EFCL February Board Meeting Notes

February Board Meeting Notes 

Hi Everyone, you can download the Feb. 2013 board package.

Here are some notes from the February EFCL Board meeting. Please feel free to send me your comments, questions or any issues you would like me to raise at the EFCL.

First, here are a few photos from the Kilkenny and Evansdale Communtiy Family Day events in District B. 

1) K Days Parties For Leagues

The EFCL is pleased to announce that it is teaming up with Edmonton Northlands on some key promotions.

The first is a party package that will be available to four community leagues in June.

On four different Saturdays, K Days will sponsor a K Days party at the league that would include food, entertainment, games, ride, prizes etc. Interested leagues are to fill out an application through Northlands, telling why they are such a great community and why they deserve to party. They will be asked logistical questions about the facilities, green space and the number of people expected. Northlands is hoping to award these parties throughout the city and not just to BIG leagues.

Once the applications have been received by Northlands, the top 10 will be put on their website and the public will have an opportunity to vote online for their League. The top four vote getters will host the parties.

Applications should be ready by the end of February and a contest deadline will be set in April. Winners will be announced in May.

A second promotion, still in the development stages, involves the inclusion of parade floats from various organizations in the K Days summer parade. K Days wants to work with a number of organizations, including the EFCL, to develop floats for the 2014 summer parade.

2) EFCL Hosts Volunteer Recognition Night

The EFCL is encouraging all community leagues to send their hard working volunteers to a free evening of entertainment and socializing at the Myer Horowitz Theatre at the U/A.

Set for Tuesday, April 23, the evening will feature a keynote speech from Laurel Vespi, a local inspirational speaker who has written a great book called Spontaneous Combustion.

We are working with Nancy Rempel and Shaw to procure the video clips that Nancy has done on community league programs over the past year. We will be showing these clips, and possibly others, to showcase what the Leagues have done over the past year. We will also be running a slideshow of League photos at the reception following the keynote address

Myer Horowitz holds over 500 people which will allow us to thank many league volunteers.

3) EFCL Develops Civic Election Strategy

The EFCL is beginning to gear up for the fall civic election. At last week’s board meeting, the federation has decided to interview all of the key mayoralty candidates, to bring them up to speed on key federation initiatives and solicit their support. It also intends to prepare and send a backgrounder on its key initiatives to all of the candidates seeking a seat on council and will be encouraging leagues to hold all-candidates forums, with a focus on league issues, prior to the Oct. 21 vote.

4) EFCL To Connect with Leagues Without Halls

The EFCL has decided to survey all of leagues without halls to determine what they are doing to meet their space needs and whether or not the EFCL can be of any assistance. Once the survey results are in, the federation intends to hold a meeting with these leagues to discuss their situation in more detail.

The EFCL has approximately 30 leagues that do not have a hall for regular meetings or league programs. This number has been growing in recent years, as the membership of the EFCL grows and very few new halls are built.

5) EFCL To Review Role In Planning and Civic Matters

The EFCL has commenced meetings with senior city staff to discuss the federation’s role – as well as that of community leagues - in working with the city on planning and other civic policy matters.

No question this is a complex subject that will require a significant analysis, as the leagues and the federation are involved in a wide variety of issues in an equally varied number of ways. Trying to build consensus, often on short notice, is a significant challenge and finding the resources to properly research matters is another.

It also important that the involvement of the EFCL and its leagues be seen in a constructive light, given the importance of maintaining a strong working relationship with the City of Edmonton. 

6) Cultural Inclusion Project Reaches Out to Southwest Leagues

The EFCL was pleased to see a number of southwest Edmonton community leagues and city settlement agencies turn out for a meeting to explore ways to engage more recent immigrants in league activities.

Discussion focused on the lessons learned by Duggan Community League, which recently reached out to a significant number of Bhutanese residents living in their area, as well as people from other cultural backgrounds. The league executive is now extremely diverse, with members from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

Representatives from the Welcome Centre for Immigrants (which is now serving all of south Edmonton), as well as Catholic Social Services and the Mennonite Centre for Newcomers noted that they would be happy to work with leagues on this initiative.

One suggestion that surfaced was for leagues to hold an international pot luck supper as one way to meet newcomers, initiate friendships and determine who might be interested in getting involved in the league.

7) Leagues Support New Swim Time Booking Arrangement

The vast majority of leagues attending the federation’s recent swim booking night were quick to throw their support behind a new community swim concept the city has proposed.

Instead of signing a rental agreement, leagues will now sign up for a community swim program offered by the city. Provision of lifeguards will be included in the program and the city will calculate the program fee, based on seasonal enrolment. Leagues or Area Councils will be billed monthly.

The community swim program will be seen as a continuous program where leagues will remain enrolled until they notify the city of their intent to withdraw.

To help facilitate participation in this program, the city will issue the EFCL bar codes that will be attached to all community league membership cards. This will make it easier to identify league members and keep track of the number of swimmers coming from each league.

8) MP Laurie Hawn challenges SOCAN tariff

The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues is pleased to see Edmonton Centre MP Laurie Hawn has taken up its cause against SOCAN’s tariff #21. Mr. Hawn informed us that he brought the subject up at a meeting of the Alberta caucus of MPs last week and will coordinating the fight against this tariff on behalf of all Alberta organizations.

Community leagues with halls are obliged to pay SOCAN a levy of $185 per year for the right to play music at hall events, under the tariff approved by the Copyright Board of Canada. The EFCL and a number of leagues have asked the board to exempt non-profit organizations like community leagues from this tariff. We have been told that the board intends to review the need for this tariff in the coming months.

9) Abundant Communities Initiative Underway

The EFCL is pleased to see that work is underway on the Abundant Communities pilot project in the Highlands neighborhood. Former league vice president Howard Lawrence has been hired as the Community Connector and is in charge of locating neighborhood interviewers. The interviewers will meet with residents on their block to determine the kinds of programs and events they would like to see happen in the neighborhood. Apparently, a handful of interviewers have already been lined up and a series of one-on-one meetings have been held.

The EFCL has offered to help publicize this project and do what it can to make it a success. It is our hope that a number of other leagues will be able to initiate a similar program, should the pilot project prove successful.

11) EFCL Applauds Victoria High School Decision

The EFCL is pleased to see that the Edmonton Public School Board has decided to give priority to local children who want to attend Victoria High School. The federation sees this as an important practice that helps citizens connect with each other in their own neighborhood. It appears the board responded to concerns raised by local residents, community leagues and the federation.

12). EFCL and Leagues Work Hard On Low Density Zone Amendments

At least 30 Community Leagues wrote City Council asking for further consultation and outlining concerns with the proposed amendments. The EFCL also provided a report, summarizing the concerns its heard during three workshops that were held on the subject. In addition, a number of people spoke at the Feb 11th Executive Committee meeting of City Council.

Although Council did not direct Administration to do more consultation prior to bringing the amendments to the Public Hearing, March 18th, they did ask Administration to address the sunlight, privacy and mechanical noise issues. It also appears that Administration will be bringing amendments to Council which will drop the previously proposed changes to the Mature Neighbourhood Overlay rear setbacks and will lessen the changes to the front setbacks. In addition, the EFCL has been told that a collaborative citizen/city infill group will be created to continue dialogue regarding infill housing.

That's it for now.

If you have any questions or comments please send them to me at president(AT)efcl.org

David Dodge

District B, Londonderry Rep.

EFCL January Board Meeting Notes - Call District B Londonderry?

1. EFCL Backs Family Day Unplugged

The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues is encouraging all of its leagues to support the city’s Family Day Unplugged campaign.  The idea is to encourage Edmontonians to turn off their electronic gadgets – such as computers, televisions and cell phones - and focus on family-related activities on Family Day (Monday, February 18).

This week the city announced that it would offer family passes to city rec facilities as prizes for the league that convinces the most members to turn off their gadgets and attend a family day activity.

Registration details will be provided at the EFCL’s General Meeting on January 30 and in communications to the leagues in the coming weeks.

2.    Community Connector Pilot Project Approved

Remember the good ol’ days, when neighbors knew neighbors and did a variety of activities together on a regular basis?

Well the good news is that more people may get to experience this feeling if a new City of Edmonton/EFCL pilot project proves effective.

Called the Abundant Community, the project focuses on hiring a community connector, whose job it will be to bring people together block by block and encourage the development of local activities.

“It could be a dog walking program, a choir group, a men’s hockey night - anything that appeals to people in the area,” noted Highlands Community League president Howard Lawrence.

“Some of the activities might be run through the local community league.  Others might simply happen between residents living on the same street.”

With the support of the city’s community services department, Highlands Community League will soon be spearheading the pilot project in its 100-year-old neighborhood. However, the EFCL would like to know if other leagues would like to give this a try and will soon set up an information night for any league that is interested. The federation sees this initiative as a great way to engage local citizens and will be releasing more details of the initiative at its January 30 General Meeting at Royal Gardens Community League.

3.    EFCL looks forward to an Action Filled 2013

The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues has put together a promotional plan that features fun activities and events from one end of the year to the other.

Beginning this month, it is starting with a great toque giveaway for any leagues holding winter festival events.  The black EFCL emboldened touques can either be used as prize giveaways or as a thank you to hard working volunteers.

Later this month the federation will also be announcing the recipients of this year’s Living Local Arts and Heritage Program award winners.  Successful leagues will be employing a local artist and/or historian to develop a project that celebrates the historical character of their area.

This spring, seven leagues – along with the EFCL – will see their building adorned with solar energy systems, as the federation seeks new ways to make community leagues more energy efficient.  This will be followed by the announcement of this year’s CLIP grant recipients, where the city will be providing $3 million in grant money to leagues interested in building new facilities or repairing existing ones.

Volunteer Recognition Night Set For April 23

One of the premier events of the year will be held on April 23, when the federation  invites community league volunteers to a gala affair at the Myer Horowitze Theatre on the U/A campus.  Delegates will be treated to an engaging speech entitled “The Power of One” by the popular speaker Laurel Vespi, along with some interesting videos on community league projects and a wine and cheese reception.

Later this spring the federation will team up once again with the City of Edmonton to host the Good Neighbor Awards, where citizens across the city will be recognized for helping others in their immediate area.

Balconies In Bloom Set to Blossom

Another new initiative planned for 2013 is Balconies in Bloom, where residents of apartments and condominiums will be recognized for work they do to dress up the balcony of the unit in which they live.  Designed to be an extension of this year’s Communities In Bloom contest, the contest will be run as a pilot project this year by interested community leagues.

This summer the EFCL intends to do a bang up job on its Heritage Days booth in Hawrelak Park.  A key feature will be a new exhibit, describing the federation’s 100^th Anniversary Project in the park.  Visitors to the booth will be encouraged to view the plans and offer their design suggestions as the federation completes the conceptual phase of this program.

The month of September will once again be dominated by Community League Day, where leagues across the city will be encouraged to host an event on the third Saturday (Sept. 21).  Once again the federation is planning to provide promotional and event materials for the leagues and this year is making plans for a Community League Day Video, to document the activities at leagues across the city.  The video will be used as an information and promotional tool in future years.

Rounding out the year will be the return of the “Leagues Alive Conference”, where delegates will be treated to a variety of educational seminars on topics pertaining to community league operations.  The November event will once again feature a luncheon members of city council.

4.    Federation Starts Work on Five Year Business Plan

The EFCL eagerly looks forward to the creation of a new business plan, now that it is nearly finished with the five year plan created in 2008.

Last week the board of directors approved the hiring of a consulting firm to do some research and provide some guidance.  The consultant will interview community league reps, city councillors, senior city administrators and other key stakeholders in an effort to evaluate current initiatives and plot new directions over the years to come.

One area the federation wants to take a hard look at is the manner in which it handles civic issues, such as planning matters, social housing policies, traffic safety programs and crime prevention measures.  Trying to act as the spokesperson for a large number of leagues is a very challenging task for the EFCL and the stances it takes on controversial issues often affects the relationship it has with government and private industry partners.   Consequently, the federation is looking for new ways to handle this portion of its mandate effectively.

5.    Swim Allocation and Consultation Meeting held January 23. 

The first change is to stop referring to this program as a rental.  Given that the city is providing the community swim supervisors, not the renters, it wants to start referring to the community swim nights as a community swim program, and manage it in a similar fashion to other city programs.

With this in mind, community leagues will no longer be required to sign rental contracts. Rather, communities will be asked to acknowledge their interest in being involved in the community swim program in their local pool. The City will calculate the program fee based on the

enrollment seasonally, and leagues/ Area Councils would be billed monthly (there will be no change in how monthly rates have been calculated currently).

The second change is to view community swims as a continuous program where leagues will remain enrolled until they notify the City (Facility Booking Unit) of their intent to withdraw. 

It is hoped that the restructuring should remove a number of barriers and facilitate a smoother transition into and out of seasons.

6.    Three Board Development Workshops In The Works

The EFCL has three more workshops lined up to help league executives hone their skills.  Here they are, in chronological order:

Tools for Treasurers: Thursday, February 7, 2013, 5:30pm, at the EFCL office.  This workshop will follow the EFCL budget meeting set for January 30/13, where we will discuss community league budgeting practices - so we expect a full class.  Linda Crosby, EFCL Financial Assistant, and I will work closely together to further expand on key concepts introduced during the Leagues Alive 2012 session, with a strong focus on the necessity of having a budget and how to work within the budget the community league board has set

Social Media 101: Thursday, February 21, 2013, 5:30pm, at the EFCL office, presented by Joseph Carma, technology & social media consultant.  Joseph has generously offered to present this session, in order to provide an opportunity for those community league board members who may have missed L.A. 2012.

Volunteering Recruitment & Screening: Thursday, March 28, 2013, 5:30pm, at the EFCL office, presented by Milena Santoro, Volunteer Management Certification instructor with Volunteer Alberta, and owner/operator of MS Productions.  As all community league boards are run with volunteer energy & input, the need to recruit the “right” individuals is an important & timely issue, along with how to ensure the new board volunteer is the correct fit for the league and job(s) at hand. This session will look at ways to recruit new volunteers, as well as methods involved to screen potential volunteers.

7.    Socan Saga Lurches Along

According to the Copyright Board of Canada, the review of an application by the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) for a new tariff in 2013 never proceeded last summer as planned, due to the high number of objections and complaints received.  Instead, the board is putting together a review process to accommodate all parties and will apparently let us know when the hearings will be held.

In the meantime, we are told that the 2012 rate of $185.07 will remain in effect until the board conducts its review and certifies a tariff for 2013 or beyond.

Consequently, we continue to receive reports from community leagues that are being pestered by SOCAN reps to pay tariff #21, which allows them to play music in their hall.

8.    EFCL Decides to Name Each of 12 Districts

The EFCL has decided to name each of its twelve districts, in order to make it easier for everyone to understand where the districts are located.

Last week the board decided to invite feedback from its leagues on a draft list of suggested names.  It intends to finalize the names at its meeting in March.  The names are as follows:

District A: Castle Downs/Calder.

District B: Londonderry

District C: Clareview/Horse Hills

District D: West Edmonton

District E: Meadowlark

District F: Downtown

District G: Highlands/Beverly

District H: Terwillegar/Riverbend

District I: Greater Strathcona

District J: South East

District K: Southgate/Heritage

District L: Mill Woods/Meadows

What do you think. We will still call our area District B, but to help folks who don't know what area that refers to we are considering referring to our area as District B: Londonderry? There is the pool, a mall and a community league of the same name. Does this work for you? Let me know what you think.

Cheers,

David Dodge

District B Rep. 

Thanks to Allan Bolstad for the notes that have been adapted