News - Sep. 8 EFCL Board Meeting and RGM

Hello District B Communities:

I hope everyone is ready for Community League Day Saturday, September 17. More than 100 leagues are hosting events all over Edmonton.

Here are the District B events we know about:

• Balwin Show and Shine - Bring your ride and show your pride. 10am - 3 pm.
• Belevdere BBQ - free to all residents who purchase their membership this Saturday (half price memberships this Saturday only). Features Big Bin drop off, face painting, balloon artists from 12 - 3 pm.
• Kilkenny Safety Fair and BBQ - Free food, prizes, safety guest speakers, games, fun for the whole family. 11 am - 3 pm.
• Lago Lindo 1st Family Fall Festival - jumpy arenas, corn roast, BBQ, and more. 12 - 4 pm.
• Rosslyn Party in the Park 50th Anniversary - Sept. 16 meet and greet at 7 pm - Sep. 17 BBQ, sports, entertainment 12 - 4 pm and Sixties theme dinner and dance 5:30 pm until late - Sep. 18 pancake breakfast 10 am - noon.
• Steele Heights Fun Soccer and Fundraiser - kids vs parents soccer game form 10:30 am - noon and a "raise the roof" Community Market Fundraiser form 10 - 4 pm to raise money and awareness about much needed renovations. 

Evansdale held their Community League Day event on Sep. 10, a very successful sports and program registration along with horse-drawn wagon rides, jumpy arenas and free food!

News from the September 8 Board Meeting

Download the September 8 EFCL Board Package.

I did send a short report around prior to the Sep. 8th board meeting. Here is a short report on two items from the meeting itself.

6.4 Multiplex Recreation Strategy - The EFCL is forming a committee with three board members, two planning committee members and two members from the membership to discuss how community leagues think recreation facilities should be developed in the future. The City has committed to a number multiplex centres already - does this mean we will not see smaller, more neighbourhood developments at all? Does this mean some smaller facilities will close? What would really help communities "live local?" For example what about the idea of smaller covered rinks in communities that could extend and improve the skating season and also be used for summer events and farmer's markets. Lot's to chew on here. We will be looking for a few more committee members at the EFCL RGM on October 4 at Glenora Community League 10426 - 136 Street - free dinner at 5:30 pm

6.5 Community Sustainability Report - The EFCL board approved the Mature Neighbourhoods Sustainability Report. The report was produced by the planning committee and numerous meetings were held to seek input. It makes 30 recommendations designed to sustain and maintain mature neighbourhoods.

There is much more in the board package.

Regular General Meeting Agenda

You should have received the agenda and notice for the EFCL Regular General Meeting. Aside from this being a good opportunity to get together with leagues from all over the city and enjoy dinner together the membership will be discussing a few topics of interest. 

EFCL Membership Fee Increase - The EFCL Board is recommending an increase fees from 1.8% to 2.0% and to remove the $500 cap on membership fees for the Community League members of the EFCL. 

The money would be used to fund half of a new community league support program to assist presidents, treasurers, secretaries, facility managers, program directors - all of the key players in the league - to help them learn new skills, network with other leagues and develop workshops on things like filling out grant applications, strategic planning and bylaw improvements. Sessions we have hosted in the past were very popular. 

The board is proposing to fund the program with $22,000 from the increased membership fees, by finding cost savings of $8,000 at the EFCL and by asking the City to match our $30,000 with another $30,000.

Asking for a fee increase is obviously touchy thiing at the best of times. But the board felt the time was right since most leagues just now receiving a dramatic increase in their operating grants. 

Operating grants were increased an average of 44% this year and we are requesting another similar increase for next year. It was council that split our original request over two years.

Here is a chart showing how much league operating grants have increased in District B and how much their membership fees would increase from the proposal.

Since the cap is being removed the fee increase will affect bigger leagues who have more residents and larger operating grants more than leagues fewer numbers.

On average leagues are receiving an increase in operating grants of 44%. But as you can see some of the larger leagues benefit more than smaller leagues from the grant increases. The board is proposing that the price cap on membership fees be lifted which means larger leagues will pay an amount proportional to the number of residents they have in their area. CLICK ON GRAPH TO ENLAGE.

You can download the RGM agenda package and in the package there is a table listing the actual fee increases for all leagues. For example my own community leagues fees will go up $380 because our community league contains three neighbourhoods. However our operating grant went up $8,481 this year too. Leagues will decide and come and vote on October 4th at the EFCL RGM.

Online Membership Cards - the second item of interest that will come up at the RGM is a proposal to issue membership cards for the memberships sold online. A lot of leagues have asked for this and a lot of members have asked for this. Often when people buy membership online it's because they are having trouble getting in touch with their league and they are literally on their way to a sports registration. Getting the card and their membership number right away would be helpful for them. Each membership sold online would also include a message about the EFCL and about their community league. Most of the leagues in district B sell most of their own memberships at events and sports registrations so this will not affect us very much. But it would be more convenient for new members. Members will be asked to vote on this proposal at the RGM.

There is much more happening at the RGM as well, come out and participate!

Enjoy your Community League Day events!