board mentions the club has a standing account at Hayes Rd. bottle depot. Bottles can be returned at any time, and the profits can be added to the club’s account
  • Do we have an account at the Parksville bottle depot where they sort the bottles for us? Donna confirms our former club secretary would know and she will confirm this with her
  • Coach Debbie: inquires what the gaming grant funding can be used on
  1. Board confirms this was put towards our facility rentals 

Motion to accept the Financial Report as presented by Chao Chang:

Motioned: Megan Nunez-Delgado

Seconded: Janet Walker

All in Favour: Unanimous

Motioned Carried

Coaches’ Report

Coach Debbie presents her report from zoom platform: 

  • She is proud to be part of a thriving community
  • She acknowledges how the club executives stepped up during COVID
  • She shares her enthusiasm regarding the passion of the recreational athletes

Coach Catharine previously submitted her report to the board. Donna reads the report to attendees:

  • Catharine highlights the goal of our current competitive members to compete internationally in the Summer of 2023

Bylaws

Rationale for Bylaw Changes and BCAS/CAS Stipulations

  • Donna takes the floor explaining the pending amendments to our current bylaws:
  1. We are making these required changes due to new government regulations
  • BC Artistic Swimming (BCAS), our provincial governing body, has extended the deadline for these changes to implemented by January 2022
  • VMAS has essentially completed phase 1 and phase 2 of these required changes
  • Additional pending changes include:
  1. Increased insurance for Civil Litigation
  2. Minutes will be uploaded to club drive and/or club website
  3. Official acceptance of our VMAS call letters from BCAS

Discussions and Questions

  • Proposed bylaws were previously distributed, and Donna again presents the proposed bylaws in their entirety
  • Carol Ramey posts the bylaws to zoom platform
  • Carol Stewart: Article IV:1 – Can meeting locations include “virtual or hybrid options”
  1.  Wording to Article IV:1 will be changed: A general meeting must be held at the time and place that the Board determines – including virtual or hybrid options.
  • Carol Stewart: Article Vll:1 – Questions what “70% of members” specifies. 70% of club members? Or 70% of club member attendees?
  1. Wording to Article Vll:1 will be changed: The bylaws of the society may be amended at any general, special, or annual meeting of the society by the special resolution adopted by seventy (70%) percent majority vote of the members of the society present at any special, annual, or general meeting.

Vote

Motion to accept the amended bylaws with modifications as discussed:

Motioned: Chao Chang

Seconded: Carol Stewart

All in Favour: Unanimous

Motion Carried

Election of Officers

Status of the Current Board

  • Donna: Confirms all board executives and board members are willing to stay on in their current roles

Nominations, Motions, and Voting

  • Carol Stuart: Nominates every existing board member to continue in their current roles.
  1. Thea: Seconds this.
  • Chao: Nominates Carol Stuart to the board. 
  1. Carol declines.
  • Debbie: Suggests recreational members volunteer to sit on the board in addition to Chao. 
  1. Recreational members show no interest in serving on the board

Motion to re-elect the existing board, in its entirety, with all officers continuing their current roles:

Motioned: Carol Stuart

Seconded: Thea Miscavish

All in Favour: Unanimous

Motion Carried

Fundraising Update

Beer and Burger

  • Carol Ramey will be spearheading this.
  1. She inquires about volunteer help, specifically with collecting donations
  2. April: Confirms there is a donation letter in the club drive
  • Carol Ramey: Still trying to secure a venue
  1. Railway Station and Piper’s Pub unwilling to host us, but still trying to follow up with management
  • Debbie: Suggests inquiring with Old City.
  • Thea: Puts forth comments and ideas
  1. Wine and Wings Night?
  2. Carlos O’Briens was $5 more, but totally worth it.
  3. Should we look into a wings and wine night at Old City?

Other Fundraising Opportunities

  • Hot Dog Sale at Country Grocer is suggested. Donna confirms those fundraising opportunities are generally reserved for youth.
  • Mary-Jo: Suggests looking into a Coffee Sale Fundraiser. It’s the most successful fundraiser for another club in town.
  •  April: Suggests Krispy Kreme Fundraiser.
  • Thea: Suggests a Wine Bottle Basket Raffle.
  1. Carol Ramey: Suggests wine bottle as a Silent Auction Item.

Swim Cap Update

Order Company

  • Donna: States we are ordering from Team Aquatic
  1. Donna: There are cheaper companies; however, they are of inferior quality
  2. Donna: Logo on the swim cap still needs to be vectorized

Cap Design

  • Debbie: Inquires about Lycra caps, making room for a hair bun
  1. Donna: Responds that caps will be silicone
  • Final 2 design options are displayed. One with vertical lettering. One with horizontal lettering
  • Team shows overwhelming favour to traditional horizontal lettering

Motion to accept the more traditional logo with horizontal lettering on the team swim caps:

Motioned: April Harkness

Seconded: Carol Ramey

All in Favour: Unanimous

Motion Carried

Additional Topics and Discussion

Team Swimwear

  • Debbie: Inquires about team suits
  1. Donna: Responds that finances are a consideration/prevention and polyester suits are difficult to obtain due to COVID related issues
  • Katya: Suggests the possibility of embroidering our personal suits
  • Janet: Asks if team suits could be used in competitions
  1. Suits worn for competitions are generally regulated by governing bodies

New Membership Possibilities

  •  April: Inquires as to whether we are currently accepting new members.
  1. Donna and Carla: Not able to accept new members at this time due to limited pool space

Pool Rental Challenges

  • Member: A club from another community is granted rental space in Nanaimo while they already have a facility in their own district. The space they use is a prime time slot for public usage.
  1. Donna: The person to contact on this inquiry is the Aquatic Coordinator
  2. Donna: Points out said club uses less space than we do
  • Debbie: What is the ratio of other swim club usage at the NAC?
  1. Kate: 80% of Nanaimo pool user groups (revenue sources) are swim clubs, leaving the remaining 20% to the public. 

Second Sound System

  • Chao: Recreational group has grown. Inquires if Debbie can be issued a microphone in addition to Catharine
  • Donna: Confirms the sound system used during the Summer program belonged to the Diamonds
  • Debbie: Clarifies that the system currently used by the competitive team is her personal equipment
  • Donna: Board of directors realizes how important of an issue this is
  • It is confirmed that only one microphone can be used per sound system

Water Show

  • Debbie: Will the team compete in a Christmas Water Show?
  1. Donna: No. There are no plans or preparations for this

Vaccination Policy

  • Janet: Why are we required to provide our vaccination passports to the NAC when the public isn’t?
  1. Donna: PHO regulations
  2. Katya: It is necessary for all adult teams
  3. Carol Stuart: Confirms Donna’s previous statement

Elective Team Gear and Merchandise

  • Donna: Team parkas are available to order at Team Aquatic. Previous parka design has been slightly altered
  1. Donna: Speedo bags are also available in a slightly altered design.
  2. Donna: Embroidery is not included with these elective purchases.

Club Meeting Inquiries

  • Debbie: Mentions the possibility of monthly club meetings
  1. Donna: It’s something the BoD could possibly look into
  • Katya: Any member currently has the right to attend BoD meetings

 

Closing

Meeting Adjournment

Motion to adjourn the VanIsle Masters Artistic Swimming Club 2021 Annual General Meeting.

Motioned: Carol Stewart

Seconded: Megan Nunez-Delgado

Meeting adjourned at 8:40pm