This year's annual general meeting (AGM) of the Dominion Newspaper Cooperative (commonly known as the Media Co-op) is rescheduled to take place Sunday March 31st, 2019. An AGM was scheduled for March 9th, and good discussion was had, but quorum was not reached, so the AGM has been rescheduled. A motion to amend a number of bylaws has also been added to the agenda (item #8).
Exciting things are happening at the Co-op, including a website redesign process, and we will give updates at the AGM and discuss ways to get involved.
There are Board of Director positions up for nomination and election (see #2 below). The Board of Directors steers the organization, making financial and strategy decisions, and sets policy for the Co-op.
To learn more about the organization, check out these links to Media Co-op's bylaws, its structure, and current board of directors.
Media Co-op Annual General Meeting 2018-19
What: A nationwide meeting where we discuss what's happening with the Media Co-op, elect representatives to the Board of Directors, give feedback and engage in visioning the future of the Co-op.
When: Sunday, March 31, 1 pm CST (4:30 pm in NL, 4:00 in NS/PEI/NB, 3:00 in QC/ON, 2:00 in MB, 1:00 in SK/AB, 12:00 in BC)
Where: 2138 McIntyre St, Regina, Treaty 4 Territory, Saskatchewan, and by teleconference by calling from:
1) Motions: If there is something you'd like to have discussed during the AGM, email us at info@mediacoop.ca with the subject line "Proposed AGM Agenda Item." The deadline to send in agenda items is Sunday March 24nd, though additional items can be proposed for consideration at the AGM.
2) Nominations to the board: If you'd like to run for the board, or if you'd like to nominate someone, send an email to info@mediacoop.ca with a ~250 word bio and headshot of the person you would like to nominate, with the subject line "Board Representative Nomination." This bio will be posted on our website before the AGM and will help members make informed voting decisions. Due Sunday March 24nd. AGM attendees can consider whether to consider late nominations. The following positions are open:
Contributor representative
Reader rep
The following positions are open as per the bylaws, but the local chapters are inactive:
Toronto Media Co-op representative
Halifax Media Co-op rep
Vancouver Media Co-op rep
Montreal Media Co-op rep
4) Questions? Don't hesitate to email us at info@mediacoop.ca
Not-yet-approved minutes from last year's (2017-18) AGM are available here.
PROPOSED AGENDA
Agenda
March 31, 2019 - 2138 McIntyre St, Regina, SK
Instructions to join // instructions pour joindre: English, Francais
1. Designate Facilitator
2. Designate Secretary
3. Land acknowledgment and Introductions
4. Approval of the Agenda
5. Approval of the 2017-18 AGM Minutes (available here)
6. Year in Review
6.1 - Board of Directors Statements
6.2 - Q&A
7. Rebooting the Media Co-op
7.1 - Overview of the situation (see 2017 post from Board of Directors and look for another update post in advance of the AGM)
7.2 - Website
7.3. Editorial
7.4 Administration / publishing
8. Motion from board of directors to amend bylaws 14, 15, 31, 36, 42 (see full text of motion after agenda)
9. Election of Representative to the Board of Directors
9.1 Appoint Chief Returning Officer
9.2 Presentations from Candidates and Q & A
9.3 Voting
10. Presentation of 2016-2017 Financial Review
10.1 Motion to approve CPA-reviewed 2017-18 financial statements
11. Presentation of 2017-2018 Financial Review
11.1 Motion to approve 2017-18 draft financials pending CPA review
11.2 Discussion of current financial position
11.3 Motion to appoint accountant for tax filings
12. Election Results
12.1 Motion to approve Election Results
12.2 Motion to destroy Ballots
13. Other business
14. Adjournment
Motion to amend bylaws 14, 15, 31, 36, 42 (agenda item #8)
The bylaws of the Co-op have not been updated in several years, and there have been some changes in the organization. Importantly, local chapters are no longer active in practice and were declared inactive at the 2018 AGM, but the bylaws assume local chapters exist and are active. Also, the existing bylaws were made for a time when many people were putting in many hours a week working on the Co-op. That isn't the case now, and the board of directors is smaller. We have tried to make the changes to the bylaws to reflect the new reality in terms of how membership is defined, and the composition of the board of directors. For each bylaw (numbers 14, 15, 31, 36, and 42), the existing text can be seen below under each "From:" and then the new proposed text follows under each "To:". Changes are underlined in the new text.
The Co-op's board of directors moves that the Co-op amend bylaws 14, 15, 31, 36, and 42 as follows:
From:
14. Managing Editor Members.
a. Each Managing Editor Member must have worked (not necessarily paid work) for at least 10 hours a week for the Co-op for three months before becoming a member.
b. To maintain their membership, Managing Editors must have day-to-day involvement with The Dominion, Media Co-op and/or Local Co-ops with breaks away from the organization lasting no more than three months, unless a being granted formal exemption for up to six months as approved by the Board.
c. Each Managing Editor member must support the objectives of the Co-op and pay an annual membership fee as set by the board of directors.
To:
14. Managing Editor Members.
a. Each Managing Editor Member must have worked (not necessarily paid work) for at least 10 hours a month for the Co-op for three months before becoming a member.
b. To maintain their membership, Managing Editors must have day-to-day involvement with The Dominion and/or Media Co-op with breaks away from the organization lasting no more than three months, unless a being granted formal exemption for up to six months as approved by the Board.
c. Each Managing Editor member must support the objectives of the Co-op and pay an annual membership fee as set by the board of directors.
a. Each Contributor Member must have done one of the following:
i) made two contributions to The Dominion prior to becoming a member (a contribution to The Dominion includes but is not limited to photography, illustration, comics, editing, copy editing and writing), at least one of which was made within the past year; or
ii) contributed four editor-reviewed posts to any Media Co-op Local website in the past year; or
iii) been recognized by a Local Media Co-op editorial committee as having contributed eight hours or more work to the Co-op.
b. Contributor Members must pay annual membership dues as set by the board, and be recognized in a motion passed by the Board.
To:
15. Contributor Members.
a. Each Contributor Member must have done one of the following:
i) made two contributions to The Dominion prior to becoming a member (a contribution to The Dominion includes but is not limited to photography, illustration, comics, editing, copy editing and writing), at least one of which was made within the past year; or
ii) contributed two editor-reviewed posts to any Media Co-op website in the past year; or
iii) been recognized by a Media Co-op editorial committee as having contributed eight hours or more work to the Co-op.
b. Contributor Members must pay annual membership dues as set by the board, and be recognized in a motion passed by the Board.
To:
31. Composition. The affairs of the Co-op shall be managed by a Board of Directors consisting of two (2) directors elected from the class Reader Members, two (2) directors elected from the class of Contributor Members, five (5) directors elected the class of Managing Editor Members.
36. Voting for directors
a. Each class of members will be eligible to vote for the directors representing their class.
b. Members of locals will be eligible to vote for the director representing their local.
c. The Co-op will ensure that should the Annual General Meeting be held electronically that members will have an appropriate way to vote and confidentiality will be maintained.
To:
a. Each class of members will be eligible to vote for the directors representing their class.
b. The Co-op will ensure that should the Annual General Meeting be held electronically that members will have an appropriate way to vote and confidentiality will be maintained.
42. Meetings and functions of directors
a. The quorum for a meeting of directors is five (5) directors, two (2) of which must be Managing Editor Directors.
b. There must be at least four (4) meetings of the directors each year.
c. A person may participate in a meeting of the directors or a committee by electronic means. Each participant in such a meeting must be able to communicate with all the others, and is deemed to be present, and to have agreed to participate.
d. A resolution approved in writing by all the directors is as valid as if it had been passed at a directors’ meeting. Approval may be by facsimile, electronic mail, or similar method, provided that it is recorded and verifiable.
To:
42. Meetings and functions of directors
a. The quorum for a meeting of directors is three (3) directors, two (2) of which must be Managing Editor Directors.
b. There must be at least four (4) meetings of the directors each year.
c. A person may participate in a meeting of the directors or a committee by electronic means. Each participant in such a meeting must be able to communicate with all the others, and is deemed to be present, and to have agreed to participate.
d. A resolution approved in writing by all the directors is as valid as if it had been passed at a directors’ meeting. Approval may be by facsimile, electronic mail, or similar method, provided that it is recorded and verifiable.
Pour en savoir plus, cliquez sur les liens suivants (en anglais): les statuts et règlements de la Coop média, sa structure ainsi que son conseil d'administration du moment.
http://www.mediacoop.ca/index.php?q=bylaws
http://www.mediacoop.ca/about
http://www.mediacoop.ca/about/editors
L'Assemblée générale 2018-19 de la Coop média
Quoi: Un rassemblement à l’échelle nationale où nos lectrices et lecteurs ont la chance de mettre ce qu'ils et elles souhaitent voir à l'agenda, d'élire leurs représentant.e.s, de s'engager à imaginer le futur de la Coop ainsi que d'évaluer le travail que celle-ci fait.
Quand: dimanche, le 31 mars, 2019, 15h HNE
Où: 2138 McIntyre St, Regina, Treaty 4, SK, ainsi qu'en téléconférence.
Voici les instructions sur la façon de participer à l'appel:
Étape 1: Composez le numéro de votre région:
À Montréal: 514-907-9065
À Vancouver: 778-786-8222
À Toronto: 416-800-4317
À Halifax: 902-982-6930
À Ottawa: 613-686-4361
À Sudbury: 705-805-0409
Étape 2: Entrez dans le code de conférence 4510934 puis # pour se joindre à l'appel.
Rejoindre l'appel en ligne: http://bit.ly/2U6BvpH
Si vous habitez ailleurs, envoyer un courriel info@mediacoop.ca et nous vous enverrons des instructions.
1) Propositions: S'il y a quelque chose en particulier que vous aimeriez discuter durant l'Assemblée générale, laissez-le nous savoir en nous envoyant un courriel avec le titre''Proposition de points pour l’ordre du jour de l'Assemblée générale''. La date limite pour nous envoyer vos points à mettre à l’ordre du jour est le 24 mars.
2) Nominations au Conseil d’administration: envoyez un courriel à info@mediacoop.caavec une courte notice biographique de 250 mots et une photo de la personne que vous voulez présenter, avec comme titre «Nomination au Conseil d’administration». Cette notice biographique sera publiée sur notre site Internet pendant 7 jours avant l’Assemblée générale et aidera les membres à prendre des décisions informées concernant leur vote. La date limite est le 24 mars et les positions sont :
Représentant.e des contributeurs/contributrices
Représentant.e des lecteurs/lectrices
Représentant.e de la Coop média de Halifax
Représentant.e de la Coop média de Montréal
Représentant.e de la Coop média de Toronto
Représentant.e de la Coop média de Vancouver
3) Vote: Durant l’Assemblée générale, il y aura la possibilité de voter par bulletins électroniques sur les propositions et les candidat.e.s aux élections. Nous allons publiciser les résultats des élections sur les pages de nos médias sociaux. Le processus de vote sera expliqué durant la réunion pour celles et ceux qui seront présent.e.s (électroniquement ou en personne).
4) Questions? N’hésitez pas à nous envoyer vos questions sur l’Assemblée générale par courriel à info@mediacoop.ca
Agenda et nominations au dessus (en anglais pour le moment)