British Columbia Superintendents Association P.O. Box 807 Lake Cowichan, B.C. V0R 2G0 Phone/Fax: (250) 749-6703 Email: [email protected] Website: bcgsa.com

An Annual General Meeting of the membership of the British Columbia Golf Superintendents Association was held on Tuesday, February 26, 2008 in the Clealand Theater of the Penticton Trade & Convention Centre.

A Quorum was established with 26 members present.

Call To Order: The meeting was called to order at 3:45. Moved by Craig Lewis, seconded by Frits Verkerk that the agenda, as distributed, be adopted. “Carried” Speakers:

Bob Wick, W.C.T.A. Bob Wick reported that there will be changes made to the C.E.C. program. He also mentioned that changes are also being made to the current provincial “Pesticide Applicators” examination. The test will become a closed book exam. The exam will be modified in that the questions will pertain more to working through scenarios and the mathematics of pesticide application. Bob continued in saying that three T.A.R.S. stops have already been scheduled; in the Northern Region, in the Kootenays and on Vancouver Island. He is still waiting to hear from the Interior and Lower Mainland Regions.

Bob also spoke on the “Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program” adopted by the provincial government. He mentioned how Premier Campbell is determined to reach the goals set for 2020. Bob said that one of the speakers for tomorrow, Janice Johnson, is going to be speaking on the recycling of plastics. He said that there will be updates pertaining to the government program in upcoming editions of the Turf Line News. Bob concluded in speaking on the Saturday night hockey game and what a huge success it was. He also thanked our membership for the willingness to take on organizing and running the pre-conference golf tournament for 2009.

David Davidson, Kwantlen College David Davidson gave a brief update on the status of the horticultural program at Kwantlen College. He reported that the outdoor power equipment course that the school had offered had been cancelled. David had some brochures with him for the members in hopes of encouraging their employees in enrolling in one of Kwantlen’s horticulture programs.

Kris Jonasson, B.C.G.A. Kris Jonasson reported that the R.C.G.A. lost six million dollars in hosting the Canadian P.G.A. Open this past year. This was due to the fact that there were no sponsors for the event. The R.C.G.A. is in the process of restructuring their organization. Kris continued in saying that the B.C.G.A. is in excellent shape. They had another highly successful year. He mentioned that upon the provincial government’s request the B.C.G.A. has been involved in giving input and participating in the provincial Sport Tourism program. Kris asked the B.C.G.A. for continued input into the B.C.G.A. web page. He continued in mentioning that the B.C.G.A. had granite yardage markers available, for purchase, by their member clubs. He reported that there will be a P.G.A. Skins Game this coming June. It will be held at Predator Ridge. Kris concluded in thanking and congratulating the B.C.G.S.A. members for their unwavering commitment to the game of golf. Doug Ferne, National Owners Association Doug Ferne reported on how the N.G.C.O.A. is continuing to work on and seek out new initiatives on how to realize growth in the game of golf. He made reference to James Cronk’s program “Play Golf, Growing the Game of Golf in Canada”. Doug continued in saying that they are continuing to work with other

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entities, such as I.C.B.C. to find a resolution of the licensing of golf utility vehicles. They are also working on the errant issue. The N.G.C.O.A. is busy in promoting how golf courses and the environment are compatible with one another.

Doug concluded in saying that the N.G.C.O.A. was hoping to acquire a database through the other allied golf associations which could be used in enabling them to contact various individuals for information on various issues pertaining to golf courses.

President’s Report – Submitted by Rob Wilke

2008 is now upon us and as the snow and your New Years resolutions recede, it is time to get back to what we do best, management. Superintendents have a great ability to boil all the facets and challenges of golf course maintenance down to a few key areas. We take steps to streamline the demands put on a golf course throughout the year into manageable and operational tasks. Inside a few file folders can be a years worth of budgeting, fertilizing, irrigating, and employee managing duties. It is this experience and expertise that our board members are going to use to organize the file folders of the BCGSA. We intend to organize our shop so we can be better prepared to service the demands of the golf environment, our members and our future growth.

The goal for this year will be to better inform ourselves of our resources. We will then take these resources and maximize their potential through updating, culling what is not needed and finally passing it on to you the members. Some areas we will be looking at will be the BCGSA bylaws, invoice and billing options as well as areas for improved communication.

We finalized the 2007 season with a conference call board meeting. This new format proved extremely effective and efficient. The conference call format also allowed limited funds to be better served elsewhere as it was very cost effective. As well, the Board has struck a committee to scrutinize our bylaws and will be presenting amendments when needed. Overall, I believe this year will be pivotal to the continued success of our organization. I am very excited to be a part of such an aggressive and passionate Board of Directors. I would like to wish everyone all the best and I hope that we all find a friend in Mother Nature this year.

Office and Web Site Report – Submitted by Ralph & Ginny Tromp

2007 was a busy year for the BCGSA office as the office was moved from Penticton to the Island and the overall relocation went fairly smoothly. In addition to the general duties, the production of the roster and two newsletters, we held an online auction, sold golf shirts and hats, attended the Exchange Tournament in Kelowna, and hosted a reception at the CGSA Fall Field Day in Whistler. The Board of Directors met once in Kelowna and held a conference call in December, in addition to meeting prior to the AGM.

Financial Report: As of February 15, 2008, the BCGSA has a bank balance of $28,683.45. This amount includes the General Account with a balance of $24,753.45, the WCTA Account with a balance of $1,280.00 and the Brian Finnigan Memorial Fund with a balance of $2,650.00.

Membership Roster: Roster – Targeted Date – Early April - We expect approximately the same amount of pages as the previous year, possibly an additional 4 pages. We have 28 advertisers to date. Deadline for submissions is February 29, 2008. Please send us your updated list of members as soon as possible.

Newsletters: Two newsletters were produced in 2007, one in the early summer and one in November, each consisting of 48 pages. The summer newsletter was sent out in June and we had 21 advertisers altogether with a revenue of $3005.00. The cost of printing was $1038.93, which net almost $2000.00. The fall newsletter was sent out the third week of November with 20 advertisers and a revenue of $3640.00. The cost of printing was

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$1451.31, which left a net of $2185.69. The next newsletter will be published in May/June of 2008. We always need more content so please submit your articles, jokes, items of interest, etc.

Website Advertising: We have a total of 23 industry advertising sponsors running ads on the BCGSA website for a total revenue of $4550.00 (up three from last year).

Industry Advertising Package & Five for Five Industry Membership: A new industry advertising package has been set up to facilitate the collection of accounts as a one time fee paid at the beginning of the year for the convenience of our advertisers. This advertising package also offers a slight savings for anyone wishing to advertise in both newsletters, roster and on the website. To date we have eleven advertisers that have taken advantage of this package. We have also seen an increase in the Five for Five Industry Memberships but do not have a final count at this time.

Pilot Project - Collection of Dues: The BCGSA office will be conducting a pilot project in 2008 whereby the office will collect the membership dues individually from members in the Kootenay region. If this proves to be successful, it may be extended to other regions the following year.

Ralph highlighted that the new advertising contract are proving to be popular in that, so far, eleven companies have signed up. He also reported that the “five for five” memberships were gaining popularity in that ten companies have signed up for those thus far as to only five signed up last year. Ralph encouraged the members to submit articles for the upcoming newsletters. He concluded in thanking Dave Gottselig, our industry members and the five regions who helped in sponsoring the B.C.G.S.A. reception barbecue that was held prior to the C.G.S.A. Fall Field Day that was held in September.

REGIONAL REPORTS

Interior Region: Well, here it is February 1st, I’m sitting in my warm office looking out at the snow falling down. I know that doesn’t sound too strange for superintendents in a large part of our province, but it is for me here in Penticton. You see today was our scheduled day to open the course. Sorry members, not this year. It looks as though it could be a later than normal start for most of the courses in the Interior Region. Enjoy it well you can gentleman because before you know it we’ll be complaining about the heat. (not that we’re the complaining type)

I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of all our members to thank Jeff Bennett for his tireless efforts in representing the Interior on the BCGSA board. Anyone that has worked with Jeff knows his dedication and commitment to the profession of golf course superintendent. With the departure of Rob Bjarnason last summer, Jeff will be remaining on the Interior Board as past president. Thanks again Jeff !

Welcome to Davin Marr, of the Hillview in Vernon who was elected as Vice President at our AGM in November. It’s great to see some new blood on the board.

Thanks to everyone who signed up for the hockey game being held on the Saturday night before the WCTA conference. We have had no trouble filling 2 rosters. Hopefully this will become an annual event. (hint, hint). Game time is 10:15pm at Memorial Arena here in Penticton for anyone who wants to come out and cheer, jeer, boo, hiss or heckle. Hope to see you all at the 45th annual conference here in Penticton.

Larry Olson, BCGSA Interior Chapter Representative Vancouver Island Region: The 2007 golf season was another successful year for the Island Chapter of the BCGSA. Meetings and events were well attended and overall membership numbers were up. With the continued growth of retirees, new housing/golf course developments are under construction and many more on the drawing board. The future of golf on the island looks bright. Many thanks to all the superintendents who hosted a meeting or event last year.

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The Island Chapter will be hosting the 2008 Exchange Tournament to be held Monday, August 25th at the Cottonwood Golf Course in Cassidy (15 minutes south of Nanaimo). Thanks to superintendent, Brett Lamontagne, for volunteering his facility and his time. We look forward to hosting the Exchange this year and hope to see all of you there. The Exchange Tournament is a special event. The comraderie and fellowship of all our members is what makes it worth attending. On behalf of the Island Chapter, wishing all of you a successful and healthy 2008. Rory Johnstone, Vancouver Island Director Kootenay Region: Before the hustle of the holiday season hits and thoughts of golf have been replaced by ski slopes or sunny beaches, I would like to update everyone on association business, outline what’s planned for 2008 and offer several comments, thoughts and ideas for the future.

First though, thank you to everyone who has volunteered time and effort to keep our association healthy and progressing, whether it’s attending meetings, hosting an event or actively taking part in committees and the board. Special thanks to outgoing board members, Ray Guimont and Tim Foley, for their hard work, determination and foresight in making many huge improvements over the last few years.

As leaders of (undeniably) the most important sector in the golf industry, the stage is set for us to grow and thrive, in part by: • continually staying ahead of the curve on issues like pesticide or water use • an incredible networking alliance most businesses can only dream of • always seeking positive change and improvement through the pursuit and development of new ideas and initiatives • penchant for ongoing career education and development • respect for others and our environment • excellent relationships with one another as well as service, supply and equipment providers

But perhaps our biggest asset is the inherent love for what we do. Everyone I’ve met in the turf industry shares this feeling and the common goal of presenting the best possible product we can with what we have. There is an attitude and mindset that surfaces from this, and in my opinion, is key to our success year after year. On that note, I’m happy to announce and welcome your new board:

Past President ...... Ray Guimont President & Provincial Representative...... Jerry Rousseau Vice President ...... Kevin Scheifner Secretary/Treasurer ...... Darren Reddekop Director ...... Len Heyworth Director ...... open

The focus for 2008 is to keep on providing our members excellent networking and educational opportunities while maintaining fiscal responsibility. I see potential to improve our administrative functions and think we need to seriously pursue fundraising and recruitment. Programs like the scholarship fund and wage survey will continue and efforts towards emerging issues like staffing must be looked at. As with any exercise in brainstorming, the more participation the better the results – in other words, attend the meetings and provide some input and energy!

Speaking of which, the 2008 schedule is already taking shape and has been streamlined with excellent venues hosting what plan to be exciting and worthwhile events. In the mean time, I hope to see everyone at some point on the winter conference tour and can always be reached for any comments or concerns.

Finally, best wishes to Darren Krotz who has left the Creston Golf Club to pursue the lucrative landscape construction business in Cranbrook. Congratulations also to Devan Davidson, who in 2007 was married, bought a house, had a baby and will now be taking over the helm at Creston. All the best to everyone throughout the 2008 season!

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Jerry Rousseau BCGSA Kootenay Chapter President

CGSA BC Directors Annual Report: I would like to take this opportunity to provide an update on the CGSA with respect to events that have transpired in the past year and what is planned for 2008.

CGSA Certification Program This initiative has the potential to have a significant impact on the image and profile of the superintendent within the Canadian Golf industry. This will allow the CGSA to promote individuals holding a designation as having a particular skill set. It will also assist superintendents with career development and, in conjunction with the annual CGSA compensation survey, will assist owners and Boards with their hiring practices and compensation.

The CGSA accreditation program was approved by the membership at the 2005 Annual General Meeting, and launched on July 1 2006. The program is voluntary and consists of two designations – the Accredited Golf Superintendent (AGS) and the Master Superintendent (MS). Both of these designations are based on the National Occupational Standards, which were adopted in 2001 after an extensive consultation effort on the part of CGSA with its members across Canada. The NOS can provide an effective career planning tool for superintendents and a helpful hiring tool for owners, general managers and Greens Committees when trying to determine what skills are necessary for a professional superintendent.

Currently there are 156 AGS Superintendents and 25 Master Superintendents

Both of the accreditations are subject to an examination and to the maintenance of “continuing education credits” (CEC) and CGSA membership. The AGS or Accredited Golf Superintendent exam is available to all Superintendent members of the CGSA who been a Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent for three years, and have accumulated at least 50 CEC in the last three years; it is 2 hours long and consists of 100 multiple choice questions; the passing grade is 70% and you must have at least 50% in each of the nine sections; although you can earn your qualifying CEC as an assistant, you cannot write the exam until you become a “superintendent” member of the CGSA.

The Master Superintendent exam is currently available to anyone who has been a superintendent for eight years or more and who is a superintendent member of the CGSA; the exam is 4.5 hours in length and consists of 300 multiple choice questions; the passing grade is 70% in each section. Both exams are open book and in the case where the required % is not achieved, only the sections that are not successfully completed need to be rewritten, provided the minimum pass percentage is achieved.

All new AGS recipients that will be in attendance at the Canadian International Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show in Calgary will be recognized and receive their AGS pin at the Awards Luncheon on March 2nd. All new Master Superintendents will also be recognized at that time.

If you have elected to take part in this program please remember to start documenting your CEC credits. 90 credits are needed for AGS and 125 are needed for the Master Superintendent over a 5-year period in order to keep your designation. A cd is available from the CGSA with information and forms on how to document and track your CEC credits.

Membership Growth CGSA currently has about one-third of the eligible superintendents in Canada as members of the CGSA. This obviously presents an opportunity for growth. With growth comes public trust and responsibility to represent the profession in an unbiased manner. The broader the representation that CGSA can achieve the better it will be for all members. Each member is encouraged to recruit one new member prior to the 2008 season. Each new member that you recruit qualifies you for a draw to win one of two $500 travel vouchers or CGSA merchandise. Membership in the CGSA rose in 2006 to 1233 up from 1139 the previous year. Any new member will save 50% of the registration fee on the annual Conference.

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The CGSA website continues to evolve and offer more services. CGSA members have the ability to access the Michigan State Universities Turfgrass Information File through the website. This database contains a wealth of information relating to turfgrass and golf course management information and also includes information collected by Michigan State University. WHIMS training for golf course staff is also offered through the website at very low cost. The current list of seminars offered by the CGSA is available, as well as past presentations from the Vancouver and Montreal conferences.

The annual compensation survey was distributed in early December to all superintendent members The response rate was 36%, with 96% of respondents completing the on-line version of the survey; Results will be available by early February in summary form for anyone who completes the survey, and for a fee for members that did not participate and to non-members. CGSA staff can work with you to provide a custom report based on the best comparison data available for your area.

Environmental Issues CGSA continues to focus much attention on current, emerging and pending environmental concerns in an effort to assist members in dealing with these matters on an ongoing basis. The need for it to do so will never go away but will only intensify as time goes on. All of golf needs to celebrate its environmental efforts to a much greater degree

IPM remains a key tool for golf courses and their environmental efforts. CGSA policy sets out the purpose and parameters of IPM in a language that can be understood by general public and politicians Water is likely to be the next big environmental issue for golf. CGSA is actively involved in Ontario in the review and implementation of the Clean Water Act; Environment Committee is now drafting a water use and water conservation policy paper for consideration by the Board of Directors at its February meeting. Policy papers are available from the CGSA website or by contacting the CGSA office

CGSA position papers have been developed for pesticide use and IPM. Pesticide by-laws continue to be a significant issue in Ontario and parts of BC and Atlantic Canada; Quebec is now covered by provincial legislation – golf industry efforts have been successful, for the most part, in gaining some form of exemption.

The CGSA distributes an Environmental Management Best Practices survey semi annually in February to collect information related to the management practices of golf course superintendents across Canada. The information compiled is then circulated to all participating superintendents. The next survey will be distributed in February 2008.

International Summit The Summit brings together superintendent associations from around the globe to discuss issues of mutual interest and, where possible, to develop strategies and information that could be helpful to golf course superintendents internationally. Summit meetings are usually one day in length and involve a series of presentations to either provide an update on national activities or to present a position or policy for the consideration of the delegates. Delegates are chosen by the national golf course management organizations to represent their respective country in the discussions. Canada will host the 2008 Summit in Calgary on March 1st, currently eight countries have agreed to participate including Canada, U.S.A., Britain, Sweden, Australia, Finland, Denmark and the European Federation of Greenskeepers. Strategic Planning Survey

The “CGSA Strategic Planning Process – Member Survey” was sent to approximately 1267 CGSA members. This is a process that will provide the CGSA with information that will help the association improve services to the membership. We received 172 responses (a 14% response rate). 35 respondents were from BC.

From the survey responses, access to educational opportunities, National Environmental Standards, labour shortages and Sustainable Golf Course Management were areas that the respondents felt were worthy areas for the CGSA to develop programs or services.

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Of the 35 BC respondents 9 were accredited superintendents. The non-accredited superintendents indicated that a shortage of their time was the biggest barrier to accreditation. They also felt that more on line education and promotion of the value of accreditation to the golf user groups would be the biggest factors to encourage their participation in the program.

84% of BC respondents said reliable labour was an issue at their golf courses. The laborer position being the main shortage followed by shortages of equipment technicians. For the respondents who indicated labour was not a problem at their course, they believed wages, working hours and conditions and benefits were responsible.

Of the educational topics surveyed, turfgrass management, environmental management and management planning were the most favored topics. When the question was asked of which topics are of most need to you personally, administration and health and safety moved up the list as more Superintendents felt they would benefit from education in these areas.

In class seminars was the most popular training format requested, followed by online education. The location of the event or seminar was the biggest limiting factor, followed by the time factor which was more important than cost.

Promoting the role of Superintendent and Accreditation, provide and publish salary and benefit data were deemed important by more that 65% of Canadian respondents, 75% of BC respondents felt these initiatives were important. Developing a standard contract for the position of Superintendent was felt to be important by 57% of Canadian Superintendents. 45% of BC respondents agreed that this would be helpful to them.

Integrated pest management, pesticide use on greens, and water use were the most important issues that BC members felt the CGSA could develop and provide national policies. The rest of Canadian Superintendents felt that pesticide use on greens and water management were more important issues than integrated pest management.

77% of respondents felt that the Golf Course industry was an equal opportunity employer. Despite the low numbers of females and minority groups in Managerial Roles most respondents felt there were no barriers to entry. Promotion of our industry to school aged children was a common response in order to remove the perceived inequality.

77% of BC respondents felt the CGSA membership fees are appropriate. 70% of Canadian respondents felt the fees are appropriate, almost 29% felt they are too high and just over 1% felt they are too low.

This was just a quick summation of the results, the BC results have been sent to the BCGSA for its use. The CGSA board of directors will be meeting during the Calgary conference to move forward on developing and implementing the results generated from this survey. We will look at our current mission statement, will consider the vision that the current Board has for the CGSA for the next three to five years, will develop objectives that are tied to that vision and will identify the measures and targets that will be used to determine if progress is being made. The day will either culminate with a plan or the direction necessary to develop such a document and/or the identification of association activities or components that will require external assistance in order to develop solutions. Thank you to all of you who participated in this survey, your assistance will help us build a better organization.

The CGSA award winners for 2007 are as follows: The CGSA Superintendent of the Year is Blake McMaster, Superintendent at the Royal Montreal Golf Club, and the oldest golf club in North America, founded in 1873. In addition to the honor of being named CGSA Superintendent of the year, Blake also hosted the prestigious this past September, without a doubt the single biggest golf event to be played in Canada. The hard work of Blake, his staff and volunteers were showcased for more than 200 million viewers. The Superintendent of the year award is presented annually to a Superintendent who has been nominated by a Provincial Golf Superintendent Association as a knowledgeable and competent member of the profession who is distinguished in the

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practice of golf course management. This person, chosen by a committee of peers, also receives the Score Golf Award for Superintendent of the Year. The deadline for nominations is May 1, 2008

Paul Dermot received the 2007 John B. Steele Distinguished Service Award. The CGSA John B Steel Award recipient is chosen by the CGSA Board of Directors, based on nominations received from Superintendent members. The individual will have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the profession of Golf Course Superintendent over the course of their career. Paul’s accomplishments over the years and his willingness to share his knowledge with others make him a most deserving recipient. Paul’s hard work and determination led to the birth of the Guelph Turfgrass Institute. He is also a founding member of the Ontario Turf Research Foundation and the Stanley Thompson Society. The deadline for nominations for 2008 is July 1.

The CGSA/Toro Future Superintendent of the Year is Trevor Anderson, The Future Superintendent award is offered to CGSA student members who are completing their graduating year in a CGSA recognized program. Trevor is a former graduate of Red River College in Manitoba, and is currently the Lead Hand at Surrey Golf Club in Surrey, BC. As part of the award, Trevor will take in a six week training and work experience program in Scotland. He will also be speaking at the CGSA conference in Calgary. The recipients of these awards as well as the CGSA /Toro Environmental award, the Gordon Witteveen award for Superintendent authored Greensmaster article, and Student Scholarship awards will be recognized at the Awards Luncheon at the Conference in Calgary in March.

Fall Field Day The CGSA Fall Field Day was a great success. Big Sky was a great venue, the food was great and the scenery was amazing. Host Superintendent Mark Drain and his team had the course in excellent shape. Thanks to Ralph Tromp and the BCGSA for all their help, especially the BCGSA BBQ Night. Highlights of the event included the Toro Reception, the Kevin MacDonald coaching seminar and the Fall Field Day dinner, all included for a price normally charged for the price of the seminar alone.

The Low gross winner was hometown hero Bert McFadden; currently Superintendent at the Georgian Bay Club in Collingwood Ont. Low Net winner was Dean Zilinski, Superintendent at Whitetail Crossing in Sherwood Park, AB. The next Fall Field Day will be at The Georgian Bay Club, where Bert McFadden will anxiously try to defend his title. If you have never had a chance to take part in a fall field day, you really owe it to yourself.

2008 Canadian International Conference and Trade Show The CGSA Canadian International Turfgrass Management Conference and Trade Show will take place in Calgary in 2008 from February 29th to March 4th at the Telus Convention Centre in downtown Calgary. There will be three days of conference education sessions and two days of pre-conference seminars making it a great opportunity to hear about turf related and golf course management issues and take part in the largest golf course management trade show in Canada. Hopefully we will see you there.

Please remember the CGSA is your association, we are here for your benefit. Please feel free to submit your comments and suggestions to help us serve you better. Thank you and have a great season.

Tim Kubash, CGSA Provincial Director

Moved by Jeff Bennett, seconded by Greg Austin that all reports be accepted as presented. “Carried”

Minutes of Previous A.G.M. Moved by Ashley LeGeyt, seconded by Craig Lewis that the minutes of the previous A.G.M. be accepted as presented. “Carried”

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Financial Report – Submitted by Jerry Rousseau Bank Balance at Dec 31, 2007 was $24,696.36 - Accounts Payable –0- - Accounts Receivable - $5,114.50

2007 Financial Report & 08 Budget The budget process has taken some time with much to sort out from the change-over of books. Discerning what was actually attributed to 2007 became the main challenge and critical for 2008 budgeting, for example, several 2006 receivables were collected in 2007 and we needed to ensure this was not reported as 2007 revenue. If you’re following along, note the 2007 income statement and trial balance don’t match the 2007 actuals shown on the 2008 budget sheet. This is the result of several accounting functions required in the adjustment process resulting in those statements not reflecting ‘real’ numbers – go by the 2008 budget! Also, finalizing of the 2007 year end requires attributing bad debts.

Membership numbers for 2007 were as follows: Paying regional members = 259* (includes non 5/5 industry) *does not reflect discrepancy to be resolved in the Lower Mainland Region 5/5 Industry members = 5 lifetime members = 13

For the first time in a few years the association made some money, just over $11,300. The 07 budget was portrayed to net $1600 but in fact it planned for a $1213.30 loss. Not a huge deal since there was money in the bank from 2006, lots of a/r was collected, we saw better than forecasted revenues in 2007 and there was super control over expenses, in particular, printing costs, office supplies, website and directors meetings! Highlights include:

• $13,110 in membership revenue vs. budget of $13,097 • $18,769 in advertising revenue vs. budget of $12,000 • printing costs way down - $3580 on a $5500 budget • director meetings $1289 on a $4000 budget

Brian Finnigan Scholarship and WCTA Turf Research funds activity is as follows: Finnigan WCTA Start of 2007: $1750 - $4184 Add 2007 contributions: 1150 3580 $2900 -$604 Less paid out in 2007: 500 2300 Remaining in funds: $2400 $-2904

The 2008 budget was approached optimistically whilst keeping in mind opportunities for fundraising and recruiting. We aim to at least maintain the 2007 revenues and keep diligent control over costs. 2008 numbers reflect more stability than we saw in 2007, while proceeding with identified objectives such as improving the look of the newsletter and restructuring our administrative salary.

Respectfully submitted, Jerry Rousseau, BCGSA Treasurer

Moved by Craig Lewis, seconded by Greg Broome that the Financial Report be accepted as presented. “Carried”

NEW BUSINESS:

2008 Budget – A copy of the 2008 Budget was distributed in the handout and presented by Jerry Rousseau, Treasurer.

Moved by Greg deJong, seconded by Brett Lamontagne that the 2008 Budget be accepted as presented.

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“Carried”

Superintendent of the Year – Jeff Bennett, recipient of the 2007 “Superintendent of the Year” award spoke for a few minutes acknowledging the privilege of working with fellow directors on the provincial board as well as thanking the people who have most influenced his career.

Brian Finnigan Memorial Bursary Fund – Rob reported that there were only the two applicants; Adam Creamer from the Bootleg Gap Golf Course in Kimberly, B.C. and Mark Berg from the Williams Lake Golf Course. It was decided that a check for $500.00 would be sent to each of them.

Constitution and Bylaws - Rob spoke briefly on the existing constitution and bylaws. He said that he went through them and found many places where they were out of date and did not correspond with how the B.C.G.S.A. conducts its business. Rob continued in saying that he hoped that, through the course of the year, the committee struck to review the bylaws could over them and recommend changes where needed. These changes could then be brought forward and reported on to the membership at the Exchange Tournament meeting and possibly brought forward and voted upon at the A.G.M. in Victoria on February 24, 2009.

Labour / Foreign Workers – Rob spoke on behalf of Gary Bartley regarding the possibility of hiring foreign workers and reported that there wasn’t much to report, at this time. He felt that two queries should be considered; one being as to what labour shortage each superintendent faced during the past year and , two, would any of them hire outside of Canada. Frits Verkerk commented on how Golf B.C. was presently investigating the possibilities in hiring foreign workers.

Pre-Conference Golf Tournament – Ralph reported that he had approached two Victoria golf courses as possible venues for the upcoming 2009 Pre-Conference Golf Tournament that would take place on Saturday, February 21, 2009. The one golf course, Victoria Golf Club, said no. The other, Gorge Vale Golf Club, said probably but their Board of Directors would have to review the matter at the end of this month. We would have a definite answer by Feb. 29, 2008.

Charity Hockey Game – Rory Johnstone reported on behalf of Greg Kowalski that on January 25, 2008 the Vancouver Island Region put on a hockey game in hopes to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis. The response was overwhelming. Over $8000 was raised for the cause. The “Island Guys” felt that such an event helped raise the profile of the golf superintendent profession in the community. Rory concluded in saying that the Vancouver Island Region would like to challenge all the other regions of the B.C.G.S.A. to consider doing something similar.

Proposed Centralized Billing – Jerry informed the members that a pilot project was in the works in that the B.C.G.S.A. office would be colle3cting the membership dues from the Kootenay Region and in turn reimbursing the Kootenay Region with their portion of the dues payment. If this project proved to be both feasible and successful, this means of dues collection might be available to the other regions, if they wish to take part. The main concern is that this means of collecting the dues would not be over taxing the workload of the provincial office.

2008 Exchange Tournament – Rory Johnstone announced that the 2008 “Exchange Tournament” would take place August 25, 2008 at Cottonwood Golf Club.

BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE FLOOR: Craig Stocker posed a question to Tim Kubash, B.C.’s director to the C.G.S.A., as to why the C.G.S.A. required so many more hours to earn C.E.C. points as to other institutions such as the W.C.T.A. Tim replied in saying that he would bring this matter up at the C.G.S.A.’s upcoming Board of Director meetings, which will be held prior to the conference in Calgary.

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ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Greg Broome that there being no further business, the Annual General Meeting adjourn. (Adjournment @ 5:04 p.m.)

______Rob Wilke President

______Jerry Rousseau, Treasurer

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