Quote Originally Posted by Bob Gillanders View Post
Bob A. is spending the weekend at the farm away from his keyboard. He has asked me to post on his behalf the following three reports for the start of the meeting. Bob A. is expected back on tuesday to join the meeting.

Public Relations Coordinator Report

At the 2010 AGM, the governors upgraded the position of Director of Publicity to Public Relations Coordinator. Bylaw 3 of the CFC Handbook, under Duties of Officers in Section 8C, gives the mandate of this position as:

“ 8C. The Public Relations Coordinator will be responsible for promoting the image of the CFC and for promoting chess generally to the public. As such the Public Relations Coordinator will, among other things:

- deal with mainstream media to promote significant chess news, such as Canadian Chess Champions, a new Canadian GM, major tournaments like the Can. Closed, Canadian Open, Can. Women’s Closed, CYCC, etc., the various benefits accruing from playing chess and other positive aspects of the chess culture. “

Since the July 2011 AGM, no press releases have been made, although I have had occasion to refer inquiring media persons to the relevant chess player in whom they were interested, to do an article or television interview ( eg. Loren Laceste – U 18 Canadian Champion ). Also, a couple of governors have provided me with some more media links, and I am now expanding the CFC’s two Digital/Print Media and Audio/Visual Media E-mail groups..

I have continued to post on the CFC “ News “ Forum, on a fairly regular basis, a couple of times per week, my “ The CFC Regular Chess Post – ( Date ) “, and some have generated some discussion. These posts are duplicated on our CFC Facebook page ( we are reaching the casual player here – most “ members “ of the FB group are not tournament players ), and our Twitter Feed.

What is new, is that I also now make the news posts on our new website, on the “ Home Page “, under “ Latest News “. When someone wants to see the full article, they can click on the Heading. This then brings them to a page, where they can comment on the news item, as the can on the CFC “ News “ Forum. These articles are also archived on the website, under “ The CFC Regular Chess Post “ in the drop-down menu under the main “ News “ category.

Finally, CFC has also opened an account in the new social network called “ Linked-In “. This allows us to “ connect “ with others interested in the business of the CFC.

Procedures’ Committee Report

The Procedures’ Committee was initially struck by 2009-10 President Eric Van Dusen, who saw it as handling a number of pressing long-outstanding administrative items. I was appointed Chairperson of the Committee, and it was decided that from year to year, the current President was to be the other member ( so current President Michael von Keitz is now the other member ).
It was initially decided that that this committee function through a number of subcommittees, which would have differing personnel and differing tasks. Three subcommittees have so far been formed:

1. The Governors’ Voting Modernization Subcommittee – this subcommittee brought in its report in 2009-10, and has now been disbanded. The Procedures’ Committee got the new Quarterly Governors’ On-line Meeting Procedures passed at the 2010 Toronto July CFC AGM and the on-line meeting is now the key tool, along with the AGM, for governance.
2. The AGM Modernization Subcommittee – the subcommittee had difficulty getting active volunteer, and contract, support, and I resigned as Chairperson at the 2011 Spring Meeting. The subcommittee stopped functioning and seems to have been disbanded ( Michael von Keitz was a member, and Chris Mallon was a member in my opinion, when I resigned, but Chris maintained that he had somehow resigned earlier ). But 2010-1 President, Bob Gillanders, did take our idea for a more interactive AGM, and used it at the 2011 AGM. It was felt that it did not live up to expectations, and current President Michael von Keitz has indicated he will not be trying it again at the 2012 Victoria AGM..
3. The CFC Handbook Updating Subcommittee – Kerry Liles – still active - see separate report

Handbook Updating Subcommittee Report ( from Kerry Liles )

- Updates to the Handbook that came out of the AGM have been made to the website version
- Since changing to the new website, there have been reports that some of the Handbook information was inadvertently missed - I am currently examining the version of the Handbook on the (new) website and will make necessary changes where needed. This will be ongoing for a couple of weeks, but I hope to finish that checking process in time to incorporate any new changes that come out of the next online Governor's meeting.
- needless to say (perhaps) but I have been set up to update the Handbook online and have done so and I am now familiar with the process.
Bob Armstrong reported, as quoted above. The main issue discussed thereafter was the inclusion of a virtual attendance component to the 2012 (and future) AGMs. The results of a subsequent poll have indicated strong support for the revival of this option, so the 2012 AGM will see that made available.