Probus Club of Salt Spring of Salt Spring Island

Management Team Meeting of 27 October 2016

Minutes:

Members Present: Bruce Logan, Bruce Eggertson, Anne Marshall

Regrets: John Hobbs, Rob Huber

Financial Status:

Although Rob was not present with precise figures, we estimated that our current cash on hand amounts to approximately $3,800.

With an assumed annual membership of 50 persons, our projected annual revenue (in dues only) is approximately $1875.00.

Projected annual expenditures (meeting expenses, advertising, internet maintenance, Christmas party subsidy) are approximately $3525.00.

This obviously puts us into a deficit spending situation, which may be viable for the balance of this fiscal year and perhaps next year, but would result in dire circumstances following that. There are only two solutions apparent: (1) Hope that the new membership drive through publicity pays off and results in a dramatic increase, and/or (2) reduce expenses by half. This could be done by the changing meeting venue, eliminating the Christmas party subsidy and reducing web/advertising expenses. A 3d, rather undesirable option would be to fundraise. (Visualize a bunch of 60, 70 and 80 year-olds washing cars in Country Grocer’s parking lot.)

Action: Further Discussion/deliberation as we go forward.

Christmas Party:

The date and venue is set for Hastings House on December 15th. Cost for two courses will be $50. per person, exclusive of gratuity and tax (another 25%). We agreed that the club would subsidize this (approx. $12.50 per person) and that we would furnish a door prize again.

Not discussed: Whether or not to have a gift exchange again this year. The undersigned thinks we should.

Actions: Bruce E to finalize arrangements with Hastings House.

John to manage ticket sales (up to 40 persons). And acquire door prize (food hamper)

Bruce L. to announce plans via e-mail and website. Note: Bruce L will not be at the November meeting so, it is requested that John H, who will chair the November 8th meeting, make appropriate announcement at that time.

Homework from Last Meeting:

Re: Action item 1.1- Distribute brochures: Elaine is about 50% finished with distributing brochures to various organizations around the island.

Re: Action item1.5 – visit and make presentations on probus to certain groups and organizations: Bruce L has developed a point-form presentation and sent it to other team members as a power point attachment. Due to competing demands on personal time, no one has yet contacted any of the agencies we wish to visit (Senior Service Society, Rotary, Lions, Meadowbrook, Trail & Nature Club)

Re: Action item 2.1 – Solicit Guest Speakers – This is good news. We now have speakers penciled in through May of 2017. Anne recruited speakers for Feb and Mar and Bruce recruited speakers for April and May.

Actions: Management team members pursue meetings/ presentations with groups as assigned last meeting.

Management Team Succession Planning:

We briefly reviewed a number of strategies for recruiting team members, developed by Probus Canada. We decided to let them percolate and discuss later.

Bruce L suggested that we would have some breathing room if present members all agreed to stay in their remaining positions for a second year. Even so we mjst work at filling vacancies, especially that of Secretary. Following members agreed to do so: Bruce L, President, Rob Huber (in an earlier conversation), Treasurer, Anne Marshall, Past President, Bruce E., Activites Coordinator (also agreed to be the archivist). How about you, John H, President Emeritus?

We discussed collapsing some positions together, i.e. Vice President/ Speaker Coordinator. Bruce L indicated he would have a go at updating the committee job descriptions for a discussion at a future meeting.

Action: Bruce L update management committee job descriptions in draft.

Management Team Meetings.

We discussed frequency and timing of management team meetings. Consensus was to meet once a month (exceptions may be made in the summer) and to position the meetings for one week prior to monthly membership meetings as opposed to one week after. This will facilitate the fine-tuning of pre-meeting chores; cookies, AV equipment, meet and greet, 50-50 etc.

Next meeting: December 1st a.m. (10:00 or 11;00) exact time and venue TBD.

Respectfully Submitted

R. Bruce Logan