The project team working on updating the bylaws of the Rotary Music Festival Society and creating a Support Agreement between the Society and the Rotary Club for the next five years presented their work to the members of the Rotary Club. The team consists of Anne Carrier, Mike Christie, Wayne Chesley and Dave Panabaker.
The team worked on the following Principles in it's work on the Festival Society.
- All members of the Rotary Club want the Festival to be “successful and sustainable” as we make changes.
- The Rotary Club wants to remain the Primary sponsor of the Festival and retaining the naming rights.
- Rotarians wants to be involved - as Members of the Society, fundraisers, volunteers and sponsors.
During Strategic Planning workshops wth the Rotary Club in 2017 and 2018, as well as Planning Workshops for the Music Festival in 2019, it was clear that an evolution of the Music Festival, to be a publicly run, open society which would be responsible for the Festival was the goal of the club. Some of this was due of course to the declining number of Rotarians in the club and the difficulty of staffing two operational groups.
Highlights of the Support Agreement
• A five year financial commitment, which the new Society can “bank” on and work their budget around.
• A commitment to discuss future funding prior to the expiry of this agreement.
• A commitment by the Rotary Music Festival Society to retain the name, in exchange for the financial commitment.
• A commitment by the Rotary Music Festival Society to a quality Festival, in keeping with past practice.
• A seat “reserved” for a Rotarian, nominated by the Club, to sit on the Music Festival Society Board, to work as a liaison with us as principal sponsor.
After significant discussion and a number of questions being asked, the following motion was called.
Moved by Dave Panabaker and seconded by Mike Christie; "Do the members of the Rotary Club support the proposal, of opening the Rotary Music Festival Society membership to the public, and with continued financial support from the Rotary Club, the movement of the operation of the Festival to this new public group?"
The motion was approved by the members present and will form the basis of the signing of the support agreement and revisions to the Music Festival Society bylaws.