CAN AGM 2008 minutes

CAN AGM 2008 minutes

Submitted by adrian on 13 October, 2008 - 20:29

Date: 4 October 2008, 2:55 PM

Venue: Our City O-Tautahi, Christchurch

1. Attendance & apologies

  • Present: Robert Ibell, Adrian Croucher, Liz Mikkelsen, Axel Wilke, Keith Turner, Philip Browne, Glen Koorey, Anne Gummer, Patrick Morgan, Marilyn Northcotte, John Baldwin, Bernie Kelly, Alastair Smith, Liz Thomas, Magdalena Lorenzo, John Cockrem, Christine Cheyne, Gaz Sanvicens, Andre Cymbalista, Jocelyn Papprill, Jane Dawson, Tom Ransom, Tony King-Turner, Nigel Perry, Illona Keenan, Paul Doherty, Alan Preston, Kevin Hague, Stephen Molloy, Em Oyston, Anna Star, Kelvin Aris, Chris Lenth, Richard Sewell, Steve Southall, Barbara Cuthbert, Mark Bracey, Barbara Insull, Anne Fitzsimon, Jon Harris, Brent Barrett, Tony Stephens, Julie Dalziel, Thomas Schwarz, Pete Masters, Graeme Lindup
  • Apologies: Luke Stewart, Andrew Couper, Margaret Parfitt, Johan Groeneveld, Kirsty Barr, Jeremy Dunningham, Stephen Wood, Ian Butcher, Andrew Macbeth, Bevan Woodward

2. Minutes of 2007 AGM

Were accepted. Proposed: Illona Keenan, seconded: Jane Dawson.

3. Matters arising

Charitable status: CAN's application for charitable status has been submitted and is currently being processed.

4. Officeholders' reports

a) Chairperson's report

  • Another year of consolidation and growth
  • Big membership boost - combined total of financial and Friends membership stands at more than 5,000
  • New groups (Cycle Aware Hawkes Bay, Rotorua Cycle Action), groups re-affiliating (CAT) or joining CAN (CAWaiheke)
  • Staffing - Simon Kennett leaves, Patrick Morgan arrives, Claire Medcalf starts, first intern (Christina Burns), Fiona Whero continues; function well as a team (as witnessed by their work on this weekend) - thanks to them for their commitment etc.
  • New website launched - congratulations to Andre Cymbalista, also Dave and Jonathan at Egressive, Thomas, Richard, Axel and others on the DSI committee, and everyone else who helped in its development
  • Nine Point Plan campaign launched after two high profile fatalities, followed by two more in Whangarei; successful outcome from meeting with Ministers
  • Election campaign getting underway
  • Bigger media presence
  • Looking to the future, stepping down as chairperson so hesitate to try to have a strong influence on where CAN heads (leave that to the new chair), but...
  • Value of campaigns demonstrated - need to follow up on this, running more campaigns (next one on glass on roads?), using them as a recruitment and fundraising tool
  • Political change afoot - what will this mean for us? contract with NZTA is secure, but what we've heard of National's policies suggests that the hand of our 'opponents' will be strengthened
  • We're reaching a plateau in terms of what we can achieve at a national level (unwillingness of central Govt to shift expenditure from roading to sustainable alternatives) - need to turn our attention more to getting local government and local communities to make the most of existing opportunities
  • Converting Friends into paid membership
  • Making progress on financial sustainability
  • Exploring potential of new website - advocacy tool, recruiting tool, revenue earner
  • Building stronger links with the wider cycling community (particularly by providing our groups with resources they can use to present to local cycling clubs)
  • Increasing our presence in workplaces via direct contact with businesses, and building stronger networks with Bicycle User Groups
  • Boosting cycling participation rates amongst some parts of the population that are currently under-represented (e.g. Maori, Pacific Islanders, women)
  • Enjoyed my term as chairperson, particularly the chance to work with a team of wonderful people
  • Thanks to Exec, Staff, local advocates
  • Also thanks to Stephen McKernon (who is stepping down from the CAN exec) for his work in media and marketing
  • And thanks to Ritsuko Ogawa for continued work as Mailouts Coordinator, and Karen Hunn as Merchandise Coordinator

b) Treasurer's report

Discussion Action
Accounts tabled by Liz.  
Increased membership income- mainly from increased membership fees.  
Need to move merchandise stocks, particularly t-shirts.  
Election campaign funding- need to follow up to check Electoral Finance Act requirements. Liz M
Local group funding- has not all been spent. Local groups should apply. groups
$20,000 surplus in Networking Project budget- need to decide how to spend. Possibilities include: campaign to encourage Friends to join as financial members; increasing Auckland staff capacity to full time.  
Thanks to Andrew Ainger as auditor, especially as the workload has increased this year. It was proposed to reappoint Andrew for the coming year and remunerate him $1500. Proposed: Liz Mikkelsen; seconded: Anne Gummer. Carried.  
It was proposed that the Treasurer's report for 2007/08 be accepted. Proposed: Liz Mikkelsen; seconded: Phil Browne.  

5. Election of executive

The following nominations were received:

  • Chairperson: Axel Wilke/ Glen Koorey (co-chairs, with Glen taking over from Axel after 6 months). Proposed: Robert Ibell; seconded: Liz Mikkelsen.
  • Secretary: Adrian Croucher. Proposed: Liz Mikkelsen; seconded: Illona Keenan.
  • Treasurer: Liz Mikkelsen. Proposed: Anne Fitzsimon; seconded: Glen Koorey.
  • Other executive officers: Christine Cheyne, Andrew Macbeth, Bevan Woodward, Anne Fitzsimon, Robert Ibell (with Graeme Lindup, Gaz Sanvicens and Jane Dawson to be co-opted on later)- elected unanimously.

6. Notices of motion

a) Financial year

"That clause 10.4 of CAN's constitution be changed to read 'The financial year of CAN shall be 1 July to 30 June'". Proposed: Liz Mikkelsen.

Background: CAN's financial year is currently 1 January to 31 December. The budgeting for CAN's main account operates within these dates, but the budgeting for the Networking Project fits with the 1 July to 30 June financial year of the NZ Transport Agency who fund the project. CAN's accounts are now combined in one report. The reports that are required for each Executive meeting have to show Actual vs Budget. This makes the reporting and also the end-of-year auditing of the accounts unnecessarily complex.

Discussion:

  • Would affect subscriptions, but not a big problem.
  • Jane Dawson was opposed to the motion, because we shouldn't necessarily be tying in to our funders' financial year (what happens if we have other funders later?). Also should be possible to report the two accounts separately.
  • Our auditor also recommends changing the CAN financial year.
  • Living Streets also considered changing their financial year, but decided to leave it as is, for reasons similar to those expressed by Jane.

Votes: 38 for, two against, and two abstentions. Votes received by email: two for, none against. Carried.

b) Name of CAN

"That a working group is established to look at the appropriateness of CAN's name, particularly in terms of how CAN's role has evolved since inception, future challenges and target audiences. The working group should report back to the CAN Executive with any recommendations within 6 months. The CAN Executive would then determine how (and whether) to proceed with any recommendations." Proposed: Bevan Woodward.

Discussion:

  • The name CAN has its problems (people have trouble remembering what the letters stand for).
  • We have spent considerable time building the CAN 'brand'- e.g. the re-branding exercise last year.

Votes: 5 for, 31 against, and 10 abstentions. Votes received by email: one for, none against and one abstention. Lost.

Meeting closed 4 PM.