Minutes

Wednesday, January 7, 2004
Manor Road United Church
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

DRAFT MINUTES

Attendance
Present: Jim Walker (President), Josh Cobden, Paul Pelton, Dan Scott, Patricia Welsh (Vice-President), Margaret Walker (Secretary) Harold Pidduck and John Holland attended the CORRA meeting (same date)
Regrets: Paul Newbigging (Treasurer), Murad Velshi, Joseph Pacitti (Past-President)
Guests:

  1. Minutes of the December 3, 2003 Meeting
    • The Minutes of the December 3, 2003 Meeting were approved subject to a single correction. Dan Scott did not attend this meeting.
  2. Business Arising from the Minutes for December 3, 2003
    1. New Board of Directors
      • Each Director accepted a specific area of responsibility as listed in the December Minutes.
    2. Signing authority for the two SERRA accounts
      • Through the President, Paul Newbigging (Treasurer) informed the Board that the Bank required a resolution from the Executive before supplying the necessary forms to amend a list of authorised signatures.
        • Motion: "Be it resolved that the Executive Board of the Association has selected the following members of the executive for approval as signing authority in the use of the two accounts held by the Royal Bank of Canada in the name of SERRA for the year 2004"
        • Paul Newbigging, Jim Walker, and Margaret Walker
        • Proposed: Jim Walker Seconded: Patricia Welsh. Vote carried + proxy (HP)
      • A copy of this resolution to be forwarded to the Treasurer immediately.
    3. Accounts outstanding year to date
      • CORRA Membership 2004 renewal ($45)
      • SERRA Mail Box 2004 renewal ($199.02)
      • Paul's Reliable Printing and Distributing Service.
      1. Flyers for SERRA 2003 AGM.
      2. Flyers for an All Candidates meeting in 2003, for CORRA
    4. Printing and Distribution of the OWL Winter edition 2004
      • 3900 printed copies ready for distribution AFTER Saturday January 10.
      • Actual date not known as yet.
      • Date for the door-door distribution in the SERRA area not known.
      • Date for mailing individual copies to the "membership" not decided.
    5. Future Board Meetings
      • Jim Walker suggested and everyone present agreed that future meetings of the Board be held at 6-week intervals, at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays at Manor Rd Church. (Harold Pidduck to reserve the Friendship Room with the Church Office).
      • Projected dates, subject to change if ad hoc meetings become necessary.
      • February 18, March 31, May12, June 23, and September 15.
  3. New Business
    1. SERRA Articles to reappear in the Town Crier paper
      • Ken Shuler (editor, Town Crier) welcomes articles from SERRA members for all editions of this local newspaper.
        • Patricia Welsh will write an article for the January 23 edition.
        • Josh Cobden to write articles for the February 9 and 20 editions.
        • Contributors for the March editions will decided at the February Meeting.
    2. Main Focus for SERRA in 2004
      1. Increase Membership to be a No 1. Priority
        • An Appeal campaign to be launched with the Spring edition of the OWL.
        • Several strategies were outlined and discussed but a FULL discussion by the Board Members with Wendy Tamminen (Membership Secretary) to be on the agenda for the February Meeting.
      2. Improve communications with the SERRA neighbourhood
        • Using the Owl, Town Crier and SERRA website (www.southeglinton.com).
      3. Monitor Market Value Property Re-Assessments
        • A major concern for ALL residents and property owners in South Eglinton.
        • A Public Meeting on Property Tax Assessment is on March 1.
      4. North Toronto Collegiate Institute proposed development
        • Meetings between the TDSB Trustees, the NTCI Alumni, Developers and local residents' associations in FoNTRA are ongoing. Harold Pidduck is an NTCI alumnus attending these meetings as well as the Public Meeting in November 2003. SERRA is kept informed of any proposals tabled with this group.
        • Josh Matlow, the newly appointed Trustee to replace Shelley Laskin will be invited to the February Board Meeting by Patricia Welsh.
      5. Preservation of ALL green space in the Area
        • This is of special concern to residents of South Eglinton and is linked also to item #4 and the possible displacement of the present grass sports field. at NTCI.
      6. Traffic through South Eglinton
        • Address the problem of excess volume and speed through the low-speed roads.
        • Possibly some dialogue with the Community Police Unit, via Paul Newbigging, SERRA representative to 53 Division.
      7. Official Plan Appeal
        • This Appeal is being directed by CORRA, the only incorporated member of the FoNTRA group. SERRA, as a member of both CORRA and FoNTRA, is committed to support the appeal process and contributed $1000 in 2003. This Appeal will be presented by William Roberts, a solicitor retained by CORRA.
        • Regular dialogue with representatives from FoNTRA is relayed, as and when required, to the member associations who have endorsed this Appeal.
      8. SERRA to remain Financially Solvent and Fiscally Responsible
        • Jim Walker suggested that an update on the state of the SERRA Accounts would be valuable on a regular basis and not just a one-time report at the AGM.
        • It was noted that the general distribution and personal mailings of the OWL to "members" had, in the past, resulted in Membership renewals and New Memberships. This generated revenue for the operating account and the occasional donations are deposited in the much-reduced Legal Fund.
          • Motion: "Be it resolved that changes in the financial status of the association be made available in report form for every second meeting of the Board"
          • Proposed: Patricia Welsh Seconded: Margaret Walker Vote carried
        • Paul Pelton to be the liason with the Treasurer and make the report to the Board, if the Treasurer is unable to attend the meeting.
  4. Other Business
    1. New Community Council.
      • South Eglinton Residents and SERRA must now direct any issues of local concern regarding local developments to the Committee of Adjustment Meetings of the Toronto South Community Council. Previously these concerns were addressed by the Mid-town Community Council, which held Public Meeetings on Thursdays at the North York Civic Centre.
      • The SERRA Mail Box receives Notices of the Public Meetings which address the issue of Variances to Section 45 of the Planning Act for any proposed development to any "dwelling" in South Eglinton. These notices are mailed by City Hall 2-weeks in advance of the Hearing dates.
      • Harold Pidduck is the SERRA representative for monitoring local reaction to all proposed developments in the South Eglinton area.
  5. Date of the Next Board Meeting
    • Wednesday, February 18, 2004at the Manor Road United Church, in the Friendship Room starting at 7:00 p.m..