Attached are the minutes from our 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on July 1, 2023. A vote at our 2023 AGM is required for these minutes to be ratified.

We’ve also included in the body of this webpage for easy reference.

Shannon Thibodeau (chair) introduced herself as ASLC President. Adam Bonnycastle helped with technical support.

Call to order – Shannon Thibodeau

• Meeting called to order at 10:10 am.

• Land acknowledgement.

Approval of the 2021 AGM minutes

• Motion: To approve the 2021 AGM minutes. Moved by Shannon Thibodeau, seconded by Suzy Young Moore. Motion carried.

President’s report – Shannon Thibodeau

• Request for ASLC Members to join the board. And, an ask that as members interact with others on the lake, they reinforce the need for volunteers to support the ASLC. It is a working board. Only one person on the board is retired now, which is a different make-up from past years.

• ASLC is member of the Federation of Ontario Cottage Association (FOCA), which means all ASLC members are members of FOCA as well. Members are welcome to go online and sign up for FOCA’s e-alerts. FOCA is the lobbying group to the provincial government for electricity and other related matters. There are other relevant issues affecting Stony Lake and our neighbouring lakes.

• Shannon recently was at a meeting of the lake alliances. Mayors from four townships want to hear from the ASLC. Do let us know what you would like us to advocate for you on your behalf.

• Social for 2023: square dances (8–11pm for the July and August Saturday evenings; the time previously listed was incorrect); the Ladies’ Lunch; and new this year is Scottish Country Dancing.

2022 financial report – John Matthews (on behalf of Anne Bonnycastle)

• 2022: a robust year, memberships pay for running the ASLC, revenue from programs pays for programs.

• 2022: $40,272 fees collected, $50,273 membership expenses, $10,001 deficit.

• Last membership fee increase was 2015.

• Propose increase 2024 membership fees by 10%: family memberships to rise from $150 to $165 and single memberships from $80 to $88. Motion: To increase the membership fee by 10% in 2024. Moved by Shannon Thibodeau, seconded by Kathy Kranias.

• Question: What percentage of the lake population are ASLC members (that is, what is the market penetration)? Answer: Roughly over 1,000 adults are ASLC members (approximately one-third of population are members).

• Question: Why would not more lake citizens be members? Answer: Largest percentage of members participate in programs. Opportunity to raise awareness with those not participating in programs.

• Question: Could there be marketing through municipal connections or through realtors? Answer: We have not had success with municipality mail-outs. Nor have we had success leveraging realtors, who can tell new buyers about the ASLC. If any realtors would like to assist in the future, please let us know.

• Question: When will the board re-evaluate membership fees again? It is seven to eight years since the last increase. Answer: New board to discuss more often (potentially every three years). We have always tried to break even and add buffer for capital improvements.

• Question: What are ASLC membership numbers? Up/down/even? Answer: 2020 was low, and we dipped into cash reserves. Now we are back to over 300 family memberships in 2023, and 52 individual memberships. Programming has increased, which leads to more memberships.

• Question: What effect would membership cost increases have on the reserve fund? Would we have negative cash flow going forward Answer: We would level out. Break even with a little buffer. Would not position us for contingency if we were hit by an unexpected cost/ capital cost. Family membership includes direct dependents up until age 25 years. The Stony Lake Heritage Foundation has funds aside for Heritage structures. (Does not cover docks.) We don’t want to risk losing our nonprofit status, so that’s why we don’t want to set aside large sums of money. Board to explore how they could set up additional funds for matters that aren’t covered by the Heritage Fund.

o Motion to amend the motion: Family to $200 and single to $85. Moved by Colin Kinnear. Kathy Kranias withdrew her seconding of the original motion; Trevor Farrow seconded Colin Kinnear’s amendment.

▪ Motion carried. Membership fees raised to $200 for families and $85 for individuals, beginning in 2024.

• Motion (in three parts): Annual finance report to include specific language to opine on the ability for membership revenues received in-year to cover in-year operating costs. In the event membership revenues do not cover operating costs, the board will bring forward a deficit resolution plan at the next AGM. The annual financial report will include a summation of anticipated capital funding requirements by the ASLC over the ensuing five years and the level of reserve funds to cover these requirements. Moved by Andrew Medland, seconded by Douglas Anderson.

• Discussion: ASLC needs to be clear in financials if fees do not cover membership costs, and ensure that this is brought forth at the AGM (bring forth large capital expenses at AGM).

o About the five-year outlook. We don’t get quotes for a five-year view and any quotes we do get might not be valid. Would be an estimate of anticipated costs. The motion didn’t include details for specific costs but the identification of issues that need to be addressed.

• Motion carried.

Programs update – Jeanne Medland

• Introduction of Director of Programming (Morley Birdsell-Farrow), Head of Swimming (Blythe Brooks-Hill) and Head of Activities (Jonny Armstrong).

• Two new child program offerings: boat rescue, junior lifesaving.

• Adult programming will include Pilates and yoga, fitness swim, book reading, and more to be announced.

• ASLC auction coming this summer, more details to come.

Property update – Peter Watson

• Thank you to the ASLC members who helped to complete the docks: John Matthews, Chris English, Gordon Dean, and Doug Smith.

• New fans will be installed in the store by the fall.

• Other future renovations that are on the to-do list: bathrooms; a new sound system; new front docks.

Environment update – Shannon Thibodeau (on behalf Mike Harris)

• Starry stonewort (SSW): Hard/ impossible to get rid of once there. Have added signage where SSW is already there and identified SSW on the new member map.

• Shoreline health & conservation of importance especially on mainland properties.

• Floating accommodations: continue to push for regulation.

• Lovesick Lake trailer site development: potential increase from 148 trailer sites to 500. Repercussions as the water flows into Stony Lake. We are keeping in touch with the Lovesick Lake Cottagers Association who have engaged an environmental lawyer.

Store operators – Tegan Kinnear and Ben Rush

• Excited to be back for a second year. Have two helpers: Jessica Dorado-Smith and Tiffany Boughner.

• If you have/ would like an account, visit the store to verify your credit card information.

• Offering an ASLC fundraiser: an old board from the original store, to which hooks have been added. Will be raffled off at the regatta. All proceeds go to the ASLC.

Juniper Island Survey – Trevor Farrow

• Developed a survey re: the future of Juniper Island, to inform a longer view. Encourage everyone to participate.

• The survey is live and has been sent out. It’s in the Islander and there are QR codes at main spots around the lake. Five hundred people have entered the survey to date, with a 30% completion rate. The survey will be closed after the August long weekend.

SYLC update – Greg Plant

• Adopted new software, CourtReserve, which is working well.

• Expanding the docks to help with traffic – new frames for the docks will be going in.

• Will be resurfacing courts 1 and 3, and the pickle ball court in the fall. Also have a new pickleball net.

• Golf tournament will be taking place this summer, which is the largest fundraiser of the summer.

• If anyone wants to help with the SLYC, reach out to one of the board members.

Board nominations – Shannon Thibodeau

• Thank you to the directors who are leaving for all they did to support the board.

• Shannon was thanked for her time as President with a standing ovation from the floor.

• Motion: To approve the board of directors as outlined on the slide (see below).

• Moved by Shannon Thibodeau. Seconded by John Hyke.

• Motion carried.

Adjournment of the ASLC AGM

• Thank you to those who attended.