MANITOBA ASSOCIATION OF COTTAGE OWNERS INC.
P.O. Box 281, Station Main, Winnipeg, MB, R3G 2G9
As Received Oct 3, 2007

Minutes of Meeting

Date:                Tuesday, April 17th, 2007
Time:                6:00 PM
Location:        CanadInns, 2100 McPhillips Street, Winnipeg
Present:          Dave Crabb, Pat Dunlop, Gary Dunlop, Donna Jean Crabb, Gus
                           Wruck, Bill Russell, Rene Comeault, Marian Jones, Jim Neufeld
Regrets:          Ken Corbett,

1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:14 p.m.

2. Adoption of Agenda
Gus Wruck moved adoption of the Agenda with additions. Seconded by Gary Dunlop. Carried.

3. Guest - Adrienne Batra was unable to attend but will be following up. The "Let's Pay Fair Group" is on the same page. Pat to email a copy of the newsletter to Adrienne as well as Hansard links relating to taxes.

4. Adoption of the Minutes -Pat Dunlop moved adoption of the Minutes of March 20th, 2007 with typo correction. Seconded by Bill Russell. Carried.

5. Financial Report -
Gary Dunlop moved adoption of the financial report presented. Seconded by Bill Russell. Carried.

6. Correspondence Sent
There was a brief discussion on emails sent out.

7. Correspondence Received
§ Insurance policy received from Cox Morris. Dave will review.

8. Old Business
a) Website - Suggested that we look into RFP's for website. Bring forward to next meeting
b) Water Stewardship Fund - No information available.
c) Cheque for $5,000 - No update since March.
d) School Taxes-Dave Crabb attended Budget Release and met with Adrienne Batra. Outlined what took place.
§ Gus Wruck attended the KAP meeting arriving at 11:30 am. He told them about the presentation he had done for the MACO AGM and advised them that the presentation was on his website. Shaw TV interviewed the President of KAP and Gus. MACO is a full member now. There was an original cost of $2,000. to members. They are hoping to expand to 30 members at a cost of $900. Gus moved -

WHEREAS the Manitoba Association of Cottage Owners was founded on the premise of eliminating school taxes on property.

AND WHEREAS MACO has joined with other citizens groups as a coalition

THAT MACO send a letter of request for $100 to each and every RM in Manitoba to support MACO and RM's in cottage country the request of $300. (If requested have a representative from MACO to attend a counsel meeting.)

Seconded by Rene Comeault. Carried.

§ Joanne Skinner - Dave received copies of the correspondence relating to her requests for information from schools, Minister of Education and the Premier.

9. New Business
§ Membership year - Rene Comeault moved that the membership year should be April 1 to March 31 each year and membership and membership must be paid in full prior to the AGM for voting rights. Seconded by Marian Jones. Discussion - Gus spoke of potential issues and problems and that membership applications be sent out in March. Motion not carried.

Jim Neufeld moved that membership invoices be sent quarterly as a reminder to delinquent members. Seconded by Bill Russell.

Motion amended as follows - that 3 membership invoices be sent beginning in March. Seconded by Bill Russell.     Carried.

§ The Cottager - The Treasurer to send payment for renewal of memberships.

§ Newsletter - Newsletters were printed with 2 colour pages. One with the MACO logo and the other with the picture of the Namao. The change of colour by painting the Namao was an important step for the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium. Concern was expressed as to the cost of sending copies to associations for delivery. Copies will be sent in black & white.

§ Lake Clean-up - Information contained in the newsletter.

10. Directors' Reports
Gary Dunlop - The ice shacks are all off the lake.   People are starting to show up.

Rene Comeault - Was out to the lake last weekend - rum tastes better at the cottage. There are a few new cottages. Many people were out last weekend. Perhaps associations could provide "who to send mail to", perhaps suggest PO Box for associations.

Jim Neufeld - There are now 6000+ cottages owned in provincial parks. Whiteshell lawsuit - there is a rumor that it is being settled out of court with the government that they have agreed to pay back $275,000 divided by 6000 = $40 each by way of a credit from the government. Sec-Adm leases building permits etc. Staff had retired but it was still charged to park cottagers. Schedule set open houses for service fee review at CanadInn on Pembina Highway noon - 4:00 pm. Picked up membership - Beaver Creek.   Ted Ferens fighting review. Jim thinks it is a good process.
Clearwater has had a couple of meetings since first of the year. There is a $50/yr fire cost, ranges 65-150 for 355 cottages. Jim advised that he will retire from MACO at the end of June/07.

Donna Jean Crabb - Hasn't been out but knows that she has had mice.

Shirley Nixon - Hasn't been out but hears that snow and ice still there.

Bill Russell - Neighbours are coming back with the nice weather. His neighbour's cottage is in The Cottager. Mike who was living under the bridge in his fishing shack house has now moved the house to a farmer's field (with the farmer's permission)

Gus Wruck - The annual meeting was held at the CanadInn in Winnipeg to allow cottagers to attend. Very few attended.   Ice is out on the Winnipeg River. Was in Whitemouth as a Councillor to testify information on pork industry. 17% of point sources of phosphorus in Manitoba come from non-agricultural sources.   Mostly come from septic tanks. He advised that Granite Hills is a development at the North end of Lac du Bonnet. 138 sold lots will support development of an 18-hole golf course.

Pat Dunlop - Had a telephone call from MLA Rondeau. Discussed school board numbers; lack of reporting and ability of the Ombudsman being able to assist as they can with other government departments; that cottagers are unable to vote for trustees making it taxation without representation. Minister Rondeau is responsible for Energy Mines & Technology and is working with schools to save money through bulk technology purchases. He admits that he cannot tell them what to do.

Marian Jones - Hasn't been able to get a quorum for executive meeting. Still having problems with beavers. With development of roads for pending subdivision thee is a need to get in and see if there has been any damage. Roads are muddy.

Dave Crabb -. Called the fire department regarding fires on vacant land. East Beach Fire & Rescue have uniforms and gear. The centre is up and closed in. "High Speed Crow" service is pending. There was an F18 that flew over with appropriate noise.

11. Date of Next Meeting - May 15, 2007

12. Meeting Adjourned - Bill Russell moved the meeting be adjourned at 9:11.