[GREN-Exec] GREN financial status re. request for some funding for election debates

Wed Aug 28 14:21:20 EDT 2019

Susan

Thank you for all your work on this and for responding to all our questions.

Before making a decision, I wanted to know what our current available money is and also how much money we will need to revise our website and e-mail list and keep them updated. It has become a serious limitation for us not being able to update the web site and e-mail list. It looks like a few hundred dollars a year should work for us. Thanks to deaun for all her work exploring the options for the site to make it workable for us.

So, having reviewed the comments from others both by e-mail and phone, and having looked at our financial status and needs, I have decided that we will contribute $100 to the rental of the room for the Kitchener-Conestoga meeting.

Susan, please let Greg know who he should make the cheque out to.

John

------------------------------
John Jackson
17 Major Street
Kitchener N2H 4R1
519-744-7503

> On Aug 27, 2019, at 3:59 PM, Susan Koswan <susankoswan at execulink.com <mailto:susankoswan at execulink.com>> wrote:
> 
> Hi John,
> 
> 100 Debates on the Environment is being led by GreenPac to have debates on the environment in as many ridings as possible in Canada on the same date, which is October 9. Locally, Blue Dot and Divest Waterloo have taken the lead to coordinate these debates. It is up to each riding to invite all their candidates, get a moderator, a venue, livestream on Facebook and record the debates. Blue Dot is picking up the rental fee in Kitchener South Hespeler because they have no other funding source. 
> Nith Valley EcoBoosters are taking the lead in my riding, Kitchener-Conestoga. They have some money, but I said I would ask if GREN could provide some assistance. So the money I'm asking GREN for is solely to pay for rental at the New Dundee Community Centre, which is $197 plus HST. 
> I don't know how the other ridings are funding theirs. There is a meeting tonight with all the riding reps, Dorothy Wilson will be attending on our behalf. 
> I appreciate that GREN is region-wide and I'm asking just for my riding. If you feel more comfortable contributing money to be shared amongst all the ridings, that's fine too. 
> Anything else you need to know?
> 
> Best,
> 
> Susan K
> On 8/27/2019 3:14 PM, John Jackson wrote:
>> Susan
>> 
>> I have gotten confused on the nature of the event. Is it only covering candidates for the one riding in this region? Please send a quick description describing the ridings being covered by the event and the format of the event.
>> 
>> Thanks.
>> 
>> John
>> 
>> 
>> ------------------------------
>> John Jackson
>> 17 Major Street
>> Kitchener N2H 4R1
>> 519-744-7503
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Aug 27, 2019, at 2:03 PM, Susan Koswan <susankoswan at execulink.com <mailto:susankoswan at execulink.com>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> We're booking New Dundee Community Centre for Oct 9. It's $197 plus HST. 
>>> 
>>> I think we paid for some refreshments.
>>> 
>>> Susan K
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On 27 Aug. 2019 13:50, "Gregory C. Michalenko" <gcmichalenko at uwaterloo.ca <mailto:gcmichalenko at uwaterloo.ca>> wrote:
>>> Dear Susan,
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I'm not against the request for support - or for it.  I think as treasurer I should be able to account for expenditures.  How much is the rental?  Also, can you recall how much we contributed to such debates in the past?  That might help us decide how much is appropriate.  I've only been treasurer since late last fall.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Ah, Mr. Albrecht...About 10 years ago I, as a member of the Waterloo Region Food System Round Table,  was asked by the Region Public Health Dept. to                               provide a case study for a workshop on citizen organizing on  issues related to a public institution or policy.  I chose lobbying to keep chickens in back yards in Kitchener, which I was then working on.  The other case study was a group working to get support for suicide prevention.  They spent a lot of their time thanking Mr. Albrecht for the wonderful support he had given them.  The convenor then asked if we had a comment for the other group.  I mentioned that I had heard Mr. Albrecht loudly speaking in favour of abolishing the long gun registry because it would be so hard on rural people:  every farmer needed a gun to kill varmints.  On the same day I had read a statement by the director of psychiatric services of the Vancouver General Hospital making a plea to retain the registry because such a high percentage of rural suicides were committed with long guns.  What should your group do in such a dilemma?  I was roundly denounced by the organizer of the workshop as well as the mayor of Waterloo for being impolite.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> - Thanks, Greg
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> From: Susan Koswan <susankoswan at execulink.com <mailto:susankoswan at execulink.com>>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2019 12:49 PM
>>> To: Gregory C. Michalenko; John Jackson; Kevin Thomason
>>> Cc: GREN Executive
>>> Subject: Re: GREN financial status re. [GREN-Exec] request for some funding for election debates
>>>  
>>> The only reason I'm asking is because GREN is not doing an environmental election forum this year because 100 Debates on the Environment is. I'm hoping the other groups we had partnered with for the debates in the past will be stepping up and providing some financial support in the riding that is most suitable for them. 
>>> 
>>> Harold Albrecht is the only federal conservative MP in the Region. Just saying'....
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Susan K 
>>> 
>>> On 8/27/2019 11:54 AM, Gregory C. Michalenko wrote:
>>> Dear Exec Members:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> GREN's credit union account balance on July 31 is $1.527.30.  The starting  balance on Jan. 1, 2019 was $2009.61.  
>>> 
>>> 
>>> We had income of $118.95 ($80.00 from 4 memberships @$20.00. and $38.95 from "donations to defray expenses" at the event at First United Church).
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Our expenses were $604.26.  Banking costs were $3.00 per month. and a new booklet of blank cheques (enough to keep us going for a few years) was $39.27.  Our expenses for events we supported was $543.99.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I attempted twice to reach the person who was said to be managing our our website and email list, but never got a response from him.  I don't know what is owed to him or someone else.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Regarding Susan's request for support for the debate.  Susan, how much is the rental cost in this case? All of you, please let me know whether you wish GREN to contribute and how much you think is appropriate.  My suggestion is to make it conditional on there being a voluntary donation box like Laura had at both the Kitchener town hall and the First United event.  This brought in over $200 that was shared by the supporting organizations.  GREN's need is obviously not as great as that of some of the other supporters and we can opt out of accepting anything if we want.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> In the future, in the interest of accountability, I think we should ask for a rough estimated budget from those seeking support for campaigns and events.  Then we could decide if the request is reasonable - and even if it's too modest, or we might have a suggestion for additional sources, whether financial or in-kind, that the worthy organization or group hadn't considered.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> - Greg
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ps Kevin dropped off a hundred alternative stickers for countering Ford's moronic program of forcing gas stations to put anti-carbon tax stickers on their pumps.  Get some for yourselves and for your friends now! You can pick some up from me (53 Menno St., Waterloo, phone 519 725-1059) or I could drop some off at your residence.  I checked with my cosmic medium and she/he/they/it assured me that this law is unique for the 3,687,934,702,594 civilizations in the universe that have gas pumps.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> From: Executive <executive-bounces at gren.ca> <mailto:executive-bounces at gren.ca> on behalf of John Jackson <jjackson at web.ca> <mailto:jjackson at web.ca>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2019 6:25 AM
>>> To: Kevin Thomason
>>> Cc: GREN Executive
>>> Subject: Re: [GREN-Exec] request for some funding for election debates
>>>  
>>> Before deciding on how much to contribute, I need to see our financial status from Greg. Also I wish we knew what our financial needs are to update our website and to keep it and our e-mail list up to date.
>>> 
>>> John
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ------------------------------
>>> John Jackson
>>> 17 Major Street
>>> Kitchener N2H 4R1
>>> 519-744-7503
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Aug 26, 2019, at 10:01 PM, Kevin Thomason <kevinthomason at mac.com <mailto:kevinthomason at mac.com>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi Susan,
>>> 
>>> As I’d mentioned earlier I am very supportive of donating $150 to $200 for the event.  This is going to be a very important election.  As we have learned with Doug Ford - elections have consequences and we need to ensure informed, motivated voters are getting out to vote.
>>> 
>>> Cheers,
>>> Kevin.
>>> 
>>> -------------------------------------
>>> 
>>> Kevin Thomason
>>> 
>>> 1115 Cedar Grove Road
>>> Waterloo, Ontario Canada  N2J 3Z4
>>> 
>>> Phone: (519) 888-0519
>>> Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648
>>> Twitter: @kthomason
>>> E-mail: kevinthomason at mac.com <mailto:kevinthomason at mac.com>
>>> 
>>> -----------------------------------------
>>> 
>>> On Aug 26, 2019, at 7:54 PM, Susan Koswan <susankoswan at execulink.com <mailto:susankoswan at execulink.com>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi, We have a meeting tomorrow afternoon (Tues) and I'd like to report back whether GREN can provide some money. They're good with $150 if we can swing it.
>>> 
>>> Thanks,
>>> 
>>> Susan K
>>> 
>>> On 8/24/2019 12:02 PM, Susan Koswan wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>> 
>>> I forgot I was supposed to ask if GREN could provide some money to cover costs for the Kitchener Conestoga 100 Debates on the Environment? I'm working with the Nith Valley EcoBoosters who are taking a lead on organizing and we'll have to pay room rental. Can GREN contribute $100 to $200 towards that?
>>> 
>>> Thanks
>>> 
>>> Susan K
>>> 
>>> 
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>>> 
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>> 

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