1. Call the meeting to order. Board members present Laura Peacock, David Naples, Gord Walter, Jackie Venter. Regrets: Bruce Warren. Quorum was present and the meeting was called to order at 4:35 PM.
2. Approve the agenda.
3. Approve minutes of the last council meetings on November 19, 2024. Ratify e-votes made between November 19, 2024 and March 9, 2025 – see below.
4. Report out on NAAPP meeting March 6 – many residents’ associations are experiencing similar issues around director and volunteer recruitment. City of Kelowna would like us to do something for Volunteer Day on May 4th.
5. Membership
a. 2024 renewal status – some people still outstanding. Those that have not renewed won’t be able to vote at next AGM. We will monitor this during sign-in at the AGM and update as necessary.
b. Discuss website project and current grant funding application – met with developer. Too expensive to consider full development into a CRM. Will meet with another website person to discuss a less involved system.
c. Grant funding idea and how this might impact membership drive – discussed City and FireSmart grants that are available.
6. Financial – Discussed need to keep separate accounting on each grant to help facilitate reporting out. Discuss new cashable GIC and credit card application status.
7. Director Recruitment – Discussed idea from November NAAPP meeting to use volunteer recruitment to better identify people that might want to become directors.
8. Volunteer recruitment – Discussed plan. Volunteer Canada has some good resources to leverage to create “job descriptions”. Discussed need and cost of volunteer insurance. Honorariums are allowed under NAAPP terms and conditions.
9. Projects for 2025
a) Garage Sale – will send out reminder. We need 20 homes participating. If not, will cancel and remove advertising from Kiiji, Castanet, Capital News, Kelowna Daily Courier and the Kelowna Now.
b) FireSmart Presentation of the 2024 award – City of Kelowna to notify us of date and time.
c) FireSmart posters – Jackie awaiting delivery of new posters.
d) May 4th – discussed idea of hosting an event at the Four Points for FireSmart Day and Neighbourhood Day.
e) Evacuation route review – Laura coordinating with City of Kelowna, Okanagan Golf Course, GEID, UBCO.
f) Fall FireSmart Cleanup – TBD.
5. Next meeting: TBD
6. Terminate meeting: 7:00 PM
E-votes made between November 19, 2024 to March 10, 2025
Membership
Contacts reviewed and up to date. Only 3 could not be updated (no phone number to use to contact).
Financial
Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance – Contacted Volunteer Canada for paperwork and the fact that QRRA was not “onboarded” properly. Laura to follow up in mid-March. Goal is to set everyone up with access online.
Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance renewed for 2025.
Second Signatory set up with bank.
FireSmart
Community Chipping April 14 pick-up day. Membership to be notified once contract signed with Action Tree and set up on website. Do not need volunteer insurance because Action Tree will do the pick up at individual homes.
Community chipping event weekend April 12 – pick up April 14. Have been sent the forms so QRRA can get reimbursement from the City.
FireSmart 2025 contest - owners to eliminate vegetation within 1.5 m of the home. Provide before and after photos and entered in contest for $100 gift certificate, monthly, until August 30, 2025.
FireSmart Grant for $750 approved by FireSmart Canada.
Fire Sensors are supposed to be installed in March. Dr. Mathieu Bourbonnais will contact us so we can then notify membership.
Peter Stantic is moving to the Glenmore Fire Hall. He will let us know who his replacement is as our FireSmart Rep.
NAAPP
Year-end reporting for NAAPP completed.
Laura and David enrolled in Evolve conference (Program requirement).
Free Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
The City of Kelowna had offered Neighbourhood Associations a defibrillator at no charge similar to a program set up in the Wilden Neighbourhood. The QRRA Board had a number of discussions on the merits of this offer, and, in the long run, decided to decline. The primary reason to decline was that there really was no need for the envisioned service. BC Ambulance Station 380 is located at the airport and the fully manned firehall on Valley Road means that professional assistance is only minutes away. As well, the complexity of the offering made it difficult to envision supporting. The unit would have to be the responsibility of a volunteer homeowner, not the Association. The City of Kelowna would only provide the unit if it was stationed on a homeowner’s land. While the homeowner would need to be trained on the equipment, this could become problematic should that homeowner decide to move out of the area.
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