WATER VALLEY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Meeting Minutes, Aug. 08, 2008
1. In attendance:
Ally Dunham (Director – President), Stacy Miller (Director – Treasurer), Judy O’Leary (Director- Secretary), Dave Smith, Don Oltrop, Elise Gareau-Smith, Tim Clinton, Dick Jarand, Pauline Pedersen, Leslie Cameron, Terry Smith, Jan Frasier, Grant Frasier, Adel Jozwiak.
Absent Directors: Brad Teigen, Veronica Ramsay, Colin Swarbrick.
2. Minutes
Minutes from the last meeting approved. Moved by Dick Jarand, seconded by Ally Dunham.
3. Treasurer’s Report:
Stacy Miller. Dave Smith noted that a tent included in the assets had been sold.
4. Old Business
- a. Water Valley Days
- Events were reviewed. More volunteers are still needed. Thank you to Ally for all her hard work.
- b. Cremona Recreation Board Grant
- Tim Clinton has purchased the projector and screen and will pick it up along with some plugs this week. Specs were made available to review. The cost will be just under the $3500 approved.
- Ally Dunham is looking into the new sign materials.
- c. Internet Tower
- The County approved the Gas Coop’s application but a neighbour has appealed due to his concerns about lights (which have now been changed so they won’t flash) and the risk of the tower falling on his house. The appeal will be heard August 28 at 1:00 at the County offices. Residents are encouraged to attend to support the need for the tower, which will provide high speed Internet to our area.
- d. Highway Light
- The streetlight at Highway 22 and the Water Valley Road in now operating.
- e. Ball tournament
- This went well with no problems this year.
- f. Community Initiative Grant
- Elise Gareau-Smith indicated that two grants were given (community association and Chinook Creative Arts) and so two reports need to be done. Ally Dunham will check on this with Peter van Hal, past president.
- g. Ditch clean up
- It has not been done yet, but needs to be done sometime this year.
5. New Business
- a. Request from Friends of the Water Valley Public Library regarding the Chinook Creative Arts Building
Judy O’Leary brought forward a request that we gather information about the possible renovation of the Chinook Creative Arts Building. This fall the community association will be presenting various alternatives for a new hall, with and without a library, to the community. The Friends of the Water Valley Public Library would like to be able to present information to the community on the costs and benefits of all options involving the library, including the impact on other groups in the community.
To obtain this information the Library Friends would like to contact a Heritage Conservation Advisor from the provincial government to visit the building and let us know what internal renovations are allowable under the Heritage Act, and whether the main floor could be opened up to facilitate a larger library. They would also like to get an assessment form a structural engineer as to the costs of such renovations. One has offered this advice at no cost. All interested parties would be welcome to sit in on these assessments.
The Library Friends were directed to proceed with these investigations but also to:
- Consider having the heritage advisor and engineer present at the same time if possible.
- Investigate the issues of disabled access especially in relation to access to washrooms, and possible funding to meet these requirements.
- Liaise with the Chinook Creative Arts Foundation to obtain any information which they may have collected that is pertinent to this investigation.
- b. Library staffing
The Community Association no longer employs Lorna Oltrop.
Terry Smith requested that the Community Association invite Ron Sheppard, Director, Parkland Regional Library to meet with the Community Association directors and Lorna Oltrop to mediate this situation.
Ally Dunham indicated that she already planned to meet with Ron Sheppard. After that meeting, possibilities for mediation will be investigated.
Terry Smith advised that he and Maureen Warmington would be suspending their volunteer work at the library until this matter is resolved. Ally Dunham indicated that the library would be kept open with help from other volunteers.
Terry Smith requested that documentation on the decision to no longer employ Lorna Oltrop be made public. Ally Dunham will check to see what is possible given requirements for confidentiality. - c. Membership Protocol
Dick Jarand asked that the community association clarify its membership rules and institute a fee. It would be useful for fund raising to be able to say how many members we have. We could consider giving benefits (e.g. reduced rentals) to members to encourage membership. Membership eligibility should be clarified (e.g. location of residence, permanent versus non-permanent residents, age). It would also be good to clarify who may vote.
All of these issues should be clarified in our bylaws. Contacting other community associations would be useful.
Moved by Ally Dunham, seconded by Judy O’Leary to form a Bylaw Subcommittee to review these and other relevant issues. Approved.
Volunteers are needed for the subcommittee.
6. Other Business
- 1. The hall mower is not working. Ally Dunham was directed to get an estimate for repair costs and an opinion on whether it is worth repairing as well as an estimate for a new mower.
- 2. The signing authority for the Water Valley Public Library bank accounts will need to be changed.
Moved by Stacy Miller, seconded by Ally Dunham to remove Lorna Oltrop from the signing authority and to add Judy O’Leary.
This Alberta Treasury Branch account will be closed and all funds moved to the Mountain View Credit Union account in Cremona so that there is only one library bank account. - 3. Kim Vaughan volunteered to do the 4-way stop sign. Ally Dunham will contact her about this and provide her with the sign materials.
Meeting was adjourned at 9:00 pm.