Board planning retreat, OSCA as a public organization, and Best Wishes for the Holiday Season!
Board Planning Retreat
As I mentioned in a previous column the Board will be holding an all day planning session on December 4 at the Firehall. The last time we did something like this was about five years ago, and obviously a lot has changed since that time. Having achieved a major strategic goal of getting our community centre renovated and expanded and having campaigned for other improvements to the community that have come to pass (a renovated library branch for example) its time to take stock and see what the challenges are for the short and medium term and what should be our goals and objectives over the next few years. We are going to divide up into two groups, one looking at our internal operations and particularly our programming activities, and another group will look at our external activities and issues such as transportation and development and how we engage with the City on these issues. With major issues such as Lansdowne and infill housing facing us externally and the City’s proposal that we take on the job of running programmes ourselves at the Firehall, we have some very tough and immediate and longer term issues to address. We will be reporting back to you on the outcome of these discussions in the next issue of OSCAR.
OSCA as a Public Organization
In the last issue of OSCAR questions were raised about OSCA’s commitment to being an open organization. In particular, questions were raised about whether the Board of OSCA could or should operate privately. These issues were dealt with in an article in the same issue by David Law our Vice-President. But perhaps it is also useful to re-iterate to you, our members and the residents of Old Ottawa South more generally, where we stand as an organization on this issue. OSCA is technically a non-profit incorporated body, made up of members who live in the community or have a business here. In that sense we are not a government or public body; our job is to represent the interests of our members who are the residents of this community who join OSCA.
The Board of OSCA, which is elected at our Annual General Meeting by the members, is accountable for the management and organization of OSCA activities to those members. In that sense we are a private organization accountable to its members whose goals are the betterment of the community in which its members reside. As such we are that curious hybrid of a private organization with public goals. We have made a commitment over the years, therefore, to run an organization that is as open and transparent as possible, both to its membership and the wider community in Old Ottawa South. Our Board meetings are open to not only our members, but the public at large and the press. The same is true for our Annual General Meeting. We also post our agendas and minutes on our website for all to see and I report on OSCA’s activities and issues to you each month in this column.
There are a very few occasions when the Board will have a part of their monthly meeting in private; this is usually when we discuss issues which affect individuals’ privacy (such as personnel issues) or legal matters where a public discussion might prejudice the association’s position. While at our Annual General Meeting any member in good standing may speak on an issue under discussion and vote on issues before the meeting, the Board does exercise the right to manage its meetings. As such, people coming to a Board meeting have to seek the agreement from the Board to bring forward an item for discussion and to speak at the meeting. This is because Board meetings are usually lengthy affairs, and in consequence the Board does need some ability to manage the timing devoted to agenda items.
In general though the Board has taken the position that to the best of its ability it sets aside time at its meetings to hear delegations and individuals who wish to bring issues before it. We also have an extensive network of committees who deal with issues of interest to the community and where individuals or groups can come to discuss issues of concern to them. These committees report to the Board and can take these issues forward to it, or can hold public meetings on an issue if the committee thinks an issue warrants it. Indeed, my observation over the decade or so that I have spent on the Board is that what we need more of is people willing to come out and pitch in to help resolve issues in the community, not the reverse. I would urge you, therefore, to consider volunteering for a committee or consider joining the Board, as there is no shortage of good things you can do.
Best Wishes for the Holiday Season
As you can see on the OSCA website and in the OSCAR there are a host of events being sponsored by the Association and others over the holiday season. It should be a warm (at least in terms of the socializing if not the temperature!) and festive time this year in the neighbourhood. I did want to take this opportunity on behalf of the Board and the OSCA staff to wish you a happy Holiday Season and convey our very best wishes for a safe and prosperous New Year.