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Meeting Minutes – January 17, 2019

Minutes for MRA Board of Directors Meeting

Thursday January 17, 2019 – Chris’s House

Present: Anne Arthur (minutes), Adam Matheson, Chris Moore (chair), Kent Schroeder, Kate Leslie Johnston, Tim Ellis (Guest) Joe Fotia (Guest)

Regrets:  Deb Burgess, Lesley Rowe Strong, Leigh Graham, Leanne Faber

1)      Quorum obtained; meeting began at 7:35 pm

 

2)      Introductions and welcome to prospective board members

 

3)      Approval of November minutes – Chris

·         Moved by Adam, seconded by Kent.  All in favour – approved.

4)      AGM Planning Update

·         Mimico Library has been booked Thursday March 21 7:00-9:30. Meeting 7:30-9:00

·         Guest speakers Mark Grimes & Christine Hogarth have been confirmed (Mark Grimes pending unforeseen issue at City Hall and Christine Hogarth may be a bit late as she is coming from another meeting)

·         Last year approximately 70 people attended

·         Coffee & Snacks will be purchased.

o Action Item: Tim to speak to Jimmy’s Coffee about possible donation and/or cost to order coffee and will purchase/coordinate snacks. Will run final pricing by MRA Board for final approval.

·         Publicity: last year we had a FB ‘event’ with banner and printed posters (aprox 30 posters)

o Action Item: speak to Tamara Guardian to see if they can publicize (Chris);

o Action Item: Ask Mark Grimes, Christine Hogarth and James Maloney to print in e-news (Chris);

o Action Item : Ask Cam to update poster and alternatively for source document to update for this year’s event (Chris)

·         President report, treasurer report, secretary report due to Chris no later than 1 week before event so reports can be posted prior to AGM.

o Action Item: Leigh to provide stats from MailChimp and Adam to provide stats on social media

o Action Item Anne to provide nominating committee update

·         Membership renewal- Adam has created an excel sheet to assist with membership renewals requested at the AGM

·         Currently we have approximately 90 active memberships  

 

5)      Nominating Committee Update- Anne

·         MRA Board has four (4) confirmed vacancies for 2019/2020 year.

·         Nominating committee has met with three (3) candidates and has two (2) more interviews booked.

·         Committee will then make a final decision on the candidates they will recommend.

 

6)      Next Lakeshore Leaders Forum on Feb 9 (8:30 a.m.-12noon)-Anne

 

·         Per last email from LLF, the stated objective is to combine leadership of both wards into a newly formed Ward 3 Board (previously old ward 5 was underrepresented at the meeting);

·         LLF is looking for participants and to identify key priorities

·         LLF will be electing a new board- responsible for organizing three (3) town halls per year where elected officials (incl. school board trustees ) will have an opportunity to attend and participate

·         MLCN meetings are where much of the decision making is currently happening

·         The issue of whether to expand LLF to include old ward 5 does not have full consensus either within LLF or within the community (concerns of whether “lakeshore” issues will continue to receive adequate attention)

·         Decision to continue to send MRA representatives. Two (2) MRA representatives to attend Anne; and 2nd TBD

·   Action Item : Anne to email full board  to canvas interest

 

7)      Air Cadets Invitation to Community Orgs to present their work Thurs, Feb 21 7 to 9 pm at Mimico Adult Centre (need to confirm location). 

·         Vision is to host an event with a “community fair” feel. 

·         They want to showcase local groups to have groups provide a sense of what we do

·         Do we want to send representatives? – Yes- Anne will attend; Joe will also attend

·   Action Item : Provide Anne with some background info on our initiatives eg: pictures of Bell Boxes, Tree for ME, Lakeshore Cleanup. (Chris to provide info on Bell box initiative). Anne to review website for our blurb on what the MRA does.

·   Action Item :Anne to get in touch with coordinators to get more details

·   Action Item Also Anne will encourage AC attendance to our lakeshore cleanup as they have attended in the past

 

8)      Recap of Initial meeting of Strategy Planning Session – Anne/Kate

·         The Board provided a summary of a recent planning session several Board members attended regarding upcoming strategic planning initiatives;

·         Some of the more key initiatives discussed were

o   Publicize “January is membership month”

§  Proposal to assign a budget to boost posts on FB (including membership month)

o   Improve MRA Branding (ie – Banners for events)

o   Use more committees where appropriate (ie – Halloween Dance)

o   Website committee to consider website improvements  

o   Kate reached out to MAS (a pro bono consulting firm that assists not for profits with corporate governance and strategic planning)- there is a possibility to have them assist but we need to decide a project

·         Motion to approve spending $275 on a new MRA banner in advance of the AGM, to be designed by Anne and Adam, pending design approval by the board.   Put forward by Anne; Seconded Chris.

·         Motion to approve a $250 spending budget for sponsored ads on Facebook put forward by Adam; Kate seconded

·         Discussed a need for consistent messaging on key positions to allow us to adequately respond to media/gov’t official requests – so that anyone can adequately respond and communicate MRA’s position on key issues.

 

9)      Next Board meeting date and location- Wed Feb 13th Adam’s house

·         Will likely not have March Board meeting (due to March AGM).

 

10)  Other business

·         Chris and Adam met with Christine Hogarth’s office. We reached out to invite her to the AGM, provided introductions and background on MRA.  Also discussed ongoing community initiatives such as Mimico Go Station re-development plans.

·         Action Item:  agree upon and send out questions in advance of AGM to Christine.

·         Adam and Chris attended meeting with Vandyk Properties who acquired On the Go Mimico property. Consultation meeting with Peter Milchyzn on community needs.  There will be an upcoming community consultation in likely February or March.

 

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