January 2026 Meeting Minutes

Meeting Name and Number/Purpose:			MRA January 2026 Meeting Minutes
Date of Meeting:	January 7, 2026			Time of Meeting (Start and End):		7:00 pm-8:30 pm
Location of Meeting:	Virtual / Google Meet
Meeting Chairperson:	Rozhen			Meeting Minutes Prepared By:		Jim Foster
Date Meeting Minutes Distributed:		January 8, 2026			Date of Next Meeting:	February 4, 2026, 7:00 pm

In Attendance: Rozhen (Chair), Michael S, David, Jim, Richard, Andrew, Michael M, Victor

Meeting Summary

The participants, led by Rozhen Asrani, approved the November minutes and accepted Rozhen Asrani’s decision to step down as president and board member at the upcoming AGM, which necessitates filling multiple board vacancies, including the Treasurer role. The board unanimously decided to hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, March 11th, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the library and agreed to form a subcommittee to drive the new Mimico 2040 Plan initiative framework presented by Jim Foster and David Thornley. A motion to send a letter of support to the Mute Swan Society failed. Andrew Blackwell and Victor Yee volunteered to attend the LAMP affordable housing roundtable, and Michael Schwanzer reported that the organization is financially stable, with over $7,000 in the bank.

Summary of Action Items

1. Michael Schwanzer will book the library for the AGM on Wednesday, March 11th, from 6:30 PM to 9 PM, and confirm the booking with Rozhen Asrani.
2. Rozhen Asrani will reach out to Tim to ask if he is willing to help with the tech setup for the hybrid AGM on March 11th, and proactively offer reimbursement for his equipment and support.
3. Rozhen Asrani will send a reminder email or message to the group to gauge interest in the Treasurer role.
4. Rozhen Asrani will send emails inviting Lee, James Maloney, and Christine Hogarth to serve as guest speakers for the AGM after receiving confirmation of the library booking.
5. Rozhen Asrani will begin compiling content for the AGM presentation, requiring input from all board members.
6. Jim Foster and David Thornley will modify the Mimico 2040 presentation to create a condensed version suitable for the AGM audience, presenting it as a project launch or preview.
7. Rozhen Asrani, Jim Foster, and David Thornley will consider sharing a preview of the Mimico 2040 initiative with Amber Mley and her team in advance of the AGM.
8. Rozhen Asrani will follow up with Jasmine to confirm whether the MRA can send three representatives to the LAMP affordable housing roundtable.
9. Rozhen Asrani will start an email thread for the group to add comments on the messaging and specific asks for the LAMP affordable housing round table.
10. Rozhen Asrani will send the recorded video for the campaign about failures at Mimokco and the Christy site to the group via email or WhatsApp for feedback.
11. Rozhen Asrani will inform the Mute Swan Society of our decision not to publicly support their initiative.
12. Andrew Blackwell will draft the content and the request for the MRA proposal to include the construction of the Mimico Creek Trail from Lake Share to the Queensway, and Rozhen Asrani will request a presentation opportunity at the January 21st budget subcommittee session from the MRA inbox.

Agenda

Item #	Discussion/Action Item
1. Introduction	Approval of November Minutes – Michael Majeski motioned. Andrew Blackwell seconded.
2. Board membership	Rozhen Asrani announced her decision to step down as president and from the board entirely at the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM), citing four years in the role and a desire for a fresh perspective.Rozhen Asrani noted that Emma is also stepping down from the board. Michael Schwanzer clarified that his term as Treasurer is ending, but he will not seek a second term and plans to remain on the board. Rozhen emphasized the need to recruit more gender-diverse candidates and specifically highlighted the need to appoint a new Treasurer, ideally someone with bookkeeping experience or a willingness to learn. Jim Foster agreed to coordinate the nominating committee’s search for the vacant roles, including the Treasurer. Rozhen Asrani suggested modifying existing graphics to specifically call for a Treasurer. David Thornley encouraged candidates who value gender equity. Michael Schwanzer, the current Treasurer, encouraged all board members to consider the Treasurer role to avoid an external search.
3. 2026 AGM	The board discussed and unanimously decided to hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, March 11th, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Mimico Library. AGM Tech Enablement and Guest Speakers – Rozhen raised the issue of technical setup for the hybrid meeting, as Tim, a former board member who managed it, had resigned. We will ask Tim to support the setup again and proactively offer reimbursement for the use of his equipment. Rozhen Asrani agreed to reach out to Tim. For guest speakers, the typical approach of inviting all three elected officials—Lee, James Maloney, and Amber Moley—to the Q&A segment was approved.AGM Logistics and Communications – Michael Schwanzer will email the library to book the March 11th date and wait for confirmation before Rozhen Asrani sends out the AGM invitations. Rozhen Asrani plans to start compiling content for the MRA presentation section of the AGM and will seek input from the board for the content.
4. Mimico 20/40 Plan	Rozhen Asrani flagged an invitation from LAMP for the MRA to attend an affordable housing round table focused on co-ops and nonprofit housing with elected officials. David Thornley suggested that the MRA should push for a government-led land-banking strategy, with federal and provincial funding, for both public and underdeveloped lands. Victor Yee and Rozhen Asrani highlighted the importance of drilling down to hyperlocal sites like the Christy and the Mimico GO station sites and the importance of affordable housing there.Andrew Blackwell and Victor Yee volunteered to attend the LAMP affordable housing round table as representatives of the MRA.
5. Mute Swan Society	The board discussed whether the residents’ association should publicly support the protection of the species. While there was support for the community initiative, others expressed concern that there weren’t more groups publicly backing the cause. Ultimately, the motion to send a letter of support did not pass, as the majority of the board felt they lacked the necessary ecological expertise to make a determination.
6. Affordable Housing Round Table	Rozhen Asrani updated the group on a potential campaign to draw attention to issues at the Mimico Go and Christy sites, having recorded a “TikTok style” video draft to generate awareness. She plans to share the video via email or WhatsApp for feedback on whether it is on the right track or should be adapted.Michael Schwanzer shared a link in the WhatsApp group to a 2018 presentation by Metrolinx concerning their Park Lawn and Mimico Go plans, which they suggest may be useful for another round of videos.
7. Mimico Creek Trail between Lakeshore and The Queensway	Andrew Blackwell provided an update on the Mimico Creek Trail and the budget committee meetings, noting that staff proposals for the capital and operating budget will be received tomorrow. He proposed that the MRA request an opportunity to present a proposal for the construction of the Mimico Creek Trail from Lakeshore to the Queensway at the Budget Subcommittee on January 21st. Rozhen Asrani recommended that Andrew Blackwell draft the presentation and coordinate the request to be placed on the agenda through the MRA inbox.
8. Campaign to Address Mimico Failures	Michael Schwanzer shared the treasurer’s report, noting that the organization is sitting on over $7,000 and proposed putting $5,000 into an auto-renewing cashable GIC to at least cover the annual bank fees. He outlined the primary income sources, including the Halloween dance, hat sales, and membership dues. Major expenses included the Food Fest, MRA hats, accounting software, and board insurance. He reported successfully cancelling the Mailchimp subscription, which cost $500 last year, and transitioning to Substack for the newsletter, which will be free. He also questioned the need for expensive accounting software, suggesting that a spreadsheet might suffice given the small number of transactions. He concluded that the MRA’s total profit this year was $142, aiming to essentially break even each year.
9. Treasurer Report	The next two meeting dates were tentatively set for February 4th and March 4th. The topic of in-person meetings was discussed, with Andrew Blackwell reporting that Martin Luther church was willing to host, but would require liability insurance. Michael Schwanzer raised a valid concern that in-person meetings are much harder for people with children. The group ultimately decided to keep the February meeting virtual and consider an in-person meeting for March, prior to the AGM.Next Meeting February 4, 2026, 7:00 pm
12. Open Forum	No other items for discussion
13. Next Meeting	The next two meeting dates were tentatively set for February 4th and March 4th. The topic of in-person meetings was discussed, with Andrew Blackwell reporting that Martin Luther church was willing to host, but would require liability insurance. Michael Schwanzer raised a valid concern that in-person meetings are much harder for people with children. The group ultimately decided to keep the February meeting virtual and consider an in-person meeting for March, prior to the AGM. Next Meeting February 4, 2026, 7:00 pm