Minutes from the 2021 SERRA AGM held January 20, 2022

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2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM)

South Eglinton Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association (SERRA)

Thursday, January 20th, 2022, via Zoom Webinar

Minutes

Welcome & Call to Order

  • The meeting was called to order at 6:32 p.m.
  • John Hiddema, Moderator, introduced himself and described the agenda and delivered a technical overview. 
  • The land treaty acknowledgement of the traditional territory was read by John Hiddema
  • John introduced himself and the board, including Andy Gort, outgoing President, Jane Auster, Vice President, Paul Newbigging, Treasurer, Al Kivi, Tall Homes/Residential Working Group head, Sue Simon, Secretary and Membership Director, Mary Turcotte, Communications Working Group head, John Hiddema, Executive Member, and Charles Iscove, Webmaster

Minutes of the November 2020 AGM

  • Minutes of last year’s AGM were distributed to members in advance through the SERRA website and emails
  • Motion to accept the minutes of the 2020 AGM: Sue Simon, seconded by Jane Auster.  Vote to approve November 2020 AGM Minutes was CARRIED

Finances – Treasurer’s Report

  • Treasurer Paul Newbigging presented the Treasurer’s Report.
  • General = $18,434.15, Legal = $9103, Brownlow = $5266.62
  • Motion to accept the accounts: Paul Newbigging, seconded by Jane Auster. Vote to approve 2020 Treasurer’s Report was CARRIED
  • Financial statements are available on the SERRA website and to all SERRA members on request

Membership Report

  • Sue Simon shared current membership numbers, 2022 membership goals and presented a Call to Action for current members

Elections to the Board of Directors

  • Almost all board members are standing for re-election for the coming year
  • Some changes will be made at the next board meeting, and an update will be published via email and on the SERRA website
  • It was announced that long-serving president, Andy Gort, is stepping down from that role. He will remain as past-president, which is a non-elected, ex-officio voting board position.
  • All current board members stated they are willing to continue to serve on the board for the upcoming year, including Jane Auster, Sue Simon, Mary Turcotte, Paul Newbigging, Al Kivi, John Hiddema, and Charles Iscove
  • Motion to elect all persons on the list to be members of the board of directors of SERRA in the year to come: Andy Gort, seconded by Jane Auster. CARRIED

Call for more board members

  • John Hiddema invited members to join the board and reviewed the process to nominate and qualify for board membership

Special resolutions

  • John Hiddema described the “Renewal” theme for the AGM and background and context for the special resolutions, which included a name change for the association
  • Mary Turcotte presented the rationale for the name change of SERRA (South Eglinton Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association) to SEDRA (South Eglinton Davisville Residents’ Association)
  • The following bylaw changes were presented for approval:
  • Updated Articles of Incorporation
  • A provision to allow one board member to hold two positions (e.g. Secretary and Treasurer) or two board members to share a position (e.g.co-presidents)
  • The ability to modify the dates of the fiscal year
  • Update membership rules to reflect such changes as the move away from paper to electronic memberships
  • Authorization for the board to implement these resolutions upon approval by our members

Motion to approve the Special Resolutions: John Hiddema, seconded by Jane Auster. CARRIED

Business meeting closed. Motion: John Hiddema, seconded by Jane Auster. CARRIED

AGM Town Hall – Renewal

John Hiddema as the host reviewed the agenda, and welcomed the attendees to the AGM Town Hall, acknowledging the theme of “Renewal” and the name change to SEDRA, which was expanded upon later in the meeting.

We had Toronto City Councillors Jaye Robinson and Josh Matlow as guest speakers, and had brief remarks from Toronto-St. Paul’s MP Carolyn Bennett.

Closing:

At 9:05 p.m., John Hiddema closed the meeting, reminding attendees to continue to contact SEDRA board members through the website southeglinton.ca (until the new website – sedratoronto.ca – is fully functional) if there are more questions or comments. He also encouraged attendees to become members if they were not members already, get involved and donate to SEDRA.

The text of the minutes was finalized on Feb 7th, 2022, for publication and distribution.