On 24.Ianiiary 2015 at 10:30 A.M. Meeting Called to Order
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MINUTES OF MEETING OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FORETGN CORRESPONDENTS' CLUB, HONG KONG 2014-201s ON 24.IANIIARY 2015 AT 10:30 A.M. rman Neil WESTERN ) Kevin Barry H ) on 1. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER The Chairman called the meeting to order at l0:00 a.m. 2. PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES An amendment was required-on page 6, paragraph 9.2 of the previous Membership Committee meeting report to strike out the text after the word 'for reinstatement'. (lYC arrived I0:03 a.m.) It was resolved to strike out the text after the words for reinstatement' in paragraph 9.2 on page 6 of the previous minutes. Proposed by FM Seconded by SP Unanimously Accepted It was resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on l3 December 2014 Proposed by TH Seconded by FDC Unanimously Accepted 3. PRESIDBNT'S REPORT JJ reported: l. DisciplinaryMatters A disciplinary hearing was to take place, but Member (NC#1350) had presented his resignation and presentèd hisäpologiei to the Complaìnant. The matter had been dropþed. It was to accept Member (A/C#1350)'s resignation. Proposed by FM Seconded by INH Unanimously Accepted iotin another member due to the severity of the 'last ue a formal warning, but several incidents had mee I January 2015. Thé member had subsequently of Association (AA) and bv-laws to ensure snins in such cìrcuínstancês. The member "wouÏd be made to re-enter the Club in any a discussion of the Articles in relation to the process of expulsion. [t was also e President's column would be posted on the'website, with a link emailed to Club had zero tolerance of bad behaviour. It was resolved to accept Member (A/C#S105)'s resignation on the basis that a binding wriffen assurance had been received that the former mèmber woúld not ãttempt to return to the Club. Proposed by SP Seconded by TH Unanimously Accepted 2. Charlie Hebdo vigil ords. It was resolved to approve the President's Report Proposed by FDC Seconded by FM Unanimously Accepted 4. REPORTS FROM COMMITTEE CONVENERS FINANCE TH reported: Finance Committee meeting on 21 January 2015 Members attending: illll'T,r]zJ.t¿ fü:t'¡:ïiätfdstîi'ffJ:¿i"','"t"'Þfift:ifrË,"d]iiitril ConnieEolland, amp,iohn Whitcomb Also attending: Gilbert Cheng, Alex Lee Àpotogi"i, " Neil WesternlAndy Chworowsky, Thomas Crampton, Simon Pritchard, Douglas Wong l. Meetine called to Order Treasurër called the meeting to order at l2:55 p.m. 2. Financial Controller's Comments on December 2014 Financials: Revenue & Surplus - December 2014 Total revenue for the month of December was $4,256,245 which was over last year by $109,471 and behind budget by $156,295. Net Surplus flor the month ol December was $1,156.860 against budget surplus of $l,SZ2,tq4 resulting in an únfavourable variance of $366.034 Food and Beverage Cost Food costs for the-month were S980,413 or 34.4Yo against sales, which were I%o more than the budget. Beverage costs for the month were $500,7 52 or 3 '.iyo, which were 0.2%o above budget. After Adif-in wines tãke away & wine home delivery, the total c st will be $519,915 or 38.55%. Revenue Cost Cost% Beverage Sales 51,326,944 $500,752 37.74% Wines take away $43,273 $23,110 53.40% Wines home delivery 537,628 $28,830 76.62% Total $1,407,845 $552,691 39.26'/" Other Income/Other Item .and E e month were $1.,867,9.87_and $45,000 respectively.. The rs low expects to be higher in January as a result of a larger memb at December meefing. and Administration Expenses ses were over budget by $104,424 this was due to more club function costs, notably ice Choir event dr New Year Eve, however these events were successful and this was reflected in revenue. The revenue from New Total administration expenses nt of more bad debt provision on account ol writin and a slisht increase in budgeted legal fees. The bi over-bud-get was the very silnificaniincrease in the Current month revenue - Januarv 2015 F&B revenue budset for the month-of Januarv 201 5 is $3.159.360. F&B revenue up to I 8 Januarv 20 I 5 (Sunday) was $ I ,8'09,557, which was under lást year by $6,306 and behind budget by $24,910. 3. FCC Ball2014 matter advertisements. It was also agreed that in view of the signific Ball and the commitments that the Club took Governance that some suidelines be organising committee wÏth regard to be prepared for the Club in line with t 4. the findinss of the Membershio Com if the incíeasing number ofl niember dvised that the Board would be cons otherwise the Club would erode its Any other business 5. The meeting was adjourned Discussions at BOG meeting: TH reported that December had run at a surplus of $1.5 million, but that was behind budget by $366,000. However, the overall surplus lor the year was iurrently just over $1.3 million, which was a mifiion over budget, and that surplus was priniarily generated by the additionaljoining fees. On an operational level. the Club was slightly behind budget. although the ending the current financialyear in a good state. The New Year's Eve party was a positive result with a good format. The total administrative expenses were over budget by $101,000 due to the special edition ofl The Correspondent, which featured Ball coverage, costing $146,163 to produce. TH drew the Board's attention to the f,rnancial breakdown; it was an unbudgeted item, so there had been no request to take it into consideration. A $50 per-head levy had bêen considered, b'út the Finance Committee had agreèd that it would not be a favourable optlon. partnership programme, which had resulted in 6 ts in The is'sue. Undei'tÊe tõrms of îhe partnership programme, sulted in a nt; on scrutiny, it appeared ihat only'2l oT the 62 as having thev were oerceived as acknowledsements for donations and stoníary to dö so for those who proviãed services to the Ball. but Club was giving an unsecured loan to the Ball Committee and where the Board wanted the November issue to reflect Kong news story in recent times. However, at the same eir cõntribution-to the Ball would be reflected in The rities to be addressed bv havine a Committee and the Cñaritv B"all Committee to orchestrate. No budgeted figure had been had been appreciated there would be some extra cost, going $100,000 over budget had not there was no contract for editorial control over The Ball Committee's P&L acc of tv Ball would be sousht. A be íuppliers. outlining tñe obli de rs. It was also suggested to create two sub-committees, such as an operational committee and governance committee, but fÉËre were concerns and questions as to whether an alternãtive avenue should be sougñt. It was resolved that the extra cost incurred by the production of the November 2014 Charity Ball issue of The Correspondent be borne by the Charity Bãll Committee Profit & Loss Accc unt. Proposed by V/C Seconded by FDC FoT: FM, CS, TH, TJ, SP, NV/, SC, INH Abstention: KE Motion carried It was resolved that priorto all20l4-2015 accounts, a meeting be held with convenors of the Chaiity Bal edural guidelines and that a Code of Conduct to seek clarification as regárds t applicaîion with reference to The Correspondent be created. Proposed by TH Seconded by CS For: FM, SC, TJ, SP, NW, WC Abstention: FDC, INH, KE Motion carried TH reported that he had briefed the Finance Committee on the silver membership issue. @fry kft the meeting at l0:50 a.m.) It was resolved to accept the report of the Finance Committee Proposed by TH Seconded by INH Unanimously Accepted PROFESSIONAL TJ reported: Minutes for Professional Committee Meeting. Mondav. 12 Januarv 2015 Board members: Jitendra Joshi, Tara Joseph, Nan-Hie In, Cammy Yiu Other Committee members: Douglas Wong, Brian Zittel Invitees: Gilbert Cheng, Clement Li, Joanne Chung, Hilda V/ang 1) Minutes of the Dec. 1,2014 meeting - approved Speaker Issues/ Proposed Speakers: Event ReviewÆIost Confi rmation DATE SPEAKER HOST January 2015 Tues. 13 Jan lunch Prof. Ymo Brunetti, European Economist Tara Advisor to Swiss sovt. "[s the Eurocrisislehind us?" Fri. l6 Jan.3:30 p.m. Pen America press conference Francis Thurs. 29 Jan. lunch pioneer social Tara riternational mediator business on cleaning up Februarv 2015 Feb. lunch(tbd) Stephen Bertin, internet security expert Wed.28 Jan lunch Nan-Hie Thurs.26Feb 6:30 p.m Tech Workshop Nan-Hie Intro. to Info. Security and Encryption March 2015 ) Mon. 2 Mar lunch Jeannie Cho Lee, Wine expert Nan-Hie "Wine Fraud and China's Wine Revolution" Thurs. 5 Mar Dinner Panel on French entrepreneurship Florence Mon. 30 Mar lunch Gary Pruitt. AP, President & CEO Jopic g¡ growing worldwide threats to -¡ournalrst satety April2015 April (date tbd) Martin Brudermüller, BASF Chairman "Doing business in China: The new normal with Chinese characteristics" Upcoming Events Proposed SDeakersÆvents: oH d iss d ino follow up with him. 2) Jean-Pierre Cabestan, Professor in Political Science, Head of Department at Baptist University, to speak on recent swing in Taiwan politics - contacted by Florence. Hilda subsequently followed up. Hilda to continue to follow up with speaker to confirm a date. 3) Sherry Chen, Assistant Director Taipei Economic and Cultural Offrce - contacted by Florence. Hilda subsequently fol lowed up.