Submitted by Mahlah Hansen on behalf of Grounds Committee
Education Committee's Musings on Pandemic Lessons
Submitted by Belle Auld on behalf of the Education Committee
What we are learning during our first pandemic
That we can still get together to eat and/or meet via Zoom
How to make pancakes without a recipe
That a person can spend approximately three hours watching videos on how to sew a mask
That a sewing machine repair shop is not considered an essential service
That it IS possible to garden yourself into exhaustion
That the 19 in Covid19 stands for the 19 pounds we gain
That wearing a mask at home prevents constant eating
That community is important
What we did not learn:
Why toilet paper??
-Cancelled- Goat herding
Submitted by Cindy Schnee
UPDATE July 6
Unfortunately, the City has requested that volunteers not participate in goat herding this season due to COVID-19 restrictions.
We will have to watch and admire the goats from a distance.
WE WANT YOU!
The Vahana goats are coming! July 13-21, 2020
You can volunteer to hang out with 265 goats on 4 different shifts/day. We can accommodate just a few volunteers/day, so if you are interested, please send in your request as soon as possible. Due to COVID 19, visitors are not allowed in camp and goats may not be touched, so this is your chance to get close to them!
Shift 1: 9:00am-12:00 pm walk from home camp by Centre Street Bridge across McHugh Bluff to grazing areas in the west. Must be able to walk/climb on uneven surfaces, stand for entire shift and tolerate sun and heat.
Shift 2: 12:00 pm - 3 pm afternoon resting camp (West side of Bluff) – will be shady, can sit if desired, bring your lunch and chew your cud with the goats!
Shift 3: 3pm - 6 pm - could be a combination of sitting, walking and climbing. Sun or shade. Must be prepared for conditions such as shift 1 and 4. It depends on the goats!
Shift 4: 6 pm – 9 pm - evening grazing and walk back across McHugh Bluff to home camp at Centre Street. Must be able to walk/climb on uneven surfaces, stand for entire shift and tolerate sun and heat.
Please note: Shift times are approximate. It all depends on the goats!
Age 18 and up
Suitable footwear is necessary (good tread, high top) as well as a hat and water bottle that you can store to have hands free.
You will be asked to sign a waiver and there will be a short mandatory volunteer orientation sometime in early July.
Please contact Cindy at welovegoats3@gmail.com if you are interested, with date(s) and shift(s) you prefer, how many shifts you want to do total, as well as your t-shirt size.
Social Justice Film & Book Club
Submitted by Rachel Rose on behalf of Social Committee
Pandemic-proof Social Events
Submitted by Rachel Rose on behalf of Social Committee
What to do with old lightbulbs
Submitted by Belle Auld on behalf of the Education Committee
1. Incandescent light bulbs (regular old fashioned bulbs) or halogen light bulbs - go in the black cart. It is recommended that you put them in a puncture resistant, non-breakable container or wrap them in two layers of paper and tie it closed.
2. Compact fluorescent bulbs – these do not go in any bin.
To dispose of these safely, wrap each bulb in paper and tie it closed.These need to be taken to either: -a *designated fire hall or -one of the city’s free **Throw 'n' Go landfill areas. SO, we now have a small box in the garage where we will collect these and take them to a fire hall once every 2 or 3 months. The box is right behind the door when you enter (the small part of the garage where gardening equipment is kept.)
3. Fluorescent tubes – again, these do not go in any bin.
A maximum of three (3) – no longer than 4 feet in length - can be taken to a *designated fire hall
More than three (3) tubes and tubes longer than 4 feet in length need to go one of the city’s free **Throw 'n' Go landfill areas.
*Our closest designated fire halls are:
Vista Heights Fire Station #4 (1991 - 18 Avenue NE)
Varsity Fire Station #17 (3740 32 Avenue NW)
**Free Throw 'n' Go landfill areas:
East Calgary Landfill (68 Street and 17 Avenue SE)
Shepard Landfill (12111 Avenue & 68 Street SE)
Spyhill Landfill (69 Street and 112 Avenue NW)
If you would like to be part of a regular trip to our local fire station to drop off compact fluorescent lightbulbs please let us (Belle Auld, Rose Ing, Chris Taylor, Peter Clyne) know.
To find out how to recycle other things, go to What Goes Where Calgary https://www.calgary.ca/UEP/WRS/Pages/What-goes-where/A-to-Z-Listing.aspx
*Stay tuned for information about old battery collection.
New Documents Available Online
Submitted by Mia Rushton on behalf of Communications Committee
Following on from a recent member’s submission and another member’s suggestion, we have added Sunnyhill’s Articles of Incorporation and our Shareholder’s Agreement to the website. This information can be accessed on the Documents page of the website under the heading Important Documents.
If you have an idea or suggestion for us, please let us know!
sunnyhill.communications@gmail.com
Thanks :)
Member Selection Update
Submitted by Lisa Rouleau on behalf of Member Selection Committee
Hi all,
First of all, I am so sorry, and take full responsibility for the lateness of this announcement. Member Selection is delighted to welcome Heidi and Anna to 26 Sunnyhill Lane! They and their cat moved in at the beginning of April and they have already been active at meetings and socializing outside while beautifying their yard. We are happy to have you here, neighbours!
In other news, Member Selection has been discussing the situation with the one bedroom units in light of the open units and the P&D work with Urban Matters. First, thank you to Eric and the rest of the P&D team for such good communication -- we had a bit of a glitch in terms of everyone being in the know about the full discussion that has taken place this year, but it's 2020, so that kind of figures :-P
I'm writing to clarify what we understand to be the situation as it stands, and what the likely next steps are as they relate to the work of the Member Selection Committee.
FYI, Susan and Buzz, after years of excellent leadership with the committee (THANK YOU!! <3), have stepped down (for now, anyway), and Jaime Muneoka and I have taken on committee co-chair responsibilities. We will endeavour to work as best we can with Sarah Stephens, Laura Doram and Marzena Czarnecka, as well as the Board and other SHC committees for the well-being of our members and the co-op as a whole.
As of the general meeting in January, we were informed that the likely spot for any new build as we go forward -- looking to increase our occupancy along accessibility, affordability and aging in place ideals -- is where the four one-bedrooms from 762 to 768 are. That is not a fait accompli, but we must move forward with that possibility in mind and try to make this the least stressful time in the not-knowing that we can for everyone.
SO. Here is what we know, and what we hope will work as we continue to navigate this together as a community...
1. We do not yet know if other one bedrooms will be affected by the plans. P&D have communicated to us that the hope is we will have a more detailed plan from Urban Matters by some time in August. We have received confirmation from the Board that the vacant one bedroom (as of Aug 1) can be filled either Aug 1 or Sept 1. It will be offered to long-term SHC members of those units first, as motioned and carried in the Jan 2020 general meeting.
2. We have recommended to the Board that those members on the internal waiting list (members currently living in non-housing fit units) be left where they are on that list if that is their choice and not penalized for turning down a one bedroom unit that they then might have to move out of for the construction. We understand that those members may feel frustrated by the change in plans. But the co-op's intention as we move forward trying to expand our capacity is to preserve our community and our members' housing as best we can. The least stressful option is to leave people in their homes as long as we can, and not penalize them for not being in a housing fit while these changes are happening.
We are looking at a long term process here with, as we are all aware, a lot of unknowns. This is the current plan and it will need to shift as our knowledge of the plan shifts. Our hope is to keep everyone in the loop.
If you have any questions, concerns, comments, please do share them with the committee via the office or directly to me or Jaime.
Thank you, friends!
Lisa, for Member Selection
What's up with Grounds
Submitted by Yvonne Sabraw on behalf of Grounds Committee
The Grounds Committee plans to meet twice a month through the summer, most likely on Monday evenings.
The next meeting is Monday July 6th, from 6:00 to 7:00pm, next to the SHC playground. As with all committees, any member who wants to attend is welcome.
Here are some highlights from recent meetings:
Inventory of SHC Grounds "assets" - we are developing a list and map of all the items (trees, gardens, garbage enclosures, tools, and so on) that Grounds is responsible for. In this way we can track what has been done to upkeep our assets. As everyone knows, managing the trees on our property is a big task. We plan to take pictures of each of the trees as part of the inventory and detail what interventions are needed over time. It would be great to have members let us know what concerns they have regarding the trees near their units specifically, and in the common areas generally. We may also need some help from members to identify what type each tree is.
The Grounds Committee's new email is SHCgrounds@shaw.ca . Please be aware that the previous email: shcgrounds@gmail.com, was deleted by the committee members who resigned in April. Therefore, if you communicated anything that needed attention to that email, you will have to resend it. If you sent concerns to the Grounds committee via the SHC office, Andrea has forwarded those emails to our new Shaw account.
Our contract for grounds maintenance is still with Curbside this summer but we will be reviewing options for the winter contract and really want general membership input into what is important for Sunnyhill in winter maintenance. As painful as it might be to cast your mind forward to the ice and snow of winter as you luxuriate in the sunny days of July, we will be asking for your thoughts soon.
Stay tuned for some group-efforts to maintain and tidy our common spaces this summer- we will be planning some things with social distancing measures in mind!
BYLAWS/ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION/SHAREHOLDERS’ AGREEMENTS AND SO ON – COLES NOTES
Submitted by Brenda Willman
We have good documents that govern our practices. The documents that deal with day to day details have been carefully presented, debated, written and re-written several times by the members! I concede that some of the Policies have perhaps been voted on at AGMs since the last full and comprehensive review of the Member Handbook, but I honestly don’t think much has changed, except with regard to the hiring of the Office Coordinator/manager, and that changed Buildings Policies (and were they all voted on and documented? Probably not and that is our collective error – no one to point fingers at but ourselves).
However, have members and boards continued to act as they see fit, provided ‘everyone’ is in agreement (that everyone being an interesting idea, since we really have to consider the entire membership and their wishes when changing how things are done)? Most definitely yes, and that was mentioned several times during the June 7th meeting.
There is so much to cover that I don’t know where to start
Think on some of the ways people can live together.
You can live in your own home and be subject to the regulations of the Village/Town/City in which your land is located, along with the requirements of your bank, along with the requirements of your co-habitants, if any. Who will pick up the garbage (in and out) who will provide safe drinking water, who will ensure that the lender (if one was involved) gets their money back? – which is equally to be considered.
You can live in a condo and be subject to the same as above, with the exception that some services will be provided by the condo-collective.
You can live in a housing cooperative and be subject to the same as above, with variations from condo agreements.
You can live on a commune (maybe as a Hutterite or as a member of Bountiful or Jonestown) and be subject to some of the same as above, likely with some privileges that come with being a religious organization (and such is usually the case). And maybe be with some detriments that come with living under the same (see Jonestown).
In all examples, there are agreements/Acts/regulations in place to protect landowners, big and small. Even communes exist in the country/municipality where they gather. Most of the legislation/regulation will ensure safety in the biggest sense of the word, i.e. safe drinking water, sewage collection, garbage collection, possibly schooling, etc. You might not get that on a commune.
Now narrow down your scope to the choice you have made. You decided to live in a Housing Cooperative and sign a Shareholders’ Agreement permitting/affirming/confirming your membership. You signed a business agreement as well as ‘signing-on’ to a more homey/touchy-feely tacit agreement to cooperatively live with other Shareholders in a hopefully mutually satisfactory and friendly environment. As such you have several documents protecting you as an individual, but (and what seems to be the missing link in so many differences and confrontations) these documents are also protecting you as a member at large who is paying rent and paying a mortgage and insurance, etc. for an entire housing complex comprised of 66 units built on rented land. You don’t own a unit. You own a mortgage and you have agreed to pay a land lease. To repeat - what comes with the mortgage and land lease is a housing complex of 66 units, one of which you may live in.
Here are our governing documents and what they mean to us.
MORTGAGE – we have borrowed money. We have to pay it back. We borrowed it to build the premises/buildings. Then we re-mortgaged everything again when we “got out of” the CMHC agreement. There may or may not be considerations for how we maintain the buildings under the terms of the current mortgage agreement – there probably are (there were requirements under the CMHC agreement but that is no longer in play and I have not read our mortgage agreement, and have never been provided a summary of same). Additionally and previously there were stipulations under the CMHC agreement on how much money a person could make upon move-in, how many subsidies should be provided and how much ($$) the subsidy should be – all stated in the $$ of the year of the agreement. This was revised throughout the years to keep up with inflation. I don’t know what, if any, stipulations in our mortgage govern our subsidy system any longer, and it shouldn’t matter because we do have a policy in place for that, and it was heavily discussed for months before finally accepted and it has stood the test of time, and has even served as an example for other coops leaving the loving arms of CMHC subsidies.
LAND LEASE – we live on rented land. The Landlord has rights. We don’t like some of them. We want our lease extended or to purchase the land. The Landlord has the right to say no, or say “yes but only if you do such and such”. Add in the extra complication that we want the land for non-profit housing purposes and you add on a layer of complexity(ies) that have been carefully considered by City Councilors that you and I have elected. For example, we must have accessible units if we want to stay on the land (which we all have agreed is a commendable goal and something we would like to strive for – but actualizing that goal is causing great distress amongst the members and introducing a huge financial load onto a tiny community). The land lease is also the source of the “right of ways” that were proffered by the City and sometimes lead us to a misunderstanding about what we can do where on our little patch of land – because some of “our” little patch is not really ours…the City just let us build a fence or garage there, but reserve the right to govern what happens on that land…that may be over-simplifying but it serves the purpose of Coles notes.
THE COOPERATIVES ACT and REGULATIONS– this is provincial legislation. I mention it all the time. If anyone has read it, they will come to understand that the reason I cite it constantly is to draw peoples’ attention to it. It is NOT a weapon. In fact, it covers the business end of things – and THAT is why I encourage people to read it. It does not limit our daily activities to any great extent, and so both Board members and members at large would do best to understand it and understand what DOES dictate our daily activities. Merely taking a look at the table of contents alone sheds light on what the Act provides for (and again) not only individuals belonging to a coop (and more specifically there is a section just for housing co-ops) but also for members belonging to a coop (ditto). Shareholders need protection from being evicted without due cause, but also need protection from having a crack house being set up on our collective property – which means we need legal ways in which to terminate that crack housee’s membership. Below this paragraph is a screen shot of the Table of Contents of the Act and of the Regulations (it’s the smaller list). Also is a screen shot of the TOC – expanded – for Part 18, where there is a special section for Housing Cooperatives. One can see that it is all business, but when expanded one can also see that it gets down to some details, especially regarding how Directors are elected, what their roles and duties are (including fiduciary), when we must meet, when we can meet other than when we must, how meetings are to be called, how many days notice, etc. all that business stuff which is predetermined by way of the Act and which we are obliged to follow. It tells us we must have Articles of Incorporation (special considerations for Housing Coops are under Part 18 392(1)) and it tells us we must have a Shareholders’ Agreement. It tells us what ByLaws we must have as a coop in general – see Part I Division 2 and it tells us what ByLaws we must have a Housing Coop in particular see Part 18 392(2)
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION- re our Name, Purpose, Objectives, No Monetary Gain, the fact that we are a cooperative based on Shares, and a clause about the fact that we will carry on business, on a co-operative basis. It says the co-operative will comply with Part 18, Division 1 Housing Co-operatives, of the Cooperatives Act of Alberta and includes clauses, that we will have ByLaws and report any changes to our ByLaws to the Director of Cooperatives (a provincial position); it speaks to the number of Director’s we will have, and the address our registered office (place of business).
SHAREHOLDERS’ AGREEMENT – Everyone signs this before they move in, but it seems like some members have forgotten the terms of their agreement…for example I refer to the outcry several years ago when the Board requested confirmation of personal insurance from members and several members noted they did not know they were required to hold insurance policies. Our Shareholders’ Agreement includes clauses re General Provisions, the relationship is clarified as a right to occupancy and not a landlord-tenant relationship, what the occupancy rights are, general terms that the housing charge will be determined and will be paid – the details of which are described in the ByLaws and Policies, general clauses about provision of utilities and payment of utilities (provision and payment are not the same – the coop agrees that they will ensure you have access to water, electricity by way of pipes, and wires, but the member has to pay the monthly usage fees), right of entry, maintenance and alterations to units. There is a clause on withdrawal and termination which parrots the Act but one must prudently always revert to the Act when such situations occur, to ensure we are acting under current legislation. There is a clause about insurance and liability and this is where it says the Member agrees to carry personal insurance. There are an additional 13 clauses. You should all have a copy of your own Shareholders’ Agreement that you can reference for more details.
BYLAWS – many of our bylaws come straight out of the act – review the Tables of Contents I have inserted to find out more about that. Our ByLaws has sections on the following subjects:
General Matters
Corporate Seal
Capital Stock
Membership
Disputes
Transfer of Membership
Withdrawal of Membership
Death of a Member
Termination of Membership
Share Re-purchase
Meetings
Board of Directors
Officers
Payment of Directors and Officers
Board Meetings
Liability of Directors and Officers
Committees and task forces
Records
Financial Management
Housing Charge
Reserve funds/Banking/Borrowing
Signing Officers
Amendments of Policies – i.e., Currently states Major policies can only be passed, amended or rescinded at a general meeting by special resolution. I am strongly against changing this as was recently proposed by our recent Board. I believe members should approve all policies board policies or not. It also currently provides that the board can pass any policy that is not designated as a major policy. We collectively decided at a GM that, for now, all policies are MAJOR, hence requiring member approval
The priority of Sunnyhill's documents (and only Sunnyhill’s documents– in all cases the Provincial Act and Regulations will take priority and in some cases our Mortgage and/or Land Lease will also take priority over Sunnyhill’s documents) – WHICH ARE IN ORDER OF PRIORITY:
Articles of Incorporation
By-laws
Shareholders' Agreement
Relationship between the Coop (believe it or not you are one of the Shareholders and represent the Coop as an entity) and individual members (you live here in a unit – and some individual rights come with being a member living in a unit) You have a business relationship with yourself!
Winding up of Sunnyhill
And next comes policies, which all members approved at various GMs before and after the major work was done ( 2 or 3 times). Below is the list of Policies we had in 2008, and again I don’t think it has changed much. I am willing to review all minutes since 2008 to ensure that any changes are captured to revise the document prepared in 2008.
Here is a high level list of what is in our Policies section of the Member Handbook. Please note section 1.2 is “what is good governance”. I am not kidding about having mentioned governance over and over in the last 12 years.
General and Background Information
General Policies and Board Policies – there might be some new ones to add here which may or may not have been approved yet.
Caregiver Expenses for Document Signing Sessions
Collection Keys for all Units
“Reside” and “To Occupy” a Unit
Move-in Policy
Move-out Policy both always under consideration and not sure if any official changes have been made, but this is one area where Committee members have definitely done what they deem appropriate and not necessarily in agreement with what has been documented. In fact, several situations are not covered and the Committee has to use common sense.
Members required to sign 2004 Shareholders’ Agreement Policy – yes some Members had never returned their signed copy and we as a coop had not followed up.
Best usage of Space/Housing Fit Policy – separate from Housing Charge Policy but related
Directors Liability Insurance Policy
Termination of Membership – Appeals
Parking Policy
Wildlife Policy
l changes have been made, but this is one area where Committee members have definitely done what they deem appropriate and not necessarily in agreement with what has been documented. In fact, several situations are not covered and the Committee has to use common sense.
Members required to sign 2004 Shareholders’ Agreement Policy – yes some Members had never returned their signed copy and we as a coop had not followed up.
Best usage of Space/Housing Fit Policy – separate from Housing Charge Policy but related
Directors Liability Insurance Policy
Termination of Membership – Appeals
Parking Policy
Wildlife Policy
Financial Policies
Housing Charge Calculation and Collection Policy
Personnel Policies
Privacies Policies
SHC Representatives
Standing Purchasing Committee
Youth Committee
Member Selection Policies – same comments as Move-in, Move-out policies
Grounds Policies
Integrated Pest Management Policies
Cyclical Unit Inspections
Buildings/Maintenance Policy/Procedures (Unit Maintenance and Improvements)
Unit Maintenance at a Glance/Troubleshooting Tips
PROCEDURES - At the very bottom of this list are procedures – those being the ways in which the Policies are carried out. For example, we may say it is a policy that before any work can be done on a Unit, the Buildings Committee (and now, more currently the Office Coordinator) must pre-approve the work (with perhaps an exception policy in place for emergencies). The procedure is that we use Purchase Orders to signify approval (and to facilitate payment), and the procedure would dictate who keeps the purchase orders, when they should be available, etc. For another example, it is Grounds Policy that the Grounds Committee will make available grass seed for reseeding lawns. It does not stipulate (which would amount to Procedure) where it has to be purchased, stored, etc. As a general rule, the payment for the seed would fall under our spending policy which was proposed back in 2008 but I’m not convinced it was ever approved; we never got around to completing the policies that were required.
If you’ve read this far, you can understand that we have a tendency to blur the lines between POLICY and PROCEDURE, but that is not uncommon and we should not beat ourselves up for it. THE END.
Planning and Development Presentation - Intro to MODA
Submitted by Planning and Development
Planning and Development is inviting members to:
AN INTRODUCTION TO MODA
June 18th, 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Zoom (link: https://bit.ly/2AeyZVJ)
Modern Office of Design + Architecture (MODA) is the Calgary-based architecture and interior design firm that Urban Matters is working with to envision what our aging-in-place, accessible housing might look like. MODA is the same firm that did the design work for our 2 and 3 bedroom in the fall. They offer a collaborative, team-oriented approach to all projects, big or small. MODA’s work ranges from single family residences to institutional projects such as libraries, schools, art galleries and fire halls to multifamily and mid-scale office, retail and commercial buildings.
MODA will provide an introduction to the memberships about how they work and the process they will lead the membership through as we work to design a new building.
To facilitate the discussion, we are asking members to send questions to Planning and Development sunnyhill.planning.development@gmail.com by SUNDAY JUNE 14TH. We will collate the question and send them off to MODA. They will work them into their presentation.
MODA website: http://moda.ca/
Email if you need the phone number to join the meeting.
sunnyhill.planning.development@gmail.com
Looking forward to seeing you all there!
P and D
Moving House - "Everything must go!"
Submitted by Bruce Eason
Please have a look at the link below for a list of our household furniture,
garden tools, etc. Most items are free as we are moving out of Sunnyhill.
https://www.techduck.ca/stuff/
More will be added.
"Everything must go!"
There is a very old set of MacIntosh gear from the iconic Big Brother Super
Bowl half-time TV commercial that will find its way to the list if it is
still here in the next little while.
That's it for now.
Cheers,
Bruce #779
Welcome and Farewell
Submitted by Susan Russell on behalf of Member Selection Committee
On May 1st, SHC said goodbye to long-time member, Karol Garner, who moved from unit #762. Wishing you all the best Karol, you will be missed! New member Rita Fields will be moving into unit #762 on June 1st. Welcome to SHC Rita!
BluPlanet continuing Operations
Submitted by Peter Clyne on behalf of Education Committee
Hello everyone,
If you were concerned about our recycling in light of the closure of some recycling facilities, we do not need to be concerned with that at this time as they bring recyclables to a different facility. BluPlanet is taking the following precautions:
-Staff who can work from home are and can still be reaches
- Field staff are working a safe distance apart from each other as much as possible
- BluPlanet is supporting any staff that require isolation
- Sick employees are required to stay home and contact 811 for further instructions
- Staff have increased cleaning and disinfecting their vehicles and equipment
- Proactively checking in with employees to see how they are doing, both physically and mentally
- BluPlanet is following recommended guidelines from the government and health officials
BluPlanet's communication with more details:
As some of you might have heard, the City is telling people to hold onto their recycling material as it might go to the landfill next week due to a Covid-19 outbreak at their processor. This might lead to a lot of questions from Boards and tenants about whether or not they should recycle or how it will affect us.
Please note, BluPlanet Recycling services will remain as usual. We have not been impacted by the Covid-19 outbreak at Cascade (the processor the City uses). We have another processor that we are able to use that the City does not and the mixed recycling materials will still be recycled.
In terms of safety for our workers we are requesting that residents keep at least 6ft of distance with our staff while on site.
-The Education Committee
What we are learning during our first pandemic
Submitted by Belle Auld by the Education Committee
That we can still get together to eat and/or meet via Zoom
How to make pancakes without a recipe
That a person can spend approximately three hours watching videos on how to sew a mask
That a sewing machine repair shop is not considered an essential service
That it IS possible to garden yourself into exhaustion
That the 19 in Covid19 stands for the 19 pounds we gain
That wearing a mask at home prevents constant eating
That community is important
What we did not learn:
Why toilet paper??
Buildings Committee News
Submitted by Jacky Durrie-Building Committee chair.
Happy spring everyone! After a long cold winter and a late spring it is so great to see gardens growing and watching leaves on deciduous plants grow-I am looking forward to blossoming trees and shrubs.
After volunteering at the Co-op and other organizations for the past 20 years it is time for me to take a break and I am stepping away from my commitments. The members of the Building Committee (including our office manager) have been a pleasure to work with and they will do a great job for the co-op.
The Building Committee is looking for new members-anyone who thinks they might be interested in joining the Committee please contact Andrea or another member of the Building Committee. Our office manager is a member of the Building Committee and attends every meeting. The office manager’s role on the committee is to attend meetings, produce the minutes of the meeting, create the agenda, fully participates in the meeting as a non-voting member of the committee. The committee usually meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6pm either virtually or in the office. Everyone on the committee would be happy to answer questions.
The eavestroughs and downspouts and have now been cleaned and a few minor repairs were completed. If anyone sees something that may have been overlooked please contact the office.
Requests for maintenance and repairs continue to be limited to emergencies only due to Covid-19 physical distancing requirements. As a reminder, emergencies are defined as any condition that makes a member’s home unsafe or dangerous-such as a clogged toilet, uncontrolled plumbing leak, broken exterior door locks etc.
Have a great summer everyone!
Board Bytes- May 13, 2020
Submitted by Sarah Reimer on behalf of the Board
ZOOM! To the rescue! We’ve had positive responses to the Zoom Budget meeting and would also like to express our thanks for the good turn-out, flexibility, patience and involvement at the Budget meeting.
Here is a synopsis of the work undertaken at our meeting on May 13, 2020 via Zoom.
We met with a P&D representative for clarification discussion of the proposed UrbanMatters contract.
P&D assured the board that no site has yet officially been identified either by membership or city decree for potential demolition and/ or development and that while discussion has focussed on one bedrooms, that these units have NOT, by member vote, been officially earmarked as the site for a building project.
P&D requested board signatories to be available to sign grant proposals which are complementary to our current endeavour and will potentially provide funding to match or supplement CMHC programs. The obligations associated with these monies are in keeping with previously agreed mandates from membership.
The Board signed contracts for an energy audit and for inspection of our foundation pilings.
The Board was informed that our current insurance requires a professional landscaping contract with a deadline of June 1, 2020, and therefore agreed to a summer-only contract.
Further work will be undertaken over the summer to secure a more robust winter contract and to clarify insurance requirements so that committees and members can be assured of best value for money while meeting our obligations.
The board requests that members interested in working on the grounds committee contact the office. (as of May 15, we have already received multiple replies)
Knowledge of and interest in gardening/ groundskeeping is helpful, but physical ability to undertake grounds maintenance tasks is not a requirement
Although there is no penalty for a late submission of AGM this year, the board intends to schedule our AGM for the end of June
Exact date TBD
We have had a board vacancy this year, and request that members interested in standing for board election prepare for this meeting with a short blurb about their skill set and vision for how they will contribute to the work of the board as outlined in our bylaws and policy documents.
Ongoing Reminders -
Regarding household items left outside garbage enclosures, please be reminded that this is not in keeping with our co-op ethos. We are looking into possibilities that this problem is sometimes caused by non-members, but request that members not participate
Please store items intended for kijiji/ community collection by your unit.
Please inform the office if the issue persists.
Our next scheduled Board meeting is June 10, but we anticipate meeting before that.
It’s amazing how the Covid restrictions and change of work patterns for many of our members has changed the atmosphere and community dynamic. It’s fabulous to see so many people out in their gardens, visiting in the common area and generally getting to know their neighbours all over again. The resilience and strength of our community, showing itself by bonding together in a time of difficulty speaks to the value of co-op living.
We’re stronger together!
Cooperatively yours,
Sarah Reimer
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Member Letter Regarding Grounds Committee
Submitted by Rachel Rose
Hello everyone,
Mike and I are concerned about the resignation of the Grounds Committee and the recent call to replace it with new members. We are putting together a letter to the Board requesting a special meeting to discuss this issue. According to policy, if 10 units request a special meeting membership is obligated to respond with a General Meeting to discuss the issue. It is our belief that it is in the co-ops best interest to have a thoughtful discussion with membership and the Board about why this happened and how to respectfully move forward. It’s important for both the volunteers to have a place to voice their concerns, as well as having an opportunity for the membership to better understand what happened so any underlying issues can be cooperatively addressed. If you would like to have your unit part of this request please email Rachel at rachelroseconsulting@gmail.com.
Cooperatively,
Rachel & Mike (807)
Dumpster Update
Submitted by Sarah Reimer
Due to construction at 3rd and memorial- the large item dumpster will be collected on Tuesday-... at no extra charge to the co-op!! Yay!! Last weekend for big clear-outs!!
Yard waste pick up Saturday
Submitted by Yvonne Sabraw
Saturday morning May 9th will be our next run to the city landfill to bring our yard waste to their composting pile. We are aiming to leave by 10:00. Please let Yvonne and Agniezska know that you have yard waste to send, either by responding to the Facebook post, or calling Yvonne at 403- 283–3361.
Leaves and grass clippings must be in brown compostable bags. Branches must be cut small enough that they will fit in our van. They can also be in the brown compostable bags to make them easier to manage, however thy can also be lightly bundled.
If you have driveway access, please leave the bags under your carport and we will pick up there, or phone / Facebook-message to arrange another spot.
Planning to do one run, with 2 vans. If there is too much for those two vans, will do another one later in the day. Depending on need we can do another run next week as well. The City is not charging for land waste through the month of May.
The City does not accept sod or household waste in its outdoor composting pile.
See you Saturday morning!