North SaskatchewanRiver Basin Council (NSRBC)

Minutes - Board Meeting

April 25, 2012

Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve

7:00 PM

  1. Call to Order
  2. Introductions

Present: Lisa Quessy, Linda Clavelle, Paul Rybka, Vinessa Currie Foster, John Kindrachuk,Harold Daniels, Karen Pedersen, and Michael McAllister

Regrets: Darcy Lightle, Ron Crush, Shelia Moench,Tom Brown, Garnet Cormin, Dave Gabruch, Jeremy Brown, Annette Smith and Kendall Sonmor

Staff: Heidi Hougham, Katherine Finn

  1. Additions to Agenda
  • Approve Agenda

Paul moved, seconded Lisa, Carried.

  1. Minutes of Last Meeting
  • Adopt Minutes

Lisa moves minutes as amended, Seconded by Linda, Carried.

  • Business arising from Minutes
  1. Treasurer's Report

Held down until Karen arrived at meeting.

  • Karen to email budget March 31, 2012
  • Payments made for Board approval Karen to provide schedule
  • Accounts Payable also provided.

Karen moved payments for Board Approval, Linda seconded, Carried. Financial report moved by Karen, Seconded Lisa Carried.

  1. Correspondence
  • GST Audit – Karen

Karen hasn't heard anything further.

  • Corporate Services

Annual Return to be refiled immediately in order to secure an extension for the financial statements.

  1. Delegations
  • NODCA Watershed Planning – March 22

Heidi presented on source water protection planning.

  • AGM March 28 1:00PM in North Battleford
  • SAW Conference - April 16-17

John, Paul and Heidi attended for NSRBC. Many interesting speakers. New York City watersheds upstream of NYC, ecological goods and services, how it is supported financially and how it keeps city waters clean. Capital investment projects, water treatment plants refurbished. Dave Sachyn VACE project (Venezuala, Argentina, Chile, ... and America. Climate changes - SAW a supporting partner. Swift Current Creek watershed and Old Man River AB. North Dakota - oil boom, growth. Wayne Dybvig, SWA no new money, but same level of funding. Watershed planning and renewal. Panel discussion on source water protection and how the different government departments fit in. Ministry of Health now becoming more engaged. Lionel STEP President and CEO - Guest Speaker. Next year the conference will be held in Moose Jaw.

  • Third Planning Meeting of NODCA - April 27
  1. Old Business
  • Benefits for Employees through SAW-John

Last SAW Board Meeting private health service plan through Serre Financial. $1000 per employee - eye glasses, teeth or whatever they want to spend it on. Can be carried over two years. All claims are paid by the employer. Money can be paid up front with the company or wait until claims are submitted. SAW has engaged a Broker. Vinessa and Lisa Saskatchewan chamber plan is cheaper than SUMA. Meant for small business. Linda refer to committee looking at employees contract and budget. Board vision. Vinessa employee retention. Lisa cost per employee is less than what may be required $1,000. Cost sharing with the employees could be considered. Motion re board vision - important for employee retention Linda. Motion to put that out to the committee to be researched. Lisa moves committee to incorporate research on benefit plan costs into staffing decisions, seconded Vinessa Carried.

  • Membership Committee

Follow up on Membership. New members, old members that aren't returning.

  • Strategic Planning Committee

Paul suggests the entire Board. Committee to make recommendations re staffing and budgeting. Vinessa suggests meet for strategic planning meeting after. New proposal plan, deadline for marketing. Lisa start of the strategic plan -... Paul two day session with the entire board. Karen moves we have a strategic planning session in the Fall October 23 suggested at Redberry Lake 9:00AM. Linda Seconded, Carried.

  • WAC Meetings

Strategic Planning Meeting - Committee.

  • Executive Elections

Consideration of filling positions on an interim basis until the next AGM. Motion Vinessa, seconded Lisa, Carried.

Vacant Positions:

Vice-Chair: Paul nominated by Michael. Linda moved nominations cease, Lisa seconded, Carried.

Secretary: Lisa volunteered.

Membership: Lisa nominated Vinessa. Paul seconded. Linda will help with the East side. Strategic Meeting will discuss membership strategy.

Motion to appoint the above executive as well as John Kindrachuk, Chair and Karen Pedersen, Treasurer made by Karen, seconded by Vinessa, Carried.

Paul suggested this works with the Communications Role. Vinessa suggested that in order to apply for a project proposal must be a member. Also a way of selling the benefits of membership.

  • New Board Members

Source Water Protection Plan. Old Minutes from the last year. Heidi to email out.

GaretCormin - personally interested. Follow up in January.

Dave Gabruch Provincial Government - still waiting approval

Tom Brown PCAB, Sectoral AEGP - Environmental Farm Plans and PCAB representative North West Part of the Province. Turtleford area. Motion to invite Karen, seconded Michael, Carried.

9. New Business

  • 2012 Work Plan

Heidi to email out the work plan. Board to respond by Monday. Heidi to highlight 20 key actions for the Board's consideration by Friday. John suggests send to Katherine and ask for her 20 focus areas. Board to narrow down to five key areas by Monday.

Vinessa school presentations and linking with other organizations like Nature Saskatchewan, Redberry Lake and Frenchman Butte Museum. Tracking results for total impact.

Water quality monitoring projects. Vinessa already doing.

  • Heidi's Contract
  • Katherine's Leave

On leave until the end of May. Discussion of staffing for next year.

John presented Susanne's Communications Proposal and NSRBC Website Proposal. Geographic scale - WAC meetings finding a project in each region. Paul, Gary Neil looking for more results based projects. Funding is politically based, not geographically. Michael - SAW has the same challenges. Possible water monitoring projects. Support from the Board for projects in geographic areas. Work towards having a person in each WAC area. One overall manager, Communications person on top of that. Would require external funding. Vinessa, visible signage in the watershed and for our projects. Katherine interested in a big project with a particular community. Example, manufactured wetland lagoon. Renewal of our plan - break down to a manageable number of KAs for the year. Vinessa, Draft a letter to the communities for a proposal - what are the priorities in the communities. Update the WAC lists. Many communities are on wait lists for funding.

Karen discussed the budget and the communications proposal. Budget dependent on the staffing.

Katherine suggested 2 part times Katherine and Heidi, capacity to hire communications for $15,000? Karen suggested listing job descriptions, benefits for the budget, Karen will continue on finance until the audit is done then it should go back to a staff function. Split the part-time positions based on skill set. Consider keeping Management and Finance together. Karen, Board's vision is to have two part-time managers and communications if budget allows and that a committee be struck to sort out details and determine feasibility. Seconded by Linda. Carried. Katherine can help working on the proposal now. Committee: Katherine, Heidi, Karen, Vinessa, Lisa and John. Heidi to Email job descriptions. Evening conference call May 1 at 7PM.

  • Hiring for Battle River AEGP

Battle River meeting May 2, 2012.

  • NSRBC Website - Tabled until next meeting.

10. Reports

  • Heidi - General Manager Report
  • John Kindrachuk – SAW Report

Executive remains the same. John Kindrachuk Secretary, and NSRBC representative. Paul Rybka is our alternate. Two new watersheds Upper Souris and Carrot River. Two members at large are from Lower Souris and South Sask. South Sask would like to work with us on fund raising. Heritage River Status Vinessa for South Sask. Consider for North Sask.

Director Liability insurance Saskatchewan SCDA (Conservation Development). Membership fee per watershed $600 insurance $250 BL - get quote from John $1015. Encon DL of $1,M no business; SGI - quote with audited financial statement. SEN BL and DL $600 - Karen to find out. Tabled. Vinessa checking Northern Tourism. Rec Board $650 from SGI with audited financial statement.

Michael to look into CNDs in our watershed. One proposed forCorman Park.

  • Annette–NSR- AEGP Report
  • Kendall - Battle River AEGP Report

Karen Board is active and engaged. Tom Brown has suggested Dave Whitehead - works with invasive.

Karen moved reports, Lisa seconded, Carried.

11. Additions

None.

12. Next Meeting Date

Linda how much does it cost for Skype conferencing - Karen doesn't have.

May 8th by conference call 7:00PM

13. Adjournment

Harold moved.