Amateur Winemakers of CanadaThe main job of the President is to see that all the things that are supposed to happen during the year DO HAPPEN. Clearly, a lot of this is going to have to be done by email. Thus the President must be able to think months or, in some cases, years ahead. Host Provinces have to be found, preferably two years ahead, to give them time to plan. Agendas have to be set up well ahead of meetings and the Secretary instructed to send them out.
Although the Bylaws talk about a National Newsletter, it seems impractical so far to produce one. Perhaps a better solution is to keep this HANDBOOK updated as changes in each Province occur. Possibly the Competition Report the Host Province is supposed to produce after the Competition could contain other items of interest if the Host Province felt like it.
The President ought to be chair the A. G. M. This may not, however, be possible because of travel costs or other factors.
Notwithstanding the "official duties" as laid out in the Bylaws, the President should do everything possible to be in touch with the workings of AWC, difficult though this can be, and do every thing possible to improve the Association for the benefit of its Members.
The reason the Vice President is appointed by the Host Province, rather than being elected, is to guarantee a member of the "table officer" part of the Executive in the Host Province. If Nova Scotia is the Host Province and the President lives in Alberta, cost of transportation may prevent him or her being present at the AGM. This is why the responsibility for the AGM agenda falls to the VP under the bylaws. In any case, the agenda should be organized in consultation with the President, Secretary and Treasurer.
If you were going to chair the AGM, you would certainly want to be sure the agenda was in order and that you understood procedures to be followed.
The Vice President would likely be very involved in the running of the Competition, along with whatever other events may be planned by the Host Province.
In spite of the fact that you may not be able to precisely carry out all the items in the Bylaws, as Secretary, you should do everything possible to assist the President in the matter of communications. This will probably require a certain amount of aggressiveness, particularly if, as is likely, you and the President live in different Provinces and AWC does not have a fleet of Lear jets at its disposal.
Since the annual election of Officers must be held by email, relies from Provinces are essential. Abstentions are not accommodated thus some nagging may be needed.
Same thing with all other motions - remember 50% plus 1 is required to pass a regular motion, 75% is required on a motion at amend the By-laws.
If you are unable to be at the AGM because it is being held 2000 kilometres away, you should try to communicate with the person acting as Secretary at that meeting.
When you check the bylaws under your title, you will see that they state, among other things, that the Treasurer shall "receive all monies...." In actual fact the past has shown that you have to go get them. At the start of the fiscal year, January 1st, you should send out a letter to each of the Provincial Directors informing them that the fees for the year are due. You should include a copy of item I of the Bylaws headed "MEMBERSHIP".
The annual dues are to be kept in the OPERATING ACCOUNT. This is to be used for general running costs of AWC, such as postage, telephone, printing and so on.
The COMPETITION ACCOUNT funds come from profits from the annual National Competition. The Host Province is entitled to ask for a loan [$200 maximum] to cover advance booking of facilities etc. This loan is repayable.
If a loan has been granted, then the resulting profit or loss must be split fifty?fifty between the Host Province and AWC. In the unthinkable event of a Host Province incurring a loss, AWC's commitment to sharing the loss is limited to the amount of the loan.
Other Competition related expenses such as costs of Grand Champion Gold Keys should also be covered by this fund.
It is probably your responsibility to remind the Host Province that since a financially successful National Competition is the only source of money for this fund, they should attempt to support it.
The money from both accounts can be kept in the same physical bank account, and definitely should be earning INTEREST.
The Archivist is appointed from year to year at the AGM to look after the records: who hosted the Competition; who won the awards; what sort of program was put on and so forth.
Cumulative point totals from year to year should also be maintained. In the past, the 58% system was used to yield rank points for 1st, 2nd, 3rd &c places. With the advent of Medal Judging, cumulative points are to be updated annually on the basis of 100 points for a Gold, 58 points for a silver and 34** points for a Bronze.
As Archivist, you might, from time to time, be asked to produce some item of historical interest for the Provincial Competition Report, an update for some item in the Handbook or a current version of the cumulative point totals.
**Note: 58% of 58 is 33.64. This is a more accurate use of the 58% system.
The main job of the Past President is to advise and assist the new President in his tasks, ensuring there is a continuation of previously established policies and programs.
In a nutshell, the job of the Director is to MAINTAIN COMMUNICATIONS, including WORDS and WINE, between his or her Provincial Organization and AWC.
Since in all voting matters there is but ONE VOTE per Province by email, the Director has the responsibility for casting that vote.
Normally, communications from AWC would come to the Provincial Director. Hopefully, whoever sent them would realize that important matters to be decided might have to be discussed by the Provincial Executive level, or even more broadly before that Province's decision can be made, and would thus allow plenty of time for a reply. In the case of formal motions, which must be made by an AWC Executive member, a time-line for voting by email must be included.
The Provincial Director is the person who receives the National Competition entry forms and regulations. It is the director's responsibility to get these to the wine and beer makers in his or her Province eligible to enter the National Competition.
It is also the responsibility of the Provincial Director to arrange for the collection and shipping to the Host Province of the entries from his or her Province.
AWC Handbook
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