A2A Board Meeting #52
June 26, 2007
6:30pm Frontenac Biosphere Reserve
19 Reynolds Road, Lansdowne
Regrets: Ken Buchan, Holly Evans, Chris Bellemore
Purposes: Fundraising for three big projects, election of officers, long-term strategy
1. Welcome and Introductions: George Boland, Don Ross, Cameron Smith, James Dobson, Celia Godkin, Emily Conger, Svenja Belaoussoff
a) Updates:
-Biodigester Workshop was held in April
-approximately 80 people attended (50 of them farmers)
-purpose was to raise the awareness on how to increase the viability of family farms
-there is now a demand for additional workshops
-Charitable Status
-A2A will be approved for Charitable Status shortly
-Industry Canada has submitted letters of support to the Canadian Revenue Agency and this will secure A2A’s status
2. Approval of agenda: Approved
3. Approval of minutes from last board meeting (#51, November 2006): Approved
4. Business arising from minutes
-no progress has been made on the A2A website
-last email was written by Holly
-no response on Molly property letters which were written by Don and Cameron
5. Membership and Treasurer’s Report:
Expenditures:
-owe $800 (approx.) for insurance
-owe $144.25 for outstanding bill
-$75 uncashed cheque for Ontario Nature
-costs of holding AGM
-renewal of Biosphere Reserve and Ontario Nature memberships
-Svenya is working 20hrs/week and her $25K salary needs to be raised
Income:
-donation of $500 from local landowner which can’t be cashed until A2A receives a charitable number.
Therefore, accounting for outstanding expenditures and the donation, A2A has approximately $1098.25.
6. Election of officers and board appointments:
Elections were co-ordinated by Don Ross:
2007 Board of Directors
President: Emily
Vice President: Ian
Treasurer: George
Secretary: Celia
Action: Charles Caccica (University of Ottawa) will be approached by Cameron to see if he’s interested in becoming a board member.
7. Projects and funding for them:
a) Gananoque Watershed Project:
-looking at historical data and the current status of the watershed to determine what remedial measures need to be implemented to return it to the original status.
-there is a $50K contract with a biologist in progress for the completion of this project
-there was a discussion regarding the possible expansion of this project
-the focus could be on improving water quality with particular attention to the possibility of re-introducing salmon
-John Casslemen from the OMNR should be contacted for further direction/comments
-Svenja will develop ideas from existing information and progress to date and discuss with appropriate committees at a later date
b) 401 Project:
-the study has been sent to a biologist for comments and those comments will then be integrated to complete Phase 1
-there is now a requirement to decide what needs to be done to connect habitat
-there is a need to determine what biologists need to get an accurate quote for work to be completed
c) Forest Climate Adaptation Project:
-this is a 4 year project with Jay Malcolm (University of Toronto) and his graduate students, baseline study of what direction we should be heading (what trees to plant etc.)
-$200K budget
ACTION: Emily, Don and Cameron to send all reports and existing proposals regarding these projects to Svenya.
8. Y2Y Meeting Report:
-brief overview of Y2Y concepts
-they encourage buy in from regional/local groups
-they aren’t the ‘do-ers’ but rather the supporters
-they don’t advocate or fund raise
ACTION: Emily to obtain a copy of Wendy Francis’ presentation.
9. Committees:
a. ADMINISTRATION: combination of previous Finance, Strategy and Business committees, includes membership. Sophie, Cameron, George and Don. Also includes PROJECTS AND PLANNING: James and Emily
b. COMMUNICATIONS: Emily, Richard, Holly, Celia, Margo, Chris and Ian
*Svenja will float among committees until she decides where she is most productive.
10. Reports:
a. Community Landowner Booklet
-layout is complete but photos are needed
-programs and projects section needs work
-there is a need to examine the capacity to complete it (with preference given to completing it prior to Ploughing Match)
ACTION: Communications committee needs to discuss the completion of this booklet.
b. Brochure
-Celia Godkin is completing it. Some concerns raised about whether species listed as in the A2A area were indigenous to the area, and whether using a deer on the cover map was a good idea.
ACTION: Communications committee to review wording and images. Richard Lautens to be contacted to obtain higher resolution photos for Celia.
c. Website
-no progress
d. Ploughing Match
-being held September 17-22
-A2A has a booth and needs volunteers to run it
e. Newsletter
-Holly completed newsletter in May
-need summer newsletter for distribution at Ploughing Match
f. Membership fees
-will be left at annual fee of $25
11. Other business
-Cameron has met with Richard Raisen regarding what practices should be followed by township crews to protect wildlife and its habitat. A presentation should be completed for the local council, individuals/groups responsible for local dams etc.
ACTION: James to record instances he knows about which have or continue to endanger wildlife on Gananoque Lake. Chris to do the same. Combine both notes to create a presentation/publication for south-east townships in Ontario.
Upcoming Meeting Dates:
Communications: July 2, SLINP 9:00am
Administration: July 5th, Kingston 3:30pm
Board Meeting: July 31st, SLINP Eco-House, 5:45 Pot Luck, 6:30 meeting
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