November 2009 - Ramsay Community Association

Pr e s i d en t’s Re p o r t
Judy Hellevang
“Without prejudice”
Last month I indicated that it would be my final
report. A month later it turns out that I am still President, the
AGM did not proceed to the election of any directorial positions
and many people are probably asking what happens now
I’ll try to provide perspective on this, and trust everyone is still
excited to be a member of the Ramsay Community Association
with all the rights, privileges and duties that membership carries.
In the past three years of being an active RCA member and
Board member, the number of members in the RCA has never
been more than a hundred. Today, I announce that our membership
is at 386 as of cut off at midnight on September 6,
2009, the thirty-day mark prior to the AGM. Of those memberships,
219 people attended the AGM according to the sign
in sheets. It is not clear how many of the 386 are full members
and eligible to vote because not all have proven their residency
and further this number does not yet include last year’s members
who were entitled to renew at the AGM. This fourfold
growth is obviously due to member interest in one or more
specific issues. There are concerns about the rink redevelopment,
concerns about the loss of rink redevelopment funding,
frustrations over ongoing Lilydale issues, the Ramsay Exchange
or traffic. Nevertheless, the increase in membership is a result
of Ramsay Residents interested in actively engaging in community.
For your interest in Ramsay, I thank you.
So what happened at the AGM and why was it adjourned
First, in the opinion of the professional Scrutineer the integrity
of the elections could be questioned. In addition to that, the
Board has been receiving pressure from the legal representation
of some of the members and it was necessary and in the
best interest of all members that the AGM and elections, be
adjourned in order to address the Scrutineer’s concerns...
Further issues include the notice of the meeting included
some confusion on the date, the number of members applying
for membership by mail and otherwise created an immense
administrative task in organising memberships prior to the
meeting. Our hall is an inadequate space for a membership of
this size to meet in at one time; the crowded conditions and
lack of seating make the meeting uncomfortable and impossible
for some members to attend. The distribution and collection
of ballots could not be controlled in that environment,
and there are challenges in assessing each member’s place of
residency in Ramsay, this is criterion for being a full member
and being eligible to vote. There were questions of voting
irregularities that were observed such as filling out others’ ballots
and the appearance of pink who to vote for papers. The
conduct of some members at the meeting, the time it would
have taken to complete the entire process mixed with grave
concerns regarding fire code was enough to stop the process. In
light of these compelling reasons and the objective of having
an inclusive and equitable result, I believe it was the right decision
to make and I am glad we made it. Again we thank those
people who attended.
There are several challenges facing the Association in being
able to continue the AGM and the Board is working to resolve
these issues listed below.
Location - We are reviewing facilities in and around Ramsay
for adequate space. The date, time and location of the
AGM continuance will be announced to the membership
once it has been determined and when the items listed
below have been resolved.
Confirming Criteria for Full Members Status – Our bylaws
are clear on what the criteria for being a “Full Member” is
and that includes being a resident. The city and province
have the benefit of an enumeration process and the resources
to investigate constituents. The RCA does not have the same
benefits and we made the decision to be conservative with
what we would accept as proof. People who live in Ramsay
must produce either a driver’s licence or provincial ID
with a Ramsay address on it. Members now have the time
to get their affairs in order.
Voting Procedure – It has not been onerous to administer
the vote in the past especially because many positions were
either vacant or acclaimed. Today we have a large motivated
body and numerous candidates. We need a documented and
well executed procedure to control the disbursement of ballots
and be able to reconcile the ballots received.
Privacy and Member Information – Several requests have
been made for the list of registered members. We are investigating
the rules and regulations surrounding these requests
as it pertains to privacy law.
It is regrettable but the Board has been forced to preside over
matters related to the conduct of its members. The membership
has identified to the Board certain members as behaving
inappropriately and acting in a manner that is prejudicial
to the good order of the Association. Included in the claims
made are reports of harassment, intentionally spreading misinformation,
contacting external entities and interfering with
Association business, discouraging recreational activities in the
community, intimidation, and behaviour unbecoming of a
member. We respectfully ask the membership to consider their
actions and to participate in the business of the Association
with passion and resolve but also with the respect, dignity
and courtesy that each member deserves and the Association
demands of its members. Behaviour unbecoming of a member
in good standing will likely be clarified in the near future.
Overcoming these challenges is the obligation of the Board,
however it may be necessary to involve others to accomplish
them. We are endeavouring to complete required tasks as
quickly as possible and request the patience of the membership
during this period. The November General Meeting is scheduled
for November 3, 2009 at 7 PM in the upper hall.
— Judy Hellevang
Ramsay News page 4