Vancouver Ultimate League Society Annual General Meeting

November 17, 2004, Heritage Hall, Vancouver BC

 

Meeting chaired by Anne-Marie Carey, President, VULS Board of Directors

 

Board Members present: Anne-Marie Carey (President), Fiona Hughes (Vice President), Fergus Prentice (Treasurer), Chris Begley (Secretary), Carolyn Lefebvre, Art Hawkins, Steve Remedios

 

1.         Anne Marie Carey calls the meeting to order at 8:01 PM

 

2.         Minutes from November 5, 2003 AGM presented

1.         Correct Ben Cheng's name

2.         Willy Arlotta moves to accept minutes.  Chris Mackie seconds.  All in favour.

 

3.         Board of Director's reports

 

1.         Anne-Marie Carey presents the President's report

1.         Accomplishments

1.         Establish committees on the Board

2.         Create a framework for our Innovation Grants

3.         Fields initiative continued ahead

4.         VUL secured school board fields for first time

5.         Successfully negotiated a new contract for Jeff Malmgren, ensuring two more years for him in the position of league coordinator

6.         VUL members on all 6 worlds teams that captured either Gold or Silver at the World Championships

2.         Challenges for the year ahead

1.         Continue to secure new fields

2.         Improve communications with the league membership

3.         2 years from now, we will likely need to find a new league coordinator.

2.         Volunteers committee report presented by Steve Remedios

1.         We are striving as a Board to increase the number of volunteers the league has and the number of avenues through which league members can come out and volunteer

2.         The mentoring program started this year with 16 mentors, and we are looking to expand it next year.

3.         Rules committee report, presented by Art Hawkins

1.         Rules committee established with the goals of creating a trained pool of observers, establishing a rules clinic, and using the forum to better educate people about rules.

2.         Met those goals for the most part.  Next year, we are going to try and broaden th outreach and work on creating a training programme for observers.

4.         Nationals report presented by Art Hawkins

1.         Jeff Malmgren and Art Hawkins sat on the Canadian Nationals organising committee as VUL representatives.

2.         VUL supplied the Friday night dinner at Nationals.

 

5.         Touring teams committee report presented by Chris Begley

1.         Attempt is currently being made to come up with a policy whereby the VUL can provide support to the touring teams within Vancouver. We hope to be able to liaise with them and with members of the league to do this.

 

6.         Denise Geib moves to accept.  Val Dion seconds.

 

7.         Questions from the floor

1.         Ravi Ghanason asks how we propose to talk to membership re touring issues/policy

1.         Use forum, work on new polling/questionnaire software to be attached to our website

2.         Campbell Macdonald asks whether there is an item in our budget dedicated towards touring teams and if so, how much

1.         Jeff Malmgren replies that there is no specific item for that purpose, but there are grants available

2.         Carolyn Lefebvre replies that this is why we want to have this wrapped up before the next budget

3.         Val Dion asks when the next budget is

1.         Anne Marie Carey replies January

 

1.         Vote on the motion.  All in favour.

 

4.         Coordinators Report (see attached)

1.         Questions from the floor

1.         Deanna Beat asks if we lost fields this year

1.         Jeff Malmgren replies that we did, but only because we chose not to use some of the poor quality ones

2.         Craig Woods asks if there is a location picked by Vancouver for the new turf fields

1.         Jeff Malmgren replies that it is probably going to be Point Grey

3.         Steve Remedios asks when Jeff Malmgren's term as Vancouver Field Sports Federation ends

1.         Jeff Malmgren replies that his term is up next week, but may run for another year

4.         Chris Mackie asks what the value is to developing ties/league in Burnaby

1.         Jeff Malmgren replies that Vancouver's growth is now effectively capped, and helping a league in Burnaby is one way to suck up the excess.

2.         Chris Mackie asks if we will move Vancouver teams to Burnaby

3.         Jeff Malmgren replies No, but we want to aid in the establishment of leagues in North Vancouver and in Burnaby

 

5.         Fergus Prentice Presents the Financial Statements.  Jeff Malmgren goes over them in detail.

1.         Questions from the floor

1.         Grant Burnard asks, looking at the price we pay for fields at UBC, why we cannot ensure value for our money

1.         Jeff Malmgren replies that we have those discussions with them every year, but we need the fields, and that next year we are moving down to the lower level.

2.         Grant Burnard asks why they do not water the fields

3.         Jeff Malmgren replies that they had a water wheel breakdown and that the league did try to rent or buy a second water wheel.

2.         Joe Remedios asks why there is a tournament expense, but no tournament revenue

1.         Jeff Malmgren replies that we do not charge for our tourney's

3.         Ravi Ghanason asks, in respect to the fields funds, what is going on at Columbia

1.         Jeff Malmgren replies that they are talking about rebuilding it on a single level, for softball, but this would also benefit us.

2.         Geoff Bell Moves to accept the financial statements. Jamie Kelly seconds.  All in favour.

 

6.         Partnership in Parks plan presented by Jeff Malmgren.

1.         Questions from the floor

1.         Linda Franklin asks if they are going to open the washroom up at Kingscrest next year

1.         Jeff Malmgren answers Yes

2.         Charles Loui-Ying asks if we had the money, would we be building the fields ourselves

1.         Jeff Malmgren answers that it is not an issue because we don't have the money, and hopefully will not need to build them ourselves.

2.         Fergus Prentice adds that having the Conseil Scolaire Francophone in the project is extremely beneficial to the VUL, as they will get the project fast tracked and we have developed a very good relationship with them.

3.         Denise Geib asks what objections the stakeholders might have

1.         Jeff Malmgren lists the potential arguments that neighbours might have (parking, noise etc), we have to remove trees (although a tree inventory, and there are not many trees of great ecological value), BMX racers.  Eric Hamber school has been supportive and Van Dusen appears to have no objections.

4.         Grant Burnard asks if there have been objections from anybody at Parks Board

1.         Jeff Malmgren replies that some of them want just one soccer field on the site instead of the two we want.

5.         Craig Woods asks why we are not targeting Winona as a home for ultimate

1.         Jeff Malmgren replies that we are, but they currently have a number of users to compete with.  At new fields we would get to be the primary user.

2.         Carolyn Lefebvre points out that we are not viewing this as an either/or situation.

6.         Linda Franklin asks if we plan to have a building at 37th and Oak and if the fields planned will be lit.

1.         Jeff Malmgren replies that right now we are just proposing a washroom: this idea is supported by field hockey groups next door as well.  Currently the City is not building any lighted grass fields.  All lit fields will be turf fields.

7.         Sandy Lane asks if financing is an option.

1.         Jeff Malmgren replies that we cannot mortgage because we are not going to own the fields.  We are putting forth our funds, but hope to get them back in rental fees.

 

7.         New Business - None

 

8.         Voting for new board members

1.         Final tally:         Allan Baggish                16

                                                Edward Burnet 77

                                                Steph Chow                 62

                                                David Demner  24

                                                Eric Lott                       105

                                                Charles Loui-Ying        55

                                                Max Urbanoski            33

                                                Evan Wise                    71

2.                     Elected to the Board are Edward Burnet, Steph Chow, Eric Lott and Evan Wise

 

9.         Brian Gisel moves to adjourn.  Art Hawkins seconds.  Meeting adjourned at 10:35 PM