Bayou Park Ratepayers Association
Executive Board Meeting Minutes
DATE: Thursday February 18, 2021
TIME: 8:08 PM - 9:54 PM
LOCATION: Google video call from 3686 Shadow Creek Road
ATTENDEES: Claire Lysnes, President | Neil Fenton, Vice President | Hillary Kimsal, Communications | Rick Talbot, Treasurer | Natasha Borutski, Director at Large
REGRETS: Lance Brown, Past President | Kait Hunter, Secretary, | Bruce Topping, Director at Large
MINUTES
1. Meeting called to order by Claire Lysnes
2. Approval of Agenda
Motion to Approve: Claire 2nd: Neil
VOTE: All in Favour
3. Approval of Minutes from previous meeting (January)
Motion to Approve: Claire 2nd: Rick
VOTE: All in Favour
4. Open Issues
a) Valentines Day fundraiser wrap up
The event was seen as a big success. 217 virtual tickets were sold and $605 profit was raised (after the cost of $100 for the gift cards paid for by BPRA). Members left positive comments about the fundraiser. The biggest ticket purchase was $105. The most popular option was $15 for three entries.
b) Small businesses page progress
Still collecting business information and working on the back end of the website. There are three businesses added to the website so far, however the page has not yet been published. There is a working spreadsheet to collect contact information for small businesses associated with Bayou Park ratepayers, Claire will share the spreadsheet with BPRA members to help fill it in. Natasha will continue to email businesses on the spreadsheet to see if there is an interest in being listed on the BPRA website. Four business owners from the spreadsheet have been contacted so far, they have not replied back as of this meeting. Hillary added a call out to the February newsletter, as of today there have been no requests from business owners responding to the newsletter.
c) Mail drop delivery responsibilities
Claire - Shadow Creek Rd
Neil - Timberline Ave (Shadow Creek to Shadow Creek)
Rick - Westshore Cres (including Bayou Rd to the bridge)
Hillary - Bayou Rd (stop sign to hwy)
Kait - Grand Tamarack Cres & dead end of Timberline Ave
Natasha - Bayou Rd (bridge to stop sign)
Bruce - Timberline Ave (Shadow Creek to Grand Tamarack)
5. Executive Report - Claire
Articles of incorporation will be worked on this month by Claire. Claire responded to resident Sarah about the request to allow dogs at the beach and the board’s vote on revising the policy. Re the ongoing dog waste issue, the Township of Severn Bylaw Enforcement has been contacted but it will be up to members to contact the Township with their complaints going forward. Claire will be adding in the opt-in names from the Valentines fundraiser to the email list. The November & December minutes have been posted to the website.
6. Communications Report - Hillary
Hillary confirmed that 46 people clicked from the e-newsletter to the Facebook page to see the nostalgic subdivision photos posted by Claire, thus suggesting great interest in these items. Hillary is working on the March newsletter and asks for any topics to be included. Claire suggested to add in the call for association fees in the May Washago Villager, Hillary to reach out to the publisher of the Villager. Hillary would like to purchase thank you cards for the businesses that have donated to recent fundraisers, Claire approved the purchase of the cards.
7. Financial Report - Rick
Rick has created the interim financial report to share with the Bayou Park community members, it was sent out in the February newsletter and will be posted to Facebook.
Rick will make a deposit of any petty cash at the beginning of March (Approx. March 10)
8. New Business
a) March traffic calming petition
Bruce, who is absent, is the lead on this event and will need to elaborate on the execution of the petition at the next meeting. Claire noted that there may be less of a pressing concern right as there is less traffic due to COVID. The petition needs to be reviewed and revised before having residents sign it, in order to ensure the objective is clear, that we can make a solid case with strong resident support, and that it does not ask for any traffic calming measures the township may already be implementing in the current budget cycle.
b) Easter initiative
Natasha is the lead for this event. The BPRA agreed on a colouring contest with three age tiers that would have two coloring pages and one “draw your own” Easter image for older kids. Natasha will source these images and send them to Hillary and Claire for the March newsletter. Prizes will be large chocolate bunnies or eggs. Natasha will reach out to Jillian Jiggs and Georgian Bay Chocolates to inquire about a chocolate fundraiser and she will provide feedback on tulip bulbs and potted tulips for a possible gardening fundraiser. Natasha will report back to the BPRA to vote on and decide if we will go ahead with either of these fundraising ideas.
c) 2021 Fundraising goal to increase financial reserve
The goal is $3800 raised in addition to 2021 membership fees collected, which would bring us to an intake of $7,600 this year. This would increase the BPRA reserve to two years. We are ⅙ of the way there after the Valentine’s fundraiser. If we continue to hold smaller fundraisers this will help toward our goal and take less pressure off the big summer bbq fundraiser, which could be cancelled due to Covid. Suggestion of the chocolate fundraiser for Easter and a large auction over the summer, possibly to take the place of the bbq. Suggestion to investigate slightly increasing the ratepayer membership fee (which has never been raised since the association was formed in 1972) and explain to the community where the money is going and why we are lower in funds this year (COVID). Rick to check on historical tax increases for the beach properties.
9. Member Inquiries
Further complaints about residents not picking up dog waste.
Hillary responded to the member who recently reported it and explained that this concern has come up multiple times, the BPRA has reported the concern to Severn Township, the Township replied that they will send Bylaw Officers and SPCA representatives to monitor the area. Hillary sent the link for reporting a Severn bylaw complaint to this member. Claire will post the Severn Bylaw complaint link on the BPRA Facebook group. The BPRA will continue to remind residents that concerns about dog waste should also be reported directly to The Township of Severn, as this is occurring on Severn Township property.
10. Date & Agenda for next meeting - March 18
11. Adjournment 9:32