SRDFNS Executive Meeting, January 28, 2012
Sobeys in Greenwood Mall

Attendees:
Ralph & Barb MacDonald	President, Highland
Gary & Dottie Welch		Secretary, Webmaster, ANSSRDT Liaison
Marion & Gerry McLellan	Finance, Fundy Region
Bob & Inge Ruohoniemi	CSRDS 
Harold & Clara Redden	Archives, Parade Trailer
Don & Carol Scott		Publicity, Awards, Central Region
Cathy & Paul Langille	DANS, South Shore, Vice President 
Al & Corinne McNabb	Valley Region

Regrets:
Russ & Mary Trimper		Treasurer
Lionel & Shannon Parsons	Cape Breton Region

Minutes:
1) Call to Order by Ralph MacDonald at 2:05 pm

2) Moment of Silence for those who have passed on since the last meeting.
     Pat Matheson, caller from the Halifax area, passed away recently.

3) Adoption of Agenda
Reports: Delete Trailer, Add President.  
New Business: Add NE Convention Advertisement.
Motion to accept as amended by Don Scott, 2nd Gerry McLellan, passed.

4) Correspondence 

     a) Ralph and Valerie Brown – Thank you on behalf of Federation sent by Dottie, answer received from Valerie.  Here are the essential parts of the correspondence:

   “Thanks to you for your years of dedicated service to our organization since becoming Vice President in October 2005.  We truly appreciate all the time and effort you have given to the Nova Scotia Square and Round Dance community while holding the positions of Vice President, President, Past President, and South Shore Representatives, as well as being Registration Chaircouple for Halifax National Festival 2010.  Many thanks for all the jobs well done.”  

   “It was our pleasure to serve on the Federation Board starting with Festival 2005 as their Vice Chair.  We certainly have learned a lot, and would like to say thank you to all for your patience with us in our learning path.  It was unfortunate that we had to miss so many meetings with Ralph’s working schedule which was one of our considering factors in resigning.  It was a pleasure working with you all.  God Bless, Val & Ralph Brown.”

5) Minutes of previous meeting on October 15, 2011 at North Woodside C. C. in Dartmouth:
     Motion Dottie, 2nd Bob R., to approve AGM Minutes as a draft for the website, passed.
     Motion to accept Executive Mini-Meeting Minutes as distributed by Dottie, 2nd Don S. passed

6) BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES

     a) Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami Relief Fund:  
     $3144.55 has been put into the SRDFNS account from National contributions.  Mostly this came from Nova Scotia and Manitoba.  Bob will re-canvas the provincial returns on the first of February.  Tentative plan is to transfer funds to Japan before the 12th of March anniversary.
  
     b) Fundy Squares 25 years certificate.
     Corinne and Al McNabb presented this to them at their special dance in November.

     c) AGM date and location for 2012 – North Woodside CC, October 13, 2012
     Dottie has made the booking.

7) REPORTS

     a) Treasurer:  (Report emailed by Russ and Mary Trimper – they are sick with the flu)

     Report of Operating Account August 1, 2011 – January 26, 2012

     Operating Balance on July 31, 2011:			3137.13

     Operating Income: 
	Club Dues				  607.00
	Personal Subscriptions		    45.00
	Pins/Badges				  160.00
	Cookbook Sales			  110.00
	Festival 2010 Video Sales  		  120.00
	Canvas Bags				  120.00
		Total Operating Income			1162.00
     Non-Operating Income
	Festival 2010 				-364.31
	DANS Club Memberships		    15.00
	CSRDS Club Memberships		1491.00
	Japan Campaign			1606.91

     Operating Expenses:
	DANS membership SRDFNS	    50.00
	CSRDS membership			      5.00  (missing from report)
	Meetings				    55.18
	Office Expenses			    34.57  (missing from report)
	Pins/Badges				  299.00
	Publications				    74.46
	Service Charge			    12.50
		Total Operating Expenses			  530.71
    Non-Operating Expenses:
	DANS				    15.00
	CSRDS Club Memberships	1491.00

		Operating Balance January 26, 2012		3768.42

	Audit:  Dottie Welch presented her audit report.  
     The accounting has become complicated because we are now tracking separate streams for various projects.  It is suggested that we revise the reporting forms to make it easier to sort out these streams.  In particular we need to see the accounting for Festival 2010 and the designated use of its profits.  There should also be a clear accounting for the Japan Campaign.  It was further noted that we have lost the Expense line that was used to report Provincial Festival costs.  Did we pay $5 for the Federation 2011 membership in CSRDS?  (No clear accounting for this.)

>  Motion by Dottie to accept the treasurer’s report, 2nd Carol, with the understanding that there are some questions and any discrepancies will be corrected in the next report.  Passed.

     b) Finance:  Marion McLellan (See report sent by email from Marion)

     Capital Account Balance forward Oct. 15, 2011					8,780.18
	Interest from 2 $10,000 GICs that matured in November			     68.50
	October 31 Interest on capital account					         .93
     Capital Account Balance on January 28, 2012					8,849.61

     Current Investments (Account #8022215) are:
        TD Canada Trust GIC #20 @ 1.20% (100 days) maturity March 3, 2012	20,000.00
        TD Canada Trust GIC #13 @ 1.90% (15 mos) maturity April 17, 2012	15,000.00
        TD Canada Trust GIC #16 @ 1.65% (15 mos) maturity June 27, 2012		10,000.00
		Investment Acct balance Oct 15, 2011				45,000.00

> Motion by Dottie (2nd Barb McD) that the $20,000 in a 100 day GIC due for renewal on March 3rd be split into two $10,000 GIC’s and laddered up to 3 years as interest rates allow.  Passed.

     c) Officers and Committee Reports:

     President:  Ralph and Barb MacDonald
     Ralph has compiled the club memberships for the province and reports 3 extra clubs and 28 more dancers than last year.  32 Clubs, 4 Associations (SRDFNS, Metro, MCCA, ANSSRDT), 30 callers, 618 dancers including a class of 7 couples in Sydney.  
>   Note that we are no longer allowed to keep a few extra insurance cards for distribution to clubs as needed.  It is possible to go to the SRDFNS Director looking after Insurance for more cards until February.  Ralph will find out if this can be done through a single Provincial request.

     Secretary:  Dottie Welch
>   An updated Executive Address list was prepared and e-mailed.  Corrections will be made and then it will be placed on the website.

     Awards: Don Scott
     Nothing new on Awards.

     Archives: Clara & Harold Redden (nothing to report)

     Publicity:  Cathy Langille: (see report from Cathy)

Publicity Accomplishments:
- “163 Ways to Recruit and Retain Square Dancers” has been shared with all Regional Reps.
- Will share templates of brochures, bookmarks and rack cards as distributed by South Shore.
- Banners can be produced for $60 from 2 ft by 8 ft recycled and cleaned materials.
- Square Dancer “2B1 Ask 1” Vehicle plates are available $12 each to a region for resale at $20
- Check the revised New Dancer section of the website.  Thanks to Gary Welch. 
> - Please review the website information for your club and region and help us keep up-to-date.

Work in Progress:
- Working on a Federation Brochure for advertising.
- Work is continuing on having the SRDFNS on Facebook and Twitter
- Inter-generational Dance Extravaganza planned during Bridgewater Exhibition July 22-31, 2012.
- Seven events in the South Shore offering the product of square dance, featuring wellness.  $40 per hour being asked for by us to participate.  Community service includes Senior’s Homes.   

Plans:
- Note that only La Have River Ramblers have applied for their $250 publicity grant so far.
- At the moment we have $600 budgeted to Publicity per year.  
- Also want to develop a brochure for distribution to dancers about SRDFNS and other dance organizations.
- Plan for the Canadian Dance Week at the end of April.  (expanded International Dance Day)
> - Please send details of successful promotions to Langilles for sharing.

     Publications:  John Reid, nothing has changed

     Webmaster:  Gary Welch
     - Thanks from Cathy for adding the section on “Try Dancing”.
     - This includes a section on dances that are targeted for a new dancer.  
>   - Clubs are asked to inform Gary about all dances of this type.

Coffee Break 3:40 pm

     d) Region Reports: 

     Central:  Don Scott (See report sent by e-mail from Don)

     South Shore:  Cathy & Paul Langille (See report from Cathy) 

     Valley:  Corinne & Al McNabb (See report hand delivered by Corinne)
See report from Bob & Inge Ruohoniemi, Co-ordinators for Dice Hill Squares

     Fundy Region:  Marion & Gerry McLellan (See report sent by email from Marion)

     Cape Breton:  Lionel and Sharon Parsons – no report.  

     Highland:  Ralph & Barb MacDonald (See report from Ralph)

     e) Liaison Reports:

     CSRDS:  Bob & Inge Ruohoniemi (See report sent by email from Bob)
Highlights of Bob’s report:
- Recommend that we utilize the CSRDS website and toll free number on flyers.
	(www.squaredance.ca     1-866-206-6696)
- Society webpage corrections should be sent to Provincial directors (Bob & Inge Ruohoniemi).
- Liability Insurance begins 1 January.  New dancers are not covered until then.
- Consider appropriate nominations for the Society Award of Excellence and Longevity Awards.
- Ottawa 2014 is planning a dance on July 20, 2012 to test the venue for the 2014 National.
- Named Insurance certificates are being discouraged.  This keeps the owner of the hall from being sued if they cause harm to the dancers.
- Society is preparing a draft badge or dangle for those who dance in more than one province.
- Still looking for someone to chair the Society Publicity Committee.  
- Next Society AGM will be held in Ottawa July 20, 2012
- Next board meeting will be April 22, 2012 by teleconference
- Canada Council of the Arts will be conducting a Survey of Dance in Canada.
- Society pins (logo) are available for $3 each. 

     ANSSRDT:  Dottie Welch
     Thanks to all who made the trip to P.E.I. for the Maritime Convention in November, 2011.  We regretfully report that we had a big loss this year. We used 140 to 150 room nights but still paid $8100.  (Our contract was based on 210 room nights, so we paid for 59 room nights at $115 + tax.)  This shortfall will force us to review the viability of holding the Maritime Convention in Prince Edward Island.  We will likely search for a new venue so we are open to suggestions.  

Nothing else has happened or changed regarding ANSSRDT since the SRDFNS AGM.

     DANS:  Cathy Langille
    - Cathy attended the January DANS meeting.  
    - Dianne Milligan is retiring in March 2013.  A Recruitment Committee is starting to look for a replacement. 
    - Dance Nova Scotia is restructuring to reduce the number of board members and using umbrella representatives.  

Motion to adopt reports by Harold, 2nd Gary, passed.

8) CURRENT and NEW BUSINESS

     a)  Provincial Festival 2013:  Ralph MacDonald
     ANSSRDT has taken this on.  Initial contacts have been made at the NS Community College Stellarton campus.  Target date is July.  Mostly tile floor.

     b)  50+ Expo 2012:  Carol Scott
>   Motion by Carol, 2nd Bob R, to apply for booth this year and provide demos.  Expense is about $360 including electricity.  Motion passed.
     We can use the 3-piece cardboard display board from Festival 2010.  

     c) Cookbook and 2010 Canvas Bag sales:  Cathy Langille
     South Shore has been selling cookbooks through an independent Bulk Food Store. 
“We supply the recipes, the Little Red Barn sells the ingredients.”
     Motion from Cathy to sell cookbooks for $10, and return $6 to the Federation, with $4 going to the middle men.  2nd Carol, passed (one decenting vote).

     Canvas Bags:  Suggestion to use these as promotional give aways. 

     d) Traveling SRDFNS Banner:  Dottie and Cathy
>   This is still in the planning stage.

     e)  Summer Dance Brochure for 2012:  Paul and Cathy Langille 
>   Information needed by 1 March, 2012.  Goal is to have it ready by the April meeting.
Template from Dottie will go to the Langilles.

     f)  Local 1-800 number:
The Society already has an active 1-800 number.  It happens to be in British Columbia but they use our website to answer questions or refer the caller to one of us. 

     g) National Directory Update:
>   To be done by Dottie

     h) New England Convention Advertisement
>   Motion by Harold, 2nd Dottie, to place a Business Card size ad for $25, passed. 

     i) Money for Publicity
     Motion by Paul, 2nd Bob, to increase the Publicity budget from $600 to $1600 for this year.
10000 tri-folds for $1100.  Understanding that this extra $1000 will have to come from Capital funds if all of the Festival 2010 profits are used as allocated.  Passed

     j) Travel Expense for Board Members
     There is a provision in the guidelines that all members of this board have the right to apply for remuneration of travel expenses.

9)  Dance and Location of Next Meeting:  Friday, April 20th, 2012.
>   Langilles will find a meeting place.  
	(It will be at Sobey’s Community Room in the Bridgewater Mall.)
     Honolulu Hoedown on Friday night, Maitland Community Hall

10) Adjournment: Motion to adjourn by Don Scott at 5:14 pm.

Respectfully submitted, 
Dottie Welch, SRDFNS Secretary