Feb 1 2011 – Board of Directors Minutes

PROBUS CLUB VANCOUVER

Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Probus Club of Vancouver held at the Vancouver Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club, 1630 West
16th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. on FEBRUARY 1, 2011 at the hour of 9:30am.

PRESENT:
Bill Sexsmith – President
Nick Thornton – Past President
Wayne Audette – Treasurer
Toni Wooster – for Membership Services Chairman
Doug Lambert – House Committee Chairman
Conrad Rademaker – Membership Committee Chairman
Bill Robertson – Activities Committee Chairman
Brian Maunder – Speakers Committee Vice Chairman
Brian Wasson –Secretary
Gordon Thom – Historian and Archivist

1. Calling Meeting to Order
President, Bill Sexsmith called the meeting to order at 9:30 am.
Brian Wasson acted as Secretary. A quorum of members being present,
the Chairman declared the meeting properly constituted for the transaction of business.

2. Minutes of Meeting of November 30, 2010
ON MOTION DULY MADE AND SECONDED AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
the Minutes of the Board of Directors Meeting of November 30, 2010 be approved as circulated.

3. Feedback on Presidents’ Lunch
The Chairman announced that the feedback regarding the President’s Lunch has been extremely positive both as to format and venue. The meeting endorsed the continuation of both in the future. The Treasurer stated that not all accounts are completed to determine if event broke even. There is an unexpected electrical bill to look after but break even is close. Heartiest congratulations to Doug Lambert in pulling the event together. In view of the format of the President’s Lunch, it was considered that the traditional Valentine’s Lunch be cancelled.

4. Business arising from the Minutes
a. Incorporation
Brian Wasson reported that the PROBUS CLUB OF VANCOUVER society was incorporated on January 25, 2011 and that initial minutes to convert membership from the association into the society are being prepared. Certified copies of the incorporation certificate to forward to Probus Canada, the bank etc. have been ordered.
Wayne Audette suggested that when the bank account is turned over that signing officers be designated by title rather than name and that there be five signing officers at all times. His recommendation is to have President, Past President, Treasurer, Secretary and Doug Lambert as signing officers. The incorporation will be announced at the February 8, 2011 meeting to the membership at large and a reference will be made on the website.

b. Strategic Planning

In the absence of Don Newman, Bill Sexsmith said that good progress was being made by the special committee and their report should be available in April. The two ad hoc members have been very helpful in defining issues.

c. Vice Chair Status
The Chairman reiterated the importance of each Chairman finding and grooming a Vice Chairman. It is a matter of orderly succession and should be given some priority by each Chairman.

d. Probus R-2011

The Chairman announced that the crisis over the viability of the proposed national Conference has been resolved. There was an issue of financial liability which Probus Canada has now recognized should not fall on the local sponsors of the event. The Chairman, as others had resigned from the organizing committee in protest to the lack of financial backup from Probus Canada. These issues have now been resolved with a reorganized committee and since January 1 a great deal of planning for the event has been underway. The Chairman has rejoined the Committee.

As an initial step Probus Redezvous 2011 has asked this club to make a loan of $2,500 to provide interim start up costs and show support.. The North Shore Club has loaned $3000 on the following basis:

-the advances from the clubs will be treated as loans and the funds will be returned if the R-2011 convention realizes a sufficient surplus from the event.
-the loans will be returned in full without interest.
-if funds are insufficient for full recovery, the loans will be paid back on a pro rata basis.
-if there is a deficit, there will be no repayment.
-ANY CLUB WHICH MAKES A LOAN ON THIS BASIS IS EXCLUDED FROM ANY FURTHER LIABILITY IN THE EVENT OF AN R-2011 DEFICIT AND CONSEQUENT CLUB OR MEMBER ASSESSMENTS

UPON MOTION DULY MADE AND SECONDED IT WAS RESOLVED THAT
the loan of $2,500 be made
to Rendezvous 2011 on the above conditions.
In reply to questions, registrants for R-2011 are coming in now. The program includes five speakers, a banquet and numerous tourist options The dates are September 13(afternoon) to 17. We will hold our monthly meeting on September 13 as scheduled.

e. Negotiation of Music Academy Rental Space

The topic of the change in venue for monthly meetings again revolved around physical facilities and the demographics of the Club.
Does the club want to exceed 400 members?
With the attrition rate, is the club capable of expanding to a larger number?
If it does, is there pressure to split into two groups?
If, as statistics show the average age of the members is increasing what can
be done to attract younger applicants?
On the practical level, Doug Lambert advised that the Planetarium could set up the coffee room with sound to accommodate an overflow crowd.
The club is not dependent on the Music School as an alternative.
The consensus is that the Music School be treated as a backup and the Planetarium continue as the favoured venue.

f. Joint Club Activities
Bill Robertson advocates a joint meeting of all Probus Clubs in the area with a speaker such as the Minister of Health once a year at the Convention Centre or a similar venue.

5 Program Outlook 2011

a. Speakers
Brian Maunder reported that speakers have been secured through September. The introducer and thanker for the February meeting speaker have been set up.

b. Activities
Bill Robertson advised that a number of activities are being explored. Ted Horsey is recommending a horticultural outing, Vancouver Cooking School Vancouver Airport and others. He pointed out that there are sometimes scheduling difficulties with proposed sites. He pointed out that meshing with the Cancer Research Centre was one such case. The Committee tries to preview tours to avoid surprises.
He pleaded that payments for events come in by cheque, not cash, which is awkward to deal with.
c. Membership
Conrad Rademaker provided a written report on Membership matters.
Three new members will be inducted at the February meeting leaving 15 on the waiting list.
There are three new members on the Committee who will be active in the member introductions commencing in March.
d. Membership Services
No report
e. Finance
Wayne Audette reported funds on hand at the end of December of $25,000.
Depending how the President’s Lunch breaks out, he expects the balance to be $20,000 at the end of January.
He will forward the loan cheque to Rendezvous 2011 and Probus Canada today.

6 Airtime Requirements February 8th

Requesting airtime are Brian Wasson, Bill Robertson and Conrad Rademaker

7 New Business
Bill Robertson detailed investigations into finding a more accurate method of determining attendance at meetings from an electronic reader of a chip in the member’s name tag or a cheaper version using a bar code.

.

The next meeting of the Board of Directors is scheduled for Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at The Vancouver Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club at 9:30 am.

There being no further business the meeting terminated.

_______________________________
Bill Sexsmith, President
_______________________________
Brian Wasson, Secretary

Matters to be followed up:

– R-2011 on the Website
– Society Status to be communicated to Probus Canada, City, HSBC and insurance broker.
– Confirmation of appointment of Vice-Chairs