District B Update - Highlights from the April 2014 Board Meeting

Highlights From the April Board Meeting

Download the April 2014 Board Package

Hi everyone, it’s been a very busy year so far. I have been spending a fair amount of time involved with the following committees:

Winter Cities Council

Winter Cities Shake-Up: Inspiring Greatness in Winter Cities: January 28 – 30, 2015

I sit on the Winter City Council and we are pleased to announce that next January, Edmonton will play host to Winter Cities Shake-Up 2015. 

Winter Cities Shake-Up 2015 is an international conference on shaking up preconceptions about how we plan, design, live, work and play in winter cities. And as the host, we would like to invite all of you to participate in making this conference a huge success! How?

Edmontonians can share ideas for Field Trips for delegates coming from all over the world! We would like to show visitors (and residents!) the great things that are happening in and around Edmonton, from festivals to attractions to community initiatives. So, if you have any great ideas feel free to submit them here.

We also welcome all Edmontonians to participate in the conference. Details on registration will be released on our conference website. It's time to show the world what a great winter city Edmonton is!

EFCL Civic Engagement and Business Planning Committee 
I sit on this committee and we have started meeting and are busy attempting to find new ways for the EFCL and community leagues to engage in civic issues as well as come up with a proposed 5-year business plan for the EFCL. The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues intends to consult with a number of community leagues, along with city councillors, city administrators and other stakeholders in order to prepare its 2014-2018 Business Plan.  The federation’s board of directors approved the consultation plan at last week’s board meeting.

Both Western Management Consultants and the Centre For Public Involvement have been hired to help prepare the plan, which will include a significant review of the federation’s civic engagement practises.

Development of the plan has been jointly funded by the EFCL and City of Edmonton.  Interviews are scheduled for April, May and June.

EFCL 100^th Anniversary Committee – I have been helping with several of the 100^th Anniversary Committees at the EFCL. We are working on identifying themes for highlighting in displays at the park feature in Hawrelak Park.

Jason Watt to stand for election as District B Planning Representative

Jason Watt of McLeod, running for District B
Planning Committee Representative.

The biggest news this month is Jason Watt has stepped forward from McLeod Community League and he is interested in serving as our Londonderry District B Planning Representative. In fact he has already attended a planning committee meeting to see what they do and he wound up chairing the first meeting he attended!  It’s very important that we have quorum for the EFCL AGM on May 21, so we can elect a represenative.

 EFCL Welcomes Review of Volunteer Requirements at Casinos

The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues is pleased to hear that a review will be undertaken of the volunteer requirements at local casinos.  The federation believes that some events – particularly those on weekdays – are overstaffed and would like to see a reduction in the number of volunteers that non-profit groups need to provide.
Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) executive director Bill Robinson offered to launch the review at an April 1 meeting of industry stakeholders, after the EFCL voiced a concern about the recent decision to extend the hours that volunteers are required to be on site. 

Effective April 1, casinos are allowed to open their tables at 10:00 a.m., instead of noon, and keep them open until 3:00 a.m., instead of 2:00 a.m.  Non-profit groups are required to supply volunteers to help operate these games.
Robinson also agreed to review the impact that additional casino hours have on revenues and volunteers.  He thought this review could be done in 9-12 months.
The EFCL received widespread media coverage of its concern about the casino hours, shortly after a news release was issued on March 27.

SOCAN and RE:SOUND Open to Negotiations

Representatives of both SOCAN and RE:SOUND have recently told the EFCL that they are interested in negotiating a group rate for leagues that allow music to be played at events in their hall.

Currently, each organization is attempting to charge leagues a tariff for this right.  SOCAN charges $185/year, so long as the gross annual revenues at these events don’t exceed $15,400.  RE:SOUND charges $9 per event ($18 when dancing is involved).

The EFCL has informed them that a vote will be taken at the federation’s May 21 Annual General Meeting, asking leagues to indicate whether or not they would like the EFCL to negotiate a multi-year, group rate for all of the leagues that have halls.  The intention would be to seek a significant discount, along with an understanding that leagues would no longer be responsible for any accounting.  If the music organizations agree, then the EFCL would add the negotiated rate to the yearly membership fees that it charges to each league that has a hall.

A representative for RE:SOUND said his group would not bill any leagues between now and the May 21 general meeting.  A representative for SOCAN said she would also like to explore ways to make the accounting process easier for volunteer groups, regardless of whether or not a group rate is put in place.

EFCL Applauds Mayor’s Effort To Address Poverty

The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues supports Mayor Don Iveson’s attempt to address poverty in Edmonton and is willing to help where it can.  The federation believes it is vitally important that all Edmontonians be able to fully participate in local activities and upgrade their skills, regardless of income level.

At last week’s board meeting, EFCL directors noted that leagues have been helping thousands of Edmontonians throughout their 93-year history, by providing a wide-range of low cost programs and events.  Leagues have also often found ways to quietly cover the sports registration and other fees of low income people when the situation presented itself.

The federation plans to hold a workshop where leagues can share among themselves the approaches they have taken to accommodate low income people in their area.  Plans are being made to hold this session at League’s Alive, the federation’s board development conference held in November each year.

EFCL Looks For Common Ground On Social Housing

The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues is ready to participate in a review of social housing, which the city hopes to host in the coming year.

Last week the board noted that it is important to find ways to increase community acceptance of social housing projects, through proper planning and consultation.  The federation believes that projects should be spread throughout the city and the region, to avoid an over-concentration in downtown neighborhoods.

A three-year moratorium on social housing was put in place in five inner city communities (Alberta Avenue, Boyle Street, Central McDougall, McCauley and Queen Mary Park) in October, 2012.  The federation continues to support the moratorium until ways to distribute social housing around the city and region are established and proven to be effective.

EFCL To Host Meetings With Edmonton School Boards

The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues has decided it’s time to meet with the Edmonton school boards, to discuss a series of issues of mutual concern.

The federation is particularly concerned about plans each board has to consolidate schools in mature areas, which will mean the loss of a facility in some neighborhoods.  In addition, the federation would like to explore ways for the community to make better use of existing schools.  The use of community league parking lots has also been raised in a number of areas, given the number of students arriving by car at schools located nearby.

The federation will contact each board shortly to find a mutually convenient time to meet.

Federation Starts Work On New Website

The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues has struck a committee to oversee the development of a new website.   The website will include a revamped membership sales feature, as well as a page where citizens can contribute to the federation’s 100^th Anniversary project.

The EFCL hopes to have the website up and running by the end of September.

Thanks to Allan for notes summarizing the April meeting.

See at the EFCL AGM on May 21, 2014!

David Dodge

Londonderry District B Representative
EFCL