Web readable version of the minutes from the 2012 AGM
September 11, 2012
For some reason the minutes for the NAGCR AGM were merely uploaded as a document in a proprietary format that needs to be downloaded and run in a commerical application to be viewed, even though the web site has been carefully constructed to allow easy display of rich text. Anyway, here it is so you can read it right here, if you don't feel like downloading it and figuring out how to open it.
Minutes of the 40th Annual General Meeting
of the North American Guild of Change Ringers
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Seelye Hall, Smith College, Northampton, MA
The meeting was called to order at 3:53 PM by NAGCR President Madeleine Cheesman. Elisabeth Trumpler was asked to take minutes and accepted.
1. The President welcomed everyone to the meeting and expressed thanks to Smith College for allowing us to hold the AGM here.
2. The President then remembered those Guild members who had passed on since the last AGM and read their names:
3. Members' attention was drawn to the silver desk set given to the Guild by Alice Shurcliff and now displayed at every Guild AGM. Details of the history of the desk set can be found on the web site at www.nagcr.org.
4. Apologies for absence were received from former presidents Alan Ellis and Lyn Barnett, also from Elizabeth Davies (former Clapper Editor), Peter Trotman (former CC Rep), and Brett Wormley. Lyn Barnett's greeting was read in full to the meeting - she especially sent congratulations to the "ever-young" Founder Members of the Guild.
5. The President noted that the Minutes of the 2011 AGM had been published in the Fall 2011 issue of The Clapper and asked for a motion to approve these minutes. Tony Furnivall moved and Meredith Morris seconded. There were no questions, comments, or corrections and the minutes were approved unanimously.
6. The Annual Report for 2010 was not available until shortly before the 2011 AGM, and approval was postponed. Members had the opportunity to make comments or suggest corrections in the meantime, but none have been received. Tony Furnivall moved to accept the 2010 Annual Report and Meredith Morris seconded. The report was approved unanimously.
7. The President asked if there are other issues arising from the 2011 AGM Minutes that need discussion, and there were none.
8. The 2011 Annual Report was again not available to members until shortly before the AGM, and most attendees had not seen it yet. The President asked for a motion to defer approval. Helen Haller moved and Marty Aldinger seconded. Members have the opportunity to make comments or corrections in writing to the President, to be taken into consideration at next year's AGM.
9. Interim reports of the officers were posted in the lobby below the ringing room and will be published in The Clapper.
10. Tom Miller was asked to read an update report on the proposed ringing tower at Yale University from Jeremy Bates:
Two new residential colleges have been in the planning since 2008. One of the colleges is to feature a 190-foot tower to "be equipped with a traditional belfry" with 12 change ringing bells - "a counterpoint to the campus carillon - and is also to include faculty offices, a library, music rooms, and seminar rooms. About $300M remains to be raised for the entire project ($100M of this for the bell tower). Yale plans to open the new complex in 2015. Any questions about this project may be directed to Jeremy Bates, ringer at Trinity Church Wall Street in New York.
11. News about other towers:
(a) Ringing at the Church of the Heavenly Rest in Abilene TX has been reactivated.
(b) A bell tower in Exeter, Ontario has a ring of bells of which six were hung Veronese style and could be rung to changes; some ringers have visited there. The bells have been removed for re-tuning and will be installed as a 6-bell change ringing tower, complete with stays, sliders, etc., plus 6 chiming bells. The dedication of this tower is planned for September 30, 2012. [Some information on this tower can be found on the web site www.nagcr.org under "Ringing locations."]
(c) Chris Haller has been trying for years to find a tower for change ringing bells in Rochester NY and has changed parishes to this end. Christ Church was available at one point, but when bells and funds became available, the new administration had no interest. Chris then found the Church of Ascension with a fine 1880s brick tower and has brought Alan Hughes of Whitechapel to inspect the tower. If the tower is acceptable there would be a ground floor ring with 10 bells. Donors are invited to contribute $25,000 per bell.
12. Reports on Executive Committee meetings have been published in The Clapper. Meetings were held via Skype due to geographic distances and problems of health and mobility.
13. New business:
(a) Sue O'Neill proposed a practice she has experienced with other organizations, that attendees be asked to stand up and be identified. The proposal was not accepted as a list of attendees is included in the registration package.
(b) AGM venue for 2013: Hendersonville NC in the mid-to-latter part of September, with the exact date still to be confirmed. A venue for 2014 has not yet been determined, with a few options to be considered.
(c) Laura Dickerson asked whether the insurance policy taken out for AGM activities at Smith and Groton would be valid for future meetings at Groton. Bruce Butler explained that both towers had asked for a $1M insurance, and he decided to take out one policy for meetings at both towers. The insurance company, after looking at the NAGCR calendar on the web site, offered a policy to cover all NAGCR members attending ringing meetings in the United States through August 14, 2013.
(d) Ed Futcher moved to have two peals reinstated as NAGCR peals; they were rejected by the Peal Secretary because the required membership dues of two participating ringers had not been received in a timely manner. Tom Miller moved an amendment, to defer the decision on this issue until it has been discussed with the Peal Secretary; the amendment passed. The Executive Committee will discuss this issue with Theresa Rice, the Peal Secretary, within the next four weeks to find out more details. Several attendees voiced the opinion that this issue is not an AGM matter.
The meeting was adjourned at 5 PM, moved by Tony Furnivall and seconded by Beverly Faber.
NOTE TO MEMBERS:
Three items of information were left out of the meeting as follows:
additional information brochures from the Education Officer.
The President apologizes for these omissions.