2019/01/17 VIMS council meeting minutes

VIMS Council Meeting Minutes (approved)

Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.

Sandra’s home

Present:                                                                                

June, Sandra, Brian, Rhonda, Bruce

Absent with Regrets:

Brock.

Agenda Items:

  1. Review and Approve Council Meeting Agenda:

Motion from Bruce to approve the agenda. Carried.

  1. Approve Minutes of Previous Meeting (November 15th, 2018):

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

  1. Business arising from the Minutes and Updates:
  • The FAQ document that has been prepared for the website has now been posted. David, who monitors the Victoria IMS email sends his thanks.

 

  • The donations to Wat Metta, Dharma Seed and Birken Forest Monastery, approved at Council’s November, 2018 meeting have been disbursed.

 

  1. Finances:
  • June reported on the January-December 2018 Financial Reports prepared by Wei (reports were distributed to council members prior to the meeting). Council discussed them and had the opportunity to ask questions.  Members found all to be in order.

June motioned to accept the 2018 Financial Reports. Carried.

June motioned to ask John Hilditch, as in previous years, to review the 2018 Financial Reports.  Carried.

  • Account Balances since the November 15th, 2018 council meeting:

Account Balances as of December 1st, 2018:

Chequing:         $5,294.63

Savings:           $6,796.97

TOTAL:           $12,091.60

Account Balances as of January 1st, 2019:

Chequing:         $5,063.67

Savings:           $6,798.41

TOTAL:           $11,862.08

 

  • The 2019 Victoria IMS Budget was reviewed. June motioned to accept the 2019 budget.  Carried
  • Two scholarship were approved. Both for BCIMS retreats at a value of $250.00 per scholarship.
  • As June (Treasurer) will be away for several weeks, Council discussed logistics related to cheques and deposits. Bruce has the necessary cheques to cover any expenses until June’s return and everyone involved in the organization of the Sunday Night Community Sits and the February retreat has a deposit book.
  1.  Sunday Night Community Sit:
  • A request was received for a presentation to be given at the Sunday night sit on a recently published book. Council agreed that it didn’t fit with our current programming and will respond to the applicant accordingly.
  • The new format for Sunday nights was introduced at the beginning of January 2019. To date the new format seems to have been well received.
  • The facilitation of the Sunday sits is assigned through the end of June, 2019.
  • Kevin Keliher has taken over some administration responsibilities for Sunday nights.  Thank you Kevin!
  1. Dana Policy review:
  • The dana policy was reviewed and modified by June. Bruce motioned to approve the modified version of the policy and to post it to our website.
  1. Communications:  
  • The twelve month pre-payment for Constant Contact has been paid by Rod House who has been doing this task since we began using Constant Contact. We will reimburse Rod by cheque when he returns to Victoria in March.
  • Council discussed the possibility of transferring this annual task to Victoria IMS and will continue the discussion at the next meeting.
  • Review of January and February draft newsletters: June and Sandra will do this in support of Bruce.
  • All the write-ups for the February, April and May retreats have been received from the teachers for inclusion in the newsletter, retreat notifications and website. Bruce and Brian will apply them to the various communications with appropriate timing.
    • We continue to seek volunteers to contribute to the production of the newsletter.
  1. 2019 Programs:

Goward House has been reserved for all the retreats with the exception of the August 17/18 retreat which will be held at the University of Victoria.

  • January 19/20 – Heather Martin.
  • February 23/24 – Margo McLoughlin.
  • April 27/28 – Tuere Sala.
  • May 25/26 – Adrianne Ross.
  • August 17/18 – Ajaan Geoff.
  • September 14 – Brock Brown.
  • October 12/13 – Vance Pryor.
  • November 9/10 – Howard Cohn.

 

Retreat Operations

  • Council discussed the process we use to manage the lost and found after retreats in light of June being away in February. Brian will send out the notification at the end of Margo’s retreat in February using information Sandra will send him after that retreat.
  • There was some similarity of themes for a couple of the retreats in 2019. Brock spoke to one of the teachers to request an adjustment.  The teacher was amenable to making the changes and has done so.
  1.  2020 Programs:

Planning is in progress for the Victoria IMS 2020 retreat roster.  A number of teachers have been contacted and to date we have two confirmations.  We are waiting to hear from the other teachers. The teachers being considered include some who have conducted retreats for Victoria IMS in the past as well as some who will be new to our community.

  1. Meeting adjourned at 8:37 p.m.

 

Next Council Meeting

March 21st, 2019 7:00-9:00p.m.

Sandra’s home