Official PDF Version of the Minutes
August 5, 2024
The Annual Meeting was held at the Ojibway Club following a pancake breakfast, with a sufficient number of members in attendance to establish quorum.
Opening: Dave Sharpe
President Dave Sharpe welcomed everyone who was able to attend, reviewed the Agenda of the meeting, and offered a Land Acknowledgment.
Approval of the 2023 Annual Meeting Minutes: Nancy Rogers
The Minutes of the August 7, 2023 Annual Meeting were circulated by e-newsletter in September 2023 and were linked in the most recent e-newsletter along with the Notice of the 2024 Annual Meeting.
Motion: to approve the Minutes of the 2023 Annual Meeting.
Moved by: Mary Thomson
Seconded by: Cath Fairlie
Approval of the 2023 Annual Meeting Minutes, carried.
Approval of the 2023 Financial Report: Nancy Rogers
The 2023 Financial Statement was circulated by e-newsletter early in 2024, was included in the 2024 Yearbook and linked in the most recent e-newsletter. It had been previously approved by the Board.
Motion: to approve the 2023 Financial Statement.
Moved by: Nancy Rogers
Seconded by: Dave Sharpe
Approval of the 2023 Financial Statement, carried.
2024 Revenues to date: Nancy Rogers
Member Safety Continues to be a major focus for the Board. Twenty-five permanent markers have been purchased. This is double the usual number, made possible by the sale of the Henley Marine Patrol boat. The program of replacing the old Fire Pumps continued with the purchase of one new pump.
The closure of the Marine Patrol program will reduce 2024 expenses by approximately $30,000. The cost of both printing and mailing all the Yearbooks were once again covered by the sales of advertising.
The Georgian Bay Association’s fees increased by 30% from $50 to $65 per PaBIA member. This was not passed on to the membership by an increase in dues this year.
There should be a new Cottage Patrol contract beginning this fall.
The Board ensures that the revenues from your dues and donations are looked after very well.
We thank our many generous members who made donations to the Reserve Fund and Marker Program.
The In Memoriam list of the names of PaBIA and community members whose deaths have been reported to us since the 2023 Annual Meeting was read:
Joy Anderson
Dody Bienenstock
Blair Bongard
Robert Cumming
David Davidson
Donna Digby
Donald ‘Hoot’ Gibson
Tom Horler
Garey Keith
Phillip Keller
Michael Ketchum
Nancy Lofft
Paul Ludwig
Nancy Matheson
Jillson Evans Rolland
Charlie Thomas
Joan Turnbull
Joseph Zintel
Nancy would like to thank everyone for their support for PaBIA; it has been Nancy’s support as well. It was 57 years ago, when she was only 23 years old, she became Assistant SecretaryTreasurer. It was 49 years ago she became Secretary-Treasurer, the third generation in the McCuaig family in the position, after her father Jack McCuaig and her grandfather, John B. McCuaig. There have been 32 different PaBIA Presidents during those years. All of them and their Boards of Directors have served the membership well.
Nancy would also like to thank Elise Findlay, her cousin, who has four Past Presidents in her family tree, for not only being willing to take on the Secretary-Treasurer’s position but asking for the job! She too will serve the membership well.
PaBIA Board Changes/Governance Discussion: Mary Thomson
Mary spoke to the Bylaws that were introduced in 2020, in keeping with ONCA (Ontario NonProfit Corporations Act, 2010). She noted that this year we have four individuals stepping off the Board. Appointments of Directors this year will include two who will assume double portfolios. The assignment of portfolios is a Board decision. A list of proposed Directors standing for election and their associated portfolios was shared with members at the Meeting. PaBIA’s Bylaws require the Board to have a minimum of 8 with a maximum of 12 Directors with a slate of 9 proposed for this year. Mary will, if elected, take on the position of Vice President with a primary focus on Board recruitment and succession.
President’s Remarks: Dave Sharpe
Dave thanked Nancy for her many decades of dedication and excellence and officially welcomed Elise in her new Secretary-Treasurer role. Elise will be appointed to this position by the Board immediately after the conclusion of the Annual Meeting. Dave would also like to thank Mark Gwozdecky, Virginia Skuce, and Lloyd Posno for their enormous contributions to PaBIA. He welcomed Will Lawler, who has taken over the reins from Virginia Skuce, and thanked him for his efforts to date.
Election of PaBIA Board of Directors 2024-2025:
Directors Standing for Election:
Dave Sharpe – President
Mary M. Thomson – Vice-President, Governance/Legal
Hilde Clark – Communications
Mike Berton – Membership & Marketing
Will Lawler – Member Activities
Cath Fairlie – Membership Safety
Katie Findlay – Ratepayers & Regulatory Affairs
Emma Manners – Environment
Trudy Irvine – Indigenous Affairs & Relations with SFN, Education
Motion: To elect the nominees for appointment as PaBIA Directors for 2024-2025.
Moved by: Mary Thomson
Seconded by: Mike Berton
Approval of the motion to elect the nominees for Director positions, carried.
Lifetime Membership Nomination: Tom McConnell
Tom McConnell put forward a motion for Jack Marley to be given a PaBIA Honorary Lifetime Membership for his work on the PaBIA Board and for being instrumental in creating the PaBIA yearbook as both a member directory and a wonderful keepsake of time and place.
Motion: To present Jack Marley with a PaBIA Honorary Lifetime Membership.
Moved by: Tom McConnell
Seconded by: Tom Scoon
Approval of the motion to present Jack Marley with a PaBIA Honorary Lifetime Membership, carried.
Guest Speaker: Bert Liverance
Dave welcomed Bert Liverance, Reeve for the Township of the Archipelago. Bert presented on the environmental threats facing our communities and beyond. He spoke of his work with the IJC (International Joint Commission), and his work with the Township, to bring many communities together to increase and amplify our voices on environmental issues effecting the Great Lakes Basin.
Questions from the Membership: Dave Sharpe, Cath Fairlie
Dave and Cath addressed questions from the audience about the shutdown of the Marine Patrol program, marker damage, and other safety concerns.
Meeting adjourned.
Elise Findlay
Recording Secretary