The Board of Directors Discussion of the Budget

In the several years I've been on the Board representing the Saskatchewan Section, I don't think I've seen an issue that generated as much discussion and e-mail prior to the meeting.  The meeting itself devoted several hours to the discussion of this single issue.  The discussion "was" about the budget, but the issue was the fee increase.

Nearly every Section representative had something to say about the matter.  Some Sections were obviously ready to accept the budget early on in the discussion, others needed more persuading.  For example, Ottawa, Vancouver Island and Vancouver were initially against the increase.  As SK Section representative, I passed on our comments last June.  Since that time, I've heard no "new" reasons against a fee increase, so I participated in the discussion on that basis.  I reminded the meeting that we had suggested Sections pay for their own reps to attend  Board meetings and that other economies be found.  As the discussion progressed, we were provided with much more information about the decision-making process in coming up with this budget.

Eventually, Board members came to the conclusion that we were spending an inordinate amount of time on something that was going to cost less than 2 pints of beer in the restaurant downstairs.  That and similar logic in addition to the realization that there really was no other answer, resulted in a vote on the budget as presented.

In the final vote, only one Section voted against (Ottawa) and one abstained (Vancouver).

Last Updated November 06, 2003