Minutes
Board meeting focus: Business Plan
Time: 10:00 AM (EST UTC - 5:00)
Date:
November 26, 2015
Location:
Conference call
Board Members
1.
Gary Bishop (GB), Op Com.
x
2.
3.
David Lloyd (DL) Vice-President and
Op Com. (Meeting Chair)
Michel Melanson (MM)
√
4.
√
6.
Al Scholz (AS), Labor Market Survey
Team Lead
Steve Watts (SW)
√
8.
5.
7.
9.
Laurie Eagles (LE), Op Com.
(10:15am)
Terry Kingsmill (TK) (10:15 am)
√
Rene Mongeau, President, Op
Com. and Communication Project
Team Lead (10:30 am)
Jim Weir (JW), Secretary-Treasurer
√
√
√
√
Staff and or Non-Voting Members
1.
Dylan Cody – Insightrix (10:15am)
√ - present | x – absent
Agenda Items
Actions
1. Call to Order
DL
President welcomed everyone, declared quorum and called the
meeting to order at 10:05 a.m.
Draft Circulated: February 10, 2016
Final Copy Circulated: February 18, 2016
Business Plan BoardMeeting
November 26, 2015
1
Agenda Items
2. Review and Adopt Agenda
Actions
DL
Motion 1: To adopt the agenda
Discussion: None
Moved by:
Seconded by:
In Favor:
Opposed/Abstain:
Vote:
Draft Circulated: February 10, 2016
Final Copy Circulated: February 18, 2016
AS
MM
5
0
Carried
Business Plan BoardMeeting
November 26, 2015
2
Agenda Items
Actions
3. Approve Minutes
Motion 2: Approve Minutes of September 22-23, 2015 meeting
Moved by:
Seconded by:
In Favor:
Opposed/Abstain:
Vote:
SW
MM
5
0
Carried
4. Financial Information - JW
Discussion:
 Current bank balance of approximately $138,000 less Accounts
payable of approximately $18 thousand will result in a January
1 (new year) carry-in of $120 thousand. 2016 receipts estimate
is $90 thousand. Working funds for 2106 will be about $110
thousand if the $100 thousand reserve is maintained.
Draft Circulated: February 10, 2016
Final Copy Circulated: February 18, 2016
Business Plan BoardMeeting
November 26, 2015
3
Agenda Items
5. Labour Market/Salary Survey
Actions
Final Report - AS
Summarized finalized report and process to release information to
members and the public. Objective is to increase awareness of
Agrologists Canada.
Introduced Dylan Cody, Insightrix.
Discussion:
1)
Reviewed project and outcomes including data
validity/validation
2)
Confirmed results are a strong benchmarking tool
3)
first attempt at a survey of this type in the profession was
a learning opportunity; subsequent surveys will be
simpler/stronger if they involve members
4)
Translation included in contract price; can be completed in
5-10 business day; Insightrix open to working with OAQ’s
preferred translation supplier
5)
RM will supply contact
details of the Montreal
translation company
to AS/Insightrix
Infographics at additional cost not included in final product
as results didn’t lend themselves to this treatment
Questions/clarifications:
 Insghtrix will revise Slide 8 data and send updated version to
AS.
 Data represents agrologists employed by the employers
responding to the survey
 Dylan Cody available to assist with drafting information release
 AS: next steps
Motion 3: to accept contract with Insightrix as complete
Moved by:
Seconded by:
In Favor:
Opposed/Abstain:
Vote:

Decision/action by
AAC: whether to use
Insightrix hosting of a
web-based access to
the full report
AS
TK
8
0
Carried
Explanation of posting/linking strategy and common
communication wording developed and used by all institutes to
communicate with their members about the study and access
to it
Draft Circulated: February 10, 2016
Final Copy Circulated: February 18, 2016
Business Plan BoardMeeting
November 26, 2015
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Motion 4: to make the survey available to members and the public
through the Agrologists Canada website.
Moved by:
Seconded by:
In Favor:
Opposed/Abstain:
Vote:


AS will develop/share
wording to be used by
all institutes.
MIA will provide
technical assistance to
post the report on the
AAC website
TK
MM
8
0
Carried
Regarding the communication strategy: could be managed by
the Communications Team or the Operations team
Investment in the study should be supported by strong
communication work; this could be handled by someone with
an appropriate journalistic background who could also manage
more effective distribution channels of the information to
media outlets most likely to pick up/use the ag and
environment based information
Motion 5: that the Operations Committee oversee hiring a journalist
contractor to write the information release and direct an effective
distribution plan
Moved by:
Seconded by:
In Favor:
Opposed/Abstain:
Vote:
JW
AS
8
0
Carried
6. Other Issues:

6.1 “10 Questions” - Review Results:
 Detailed provincial results available via Dropbox
6.2 Organization to Organization (O2O) Communication: Feedback
from Members. Discussion included:
 Lack of process may have limited accessing opportunities
for connection in the past
Process/coordination by new GM will largely eliminate confusion
over first point of contact with AAC
Draft Circulated: February 10, 2016
Final Copy Circulated: February 18, 2016
Business Plan BoardMeeting
November 26, 2015
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



Hold off on process development until new GM in place who may
add insight/creativity
Board may help define process; not delegated to GM
Provide new GM with an orientation and direction on this issue
New GM will act in interests of AAC and not have the overhanging
interests of an individual province
Consensus Reached:
 Process development is important
 High importance task for new GM
 No immediate action until new GM in place
Draft Circulated: February 10, 2016
Final Copy Circulated: February 18, 2016
Business Plan BoardMeeting
November 26, 2015
6
7.0 Business Plan and resources
Actions
7.1 Business Plan:
Discussion: JW overview - few significant changes to the plan
document as board did not change the KRA at the AGM or launch
new initiatives other than decision to hire a part-time GM.
 Board member feedback on BP was minimal; referred to
discussion on Action Plan
7.2 Action Plan:
 KRA 1.3 – GM search - search team working on plan with
assistance of an HR specialist to assure consistency,
transparency of decision making using tools developed for
the process
 Salary – could be annual amount or hourly
 Amount could be as much as 50% of annual budget based
on approximate HR costs for institutes
 Travel/related costs will be in addition to management
cost; will be assigned to individual cost centre/activity
budget as required
Motion 6: that board enable Search Team to negotiate up to a maximum
of $50,000 per year as the cost of a General Manager with role and value
to be evaluated before January 1 anniversary date
Moved by:
Seconded by:
In Favor:
Opposed/Abstain:
Vote:
SW
RM
9
0
Carried
Discussion:
 usual office related expenses will be borne by the
provider
 Noted that RM (Search committee lead) will reorganize committee time-frame early next week
RM: contact the
committee members
to coordinate new
dates and schedule for
review of applications
and setting interview
plan and schedules
[RM departed meeting at 11:30 EST]

KRA 1.1 - task allocation to new GM; will involve contacting
board members for feedback
Draft Circulated: February 10, 2016
Final Copy Circulated: February 18, 2016
Business Plan BoardMeeting
November 26, 2015
7
Agenda Items
Actions
Motion 7: that the task of coordinating review and presentation of bylaw
changes is assigned to the GM for presentation as an agenda item at the
February 18, 2016 Governance-focussed board meeting.
Moved by:
Seconded by:
In Favor:
Opposed/Abstain:
Vote:
TK
MM
8
0
Carried
Will involve
assignment of specific
task accountability by
Operations committee
; will involve contact
with board members
Communications: KRA 2.1, KRA 2.3
Discussion:
 Little progress; suspend further action on strategy and plan
until GM hired; GM will participate in Communication Team
meeting
 Support to the Communication Team is an assigned
accountability for the GM
 Initial allocation of resources to the strategy should be
recognized for new fiscal year (JW - current 2015 budget of
$30,000 had a small expense; additional $7500 budget for
coordination support not used)
Motion 8: that further action on KRA 2.1 and 2.3 are suspended until
after a new GM is in place and has an opportunity to meet with the
Communication Team.
Moved by:
Seconded by:
In Favor:
Opposed/Abstain:
Vote:
TK
MM
8
0
Carried
Motion 8: that an initial budget allocation of $30,000 be identified for
communication planning and project(s)
Draft Circulated: February 10, 2016
Final Copy Circulated: February 18, 2016
Business Plan BoardMeeting
November 26, 2015
8
Moved by:
Seconded by:
In Favor:
Opposed/Abstain:
Vote:
MM
AS
8
0
Carried
KRA 3.2
Discussion:
 LE reviewed communication about the concept to NSIA Council
following AAC AGM; LE developing a proposal for NSIA Council
meeting January 11/16 that will be discussed in terms of how
the vision of supporting the region can be interpreted through
the proposal outcomes
 Step 2 will be to review/discuss with other Atlantic Region
players then brought back to AAC – target is by June 2016
board meeting
 Budget will need to be built into the project proposal
(travel/admin/overhead contribution)
LE will provide initial
feedback on the
proposal at the Feb
2016 AAC board
meeting
Motion 9: that up to $30,000 is allocated in principle through the 2016
budget to support the Atlantic Region for development and promotion of
registration standards and practices with an update from Laurie Eagles at
the February 18, 2016 board meeting, and a full proposal for review at
the June 16, 2016 board meeting.
Moved by:
Seconded by:
In Favor:
Opposed/Abstain:
Vote:
LE
MM
8
0
Carried
[11:00 am – SW exited the meeting]
Motion 10: to approve the draft Business Plan, in principle, and a general
budget that provides for a draw-down of the reserve of up to $20,000 in
2016, supported by the Operations Committee additional flexibility
limitations
Discussion:
 Operations Committee terms of reference provides for
operational flexibility including budget allocation (as long as
Draft Circulated: February 10, 2016
Final Copy Circulated: February 18, 2016
Business Plan BoardMeeting
November 26, 2015
9

the global budget is not changed)

review and refine the operating budget - February 2016 board
meeting
Moved by:
JW
Seconded by:
AS
In Favor:
7
Opposed/Abstain:
0
Vote:
Carried

LE expressed kudos to AS for leading the Labor Market survey.
8.0 Adjourn – 12:05 am EST
DL indicated the business of the agenda had been completed.
Motion 11: to adjourn the meeting. Next meeting is February 18,
2016 at a time to be fixed by the Chair.
Moved by:
Vote:
Draft Circulated: February 10, 2016
Final Copy Circulated: February 18, 2016
LE
Carried
Business Plan BoardMeeting 10
November 26, 2015
Tentative Meeting Dates for 2016 (To be Confirmed):
 February 18, 2016
 June 16, 2016
 September 2016: AGM and Strategic Planning, TBC by Op. Com.
APPROVED:
R. Mongeau, agr
President
Draft Circulated: February 10, 2016
Final Copy Circulated: February 18, 2016
Jim Weir
Secretary-Treasurer
Business Plan BoardMeeting 11
November 26, 2015