The Board of Directors met on a conference call on Friday, November 30, to discuss banking, bylaws, education, the spring meeting, membership categories and fees, relations with the trade magazines and Weld Expo for 2002.
The bank account has been established near the national office in Markham, Ontario. The Board reviewed the signing authorities to ensure that funds will be properly handled.
The national office will prepare a letter for the chapters confirming that the CWS has become the CWA, and advising of the need to inform their banks of the change. As the CWA is the successor organization to the CWS, the only change required to chapter bank accounts should be to the Association name.
The national office is reviewing the need for GST reporting. Effective January 1, 2002, all membership fees will be subject to GST.
The bylaws for the CWA will be created by modifying those of the CWS. A committee, chaired by Darrall Rigby, comprising Deet Adam and Bob Shaw, and assisted by Executive Director David Long, will amend and update the bylaws for approval at the AGM in October 2002.
In the membership area, it was agreed that end-users – major users of welding equipment, such as National Steel Car and Babcock & Wilcox – should be added as a new category. A membership sub-committee will be formed as a part of the bylaws committee. It will advise the Board regarding categories of membership and the fee structure, and will consist of Lennard McGoey (chair) and Grant Harvey.
Given the importance of education to CWA members, an education committee will be established. The Board has selected a candidate who will be asked to chair the committee.
The Board felt that there is not sufficient time to properly prepare papers for the offshore symposium scheduled to occur in May 2002 in Halifax in conjunction with the spring meeting. The symposium will, therefore, become a Nova Scotia chapter event (not requiring formal papers and assisted by the national office), followed by a Board of Directors meeting and a chapter meeting.
As a benefit of membership, CWS members used to receive Welding Canada and FAB Canada. Because of circulation audits, it is important that business addresses be used; for this reason, some subscriptions may have been dropped.
Members of the Board and David Long will meet with the three trade publications individually to discuss circulation to CWA members and what might be published on a regular basis in the magazines.
Weld Expo 2002 is scheduled for Tuesday to Thursday, October 22–24, 2002. In conjunction with Weld Expo, CWA will hold the following events:
- A symposium on a welding topic
- A Board of Directors meeting
- An Annual General Meeting
- An Awards Dinner
The Board discussed the timing and venue for these events, including the possibility of holding the Board of Directors meeting and the Annual General Meeting on Sunday, October 20, and the Symposium and Awards Dinner on Monday, October 21.
