A Zone Meeting was held on Monday, September 23, 2013.

The Meeting opened at 7:35 p.m.

The Roll was called. All Branches were represented.

MOTION to deviate from the Agenda was passed.

MINUTES:

The Minutes were adopted as circulated.

CORRESPONDENCE

A letter from Comrade Bruce Julian explained the use of Boards of Management and Branch Financial Advisory Committees.  He stressed that Ontario Command, senior officers, executive and staff will GO TO THE WALL to assist any Branch who asks for assistance providing they will listen to the suggestions and implement suggestions to improve their financial status or other problems they may be encounting.

Comrade Bruce Julian also wrote about the increase in offers to buy Legion properties.  Please remember you must contact Ontario Command if you are considering entering into agreements to undertake financial decisions.  These decisions must have approval of you membership and then Ontario Command.

The per capita tax for members is $32.37 ($11.00 to Provinicial Command, $10.65 to Dominion Command, $10.72 to Legion Magazine).

ZONE COMMANDERS REPORT

Comrade Zone Commander John Murphy stated that Comrade Jim Chesterfield would be treasurer for the coming term.

Comrades;

Welcome to all our new Council members, please stand and be recognized. Welcome to all those returning after our summer hiatus.

The District “B” Convention is coming up and I know that past Commander Chesterfield asked all the Presidents to submit a Branch report. This is a very important report for two reasons.  We need to submit this report two weeks before the convention date for incorporation into the convention booklet and a condensed version of the report is read on the convention floor.  We want to share with those in attendance that the branches in our zone are vibrant and active.

Moving forward, please provide your report by the first of March, June, September and December.  I have   asked you to submit a list of the names of our fallen comrades since the last Convention.  We now read this list of names on the Convention floor for all to recognize and honour. If you do not have that list with you tonight please get it to Jane tomorrow.  This will allow us time to have the list alphabetized and available for Saturday.

I attended a “New Zone Commanders” seminar which included a workshop on Branch Regulations. I know Comrade Chesterfield is very familiar with these documents and has helped most Branches get them approved.   I believe we all have our certificates or at least they are in the mail.

I attended my first District Council meeting in July which was a new and interesting experience. I will have more to report as I become more involved.

Our Zone Poppy Seminar was hosted by Branch 36 at the beginning of the month with 100% attendance. It was interesting and informative.  There were two unanswered questions that I have been asked to bring forward to the floor this weekend. We are rescheduling the District Youth and Education Seminar to a new date because of some conflicts.

I look forward to seeing you all at the Convention this weekend; you know each branch is required to have representation at both the Presidents meeting on the Saturday and the convention on the Sunday. Just a note there will be a “Grants “seminar on the Saturday with I am informed information on how to apply for any grant/funding that is available to Legion Branches , some of our Branches have been successful with this in the past and we should all make good use of this available funding.

TREASURER’S REPORT

Past Zone Commander Comrade Jim Chesterfield reported:

That the Zone B6 accounts were audited.

Deposits from June 1, 2012- May 31, 2013            $3,847.73

Expenses                                                                             $$4,875.07

Opening Balance: $4,202.34                        Closing Balance $3,175.23

A full accounting is available fro Comrade Jim Chesterfield of the Secretary.

POPPY

Comrade Robert Watson reported:

1. Please remember to place your ad in your local paper. September 30 is one week from today and you will soon have the financial statement giving you the September 30th balance. A copy to the Zone Poppy Chair would be appreciated. 

2. We had 100% attendance at our Zone Poppy Seminar. Great effort and thanks to all Branches. 

3. Please forward the name of the Branch and Poppy Trust Fund financial institutions and their respective Branch ur Numbers to the Zone Commander and Zone Poppy Chair. We will need this information for our Yearly Audit.

4. Audits will take place at the same time as the Branch Audits. If Poppy Chairs require assistance ore the Audit, please give me a call with at least a week’s notice.

5. Were you able to send out any thank-you notes to your volunteers?

MEMBERSHIP

Comrade Joyce Brown stated that a Branch can go on line to check the latest membership figures.

All of our Branches were close to 100% renewal for last year. Dundas had the highest percentage.

PRO

Comrade Peter Whittaker reported:

1)    I updated the Zone B6 web site and added the following to the links page:

13.  Events taking place at Branches in Zone B6 - in Burlington, Dundas, Hamilton(Barton),           Hamilton(Mountain), Stoney Creek, Waterdown 

2)    On the media links page on this site I added the email contacts for the Stoney Creek News and the Hamilton Mountain News for use by Branch PRO’s to get information into the media about the Legion and Legion events

3)     

4)    Now that all Branches in Zone B6 have web sites, I created a menu that links to the Calendar, Event or Home pages where each Branch’s events are listed.  In this way I don’t have to maintain a listing of events on the Zone web site just this link page.  Each Branch is responsible for posting its events on its own web site.  I sent an explanation of this link page to email addresses listed on each web site.  2 sites did not clearly have coming events listed so the page just links to their home pages.  3 sites did not have email addresses listed that work – 58, 163 and 315 so they were not yet notified of this change.

5)    Please view our Zone web site and if you have something you would like to see on this site please let me know.  If no-one gives me suggestions to add to the site then they won’t get added. 

SENIORS

No report.

SERGEANT @ ARMS

Comrade Rick Valois will be the new Sergeant At Arms.

22 were present for the Meeting.

SPORTS

Comrade Garry Spears reported that that the Sports Programme is completed for 2013. He will be meeting on October 2 with the District Sport Committee. He will have a zone meeting at the end of October to hand out spors packages for 2014.

Comrade Garry has had the sports books audited and wishes to make a donation of $1,000.00 to the Zone. The remaining sports balance is $2<883.86

TRAINING AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Comrade Don Hubbs announced there will be a Seminar on November 9 at Branch 622 at 9:30a.m. He noted that every Branch should have a TOD by that time.

YOUTH EDUCATION

Comrade Jackie Ralston stated that the date for turning in the posters will be Monday, November 25—NO EXCEPTIONS as they must go to District and on to Ontario Command by December 31, 2013.

L.A. REPORT

Comrade Jackie Ralston stated that the L.A. Bylaws have been approved.

Raffle Tickets will be on sale for the L.A. Convention in London in the Fall.

WAYS AND MEANS

Comrade Wilma Becker was absent—No report.

ALL COMMITTEE REPORTS WERE MOVED, SECONDED AND CARRIED.

BRANCH REPORTS

BRANCH 36:

Life: 10                 Ordinary: 201     Associates: 334                 Affiliates: 234                    Total: 779

BRANCH 58

Life: 14                Ordinary: 12       Associate: 28                     Voting Affiliate: 10                        

BRANCH 60:

Life: 16                 Ordinary: 14       : Associates: 14                 Affiliates: 2        New: 38          .    

BRANCH 163:.

Life: 17                 Ordinary: 35       Associates: 46   Affiliate: 176      Affiliate:  27      Total: 2013: 125

BRANCH 315: 

Life: 8    Ordinary: 12       Associate: 56     Affiliate: 15                        Total: 90               no new figures

BRANCH 551:

Life: 8    Ordinary: 65       Associate: 166      Affiliate: 86     Total: 325

BRANCH 622:

Life: 13                 Ordinary: 161                     Associate: 318                   Affiliate: 123      Affiliate Non-Voting: 1    Total: 616

ALL BRANCH REPORTS WERE MOVED, SECONDED AND CARRIED.

GENERAL AND NEW BUSINESS

General discussion took place concerning the upcoming TOD meeting and the Branch inspections by the Zone Officers.

The Meeting ended at 8:20p.m.

The next Meeting will be at STONEY CREEK BRANCH 622 ON OCTOBER 28, 2013

Respectively submitted,

Jane Richardson

Secretary

John Murphy

Zone Commander