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    MINUTES

Fairwinds Community Association

Annual General Meeting held at the Anchor Room, Schooner Cove

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 - 7:00 pm

 
1.  Introduction of Guest
  President Bob Popple introduced Ann Murphy, a professional falconer engaged locally in Canada Geese Control. Ms. Murphy spoke for 50 minutes in which she described her career, how she developed the technique of using her pet eagle (Eddie) to clear golf courses, airports of unwanted birds (particularly Canada geese which have multiplied prolifically) and other services. She exhibited an in-depth understanding of how various species in nature interact and she explained how she uses Eddie in delivering these services. She was then thanked by the president, including a $50.00 honorarium.
   
2. The Annual General Meeting of the Fairwinds Community Association was called to order by President Bob Popple with 76 members and 1 guest in attendance.
   
3.

Motion:  Jim White                Seconded:  Barb Hunt    Carried

  That the Minutes of the October General Meeting 2009 be adopted as circulated.
   
4. EXECUTIVE REPORTS:
  President’s Report – Bob Popple:
 
bulletIt has been a year of continuous progress. Our community is maturing into a model of community involvement in planning and development. In the coming years, we will see the results of our involvement in shaping the Fairwinds community as the Lakes District and Schooner Cove developments emerge.
bulletHe thanked the FCA executive for their support and counsel over the year.
  The president then outlined the highlights of the year, including:
 
bulletThe first ever yard waste pickup service and a significant community beautification effort (Walter Clark)
bulletOur Building Guidelines committee under Keith Thompson has made some progress in developing a re-roofing report that is targeted for completion in July.
bulletWe made continual improvements to and postings on our website (Caryl Wylie) and answered many, many inquiries
bulletWe continued to grow our membership and have taken some initiative to make contacts available to new arrivals    (Steph Smith)
bulletWe staged two highly successful social events, one of which raised $19,000 for local charity under Pam Straka’s guidance…She also worked hard to raise the profile of Water Conservation, an issue of increasing importance with respect to water usage
bullet  Two public information meetings on water quality were held over the year. We hosted one here in August at which the RDN and VIHA outlined their plans that are centered on a new WTP at Red Gap wells area. Then, in February, an area E-wide meeting was held at Nanoose Place at which the RDN essentially re-stated their plan. He stated that, even after the Feb meeting – which essentially amounted to an endorsement of the WTP proposal - the RDN are still awaiting federal and provincial funding assistance which, in the current financial climate, seems highly unlikely.
bulletThe RDN have launched their Drinking Water and Watershed Protection arising from the November 2008 referendum. The first phase is to understand our regional water resources as input to our land use planning processes. The coordinator is Christina Metherall. Conservation, an area that the FCA has been working closely with the RDN is a major feature as is education on water usage. Watershed protection funding will begin over the next two years and there will be a growing emphasis on water conservation. See www.Actionforwater.ca
bulletWe joined forces with the Golf Society to work with Fairwinds on golf cart access to the golf course and we learned that a cost-competitive, roadworthy golf cart – which is the Fairwinds long term vision on the matter - is about three or more years away
   
 

Financial Report by Treasurer Steph Smith

FCA Year End Financial Report
April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010
Bank Balance
Bank Balance Forward

$3,769.82

$3,769.82
INCOME
Membership $3,005.00
Interest .59
  Public Relations (Calendar sales) 1,754.00  
 

TOTAL INCOME

4,759.59 $8,529.41
       
  EXPENSES:    
  Fees & Service Charge 40.00  
  Post Office Box Rental 120.75  
  AGM & GM & Water Meetings 858.38  
  Public Relations 2,068.37  
  Office Expenses 432.30  
  Postage 407.07  
 

TOTAL EXPENSES

$3,926.87 $4,602.54
       
  Closing Bank Balance $4,602.54  
       
 

FCA Budget for April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011

 
  Fees and Service Charge

$50.00

 
  Post Office Box

128.00

 
  Meetings 600.00  
  Public Relations / Website 1,500.00  
  Office Expenses 450.00  
  Postage 450.00  
  Grass Roots Committee 350.00  
  TOTAL EXPENSES $3,528.00  
  INCOME from Membership  275 @ $10 $2,750.00  
    (778.00)loss  

Motion: Bruce Wylie     Seconded: Joe Straka   Carried

That the Financial Report and Budget for 2010-2011 be adopted as circulated.

5.  COMMITTEE REPORTS

 Building Schemes Committee Report – Keith Thompson:

In Keith’s absence, Bob Popple read this report and it is included as an attachment to these minutes
Grassroots Committee Report – Walter Clark:
  There are a number of ongoing initiatives:
 
  1. Work Crews have resumed every second week to tackle neglected areas in and around Fairwinds.  There have been three crews this spring with 5, 9 and 3 workers.  Their focus to date has been the curbs and sidewalks that have become overgrown.  The work areas were Redden near Dolphin Drive, along Andover and the Fairwinds Drive/Evanshire intersection.  The objective is not only to do some needed work, but to socialize.  FCA will now be buying the post work coffee at the golf club house.  Next, Rockhampton at Schooner Cove Drive or Collingwood as you go into the walking path by Dolphin Lake?
  2. Broom Busting has been on hold, however we have just received notice that the Ministry of Transportation has obtained funding to continue their program of using detention inmates to chip broom piles.  We will therefore start cutting.  Our focus will be Dolphin Drive by the tennis courts or Fairwinds Drive/Powder Point Road near the navy base?
  3. Signage Throughout Nanoose has received the attention of Emcon and hundreds of illegal signs have been removed by them on their own initiative.  Some Fairwind’s residents have also assisted.  FCA also undertook to write several businesses that had signs in trees on private property in violation of RDN Bylaws.  Three companies with numerous signs in the area have complied and removed their signs.  Our thanks to Tree Works, Nanoose Edibles and Les Stewart Tree Topping for doing so.  We will continue to follow up with those who have not responded.
  4. Debris on Vacant Lots has been an ongoing concern.  Two lots with debris have been cleaned up voluntarily, one on Avondale and one on Andover.  Two lots have had debris removed as houses are being constructed.  However one lot on Rockhampton now has new debris!  This will be an ongoing issue until all lots are built out.  We have assembled the lot and filing information to obtain the names of the property owners of those lots with significant debris.  Our intention is to write them regarding their covenant obligation as well as a potential liability issue they have for fire during the summer months.  Hopefully we can get them cleaned up and stay that way.  The yard waste removal campaign and approval for tasteful no dumping signs to be placed on these private properties may also help.
  5. Yard Waste Removal is scheduled to restart this year on Monday April 19.  Tags sold last year will be honored even though we have shifted to a new service provider Sean’s Lawn.  The only other change is that all applicable taxes will be extra.
 

      We have two new initiatives:

 
  1. Garbage Cleanup Along Powder Point Road will be headed up by Chris Gebhard a Coventry Place resident.  It is anticipated that this will be a one time effort and will definitely be a positive step to the beautification of the area.  Our hats off to Chris for stepping forward.
  2. Park Benches are something that we and the Fairwinds corporation would like to see throughout Fairwinds.  In that regard Fairwinds has identified 15 locations that are particularly serene and restful.  We are looking into the types and cost of various alternatives.  At this point the idea is that they would be funded by private individuals as memorial benches.  Clifford Hinton has been spearheading and details will follow
   
 

Report on Fairwinds Development Plan (Community Advisory Group) Pam Straka

Please see attached report.(Powerpoint presentation)

   
 

Water Quality and Quantity Committee – Joe Straka:

  I would like to thank those volunteers who bravely undertook the task of sampling their water since last April. This sampling program will be finished the end of this month. We will share any insights we see in the data

I also want to thank all residents who were actively lobbying the RDN through meetings, emails, phone calls, etc. The combined weight of these community efforts was enough to finally get the RDN moving to solve our water color problem and build a filtration plant

I recently discussed progress on the Water Treatment Plant with Mike Donnelly at the RDN. Everything is about the same as the RDN presented at the February information meeting.

For those who may not have been able to attend that meeting the situation is as follows:

bulletCost to build the plant is M$1.4
bulletThe parcel tax cost estimate is $10-$24 / year ($1-$2 / month)
bulletDesign work is underway and final plan should be done early this summer
bulletPreliminary plan is with Ministry of Health for review and comment.
bulletPlant construction could be completed summer 2011.
 

 HOWEVER, I am concerned with the following situation:

bulletBecause grant applications are into BC government to offset/reduce the parcel tax, after the final plans are done (early this summer) the RDN plans to wait and see if one is awarded. If they haven’t heard by this October and continue to wait for grant approval, the plant completion date of summer 2011 could be pushed back possibly into 2012. That could mean two more summers of colorful water and the delay could increase the cost through inflation.

In response to Joe’s concern over a possible delay in waiting for grant approval, Wendy, a member of the community made a helpful suggestion.  The probability that RDN will withdraw the grant request is very unlikely so the best tactic is for us, as a community, to try and push for an answer ASAP.  This would be done through the MLA.

   
  Social – Pam Straka:
  The FCA Social committee staged 2 events in 2009
 

Stampede Party

The 1st annual Fairwinds Stampede Party, held on July 10, held at Fairwinds golf clubhouse, attracted 140 attendees, featured big screen coverage of chuck wagon races live from the Calgary Stampede, “western” atmosphere and dress, prizes for best dressed, a sumptuous buffet with chicken and ribs and the fixings, and a dance with DJ and country music.

Thanks to organizing committee members Wendy and Rick Hollinshead, Doug Pearson, Joyce Stewart, Joe Straka, Don Dempson, Bill Slayter. Additional people helped with setting up and clearing up the bales of hay, wagon, and boards.

The Stampede Party was revenue-neutral for FCA and was a great opportunity to draw people together in the summer. There were a lot of new faces at this event.

The 2nd annual Fairwinds Stampede Party will be held July 9th, 2010

   
 

Fairwinds Gala for Charity

The 3rd annual Fairwinds Gala for Charity was held on December 4, 2009, at Fairwinds golf clubhouse. This event features live and silent auctions to raise money for charity, with this year’s recipient the Society of Organized Services.

It takes a team of talented people to stage this event and I’d like to thank the organizing committee and volunteers for their hard work. Our goal was to have a revenue-event and we achieved this, thanks to generous contributions from our sponsor, Fairwinds Resort.

 
bulletMarion Clark
bulletLinda Hamilton
bulletWendy Hollinshead
bulletHarry Keen
bulletLyn King
bulletBill Larner
bulletSandra Newhouse
bulletHeather Popple
bulletRebekah Sax
bulletSteph Smith
bulletAnne Ward
bulletBev Watson
bulletWall of Wine builders
bulletJoe Straka
bulletBill Hamilton
bulletWalter Clark
 

Approximately 140 businesses and individuals donated items for the live and silent auctions. This year’s wall of wine became 2 walls, thanks to the generosity of Fairwinds residents who contributed bottles of wine for the wall.            

It also takes an amazing community to support this event and I’m sure everyone will agree that Fairwinds is full of incredible people. The generosity displayed by the auction bidders was heart warming, and the auctions plus Fairwinds Resort’s donation raised $19,000 for the SOS Caring for Kids at Christmas program, which helps children and their families in need.

Thank you to everyone for making the gala such a success. I hope you will support the 4th gala in December, 2010.

   
 

Water Conservation – Pam Straka

Please see attached report.  (Power Point Presentation)

   
6. New Business
 

Bob read the constitutional requirements for conducting elections according to Roberts Rules of Order.

Bob thanked Steph Smith, the outgoing treasurer, and Pam Straka, the outgoing social chair and water conservation chair, for all their hard work over the past two years.

Bob nominated Cliff Hinton to run for a second term of two years.  This was seconded by Joe Straka.

Steph Smith nominated Allana Patterson for the position of treasurer.  This was seconded by Doug Pearson.

Pam Straka nominated Patrick Murray as a director and this was seconded by Caryl Wylie. 

There were no other nominations from the floor.  The proposed slate of Cliff Hinton, Allana Patterson, and Patrick Murray was elected unanimously, bringing the status of the Executive Committee to a full seven (7) directors

 

7. The meeting was adjourned by Garnet Hunt.

 

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Contact Information:

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Fairwinds Community Assoc. Hyperlink not available to safeguard against spam a graphic image is used to display addresses....send e-mail to:
PO Box 281,
Nanoose Bay, BC,  V9P 9J9