Minutes from the January 2014 AGM

Annual General Meeting, 7^th January, 2014

Meeting started, 6:30 pm at the CEED centre

Presidents Report

Welcome to our first AGM. GETI was formed in 2009 and gained official society status on November 19^th, 2012.

GETI (Golden Ears Transition Initiative) is a community based, grassroots organization whose primary purpose is to build resiliency into our community while reducing its carbon footprint and dependence on fossil fuels. This is accomplished through action groups or initiatives that target all aspects of life; food security, water security, energy reduction, waste reduction, improved transportation, financial stability, and much more, towards a goal of re-localizing primary necessities while strengthening a collective sense of community.

We have come a long way since our humble beginnings in 2009. We created a steering committee, developed our constitution and strategic plan, and formed a handful of Action groups to begin the process of transitioning our community to a more resilient one. We have had very close ties with the CEED Centre in that process. We have grown to over 20 Action Groups and are now an integral part of our community. Our membership is comprised of people of all age groups and we are working diligently to expand our membership and influence in Maple Ridge / Pitt Meadows. Many of our action groups are very active in our community, and we are working on increasing their influence.

One of our very successful endeavors is GETIFEST. It started as a celebration of our arrival as a community organization in September of 2011. We hosted about 30 exhibitors and welcomed 500 visitors. In three short years it has grown to 125 exhibitors and 3,000 visitors. We are now a valued festival in our community, and work closely with the district and the Haney Farmers Market.

We are hoping to launch another festival this year; the Youth Vision Film Festival. GETI believes it is critical to engage youth in our process, as they are the ones who will inherit our community.

GETI will continue to be an active participant as we go forward into a future where anything is possible. It will take all of us working together to fulfill that vision.

Thank you,

Gerry Pinel,

President GETI

Election of Officers:

President: Gerry Jen nominated; Oosha seconded; acclaimed
Vice President: Mike Oosha nominated; Jen seconded; acclaimed
Secretary: Oosha Jen nominated; Gerry seconded; acclaimed
Treasurer: Lorraine Gerry nominated (in absentia); Oosha seconded; acclaimed
Communications: Jen Gerry nominated; Mike seconded; acclaimed
Trustee: Lina Jen nominated; JenZ seconded; acclaimed
Trustee: Jackie Oosha nominated; Mike seconded; acclaimed
Trustee: Jasper Jen nominated; Oosha seconded; acclaimed

New Business:

Youth Vision Film Festival
- short (6 - 10 minutes) films by youth on a GETI-related topic
  - there will be categories and awards
  - published on a dedicated YouTube channel
- high schools students (grade 6 - 12); youth groups; Greg Moore Youth Centre; Katzie; etc
- entries shown in municipal council chambers on May 8 (a la Cinema Politica)
  - Youth Week is May 1 to 7
- Richard designing poster to distribute to schools, school board, etc
  - hopes to get one "champion" at each school
- Jen will help set up website and update GETI site with info
  - Jen will investigate Weebly platform
  - Christian will investigate whether we can use the CEED Centre's Weebly account
Outreach
- Jen and Lina will create brochure / PowerPoint presentation / video
  - use to encourage people (businesses, groups, schools, etc) to get involved in GETI
  - use to raise general profile of GETI
- Jen and Lina will develop Outreach Strategy:
  - think about how to talk to different sets of people
    - businesses
    - 18s to 25s (untapped, unengaged demographic)
    - youth
    - municipal / government organizations
- when materials are ready:
  - form Outreach Committee
  - provide Outreach Training
Communications
- Jen and Lina will be sharing responsibility in this area
  - they will meet to define and divide up tasks
- Jen will resurrect old communication plan
- consider possibility of newsletter, or simply a more active blogging presence
- look at "Hearts and Minds" group from the Transition model
- register shortened URL for site
- integrate better with CEED Centre site
Education
- Transition training in February in Victoria
- considering having a training session for GETI
- consider inviting a rep from the Maple Ridge Economic Development office to speak at a GETI meeting
  - find out how business and GETI can complement each other
Skill Sharing group
- add organic gardening workshops that are being put on by the CEED Centre
- organize a spring bike tune-up session
Change Making Project
- come up with an improvement that is relevant to GETI's goals (for example, an environmental rehabilitation project, a transport improvement project, an improvement that makes Maple Ridge more walkable / bikeable
  - project should be small and achievable - this is a learning exercise
  - project should lend itself to developing allies and partnerships (for example, a project that involves the BIA / the municipality / one or more action groups / one or more outside groups)
- Lina, Jen and Oosha will set up a cocktail party at the CEED Centre
  - get people to submit their ideas for an improvement (a visioning session)
  - vote to pick an item
  - draft a very basic action plan
- use the issue to rally GETI and potential allies in the community, among businesses, at the municipality, etc, around the issue
  - increase GETI's visibility
  - get people / businesses / groups involved with GETI
- get 'er done
- develop a framework for action that we can use to plan future actions
  - how to do a visioning session
  - how to identify and gather allies
  - how to publicize
  - how to work with the municipality