Victoria Insight Meditation Society (VIMS)

Minutes of the Victoria IMS Council

February 11, 2013

 

A meeting of the VIMS council was held at the home ofLawrie Thicke,Victoria, B.C. on February 11, 2013. The meeting commenced at 1:20 p.m. after a brief meditation.

Present:           Brock Brown              chair

Lawrie Thicke            retreat operations

John Hilditch              secretary

Bruce MacRae                        technology and communications

June Fukushima          treasurer

Regrets            Rod House

Theresa Aspol

Grant Smith was invited as a guest to this meeting but was unable to attend.

1.         Approval of the agenda:  It was moved by John Hilditch that the agenda be approved as circulated. The motion received unanimous endorsement. Brock declared the motion Implemented.

2.         Approval of the minutes of the December 3, 2012 meeting. It was moved by June Fukushima that the minutes be approved as circulated. The motion received unanimous endorsement. Brock declared the motion Implemented

3.         Business arising from the minutes and updates:

• Goward House rental fees have increased from $700 to $750 for a week-end and from $350 to $375 for one day. These increases came into effect in 2013 but they will not be applied to us until 2014.
• Kevin Griffin’s travel expenses have been pre-paid. Brock will provide his accommodation. Bruce and Brock will be co-managers for his retreat; Joan and Bruce will look after registration.
• Heather Martin’s week-end retreat was very popular. Dana received was $2,075; expenses were $35 ($700 rental was prepaid in 2012) giving us a net of $2040. Eighty-four registered; 80 attended on Saturday, 67 on Sunday. The per-person dana was $26.
• Retreat numbers: Although 100 was set as the maximum for Heather’s retreat 80 attended. A wait-list was managed manually. After some discussion it was concluded that the maximum number we can set is an individual matter depending on the wishes of the teacher and other factors.
• A half-day retreat was held at the home of Miguel and Liliana on December 26, 2012. We thank the Lipkas for offering their home at no cost to our sangha members.

4.         Treasurer’s Report:  June presented the treasurer’s report. She first presented the financial statement for the year 2012. The balance in our accounts was $8,562.20 on January 1, 2012, and $7,688.13 on December 31, a net change of ($847.07). The balance sheet will be posted with the minutes.

A 2013 Budget Proposal was presented, a balanced budget with income and expenses of $13,105. June Fukushima moved that the budget proposal be accepted. The motion received unanimous endorsement. Brock declared the motion Implemented. The approved budget is attached.

Two options were presented for distributing money to the general and discretionary funds. Brock Brown moved that the second option be chosen which involves the transfer of $2,653.88 to the Discretionary Fund, and establishing the General Fund for 2013 to be $4,000 ($2,950 cash and $1,050 in prepayments). The motion received unanimous endorsement. Brock declared the motion Implemented.

In considering disbursing a portion of the discretionary fund, the council agreed to donate $250 each (two in US funds) to Wat Metta, Dharma Seed and Birken Forest Monastery in recognition of the books and resources we have received at no charge from these groups.  These resources support sitting groups and our sangha members. Books have been distributed to other groups such as the sitting groups inBrentwoodBay, Sooke, and Salt Spring Vipassana.

John Hilditch moved that the following budget for the Discretionary Fund be accepted:

Scholarship Fund                                            $1,000

Contributions to Dharmaseed                                    $250 US$

to Wat Metta                          $250 US$

toBirkenForestMonastery   $250

Kept as a Reserve Fund                                  $1,500

Undesignated                                                  $1,488.13 (will be adjusted for theUS$                                                                                donations)

TOTAL                                                           $4,738.13

The motion received unanimous endorsement. Brock declared the motion Implemented.

A Financial Summary for January 31, 2013 was presented. The balance in our accounts as of this date was $8,255.41.

The Council thanks June for her fine work and understandable reports. The Council also thanks Grant Smith for doing the bookkeeping and preparing the QuickBook reports.

5.         Communications Report:  June reported that, as of February 1 we have 400 on our email list, close to the number we had a year ago. More people now open the newsletter, approximately 250 open our newsletter every second week. Joseph Briante will be stepping down as producer of our newsletter . The Council thanks Joseph for all his fine work.

6.         2013 Retreats:

• The Council discussed managers and registrars for the 2013 retreats.
• Adrianne Ross has agreed to teach a week-end retreat on November 2, 3, 2013.
• Kevin Griffin’s retreat is being managed by a planning group, consisting of Joan, Bruce and Brock.

7.         Wait list for week-end and one day retreats:

            After some discussion the council determined that manually maintaining a wait list is desirable if there is someone who has the time and energy to look after it.

8.         2014 Retreats:

• James Baraz is scheduled to come with his wife Jane in September 2014. He plans to offer a week-end meditation on September 27, 28, and, with Jane, to lead an Awakening Joy Workshop on the week-end of October 4, 5. Goward House is booked. These events likely will be very popular. So as not to disappoint people Brock suggests that registrants be offered the opportunity to choose one event or the other as their first choice. It may be possible to attend both events but it would be nice to accommodate as many people as possible for at least one event.
• Pascal Auclair will lead a week-end retreat on April 19, 20, 2014. Goward House is booked.
• In addition to Heather Martin, Brock, Margo and Howie Cohn, other teachers were suggested, including Eve Decker, Wes Nisker, Rodney Smith and Ajahn Sona. Brock will bring forward the known and possible 2014 retreat schedule at the next meeting.

9.         In response in to Heather’s request, the study group has now been changed from Sunday, June 2 to Sunday, June 9.

10.       Carolyn Jones, the accountant we have used for setting up our accounts and using Quickbooks has closed her office. She has asked if we wish to have our records transferred to another accountant that she recommends, David Levinson. John Hilditch moved that the records be transferred to the new accountant.  The motion received unanimous endorsement. Brock declared the motion Implemented.

11.       June pointed out that we need someone to support and coordinate matters related to Courses. We will consider this again at a later date.

12.       Eric has suggested that the Council support the use of a Meal Prayer for our retreats. We believe that the use of a prayer is up to the teacher to decide.

13.       Gregory and Eric have suggested that we purchase a Victoria IMS name stamp. This could be used for the inside of our library books and possibly for cheques. The council supports this idea; Eric has offered to purchase the stamp.

14.       The next council meeting will be held at the home of Brock Brown and June Fukushima,at 7:15pm on the 08th of April 2013

The meeting terminated at 3:50

Brock Brown, Chair                           John Hilditch, Secretary