General CAOAC Meeting Date: June 19, 2023 Meeting Time: 7:30 PM Venue: Zoom
Topics: Previous Minutes Accepted; Club Business; CAOAC Executive Nominations Sought/Election & AGM; Convention Developments; Announcement of Next General Meeting Item 1: Club Business
Société d'aquariophilie de Montréal will be holding its annual general meeting June 21/23
London Aquaria Society presented Ron Bishop, past CAOAC President, a Lifetime Award for his contributions to the club and hobby;
Calgary Aquarium Society will be changing its Annual General Meeting from December to April to facilitate club financial reviews.
SCAAS Election Results: President Trisha Fruck, 1st V.P. Tom Hillier, 2nd V.P. Natalia Ospina Cian, Treasurer Andrew Fruck, Secretary Phil Barrett
SCAAS will hold a July 1, Canada Day Auction in Niagara Falls, 6990 Stanley Ave at the Columbus Club of Niagara. Sellers have until June 25 to pre-register. Doors open at 8am; auction begins at 10am; free parking.
Please inform us of events or happenings at your club at CAOAC meetings or email caoac1@gmail.com
Item 2: CAOAC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING & EXECUTIVE ELECTIONS
Executive Elections of the Canadian Association of Aquarium Club (CAOAC) will occur at the A.G.M. September 17, 2023 at the Monte Carlo Inn in conjunction with the CAOAC - Pet Expo Convention.
If you are interested in running for any Executive positions with CAOAC, please submit your request or nomination to Peter DeSouza: CAOAC1@gmail.com ATTN:Peter DeSouza
The following CAOAC Executive positions are subject to election in this cycle:
-President: Nancy Egelton Status: Not standing for re-election -1st Vice President: Peter DeSouza Status: Not Standing for re-election -2nd Vice President: Ann Marie Towell Status: Standing for re-election -Recording Secretary: Dave Holland Status: Standing for re-election -Treasurer: Albert van Montfort Status: Standing for re-election -Corresponding Secretary: Cindy Golden Status: Standing for re-election -Webmaster: Michael Beat Status: Standing for re-election
The positions of President and First Vice President are open for the next term currently as Nancy Egelton and Peter DeSouza will not be sitting for re-election. *Submission for any Executive position will be accepted.
A description of the duties of these Executive positions may be found online in the CAOAC Bylaws at caoac.ca
Eligibility to Apply: 1) Any member in good standing of any CAOAC member club in good standing may nominate him or herself or any other club member in good standing. 2) A nominee may run for more than one position, but can be elected to only one.
Each nominee must declare the position/s for which he or she will stand, and may submit to the Chair a resume/platform no larger than a single page 8½" x 11". Please submit your request or nomination to Peter DeSouza: CAOAC1@gmail.com ATTN:Peter DeSouza
Nominations for the Executive will close August 18, 2023, 30 days before the AGM. Time is short. Please do not delay your submission.
If there are two or more nominations for any one position, then there will be an election for that position. Voting will conclude at the AGM and the winner will be announced. If there is only one nomination to any position, the person so nominated will be acclaimed to the position for the following year. If there are no nominations for a position, nominations will be requested at the Election.
Constitutional reform is possible at this AGM
Item 3: CAOAC CONVENTION
Biotope Competition:
4th Canadian Biotope Competition has been launched by Biotope Chief Executive Organizer, Frank Aguirre.
10 participants/teams will make up to this competition;
Each, participant/team, will be gifted a 10 gallon glass tank with a light and hanging filter
To Participate:
You must enter your full name/team name and theme of your Biotope.
Confirm your participation to Frank Aguirre by no later than the end of August 2023.
You must bring your materials to build your Biotope in the provided 10 gallon tank.
Include photos AND a clear written, detailed description of which area of the world you are representing in your biotope. This information must be in front or next to your aquarium for judges to assess your work and for attendees to understand your specific biotope.
The contest is open to anyone involved in aquarium keeping. It is not necessary to be affiliated with any aquarium club or association.
You may work as a team on one tank or individually. All are encouraged to participate. Aquarium Clubs are welcome to form a team too.
Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place
Anyone or organization wishing to help sponsor or donate to the Canadian Biotope Competition is encouraged to contact Frank Aguirre
Competitors will be given a bracelet to wear to gain access to the exhibition room.
Frank Aguirre would like to know the earliest time his competitors may enter to start working
OTHER CONVENTION NEWS: Carla McDonald, Convention Manager
Club presidents may wish to follow the example of Hamilton District Aquarium Society and cover the ticket fee to compensate club members who volunteer to work at the Convention as an incentive
Positive commitments to donation letters sent out have been received from ZooMed, Northfin, Tropical Fish Room, Big Al's Hamilton, and DRAS at this point
Hamilton District Aquarium Society is donating $1000 to the Convention
Clubs are asked to help sponsor different show classes ("Best ofs" etc)
There will be a traditional CAOAC sit-down banquet dinner Saturday evening at the Monte Carlo Inn, Brampton. Cost is $55 not including tax & tip. More information about the dinner is available on the website caoac.ca
The Convention Committee is looking for gifts from clubs in the $100 to $125 value range to be used for promotion (draws etc) and distributed at the banquet - even a 10g tank setup. Don't forget to ask your regular local club sponsors if they are willing to donate something to be used for promotion at the banquet. Please contact Carla MacDonald with any such gifts: caoac1@gmail.com
President's Tank Challenge: This will be a friendly contest between clubs. Each club will set up a tank. This may be 10g-20g. If the tank is larger than 20g it will require its own stand. A description of who is providing the tank is needed and the tanks will be judged. Ground rules and details to follow.
Individual clubs are being asked to join in and help. Club Ambassadors are needed to talk about your Club. Host tables for individual clubs are encouraged from Windsor, Barrie, Montréal etc. Bring your banners, logos and membership literature/QR codes. We will feature your information you send us even if your club is distant eg. Edmonton in the event no one may be able to attend. Check with your members and find out who is coming to the Convention for prospective volunteers. Alternating club Ambassadors are possible so one person is not working at your club's table all day.
Chris Biggs ensures us that floor space is not going to be an issue and suggests larger tanks (20g) to have a greater presentational impact on the public
We want volunteers to be easily recognizable and are considering t-shirts with the CAOAC/RSAC logo. They may be used in combination with lanyards.
Specific floor plan allocations will be firmed up for the CAOAC Show, Biotope Competition and President's Tank Challenge.
Three killifish classes will be entered into the show
ANFA expressed interest in sponsoring a rainbowfish class
Nancy Egelton stated she would follow up with the individuals who put on the flowerhorn presentation at the last CAOAC convention.
Peter DeSouza suggested Carla and Catherine review the layout from the last show as an aid to planning
Catherine Salmon, CAOAC Show Chair, would like a volunteer who is proficient using Excel to work on data entry to process all the Show entrants. Please contact Carla MacDonald, Catherine Salmon or Nancy Egelton if you wish to volunteer for this much needed position.
The CAOAC Show will not have cash prizes this time, but winners will receive ribbons
There will be no open auction "except for fish that were entered into the judged shows"
Volunteers Needed - construction crews are needed at Pet Expo for various tasks including setting up tanks
Volunteers Needed for Security: there will be barricades, ropes in place, but people are needed to help watch over the tanks
Bagstuffers are needed for exhibitors
A subsequent General CAOAC meeting has been set for July 10 at 7h30pm to further Convention planning. All Executive will be reminded and invited again via email with the Zoom link.
Adjournment: Nancy Egelton concluded the meeting at approximately 9:30 PM.
Attendees: Nancy Egelton (President); Peter DeSouza (First Vice President); Ann Marie Towell (2nd Vice President); Albert van Montfort (Treasurer); Dave Holland (Recording Secretary); Phil Barratt (SCAAS Caoac rep); Carla MacDonald (HDAS Caoac Rep); Derek Hebbes (DRAS Caoac Rep); Michael Beat (PRAC); Catherine Salmon (BBC Caoac Rep); Ken Boorman (CAOAC Convention Show Chairperson); Lisa Boorman (Caoac Facebook Page Admin); Patricia Ann Lewis-MacDougall (HDAS); Chris Biggs (ASW); Dan Coffin (PRAC); Deborah G (PRAC); Denise King (PRAC); Frank Aguirre (Cdn Biotope Contest);
Apologies: Annie Girard (SAM); Lise Durocher (SAM); Unrepresented clubs