OBA’s Annual General Meeting & Conference – with a strong national flavour – will take place Friday, November 16, 2018 at the Lamplighter Inn in London

The Annual General Meeting of members of the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association will take place Friday, November 16, 2018 at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn & Conference Centre in London, Ontario, as part of the OBA’s Fall Conference. The meeting will begin at 1:15 pm. See the Notice of Meeting and Call for Nominations and Resolutions. 

Gearing up for the Conference
 
Accommodations: Lamplighter Inn & Conference Centre. Call 519 681-715. Rooms in the block are almost Sold Out.
 
With beekeeper friends and colleagues from CAPA and CHC joining us, this promises to be a high energy learning and networking opportunity. See Conference Program and registration information. Early bird deadline is Sunday, November 4th.
 
OBA, CAPA and other provincial association members can enter honey and mead in the Competition and earn bragging rights and a bit of cash! 

Bring honey to exchange. 

Consider some of the free, value-added pre- and post-Conference sessions and honey house tour.

And don’t forget your dancing shoes and spirit of fun. After banquet entertainment will get you squaring up to learn (or re-connect) with your square dancing roots. Live music by Canadian and US National Fiddle Champion, Shane Cook!

Proposed Bylaw Change
 
One item related to a proposed change to the OBA Bylaws is included for members’ consideration, which relates to extending the required notice period of a meeting of members from seven to 14 days, and to formalising OBA’s practice of providing notice by mail to members without email addresses and by email to those who do.  The size of the association (almost 1400 members, 95% of whom have provided email addresses) and the current strike situation with Canada Post has prompted a review of this requirement.
 
Bylaw changes require a discussion and vote at a meeting of members.
  
Call for Nominations for OBA Board positions
 
It is critically important to the beekeeping industry in Ontario that OBA’s Board represents a diversity of experiences and opinions and that we advocate vigilantly on your behalf to ensure the sustainability of the beekeeping industry in this province. Each year we seek nominations for Board positions – please consider submitting a nomination or standing for election yourself. This is an excellent opportunity to develop leadership skills and give back to an exciting, evolving and vibrant community.
 
As of 2014, the OBA implemented a multi-year approach to Board terms allowing for better continuity and succession-planning. Generally, Board positions are for 3-year terms, however, circumstances creating a vacancy could result in a shorter term. This year there are five Board positions to be filled, four with 3-year terms and one with a 1-year term. In addition, a provisional position may be elected, that member to be brought onto the Board should a position become vacant during the year.
 
The OBA Board welcomes and appreciates members who can contribute time, expertise and interest in the well-being of beekeeping across Ontario by submitting a nomination (either for another member or yourself) by Friday, November 2, 2018 at 5 p.m., two weeks prior to the 2018 Annual General Meeting. Nominees are asked to submit a photograph and short biography to the OBA office as soon as possible.
 
Contact Glen Ackroyd, Nominations Committee Chair, for more information about how to nominate yourself or someone else to the OBA Board of Directors: nominationsandresolutions@ontariobee.com; mobile: 519 270-5270.
 
Call for Resolutions
 
A Resolution is a written motion that is presented to members for discussion and adoption at a meeting of members. Your resolution must be relevant, well thought out, and substantive, and presented in a concise and business-like manner. Traditionally, the OBA calls for Resolutions prior to the Annual General Meeting. For the purpose of the 2018 Annual General Meeting, Resolutions are due at the OBA office by Friday November 2, 2018 at 5 p.m. The substance of the Resolution can be anything that is normally presented as a motion; the structure is quite formal. Resolutions require both a mover and a seconder.
 
Contact Glen Ackroyd, Resolutions Committee Chair, for more information about how to prepare and present a Resolution at the AGM: nominationsandresolutions@ontariobee.com; mobile: 519 270-5270.