2014/11/13 VIMS council minutes

VIMS Council Meeting Minutes (approved)

Thursday, November 13th, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.

Lawrie’s home

Present:

Brock, June, Bruce, Lawrie, Sandra Joy (guest), Brian (later)

Absent with Regrets:

No one

Agenda Items:

  1. Review and Approve AgendaMotion from June to approve.
    Carried.
  2. Approve Minutes of October 9th, 2014Motion from Bruce to approve.
    Carried.
  3. Business Arising from the Minutes and Updates
    • Pot Luck on Oct 18, 2014:
      40 to 50 people.
      Heather Martin surprise guest.
      Plan to do it again next year.
    • 2 people came to the Nov 2, 2014 Beginner drop-in.
    • Grant Smith passed financial documents, cheques and the VIMS laptop to Bruce MacRae following Grant’s resignation from Council at the October Council meeting.
    • Letter of Resignation from council received from Theresa Aspol.
    • There was discussion about changing the wording on the reminder letter re how to use electronic devices appropriately when teachers may not want electronic devices like tablets at a retreat. Bruce and Lawrie to circulate a suggested change to the wording for further input.
    • Sunday Night Sit Facilitator group met – schedule of facilitators until August 2015
    • Margo McLoughlin has volunteered to produce the VIMS newsletter starting with the Nov 21 edition.
    • Ajahn Tiradhammo has confirmed he will lead a one-day retreat on Saturday July 18 and lead the Sunday Night sit on July 19, 2015.
    • Review of Nov 9 retreat with Margo McLoughlin:
      50 people attended.
      Special thanks to Lawrie and to Carol Eby.
  4. Financial UpdateAccount balances as of November 13, 2014:
    Chequing $6,982.63
    Savings  $1,221.64
    

     

    Thank you to Joan Glover and Helen Colbeck for bringing Quickbooks/bookkeeping up-to-date.

    Motion from Brock to seek professional bookkeeping assistance for Quickbooks reconciliation ($250 max cost).
    Carried.

    Motion from June to transfer money from chequing to savings.
    Carried.

  5. Council Members’ updates on roles and tasks
    • Motion from June (acting treasurer) to remove Grant Smith and Theresa Aspol as signing officers from Coast Capital accounts.
      Carried.
    • Motion from Brock that Lawrie Thicke be a signing officer.
      Carried.
    • Sunday night dana collection will be done by operations person of the month.
      Retreat dana collection will be assiged by the retreat coordinator.
      All deposits should be reported to the bookkeeper.
      Yoga studio payments will be done by June for now.
      June will do payments to Goward House.
      Bruce will do Heather’s travel payments.
    • Motion from Brock that Sandra be added to council, effective Jan. 1st.
      Carried.
    • For the December meeting, Brock will add an agenda item to regarding retreat coordinators, registrars, managers, sound.
      Carried.
  6. Communications PolicyDiscussed revised document: newsletter, email, website.
    Will not do anything with Facebook.
    Will not list any events that two or more council members disagree with.
    When Margo takes over the newsletter, she will join the communciations team.
    Motion from June to approve the new policy document.
    Carried.
  7. Margo’s Winter 2015 CoursesBoth of them will begin in February.
    They will be mentioned in the December and January newsletters.
  8. 2015 Programs
    • Heather Martin Retreat Jan 24/25, 2015.
      Registration Opens Friday, Jan 2, 2014.
      Coordinator: Bruce MacRae
      Constant Contact: Lawrie
      Registrar: Brian
      Managers: Elaine Weidner, Bruce
      Sound: Bruce
      Sandra will update the manager’s document.
      Registration form will include a question asking for volunteers.
    • Christina Feldman Retreat Mar 14/15, 2015.
      Topic: Brahma Viharas as a Path to Awakening.
      Estimated travel budget: $750 because she is coming from Boston.
      Brock will contact Margo about accommodation.
    • May 23/24 Ajahn Sona – Goward House
    • Sat July 18 Ajahn Tiradhammo – tentatively at Unitarian Church on West Saanich Road.
    • Aug 22/23 Ajaan Geoff – UVic Cadboro Commons rooms. Topic: Karma
    • Sept 26/27 Margo McLoughlin – Goward House
    • Nov 7/8 Howard Cohn – Goward House
  9. 2016 Retreat planning – Goward House dates confirmed
    • Jan 16/17
    • March 25/26 Pascal Auclair – confirmed
    • May 21/22
    • Sept 17/18 Steve Armstrong – confirmed
    • Oct 15/16 Christina Feldman – confirmed
  10. Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

 

Next Meeting

December 18th, 2014
7:00-9:30 p.m.
Brian’s home