Submitted by Helen Wirrell on behalf of the board
Board Bytes August 16th.
After taking July off, the Board met Wednesday the 16th and had the pleasure of welcoming a prospective new Director.
Policy Reviews
As part of reviewing the policies of all the co-op committees before presenting them to the general membership for further questions and comments, we looked at the Buildings Committee’s policies before deciding to have a smaller subgroup of Board members meet to review this document in greater depth. As the Buildings Committee plays such an important role in maintaining our homes, we felt their policy deserved this. And we wish to thank all members of this committee for the hours of discussion and debate that they have obviously devoted to fine-tuning this policy to its current stage.
General Meetings
The next will be held September 8th and will include a presentation of the Grounds Committee, a very interesting and exciting project and a quick update by Phil Cox on behalf of the Planning and Development Committee.
General Business
Motion Sensors ~ we approved a motion to give the Buildings Committee the go-ahead to install motion sensors outside units.
Garage ~ Andrea will ask the co-op handyman to divide the garage into two sections: one for the Social Committee in which to store their various items and the second for the handyman to store his tools etc.
Sign Off Sheet for Contractor’s Work: we will be asking the Buildings Committee to create a checklist/sign-off sheet for Members to fill in after having work done in their unit. Hopefully this will ensure both parties (co-op member and contractor) are satisfied with the final results of work done. This action will be added to the Buildings Committee policy document.
New Contractor ~ it was noted that the co-op has a new contractor. The Board will be reviewing the process of hiring co-op staff and ensuring this meets co-op policies, including the Board’s responsibilities for overseeing contracts and terms of work.
Finances ~ a motion was made to sign on to First Calgary Commercial Banking services, which are free to SACHA members and would allow us to pay contractor invoices online. One of the Board members is needed to release funds, which ensures that the co-op keeps control of what is paid. This motion was passed.
Member Involvement Committee ~ is not happening. Dorrie Derbowka has, however, volunteered to take on the Welcome Wagon duties, i.e. welcoming new members to the co-op. Thank you Dorrie.
New Members ~ we welcome Kiarra Spenst and Kris Ellestad, who will be moving into #2 SHL on September 1st.
Gold Eye Retreat 22-24 September ~ we have budgeted for 2 co-op members to attend this retreat. Robert Perry has eagerly volunteered to attend and so we are seeking one more person. I attended this a few years ago and had a blast, attending different workshops and meeting members of other co-ops, both in Alberta and in B.C. It was a great chance to learn from others, and to party. Room and board will be provided in a beautiful outdoor setting west of Rocky Mountain House. Please contact Andrea Bergen at the office if you’re interested in attending.
Board Retreat: In our January General Meeting this year we had small group discussions about Sunnyhill’s future. Notes from these discussions have been written up in subsequent Newsletters. In March, the Board took the ideas from these discussions and took them to our one-day retreat. We then came up with a draft set of priorities to guide the year ahead. And here they are:
re-furbish our existing buildings - addressing the problems identified in our Building Condition Assessment report
develop our skills in long range planning (including financial planning) so that annual budgeting is set within a three to five year time frame
review the Board-Committee structure to make sure mandates are clear and still relevant and that communications and decision-making flows well between the membership the Board and the committees
experiment with new ways of helping members feel engaged in the Coop - look at and beyond being on a board/committee
get actively involved with SACHA as our second level cooperative - participate with expectations over how we can contribute to and take advantage of the services/supports and political/policy influence that SACHA can provide
step up efforts at being “green” - encourage member innovation through a combination of financial incentives and showcasing initiatives
What do you think? Please drop us a line via email (sunnyhill@shaw.ca ) or on paper
Our Board meetings are held on the second Wednesdays every month.
And finally, a word from the Chair of the Board:
Hello Coop Members:
Some young members of the coop brought to my attention a concern with Bouncy Castles and the very real danger of bouncing into outer space.
The board discussed this last night, and we unanimously agreed that this is a concern. We are worried that the bouncer may bounce right out of orbit and never return.
We caution all bouncers as to this danger and advise eating and drinking as much as possible before bouncing so as to increase body weight and reduce the chances of visiting space.
Robert Perry
Chair
