August 1, 2001
Attendance
Kirk Krack, Mandy Cruickshank, Tom Lightfoot, Eric Fattah, Peter Scott, Raquel Roizman, Bruce Entus.
Call to Order
Kirk Krack chaired the meeting and Tom Lightfoot took minutes. The meeting was called to order at 7:15.
Last Year’s Minutes
As this was the very first CAFA AGM, there were no minutes to approve.
President’s Report
Kirk Krack presented a year in review which is summarized below:
The 2000/2001 year was very successful for CAFA. It was founded on June 30th, 2000. We had originally wanted 200 members but ended up with 56 which is still a pretty good start. In its first year, CAFA successfully organized four competitions:
- 2000 Team Canada selection trials
- September 2000 Western Regional Championships
- April 2001 Western Regional Championships
- 2001 National Championships
Three committees were also formed:
- Funding
- Competition
- Environmental
The first year also saw some very sad news. CAFA member Craig Molle died in November while practicing in a swimming pool. Kirk mentioned the need to recognize Craig and that this would be discussed later in the meeting.
Other noteworthy events:
- Team Canada placed 2nd overall at 2000 AIDA Word Cup with Men coming in 4th and women coming in 3rd.
- Kirk Krack elected to AIDA executive
- Two world record attempts, Eric Fattah in Constant ballast and Mandy Cruickshank in Free Immersion.
- Mandy Cruickshank did a 101 metre Tandem No-Limits dive with Audrey Mestre.
Peter Scott moved for acceptance of the President’s Report. Raquel Roizman seconded. Passed unanimously.
Finance Report
Mandy Cruickshank presented the Finance Report. The report presented was an interim report. George Bryan-Orr was helping Mandy with the format of the final report which is presented here. Next year’s report will have a more detailed itemization of expenses.
The presentation of the finance report was followed by some questions and answers:
Raquel: Who makes decisions on allocation of sponsorship money?
Kirk: It is up to the board to decide. The decision partly depends on who is giving the money. For example, a donation from PADI would go to education.
Peter: How did founding membership work?
Kirk: Founding memberships were created to provide seed money. It was created as an incentive. At some time it will be a general membership for life. Right now though CAFA can’t afford for founding members to not pay membership.
Peter Scott moved for acceptance of the Financial Report. Eric Fattah seconded. Passed unanimously.
Old Business
Insurance
Kirk Krack reported that he had received a quote from AllSport insurance for around $1,200 that would cover up to 200 members. This cost may be covered by a sponsorship from member Calista Johnson’s father’s company which is an insurance broker. CAFA also has about $1,200 in the bank.
Kirk moved that the executive decide whether or not to purchase insurance for the coming year on August 15th. If the cost is sponsored we will get insurance. If the cost is not sponsored then the insurance will be paid for with funds. Tom Lightfoot seconded the motion. Passed unanimously.
Bylaws Upgrade
Kirk Krack indicated that the bylaws need to be upgraded. Specifically, we need to have bylaws that cover elections and votes by email.
Peter Scott’s employer, the B.C. Internet Gaming Commission has bylaws which may be applicable.
Bruce Entus stated that the bylaws should be put up on the freedivecanada web page.
Tom Lightfoot and Kirk Krack will work on updating and posting the bylaws.
Competition Rules
Kirk stated that competition rules and safety guidelines need to be formalized, mostly by taking the AIDA rules and guidelines and translating them into the Canadian situation. Erik Fattah and Kirk agreed to complete this task by the end of the month.
Plaque for Craig Molle
Kirk proposed that CAFA mount a plaque on the target disk used for competitions. This plaque would read, “In memory of our friend, Craig Molle”. Mandy Cruickshank volunteered to look into having a plaque engraved for the purpose.
Kirk Krack moved for acceptance of the old business. Eric seconded. Passed unanimously.
New Business
CAFA Endorsed Clubs
Kirk Krack brought up a concern that there should be some criteria for clubs endorsed by CAFA. If a club operates on a for-profit basis then it should pay an affiliate membership just as a dive store would.
There was some discussion about clubs having to meet provincial guidelines for non-profit associations. As such, like CAFA clubs would be registered associations with AGM’s, financial reports and executives. The possibility of having a membership requirement in CAFA by individuals of the club or the club as a whole. The executive will discuss further on the matter and decide within the 2001/2002 year.
Fundraising
‘T’ Shirts
Bruce Entus asked if CAFA ‘T’ shirts would be made available for sale. Mandy said that ‘T’ shirts are part of the plan. Team Canada members will have to pay for their own team clothing but extra ‘T’ shirts would be made to be sold for fundraising.
Videos
Kirk reminded those in attendance that there are still 8 videos from the 2000 World Cup in Nice available for sale. It was stated that merchandise such as videos and ‘T’ shirts should be listed on the freedivecanada web site.
Fundraising Event
Mandy Cruickshank suggested a party as the most hassle-free fundraising option. Specifically, she suggested the Urban Well sometime between the next Western Regional Championships and the World Championships in Ibiza.
Other Fundraising Options
Peter and Mandy had approached some companies about sponsorship but were told that they had already made their commitments for the year.
Peter had looked into the possibility of making up a poster for sale but found that the venture was too expensive.
Peter also looked into videos as a fundraising and promotional option. Promotional video clips could be held on an external web site that could handle the bandwidth. Video clips could be sold to TV stations. Eric added that videos of his World Record attempt could be sold at the upcoming World Championships in Spain.
Executive Meetings
Kirk Krack stated that the executive should meet on the first Wednesday of each month.
Membership Fees
Kirk Krack proposed a new membership fee schedule that includes a new category for CAFA members who participate in competitions. The Competitor membership costs more than a regular membership, with the extra cost going towards the extra administration and insurance costs.
| Category | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | $25 | Individuals |
| Competitor | $100 | Individuals intending on participating in competitions |
| Affiliate | $100 | Companies and organizations |
For easier administration and a more even cash-flow, membership fees will become due on the anniversary of the member’s initial membership. In the last year memberships lasted one calendar year, ending on June 30th.
Kirk Krack moved for acceptance of the new membership fee schedule. Peter Scott seconded the motion. Passed unanimously.
Elections
Nominations for executive positions were collected in the week before the AGM. A total of four nominations were received and accepted:
- Kirk Krack
- Eric Fattah
- Mandy Cruickshank
- Tom Lightfoot
As there were four nominations and five executive positions, all made it to the executive by acclimation. The executive may look to recruit another, hopefully from outside British Columbia.
Adjournment
There being no more business, Eric Fattah moved that the AGM be adjourned. Mandy Cruickshank seconded the motion and the meeting ended at 8:30pm.