Minutes From Annual General Meeting
Sunday, September 7, 2008
1. Call to order. 1st Vice president, Jim Ling called the meeting to order at 12 noon. He thanked the attendees for being at the meeting and explained that only members of clubs in good standing could vote at the AGM. Marg passed out a roll call sheet on which people needed to write their names, and what club they were representing, in order to meet the over 50% of the clubs across Canada represented, to form a quorum.
2. Report from Trial Chairperson
a) 2008 National Retriever Championship Stake. John Sellick Field Trial Marshal spoke on behalf of the Sunpoke Hunting Retriever Club regarding the progress of the 2008 National Retriever Championship Stake. John stated that all tests are in place, with several contingency plans as well. The judges will decide in the morning on the actual opening test, but it will be a land triple.
The caravan will be leaving the Ramada Inn parking lot at 6:30 am. The first twenty dogs are expected to be in the caravan.
At the vetting of the bitches there were two dogs who did not pass, they were determined to be in season. So scratches will be numbers 12, 16 and 48.
No bird policy was clarified 1st no bird the handler will go back to the third holding blind, if there is a 2nd no bird the dog will be run near the end of the line.
b) 2009 National Retriever Championship Stake: Proposal was submitted by the Pine Ridge Retriever Club and president Jim Green spoke on behalf of the club. Pine Ridge is proposing to host from September 14th to 19th, at Brighton, Ontario on grounds owned by Gahonk Kennels and the Brighton Hunting Preserve, with some newly acquired areas. These grounds are the same grounds used by the 2006 National Amateur Retriever Championship Stake. The Pine Ridge Retriever Club is a vibrant club with lots of very experienced members. The newly acquired areas are and the existing areas are all within a 30 minute drive of headquarters, which will be at Gahonk Kennels. These include local farms as well as areas near Sterling and the Tyendinaga Mohawk territory.
Field Trial Chairman will be Jim Green, Field Trial Marshal will be Tom Hawley and the Field Trial Secretary will be Lorene Wilson.
Motion by Charles Dygos that we accept the proposal submitted by the Pine Ridge Retriever Club to host the 2009 National Retriever Championship Stake from September 14th to 19th. Seconded by Kevin Cheff. Motion carried.
c) 2009 National Amateur Retriever Championship Stake. Ernie Rose presented a proposal on behalf of the Regina Retriever Club. This had already been approved at the director meeting of July 12th, 2008 at the National Amateur Retriever Championship Stake, held in Brandon, Manitoba. Ernie stated that the Regina Retriever Club is honoured to be able to host this National. The club membership is formed of some very hard working members who have enlisted some outside experienced people to aid them. The national will be held on grounds that the Regina Retriever Club leases from the City of Regina as well as some other local gravel pit areas. The dates for this national will be from July 20th to 25th, 2009. The club has a full compliment of equipment. A local campground has been leased for the week and it has facilities that will accommodate all the meetings, banquet, workers party and other evenings of entertainment. The Regina Club is excited to be able to host.
3. Approval of minutes of the Annual General Meeting held in Iron Bridge, Ontario, on September 8th, 2007
Jim Ling asked that all had read the minutes and that a motion was required to accept the minutes.
Motion by Kevin Cheff that we approve the minutes of the AGM from Iron Bridge, Ontario, on September 8th, 2007. Seconded by Jim Green. Motion carried.
Business arising from the minutes. There were two items that prompted further discussion.
a) Finalist vs Finisher. This item received a lot of discussion. Jim Swanson again stated that he personally takes great exception to the wording of "Failure" in the original proposal, submitted by the Alberta directors. Jim Green stated and many others agreed that this proposal puts to much onus on the judges to make a decision. The judges have a difficult enough task as it is. Mac Dunfield suggested that the term Finalist has worked for the past 58 years and he and others agreed that it should continue to do so. Jim Ling called for an end to the discussion and for a motion to be made.
Motion by Kevin Cheff that a Finalist is the person invited to run the tenth series, as it currently is. Seconded by Jane Thompson. Motion carried.
b) Internet Reporting: There was much discussion on this. Many feel that host clubs are already being taxed to the n'th degree. A suggestion was made to have the NRCC designate a specific person to undertake the internet reporting at nationals. Dennis Voigt stated that the internet is the best possible tool we can have to help advertise our sport and that we must use it the quickest and most advantageous way possible. People who are not in attendance need to be kept abreast of what is happening daily. Lauralee Camerilli suggested that the host club in conjunction with the NRCC split costing and hires someone to undertake the internet reporting. Again many felt this would over tax the host club. Bev Fowler suggested that if the NRCC wants to control the process of internet reporting that the NRCC then cannot pass this responsibility on to the host club. Dennis stated that this is not an NRCC responsibility, but it falls on everyone in this room and with internet viewers across the country. The discussion continued.
Motion by Ernie Rose that the directors of the NRCC try to solve the problem of efficient internet coverage at nationals. Seconded by Jim Green. Motion carried
4. Correspondence: there was none
5. Receive Report from Friday Director meeting. Marg read the minutes from the director meeting. (They are presented in this report)
6. Review the financial records of the NRCC and appoint an auditor.
Marg presented the financial records and noted that the income was less than previous years. Marg also explained that the apparent high cost of advertising and trial cards was that $1300 of this expense was the Online contract. She also pointed out that the amount showing up in prepaids was from clubs who paid their dues in advance of the fiscal year. Marg also pointed out that some of what was showing in interest income was actually dividend re-investment in the amount of $383.62 It was also pointed out that the website costs for the term were still owing.
Dennis Voigt noted that the NRCC bank account and financials were showing a loss this term. Due to lower entries, rising fuel costs and the aging population of field trailers. Dennis does not see this improving in the future. Bev Fowler suggested that there is more than enough money in the accounts that the NRCC would be able to take this small loss for over another 20 years.
Motion by Joe Renouf that we accept the financial statements as presented. Seconded by Bruce Macdonald. Motion carried.
Appoint and approve auditor: Motion by Joe Renouf to appoint Al Petkau as auditor for the NRCC. Charles Dygos seconded. Motion carried.
7. Review plans and organization of the 2008 National Retriever Championship Stake, and approve Field Trial Committee. The field trial committee as approved by the directors at the Friday director meeting and has been announced at the banquet.
Chair of committee: John Sellick, Field Trial Marshal
Dan Yeomans, Field Trial Chairman
Bill Kennedy, Southern Ontario Zone
8. Call for motions to set the 2009 dues, running dog fees and entry fees. It was explained that at the Friday director meeting that motions had been made to keep the current fee structure as it is.
a) 2009 dues: Currently at $55. per club
b) Running dog fees: Currently at $65. per entry
c) Entry Fees: Currently at $250. per dog
Motion by Jim Green that we accept the directors recommendations for fees. Seconded by Charles Dygos. Motion carried.
9. Judges for the 2009 Nationals.
Judges are: Western Zone, Wes Place
Judges are: Western Zone, Ron Graham
Motion by Jim Swanson to accept the slates of judges as determined by the directors. Seconded by Ernie Rose. Motion carried,
10. Recognize retiring directors:
British Columbia, Graham Tyler
Marg also noted that Mickey Rawlins of BC and Al Petkau of Manitoba would like to resign their tenures as directors. Each of these provinces will need to submit names of people to replace these two gentlemen.
Jim Ling thanked the directors for their time spent on the board of directors.
11. Review and consider any other matters of importance to the corporation:
a) Online's contract with the NRCC - currently at $1300 per annum
Motion by Charles Dygos to continue with the contract with Online at it's current amount of $1300 per annum to be reviewed annually. Seconded by Ernie Rose. Motion carried.
b) Don Gillingham's contract as statistician for the NRCC - currently at $2000 per annum for compiling stats and national qualifiers.
Motion by Charles Dygos to continue with Don Gillinghams's contract at the current amount of $2000. per annum. Seconded by Ernie Rose. Motion carried.
c) Secretary-Treasurer Honourarium - currently at $2500. per annum.
Motion by Charles Dygos to continue with the secretary-treasurer honourarium as it currently is at $2500. per annum. Seconded by Ernie Rose. Motion carried.
d) Election of directors and officers:
British Columbia, Graham Tyler
Alberta, Ron Adlington or Ron Bischke
N. Ontario, Gerry Burmaster or Linda Shlemkevich
Forms submitted were tallied and Gerry Burmaster was selected for N. Ontario, Alberta had equal forms so needs to be decided.
Motion by Joe Renouf to approve the directors as presented, with Alberta to reach a decision soon. Seconded by Charles Dygos. Motion carried.
2nd Vice President, Bev Fowler
Secretary -Treasurer, Marg Murray
This was the slate of officers as presented at and voted on at the Friday director meeting.
The floor was opened to any further nominations
Jim Green nominated Dona Martin as Secretary-Treasurer, seconded by Jane Thompson.
Dona Martin would accept but would like to see this opened up to possible other candidates and would like to have input from the western provinces.
Bruce Macdonald nominated Marg Murray as Secretary-Treasurer. Jim Swanson seconded. Marg would agree to remain as Secretary-Treasurer.
The two candidates were asked to leave the room, so they could be discussed.
No one took any minutes during the ensuing discussions. It was noted that the NRCC website could be in jeopardy.
Both candidates were called back into the meeting and Marg was asked to resume taking minutes. The candidates were then informed that upon discussion that Jim Green had withdrawn his motion. Marg was asked if she would resume as secretary-treasurer, she agreed to do so.
Motion by Joe Renouf to accept the slate of officers as presented. Charles Dygos seconded. Motion carried.
e) Website expense: Tom Murray has built and maintains the website. It is now and has always been a volunteer role. The NRCC has in past covered a portion of the internet costs and to date Tom has never asked for an increase. This year he is asking for an increase of $60. to cover the rising and un-recovered costs of maintaining the website. Previous years he has been paid $240 which covers about half his internet costs. He is asking that it be raised to $300 per annum.
Motion by Bruce Macdonald to increase the internet fees paid to $300 per annum. Seconded by Bev Fowler. Motion carried
a) Motion by Jim Green to have the directors review the ten year term of the secretary/treasurer and to seek candidates for the next ten year term and to put forward a formal application for voting on at the next year's Annual General Meeting. Seconded by Jane Thompson. Motion carried.
b) Club Liaison with National sponsors. Dennis Voigt has been asked by the directors to undertake the re-negotiation of the national sponsors contracts. The NRCC needs a key person to act as liaison between the national sponsors and to re-negotiate the contracts which run out the end of this year. Dennis gave the background on how Ron Modesto and himself had worked very hard six years ago to garner these national sponsors and to create the contracts with the sponsors. Three years ago Dennis had re-negotiated these sponsor contracts. Two years ago at the AGM there was a vote to change how the sponsors were dealt with and it was up to the host club to deal directly with the sponsor. This was not working very well, requirements were being missed. Dennis is happy to undertake this again.
Dennis is happy to report that Purina has just agreed to up their support to jackets, hats, dog food and cash.
Dennis has recently been talking to Avery, Dogtra and the new Dogs Afield, as new corporate sponsors to the NRCC and not to the actual host club.
Dennis is proposing to sit down with the sponsors and write out specifics, which will be a new process of doing things with much more detail. This will need policing at the NRCC executive level, director level, host club level and during the actual week of the national.
Lauralee Camerilli, as Purina sponsor, stated that she would relish the idea of having a liaison at the national level during the week of the actual national. This would make things so much easier from the sponsors point of view.
Motion by Joe Renouf to accept Dennis Voigt as the Corporate Sponsor Club Liaison. Seconded by Jim Swanson. Motion carried.
c) 2010 National Retriever Championship Stake. Marg reported that British Columbia has sent an email expressing their intent to host this national. This was welcome news to all at the meeting.
d) Entry Express. Dennis Voigt brought up the fact that Entry Express, an American entry taking company, that takes entries from competitors for trials and also generates the program, is interested in opening a Canadian branch. They would need to re-work their current programs, entry forms and funds to Canadian.
Dennis suggests that would need all of the clubs in Canada to participate in this in order to make it a viable option. There was some discussion on doing this. It would need to be discussed at the club levels and brought back to the AGM.
Dennis, in the meantime, will look into the possibility of Entry Express coming to Canada.
e) As there was no other new business presented, Charles Dygos made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 4:40 pm. Jim Swanson seconded. Motion carried.
Marg Murray recorded the minutes.
Minutes of the Executive Meeting
A quick executive meeting was held to discuss the drafting of a proposal by the executive regarding the secretary treasurer position. All will work towards a draft proposal and will meet again in a day or so to review what they have.
It was noted that the discussion on the extension of the qualification period was overlooked at the AGM. Since there had been a motion voted on from the director meeting, and it was passed, then it was determined that the executive would ratify this motion.
