Yes, I resigned.
On December 17th, Ken White and I submitted our resignations as Vice-President and President, respectively, to the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre Society. After 22 months of guiding the Society through an incredibly turbulent period, it’s time for us to seek new opportunities.
Since our election in February of 2020, the Board has had to manage unprecedented situations within the limits of a constitution drafted in pre-pandemic years. That constitution had “engraved in stone” clauses that were burdensome to uphold while following mandatory public health requirements. To meet provincial and federal regulations, AGMs for both 2020 and 2021 are scheduled for February of 2022. I encourage each of you to attend, volunteer to serve on the Board, share suggestions, and be part of solutions as the Society moves forward in the new reality that the pandemic has created.
Forced to close for much of 2020 and 2021, the Society dealt with significant financial stress. By instituting operational changes, we were able to set the Centre on a path to financial security, regardless of future circumstances. Keeping a keen eye on expenses, securing short-term rentals, and establishing the position of centre manager have been instrumental in these results, which are reflected in the financial statements for 2020 and 2021.
Relying on a rotating slate of volunteers to control critical elements of management had been putting the Centre in jeopardy for many years. As far back as 2010, previous presidents had reported on this challenge, but the short term of office for board members, combined with restrictive elements of the constitution, prevented them from acting decisively.
Gaps in responsibility and authority were further exposed during the pandemic closure which also gave us the opportunity to begin the much-needed process of change.
As the Society continues to grow, the requirement for professional management is all the more evident as Lori Stemmler, Centre Manager, improves procedures, outlines plans and finds new revenue streams.
The coming months will bring more challenges for the Society. The expanded facility needs urgent upgrades to address the airborne nature of COVID-19. There are also key pieces of equipment in need of replacement, and others that are nearing their end-of-life. The cost of addressing these needs will be high, but the Society is in a good position to respond.
Ken and I are of one mind in expressing our sincere gratitude to those volunteers who so strongly supported our tenure, who challenged us to find the best path forward, and who lent their time, energy and support to helping the Centre return to successful operations stronger than it was before.
As we all look ahead to the new year, I wish all members and the Society continued success, knowing that the Centre is well-positioned to meet future tests as they arise.
Chris Kane
