Here's my report following tonight's AGM for the Edmonds Town Centre Business & Community Association...
Hello ETCBCA members and friends:
1) Here is your board of directors for the 2008-09 year:
Paul Cipywnyk (second year of two-year term)
Allan Zhang (second year of two-year term)
Rob Lamoureaux (second year of two-year term)
Dave Fairhall (acclaimed for another two-year term)
Joyce Rostron (acclaimed for a new two-year term)
Thank you very much to Joyce for stepping up, and to Dave for renewing. The board looks forward to working with everyone over the next year.
2) The motion to increase the annual dues to $40 from $20 passed. The new rate is effective from Nov. 19, 2008.
3) When I was preparing my president's report for the AGM, I was impressed with how much the association had accomplished over the last year, so I am enclosing the report here.
President’s Report
Edmonds Town Centre Business & Community Association
AGM, Tuesday, November 18, 2008
It’s been a busy year for our association. I will run through a partial list of some of the events that we have participated in since the last AGM. While I’m sure I’ve missed a few, it’s an impressive list!
November 24, 2007: Santa Parade
November 28, 2007: Executive Meeting
December 11, 2007: Year-End Party at Myles of Beans
February 2008: Survey/Strategic Planning meetings/mailed surveys & posted online
March 2008: Two Strategic Planning sessions facilitated by Deb Thomas
March 27, 2008: Joint KINA/ETCBCA Graffiti/Community Policing open house
April 23, 2008: BC Achievement Awards Victoria - Paul McDonell, recipient
May 3, 2008: Spring Clean Sweep
May 19, 2008: Taiwan Culture Show fundraising concert
May 30, 2008: Liberty Place open house
June 2, 2008: Executive Meeting
June 11, 2008: Urban Trail bridge and trail opening near Edmonds Skytrain station
June 14, 2008: Ground breaking ceremony for the new Edmonds public library
July 1, 2008: Canada Day
July 27, 2008: Spirit of Edmonds - Monica Mueller and Doug Harder
August 11, 2008: Spirit of Edmonds Volunteer Appreciation
September 14, 2008: City Fair in Richmond Park
October 4, 2008: Autumn Clean Sweep
November 13, 2008: ETCBA morning business networking seminar
I would like to thank Past President Dave Fairhall, Treasurer Allan Zhang, Secretary Jim McQueen and directors Kim Mostat and Rob Lamoureux for their contributions over the past year. I would also like to thank Monica Mueller for her invaluable work leading the Spirit of Edmonds committee for three years, and co-chair Doug Harder. Monica and Doug conducted numerous planning meetings and volunteer events in addition to the show itself, which was bigger and better than ever. Thanks also to Paul McDonell for his tireless work on the ongoing community murals project. Our group would be much the weaker without the constant presence of the RCMP, in particular Staff Sergeant John Buis, Ray Allen, and Jennifer Allegretto of the Southeast Community Police Office, along with their contingent of volunteers, and of course the Burnaby Firefighters who appear at nearly every community event with their BBQ equipment and ladder truck. I thank the numerous others who volunteered their time and effort, and beg their forgiveness for not being able to mention everyone by name in this report.
I would also like to recognize our ongoing relationship with the Kingsway Imperial Neighbourhood Association, or KINA. KINA Chair Diane Gillis was instrumental in organizing the joint KINA/ETCBCA March 2008 graffiti/community policing open house, and took the lead on a joint KINA/ETCBCA grant proposal to the City for additional community cleanup equipment and supplies.
As president, I have also had the honour of representing the association at other events and meetings including: the BC Achievement Awards at which Paul McDonell was a recipient, several City of Burnaby Byrne Creek Integrated Stormwater Management Plan sessions, several TransLink BC Parkway Upgrade stakeholder consultations, a number of Morely Elementary School Project Hope meetings, etc.
Early in the year we conducted a mailed and online survey of ETCBCA members, and held several strategic planning sessions facilitated by Deb Thomas of the Edmonds Public Library. We heard that members were willing to pay higher dues to assist the association in carrying out its mandate, that businesses wanted additional business-oriented events and benefits, and that our goal of attaining Business Improvement Area status was likely still a few years off in the future. There was also demand for an association website, and I have secured a domain name at edmondsassociation.org and have set up a rudimentary site that will gradually be developed to include association and community event schedules, member information, community resources, perhaps an online community forum, etc.
Here’s to continuing our good works in the coming year!
Paul Cipywnyk