2017/05/11 VIMS Council minutes

VIMS Council Meeting Minutes (approved)

Thursday, May 11, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.

Sandra’s home

Present:

Brock, June, Sandra, Bruce, Rhonda, Brian

Absent with Regrets:

None.

Agenda Items:

  1. Review and Approve Council Meeting Agenda:

An addition (point 3 last item) to the distributed agenda was proposed to acknowledge the invitation Victoria IMS received to participate in the BC Buddhist Vesak Festival 2017 in Vancouver. Motion from Sandra to approve the modified agenda. Carried.

  1. Approve Minutes of Previous Meeting (March 16th, 2017):

There were no changes to the distributed draft minutes from the March council meeting.  Motion from June to approve the minutes.  Carried.

  1. Business arising from the Minutes and Updates:
  • Howie Cohn public talk and retreat updates (March 17/18/19): The public talk on Friday night had 50 attendees. The first day of the retreat (Saturday) had 76 attendees and Sunday there were 69.  Howie’s retreat was much appreciated by all. Thanks to all those who supported this retreat: Coordinator: Brock Brown; Co-managers: Naseem Janmohamed, Brock Brown (day 1) and Joyce Elliott (day 2); Registrar: Joanna Stonechapel; Sound: Bruce MacRae; Hospitality: June Fukushima and Brock Brown.
  • Tuere Sala retreat update (April 30): 62 people attended this one day retreat. Victoria IMS received positive feedback from retreatants. It was especially noted and appreciated that the teacher was a person of colour. Thanks to all those who supported this retreat: Coordinator: Brock Brown; Co-managers: June Fukushima and and Candace Sauve; Sound: Bruce MacRae; Hospitality: Margo McLoughlin.

It was suggested during the meeting that we might like to invite Tuere to conduct a retreat again in 2019 and perhaps to facilitate a Sunday Night Community Sit in 2018.

  • Goward House: Goward House’s relationship with the Saanich Municipality will be changing. It was proposed at the Saanich Council meeting of 27 March, 2017 that the current lease agreement between the Goward House Society and the Saanich Municipality be amended to a facility-use agreement. This would transfer responsibility for maintenance, utilities and major repair expenses to the municipality while allowing municipal use of the facility and grounds after regular operating hours. It is not yet know when this change will take effect or how it will impact Victoria IMS.  We will in the meantime continue to maintain our good relationship with Goward House.
  • A new headset microphone was used at Tuere’s retreat. It worked well. Brock made the purchase from Long & McQuade – cost $193.21 – and was reimbursed for the expenditure. Thank you Brock!
  • Acting on the decision made at the March council meeting, a series of post-dated cheques were given to Helga Beer for the rental of the yoga studio for the Sunday Night Community Sit. The cheques cover the period up to and including September 2017.
  • Following on from the March council meeting discussion of changes to the delivery of Coast Capital statements, June ascertained that with the type of bank accounts we have, we are eligible to continue receiving the mailed statements at no charge. Thank you June!
  • Status of the gender inclusive signs for the washrooms at the yoga studio: Helga is going to talk to the owners (group of accountants) after tax season to remind them about the proposed changes to the signs.
  • Victoria IMS received an invitation through Rhonda to participate in the BC Buddhist Vesak Festival 2017 in Vancouver on May 28th. We are unable to send representation at this time so Rhonda will mail some copies of our October 2016 newsletter to the organizers and they will be appropriately displayed at the festival. Thanks to Rhonda and Sandra for facilitating this!
  1. Finances:
  • June reported on the March-April financials (report was distributed to council members prior to the meeting). We are currently in a positive financial position.

Account Balances as of April 1st, 2017:

Chequing:         $1,982.56

Savings:           $6,768.68

TOTAL:            $8,751.24

Account Balances as of May 1st, 2017:

Chequing:         $1,993.16

Savings:           $6,770.07

TOTAL:            $8,763.23

Motion from June to receive the March-April 2017 financial report. Carried.

  1. AGM:
  • The Victoria IMS Annual General Meeting is set for May 25th at 6:00pm. It will be held at June and Brock’s home.
  • All year-end reports have been received from the various areas of responsibility.
  1. Council composition for 2017/2018:
    • All current council members have agreed to return for the 2017/2018 year. Sandra gave her apologies as she is now unable to attend the AGM.
  2. Sunday Night Community Sit:
    • It has been proposed that in 2018 we modify the model we currently use for the Sunday Night Community Sit. The reason for the change is that the current model is not sustainable with the volunteer base we have. Brock, in discussion with June and Sandra who currently coordinate the scheduling of Sunday evenings, has proposed that we add more teaching evenings with a continuity of topic presentation. This will have some impact on VIMS dana as dana offered on these evenings will go to the teacher. The current roles of operations and facilitation will be combined and the facilitator (teacher or sangha member) will set up and close the space in addition to leading the evening.  This will reduce the number of volunteers required to run Sunday evenings. We would try this model for 2018 and review its viability towards the end of the year. Due to Brock’s planned involvement in the teaching component both he and June declared a conflict of interest and prepared themselves to leave the meeting and abstained from voting on this motion. Council asked that they stay for the discussion. Bruce motioned that VIMS would cover the rent for 12 additional teaching spots in 2018 where the dana offered would go to the teacher.  Brock and June abstained. Carried by the other council members.
  3. Communications:
    • Website: A further meeting was held on April 22nd to discuss potential changes to our website.  This discussion is ongoing.
  4. 2017 Programs/Retreat Operations:
    • If a retreat coordinator is not on Council we need to assign a dedicated council member to liaise with that coordinator in the time leading up to the retreat to ensure that all aspects of the teacher’s visit and the retreat administration are covered and any issues brought to the attention of Council. As well, the council member will be available for questions and issues that arise at the retreat. For the remaining 2017 retreats Bruce has offered to be the council liaison for Adrianne Ross’s retreat and Brock has offered to be the council liaison for Steve Armstrong’s retreat.
    • Subsequent to Tuere Sala’s retreat we received a suggestion from one of the participants that, at the start of our retreats, we include an acknowledgement of being on First Nations territory. Council will give consideration to the suggestion.
    • Upcoming retreats/events:
      • May 27/28 – Ayya Medhanandi – registration opened May 1, 2017
      • Aug 19/20 – Ajaan Geoff – registration opens July 24, 2017
      • Sep 16/17 – Adrianne Ross – registration opens Aug 21, 2017
      • Oct 14/15 – Steve Armstrong – registration opens Sep 18, 2017
      • Nov 26 – Brock Brown – registration opens Oct 30, 2017
    • Retreats completed:
      • January 21/22 – Heather Martin
      • February 19 – Margo McLoughlin
      • March 18/19 – Howard Cohn
      • April 30 – Tuere Sala
  1. 2018 Programs:
  • January 20/21 – Heather – confirmed – Goward House reserved
  • February 24/25 – Margo McLoughlin – confirmed – Goward House reserved
  • March 31/April 1 – Pascal Auclair – confirmed – Goward House reserved
  • May 26/27 – Susie Harrington – confirmed – Goward House reserved
  • June 23/24 – Ajahn Viradhammo – likely – UVic conference room reserved
  • July/August – teacher TBD
  • September 15/16 – Brock Brown – confirmed – Goward House reserved
  • October 13/14 – Christina Feldman – confirmed – Goward House reserved
  • Nov 10/11 – Carol Wilson – confirmed – Goward House reserved

Margo will give a public talk on February 23rd, the evening before her retreat. Goward House has been reserved for this.

  1. Meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.

Next Meeting

July 20th, 2017
7:00-9:30p.m.

Brian’s home.