Annual General Meeting (AGM)
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
WHEN: Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 5:00pm
WHERE: Aquatic Hall of Fame located at Pan Am Pool (enter through the Aquatic Hall of Fame doors)
**We have limited seats at this venue but lots of standing room***
AGM DOCUMENTS
AGM Agenda for November 24, 2024
Explanation of Changes to the Bylaws
REGISTRATION & NOMINATION: Deadline Sunday, November 17, 2024
The Nomination Committee Terms of Reference
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD
There will be some significant changes implemented at this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). These changes are necessary to help the club move forward in a positive direction and leave behind the ongoing issues that have affected Vortex for the past year and a half.
The changes being implemented are based on a proposal submitted by a group of member parents. The current Board of Directors met and consulted with representatives of the member group. Acknowledging the challenges the club was facing, the parents and the board agreed that to revitalize the club, a renewal was necessary.
With this in mind, the board agreed they would remove themselves as Directors of Vortex Water Polo, to allow a new leadership team to take over. This decision, though difficult, was made in the best interest of the club and its members, and with the support of parents who brought forward the proposal.
From there, the parent representatives and the board worked collaboratively to put together the changes and process improvements outlined below.
The board acknowledges that some decisions made over the past year may not have had the full support of all members, however, each action was taken with the club’s best interests at heart and in good faith. By removing themselves as Directors, it is the board’s sincerest hope to have an efficient and impartial AGM, with a positive atmosphere, where everyone will come together in a spirit of unity and goodwill to ensure a healthy transition and a fresh start for the new board.
We encourage all members to embrace this positive change.
Go Vortex!
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Amended Bylaws
The club’s current Bylaws have proven very difficult to work with, with many details open to interpretation. To ensure the new board is set up for success the Constitution and Bylaws have been revised based on recommendations from, and using a template provided by, Sport Manitoba. The revised Bylaws are linked for member review in advance of the AGM.
While it is likely the new board may make some minor revisions in the coming months, passing the amended Bylaws at the AGM will provide better clarity related to matters of governance for the new board.
Board Reconstruction
While the current board has worked diligently to try to move past the conflict, in recent months it has become clear that only a full reset of the board will stop the internal strife and instability. The board is taking these steps in earnest, with the goal of enabling the club to refocus on what matters most - developing our athletes in a safe and positive environment.
With this goal in mind, elected and appointed board members will officially step down at this year’s AGM. As the membership will ratify the revised Bylaws at the AGM, and according to those Bylaws, the new board will include a maximum of seven (7) Directors. Therefore, to meet the conditions of the Bylaws, up to seven (7) Directors will be elected at the AGM with four (4) of the Directors serving for a two-year term and three (3) serving for a one-year term, to comply with the rotating election schedule noted in section 4.10.
As indicated in the revised Bylaws, a Nomination Committee will screen nominees for Directors, based on pre-set criteria, which was recommended by the parent group. If there are more nominations than available positions, a vote will be conducted among members present at the AGM to elect the new Directors of the board. If there are an equal number or fewer nominations than available positions, the new Directors will be elected by acclamation. The Nomination Committee structure and the detailed process and criteria for nomination are included below. The Nomination Committee Terms of Reference are also linked for reference.
Reconstructing the board and updating the nomination process will help ensure individuals elected to be Directors have the best interest of the club in mind and are prepared to take VWP into the future with a positive and collaborative mindset.
Impartial AGM Oversight
It is extremely important that members feel the AGM is being handled fairly and with impartiality. Based on the Bylaws, the President of the club typically acts as the Chair for the AGM. However, to ensure a neutral and unbiased perspective, a third-party facilitator will preside over this year’s AGM. This individual will also ensure proper protocols and procedures are followed. The board has reached out to Sport Manitoba for their support in acquiring an independent third-party facilitator.
Voter Eligibility and Process
The following details are offered to members for clarity:
- Each registered member in good standing, including the members of the Board, receives one vote. This means a parent or guardian with more than one registered athlete who is a minor, shall have as many votes as registered athletes who are minors.
- Voting on regular motions during the AGM will be by show of hands, except for the Board of Directors election, which will be by secret ballot.
- Scrutineers will be elected at the meeting to oversee the count of the election ballots, under the supervision of the Chair of the meeting (i.e. the impartial third-party facilitator presiding over the meeting).
- If there is an equal number or fewer nominations than available positions, then the winners will be elected by acclamation.
Nomination Process
The use of a Nomination Committee is a standard practice that is recommended for board elections. As outlined in detail in their Terms of Reference, the Nomination Committee will be responsible for soliciting, reviewing, and screening nominations for the election of Directors, based on Eligibility noted in the Bylaws and criteria recommended by members in the proposal submitted to the board.
Nominees are required to complete the Nomination Form.
Based on the proposed Bylaws, individuals will not be permitted to be nominated from the floor for election as a Director at the AGM. We strongly encourage people who want to put their name forward to do so before the deadline of November 17th.
The Nomination Committee will be made up of the following people:
- Sophie Gaulin - Member representative (parent of 14U athlete)
- Michael Reid - Technical Director, Vortex Water Polo (VWP)
- Nicolle Moskven - Executive Director of Manitoba Water Polo Association (MWPA)
Eligibility and Criteria
To ensure fresh perspectives, not marred by previous and ongoing conflict, the Eligibility and additional criteria required for a person to be included in the election to be a VWP board Director this year are listed below:
- Be a registered member in good standing of VWP, MWPA and Water Polo Canada (WPC).
- Be eighteen (18) years of age or older.
- Have the power under law to contract.
- Have not been declared incapable by a court in Canada or in another country.
- Not have the status of bankrupt.
- No prior involvement as a VWP board member.
- Does not have/has not had a personal relationship with any current or previous VWP board members (i.e. immediate family).
- Be willing to fulfill all necessary requirements to meet VWP, MWPA and WPC policies, including criminal record and child abuse registry checks, Respect in Sport, etc. NOTE: These specific requirements may be completed within 30 days of election.
The Nomination Committee strongly encourages members that meet the criteria listed above to put their name forward as a nominee. The goal is to have a broad mix of ages, and backgrounds including:
- Variation of skills such as finance, volunteer administration, accounting, law, risk management, communications, and fundraising.
- Variation of club member representation including ages and program category.
- Prior governance experience is also considered an asset.
Nominees are required to complete the Nomination Form.
Nomination Deadline: November 17 at 7 pm CST
This deadline is necessary to allow time for the Nomination Committee to screen and notify nominees of their eligibility. The eligible nominee list will be shared with members by November 23.
Again, we wholeheartedly hope that everyone will come together at this AGM in a spirit of unity and goodwill to ensure a healthy transition and a fresh start for the new board.
Go VORTEX go!
