Thursday, March 28, 2024
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LivingMessage from Hub directors

Message from Hub directors

Important message to HUB members and our community from the HUB/Rebound Board of Directors

Dear Almonte Community Co-ordinators (Hub/Rebound) Member,

You need to know that in the spirit of inclusivity, open dialogue and transparency, the Almonte Community Co-ordinators (ACC) Board of Directors reached out several times to meet with members of the Concerned Membership Committee (CMC). Our efforts were repeatedly rebuffed until finally the CMC agreed to meet with the ACC Board and an impartial facilitator. Two members from the ACC Board met with two representatives of the CMC. The goal was to develop an agenda to answer questions at an upcoming Information Sharing Session with the members.  We were hoping to jointly create a plan that we could all move forward on together to support our mission of charitable support and service to our community.

The ACC Board Members were pleased with the progress made at that joint meeting; however, within 48 hours we were advised by the facilitator that CMC members had indicated they were withdrawing from the process and no longer interested in working together towards resolution. We understand that since the breakdown of these negotiations, individuals from CMC have been personally contacting and harassing our members and continue to make inaccurate statements. In no way should these communications be considered representative of ACC or its Board of Directors’ vision.

As always, the ACC Board wants to provide you with accurate information. To that end, we are clarifying information related to the concerns that sent by the CMC:

  1. The current President of the ACC Board of Directors is Mary Ann Murray. Appointments of Board of Director roles have been made in accordance with the ACC bylaws. We have always maintained quorum. |
  2. Being a Board member is hard work and Board members can resign for any reason. Board members have to educate themselves about the work of the Hub/Rebound and learn about governance, laws and regulations. Board members must also review documents, keep asking questions until they understand the facts and implications, and be prepared to listen and respect different opinions. At times, a Board must make tough decisions to move forward motions. This summer and fall, Board members, volunteers and staff have put in many hours to make the temporary relocation happen. It takes many hands to get things done and to work together towards a common goal – that’s what makes the Hub/Rebound so special.
  3. At our recent meeting with representatives of the CMC, we all agreed to ask members for their feedback about how to best respond to requests for members’ private information, how to share board meeting minutes, along with other corporation records. We will be bringing this topic forward to the membership for discussion and policy development in the near future.
  4. A Team Leader position that combined the existing supervisor duties of the HUB and Rebound stores has been posted. The Supervisor role has been long established at both HUB and Rebound. The HUB and Rebound Supervisors have always reported to a member of the Board of Directors. This is not being altered or changed.
  5. While we understand that there may be a variety of perspectives on how to move forward, the Board continues to act in good faith and in the best interests of its mission to donate to the community. The Board also continues to act in accordance with relevant legislation and regulations to protect ACC from liability.

Since ACC was founded in 1975, the regulatory landscape has changed significantly. Now, in 2017, the ACC must comply with a host of legislative and regulatory requirements, including those set out in the Employment Standards Act, the Ontario Health & Safety Act and the Privacy Act. As with any other charitable organization, if ACC fails to comply with the obligations set out in these Acts, ACC will face penalties and possibly closure. This would severely compromise our ability to donate back to our community and to those in need.

As always we welcome your questions and feedback. Should you have any questions or concerns about ACC or the Board of Directors’ decisions, please reach out to a member of the current ACC Board of Directors (listed below).

Mary Ann Murray
Ingrid Harris
Judi Barnard
Heather Billings
Judy Lawton
Maria Murphy
Andrea Bird

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