You've already received an e-mail message from me thanking everyone for their participation at the festival, whether as performers, volunteers or audience. Just for the paper trail, I again want to thank the Festival Committee: in the counting-house, Judy Stamp, Lyvonne Fulford and Merie Winsor; stage manager Ford Elms and his trusty sidekick Rod Shea; workshop tent, Rob Brown and Michelle Brophy; in the beer garden, Michelle Spencer, Denise Riggs, Marie Riggs; in the merchandise tent, Pat Hapgood and Carol Ann Hennebury; the best yet Neil Murray Stage and kids' area, Tonya Kearley; in the van and anywhere else he was needed, Russell Bowers; Jean Hewson was on the programming committee with Bridget and other members already named. Bridget is, of course, the co-ordinator, so I'd better thank her brother Tony for all his work on the site.

Every year when we're asked how the festival went, we always say "The best yet." And it's true. For example, this is the first time we've ever reached $20,000 on the gate in one night. Of course, all the bills aren't paid yet, but it looks as though the event will actually pay for itself. Whether we will close the office for the winter months remains to be seen.


By-laws

I've been looking over the by-laws - don't groan; you have to be involved in this as voting members - and there are several items that need to be amended. I'll be as gentle as possible.

By-law 5 concerns membership fees. Dated 30 Sept 1988, it stipulates an annual membership fee of $25. And here it is, 2001, and your fee hasn't even reached that level yet.
Question: Is your membership worth $2.08 a month? If not, the by-law must be amended.

By-law 18 is all about the CEO, duties, remuneration for the position, dates for contracting. We don't have a paid CEO.
Question: Should we delete this by-law?

The next few items involve numbers. Grit your teeth.

By-law 31 stipulates that we must have 30 members for a quorum at the AGM. Last year our membership numbered 220; this year it's dropped to 84. Of 220, 30 members would have been roughly 14 per cent, but of 84 it's 36 per cent.

By-law 36 says that you, the members, have the power to call a special general meeting if you present a written request with 50 signatures. Of 220, 50 signatures would have been 23 per cent; of 84 it's closer to 60 per cent.

Number 39 says a change to by-laws must be sanctioned by two-thirds of the membership. Question: Would it make more sense if 31 and 36 were amended to indicate, like No. 39, a proportional representation of the membership rather than an arbitrary number?


AGM: Spring or fall?

Next there's the matter of timing of the AGM. You won't have to vote on this, but you should be aware of why we've changed it from May to October.

After the festival people were coming up and saying "Congratulations, Linda, great festival!" Whereupon I pointed them in Rick's direction: "Congratulate him. He was the president during the year when all the planning was done."

The point is, having a new board come on a couple of months before the festival means that they have time for precious little input. Going back to an October AGM, when the festival finances have been settled, will give the new board a chance to inject new ideas and have more debate and implementation time.

That's about all I want to say about these issues. Think about them - or give a knee-jerk reaction, I don't mind - as long as there's some reaction.


E-voting

Oh, yeah, one more thing. A resolution in writing signed by all directors who are entitled to vote is as valid as if it had been passed at a meeting. Being so fond of e-mail, I take this to mean that a vote coming from, say, Rick would contain his personal e-mail address and is his e-signature. So when the time comes for a membership vote - we'll give you three weeks' notice - your e-votes should be equally as valid. You'll just have to remember to actually type your name at the end of the message.

Those of you who have no e-mail connection will receive ballots in the mail. We'll be more careful than City Council.

Okay. That's really it this time. Support local music and the Folk Arts Council, support our sponsors, and learn all the words of The Ode to Newfoundland. See you Wednesday night.