AGM Discussion
Thank you to those who made time to attend our virtual AGM on June 17, 2020, which was hosted by Board Chair Paul MacLean and moderated by Kerri Salata. We appreciated the community questions directed to both MPP Jessica Bell and Councillor Mike Layton; it was clear from the discussion that we will be facing critical fiscal challenges as Canada continues to deal with COVID-19 and its impact on the economy.
Councillor Layton spoke to several municipal concerns: additional cycling infrastructure, including new installations on both Bloor and University; addressing anti-Black racism within our city and in the police budget; a just recovery from COVID-19 that includes our most vulnerable citizens and makes investments in housing, childcare, transit and services; and the importance of residents’ associations and community networks working together to advance our goals.
MPP Jessica Bell talked of the challenges facing Toronto that will require the support of other levels of government: “COVID-19 has left the City of Toronto with a $1.5 bn shortfall this year, and since provincial law forbids municipalities from running deficits, the City is left with an impossible choice between cutting services or drastically raising taxes. If the government doesn’t step up soon, the City’s Budget Office will have to dramatically raise taxes.”
She also emphasized other challenges of restarting the economy, including the pressing concern of fewer childcare spaces now available to parents returning to work: “Unfortunately, the committee creating the post-COVID-19 economic recovery plan for Ontario has now moved critical decisions into closed-door meetings.”
Handouts for the 2020 AGM:
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NOTICE: Palmerston Area Residents’ Association Annual General Meeting, Wednesday, June 17 at 7pm.
The PARA AGM is virtual this year, and will be held on Wednesday, June 17 at 7 pm.
- We will use the Zoom meeting platform. Members will need to indicate by Sunday, June 14 that they will participate and download the Zoom app, and can do so by emailing paramembership@gmail.com. You will be sent step-by-step instructions on how to join the meeting by Tuesday, June 16.
- We will send out our annual report a few days before the meeting, including details on how to email your questions or comments in advance of the videoconference.
- The meeting will cover the required agenda for a not-for-profit AGM: report on activities for the previous year; financial statements and budget for the coming year; election of board members; priorities for the coming year; any further motions from members. We expect the meeting to be 45 minutes or less.
- If you have any motions for the meeting, these should be sent to us at paramembership@gmail.com in advance. If you have a nomination for the board, please send the name and contact information to us by June 10, so that we have enough time to discuss board responsibilities with the nominee prior to the meeting. (We are proposing a slate of 9 members to the board. There is one vacancy.)
- In the past our AGM has featured a guest speaker or panel on topics of wider interest to our neighbourhood. We have decided to omit this feature this year in order to simplify our AGM, given the need to operate virtually.
- The AGM is open only to PARA members this year. We encourage you to take this opportunity to renew your membership, which runs to our AGM 2021. If you are not already a PARA member, we are offering a special rate of $10 for a new, one-year membership. Membership fees are vital for maintaining our activities in the coming year.
- Please reply to paramembership@gmail.com as soon as possible to indicate that you will participate in the AGM. We will need a quorum!
Thank you; we look forward to hearing from you.
Paul MacLean (chair) for the PARA board.