CAS Annual Meeting

June 19, 2002 permalink

Children's Aid held its annual meeting at Mono Community Centre. After two years in which the meeting format was changed in response to Dufferin VOCA intervention, the meeting returned to the traditional form. John Christie opened with a brief welcome, then there was a dinner catered by DACL. In the formal business meeting, John Christie, president and meeting chairman, noted that as of the record date of May 1, 2002, there were 115 members of record. A quorum of 20%, or 23 members, was exceeded by the attendance. The meeting:

• Approved the minutes of the previous annual meeting.
• Approved the auditor's report.
• Appointed BDO Dunwoody as auditors for 2002/3.
• Approved the revision to the bylaws. The Ministry did not accept the bylaws as passed by the meeting on March 20, 2001, but made some changes. Consequently, it was necessary to get the approval of the membership again to comply with the rules for amendment.
• Introduced the existing board of directors:
  • Mary Lynne Richardson
  • Bruce McGillivray
  • Erika Skala Black
  • Sandra Card
  • Marianne Breadner
  • Mark Van Horne
  • Greg Maslen
  • John Christie
  
  There were four others for whom we do not yet have full names or spellings, surnames Wilcox, Wallace, Murray and Evans. We note that a majority of the board resigned during the year.
• Introduced and elected the nominees to the board of directors:
  • Mary Lynne Richardson
  • Bruce McGillivray
  • Bonnie Jones
  • Terrence Deneen
• Promoted the Children's Festival to be held on Mill Street on June 22. and the Famous People Players Theater performance on June 25.
• Adjourned the meeting.

Following the business meeting a series of awards were presented to ten current and former board members. The awards were accompanied with lots of hugs and jokes, creating a party atmosphere.

Gary Putman gave the staff history of Dufferin CAS. 20 years ago there were 15 staff members, 10 years ago 27 staff, year 2000 58 staff, and now 93 staff of which about 80 are full time. 58% of today's staff has tenure less than one year, and 72% less than two years. Only 17 staff have served 5 or more years.

Awards were presented based on tenure to:

20 years

Debbie Smith (formerly Taylor)

20 years

Irene Beazley

15 years

Dorothy McLachlan

15 years

Kim James

10 years

Nina Little

10 years

Wendy Mobbs

 5 years

Isabel Castle

 5 years

Shirley Hackman

 5 years

Jennifer Moore

 5 years

Diane Maloney

The last presentation was to the group home parents, identified only by first name. All persons involved in the meeting were white, except for one pair of group home parents, who were black. One final joke closed the procedings.