AGM for Quails

All Oliver Community Arts Council members and visitors are welcome to the OCAC’s  Annual General Meeting on Monday February 27 at 9:30 a.m. at the Quail’s Nest Arts Centre, 5840 Airport Road.  Renewing and new memberships are welcomed at the meeting. Coffee, tea, and refreshments provided.  The AGM is kept short, with a financial year-end report from the Treasurer, a report from the president, and the election of 2012 officers and directors.

Nominations for officers are: Penelope Johnson (President), Esther Brown (Vice President), Diane Gludovatz (Secretary) and Arleyene Farnworth (Treasurer). Ten additional nominees will stand for eight positions as directors of the Board, assuring a democratic election.  Additional nominees for all positions are welcomed.

The 2011 Board gave a vote of thanks at its recent meeting for retiring directors Marilyn Marsel, Steve Staresina, and Roger Ulasovetz, and for officers Jack Bennest, treasurer,  and secretary Shirley Corley-Rourke.  Bennest and Corley-Rourke are both running  for director positions in 2012.

Following the AGM is Arts Jam! the monthly gathering to share local arts news and views. Meet the creative crowd, and find out what’s coming up in the local arts scene!

 

New faces, new positions on 2011 Board

The arts council held its annual general meeting on Monday February 28 at the Quail’s Nest Arts Centre. Despite the snowy morning, there was a good turnout and the membership was rewarded with a tight electoral race, some exciting local art news, and a coffee social.

OCAC President Esther Brown stepped down from the position she’s held for the last two years,  and was replaced by Penelope Johnson. Also acclaimed to the executive positions were Darryl MacKenzie as Vice President, Jack Bennest as Treasurer, and newcomer Shirley Corley-Rourke as Secretary.

Eight directors were elected to the Board from a slate of eleven after a close race.  One position required a second ballotting process.  New faces in the directorship are Marilyn Marsel, Leann Parrent,  and Roger Ulasovetz.  Returning to their seats are Sally Franks, Brian Mapplebeck, Jennifer Mapplebeck, and Steve Staresina. Past president Esther Brown also won a director’s seat.

In her annual report, outgoing president Esther Brown highlighted some of the arts council’s most notable achievements in the last year. She credited partnerships with other organizations as helping the arts council stay vibrant and “front and centre” in the community. Among the partnerships she named were two fund raising concerts with the Penticton Concert Band, the “Best Bloomin’ Garden Contest”  (part of the Oliver Communities in Bloom programme), an spring exhibit at the Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, a collaborative meeting with the arts councils from the Thompson-Okanagan region (TONAC), an historical display courtesy of the Oliver and District Heritage Society at the Fall Art Show and Sale, the Oliver Kiwanis mural project, and a budding partnership with the Oliver Community Garden Society.  Esther Brown received loud applause for her report.

Treasurer Jack Bennest was pleased to announce that 2010 was a well-managed fiscal year.  OCAC programme committees worked hard to trim expenses and reach a cost-neutral outcome. Several small fund raising  projects offset government and gaming cutbacks to the arts. A successful BC Arts Council application in the fall netted a $1500 basic grant (based on population), plus $3500 matching grant (added to $3500 provided by Oliver Parks and Rec ),  plus a performance award bonus of $2000 recognizing meritorious actvity in 2010. 

A vibrant Arts Jam! gathering followed the AGM. Representatives from several arts groups were in attendance , announcing their spring events. Information about the 2011-12 concert series, a choir concert, a fibre workshop, a quilt exhibit, a fine art show, the upcoming SOAP comedy and other arts celebrations can be found elsewhere on the blog. Stay tuned! There’s lots of exciting stuff in the works!

The arts council thanks Esther Brown for her dedication to the OCAC during her presidency. The council also thanks outgoing secretary Penny Ruddy and 2010 directors Shirley Nilsson, Hella Prochaska, and Craig Rusinek  for their service on the Board.

OCAC Board Minutes – July 2009

 

oliverOLIVER COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL
BOARD MEETING
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Quail’s Nest Arts Centre

Present: Esther Brown (President), Penelope Johnson (Secretary/SOCS Liaison), Jack Bennest (Treasurer/FOTOL Liaison), Sally Franks (Rentals, Desert Sage Spinners & Weavers Liaison), Brian Mapplebeck (Country Market A-Fair Liaison), Jennifer Mapplebeck (SOAP Liaison), Penny Ruddy (Finance Committee, Double O Quilters Liaison),

Regrets: Stephanie Salsnek (Vice President/ FCA Liaison), Linda Blaschuk (Rotary Auction, Oliver Arts and Crafts Sale Liaison), Heather Fink (Sage Valley Voices Liaison), Steve Staresina (Operations, Oliver Sagebrushers Liaison)

1. CALL TO ORDER: E. Brown called the meeting to order at 5:39 p.m.

2. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
MOTION:
That the agenda for the Board meeting of July 15, 2009 be adopted as written.
Moved: P. Ruddy Seconded: J. Bennest Carried

3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES
MOTION:
That the minutes of the Board meeting on June 17, 2009 be adopted with the following corrections:
#7. (c) Operations (iii) Volunteer Hours:
“ACTION:  H. Fink and E. Brown will meet regarding the recording of volunteer hours.”
#7. (c) Operations (iv) Landscaping : Orion (not Ryan)Kendrick
#7. (d) Publicity: Robert Doull (not Doul)
# 9. Next Meetings: Board Meeting: Wednesday July 15 (not 22)

Moved: J. Bennest Seconded: J. Mapplebeck Carried

4. CORRESPONDENCE : None.

5. TREASURER’S REPORT
(a) Financial Statement:
The Gaming Commission account is being held open with $93 because new revenue may be coming in from the DAP grant or other future fund raising activities.

The Advertising expenses line has not yet been broken down into programmes, which explains why the amount is inflated to 154% of budget. Many advertising expenses will be moved into Summer Studio and Performance budgets.

MOTION: That the Treasurer’s report dated June 30, 2009 be approved and further that the actions taken by the Treasurer on behalf of the Society be authorized and the bills be paid.
Moved: J. Bennest Seconded: S. Franks Carried

(b) BCAC Funds: Correction: The $5000 supplement from the BC Arts Council was rolled into a GIC/Term deposit, to be held for 2010 -11 programming. The $7219 from the BC Arts Council is designated for 2009-10.
(c) Insurance (Sound Equipment): The Board decided not to purchase a rider on the insurance or increase the insurance coverage for the new sound equipment. The deductible for additional insurance is very high ( approx. 50% of the purchase value).

(d) Fiscal Year End Resolution:
MOTION: That the OCAC Board convene a special general meeting to change bylaws with regard to fiscal year and the date of Annual General Meeting, such that:
“The Fiscal Year of the Society shall end on the 31st day of December in each and every year.”
and
“The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in the month of February in each and every year, on the fourth Monday or upon a date and time to be set by the Board of Directors.”

Moved: J. Bennest Seconded: S. Franks Carried

The special general meeting will take place on August 24 immediately before the August Arts Jam!

ACTION: P. Johnson will send out a general meeting announcement to the membership.

(e) Oliver Sagebrushers Donation: The fine art group has donated $762 to the OCAC from the proceeds of the sale of Robert E Wood paintings.

MOTION: That the OCAC designate the $762 to go towards improved lighting in the Studio Building.
Moved: S. Franks Seconded: J. Bennest Carried:

6. BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
(a) Landscaping Presentation: Tabled to August meeting. Regrets from Aaron (Sunscape Xeriscaping)
S. Franks spoke to Lloyd Park re: $200 bill erroneously received for a contracted estimate. The bill has been withdrawn.

7. COMMITTEE REPORTS
(a) Finance Committee: The Finance Committee will begin the BCAC 2010-11 application process, due September 2009. Funds received can be applied to general operations, not programme.
Arts councils can apply under different portions of the grant, including the basic grant (based on distance from Vancouver and population); the matching grant (requiring evidence of support from the local Parks and Recreation Society; and a portion that rewards innovative and culturally diverse programme activities.
ACTION: J. Bennest will supply the committee with previous grant proposals.

(b) Fundraising:
ACTION: J. Mapplebeck will book Tuesday December 8, 2009 for the Penticton Concert Band benefit concert once SOSS reopens August 31.
The South Okanagan Concert Society will advertise the event during their concert series.

(c) Operations:
(i) Roof: The roof is leaking in a new location: through the vent of the heater in Studio Bay 1. No water is coming in where the roof has been repaired.
(ii) Volunteer Hours: H. Fink and E. Brown met to discuss. A volunteer celebration will be held some time after the completion of the “programme” season each year. General thanks, but no certificates or awards, will be issued.
ACTION: Committee heads are in charge of seeing that all hours of work (programme or administrative) by their committee are recorded.
ACTION: All physical plant volunteer labour shall be recorded on the time sheet by the office door in the Studio Building.
ACTION: H. Fink will renew the physical plant time sheet and record total hours.

(d) Publicity: The Publicity Committee will meet with Susan Valentine and Ray Wangen from the Oliver Chronicle on July 28.

(e) Performance: The Penny Buhr Johnson Coffee House generated $490 revenue. Music in the Park generated $212 in donations from the Penticton Concert Band concert.

(f) Summer Studio: The final week of Summer Studio will be an eclectic mix of art with Corinne de Sampaio (painting) and Enid Baker (quilting) confirmed, and Roger Gilchrist (carving) tentatively confirmed.

(g) Fall Art Show: Festival of the Grape committee meeting is next week. Sub-committees for Fall Art Show have been established.

(h) Nominating Committee: Leo Pedersen is contacting incumbent members of the Board to ask if they will stand for re-election.

(i) Membership: Discussion of possible new member groups. There is interest in developing a photography club.
ACTION: S. Franks will contact Jim Beaudry to invite the Bluegrass Society to become a member of the OCAC.

8. NEW BUSINESS
The June Arts Jam! BBQ was a resounding success, with good food, entertainment, and several guests.

9. NEXT MEETINGS
Arts Jam!    Monday July 27    9:30 a.m.    QNAC – Studio
Board Meeting    Wednesday August 19    5:30 p.m.    QNAC – BB
Special GM    Monday August 24    9:30 a.m.    QNAC – Studio
Arts Jam!    Monday August 24 following    QNAC – Studio

10. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: That the meeting be adjourned, at 7:30 p.m.
Moved: E. Brown Carried.