Ace Club-Maadi Committee Meeting Minutes
Minutes for 12th Jan '10 Committee meeting
ACE CLUB COMMITTEE MEETING
January 12th, 2010, 6 p.m., Outside Garden
The meeting was opened at 6.11.
Present:
Allan W
Peter C
Kaitlyn L
Vicki C
Neil W
Mark T
Ray B
Simon H
Apologies:
Ian M
Adam M
The minutes from December will be revised and discussed at the February meeting of the committee. November’s minutes were approved. Simon H stood in as Chairman for Ian M in his absence.
Treasurer’s Report
December showed a profit for the month. Neil W can make printed reports available to any member who requests them. These are the most comprehensive reports available to the membership in club history.
The staff expense to the club quadrupled in December and Flemming explained that it was due to staff bonuses, Christmas gifts, medical insurance renewals and HIV tests. Pim D has again volunteered to aid in health care matters for the staff.
Food came out nearly even in December in the cost/profit ratio.
Club expenditure between October and December 2009 was roughly the same as the 6 month period prior, but this was attributed to the recent club improvements.
The accounts from December 2008-August 2009 have been signed off by the accountant, and the expected number conform to the official ones for the year.
Club Manager’s Report
The tuck shop is now up and running, and we have hired a new female employee to run the shop.
Neil W asked Flemming if we could put up signs in the garden reminding parents that they are responsible for looking after their children whilst in the ACE Club.
Flemming asked if alternate lighting could be put up in the downstairs bar and Pete C said he would look into it, asking for a month to get a plan together for a lighting replacement plan and quote.
The convection oven is now in the kitchen and operational. This should speed up food delivery times. Flemming is still looking for a suitable ice-maker.
Curent Projects
Farag has been paid for improvements made to the ACE Club, including the tuck shop, outside bar and tiling the garden area. It was suggested that the committee examine Farag’s cost competitiveness.
It was also suggested that someone else be used in upcoming projects after the terrace is completed, due to Farag’s cost and lack of timely project completion in the outside bar.
As of the meeting on 12th January, 200 memberships had already been renewed and Simon said that up to date membership numbers would be reported at the next committee meeting in February.
Adam has had the taxi approved ACE Club taxi driver IDs printed and the new system seems to be working well.
Adam and Allen proposed ID tags for the staff that can serve as ID when they come to and from work.
The Christmas and New Year’s parties were reported as an overall success. The committee thanked those on the sub-committees who helped organize New Year’s and thanked the committee members who volunteered on Christmas to keep the bar open late for members.
Vicki C said that she thought the food at the New Year’s party was not reflective of the money the club makes and that non-members should have been let in.
Social Events
Coming up in February, there will be the Scottish Ceidlih and Valentine’s Day. Flemming has made arrangements for both.
Charities
Neil W has made a point to match club profits with club donations. In the past fiscal year, ACE Club profits have increased by 33%, as such, so have donations increased by 33%. Current donations as a percentage of club profits stand at 12%, with the rest set aside for club maintenance, improvements and a small financial reserve for emergencies.
Complaints
None were submitted in January.
AOB
EGM
Vicki C declared that she had begun a campaign to call an EGM. Neil W asked why she felt that was necessary. Vicki said that she felt that the members were not being represented, such as the cancelling of rotational memberships and that several committees members should step down.
Neil W noted that there is no way of confirming who is rotational and people have lied on their applications before in order to receive a membership discount. He also called it unfair that teachers, who are paid less than much of rotator crowd and who had 4 months off a year without pay are forced to pay full fees. He proposed that this way membership was fair for all, irrespective of working situations.
Mark T and Simon H noted that the committee is representative of the membership who elected us, and that calling an EGM because Vicki is unhappy will only result in the trading of insults, undermining the committee’s effectiveness as an administrative body.
When pressed by Neil W and Allan W as to whom Vicki wanted to step down, she asked for the resignations of Allan W, Kaitlyn L, and Adam M. Mark T noted that Vicki had had a problem with the committee and its members from the very first meeting of this new committee.
Neil W made note of the fact that compared to previous years, the past two years have seen the club improve dramatically, the membership expand significantly and the committee has provided greater transparency than in any other period.
Vicki informed the committee that she had a dossier of 39 emails she intended to forward on to her previous mass email list. Kaitlyn asked that when she did publish this group of emails, that her personal email address be removed from the documents as she felt it was a violation of her personal privacy. Vicki declined to withhold the personal details of the committee members in her dissemination of private emails and addresses.
Vicki called the previous minutes laughable and insisted she did not say offensive things in the last meeting. Mark, Neil, Kaitlyn and Allan all countered that point, reminding her of her rude comments.
Simon H asked for a vote of no confidence, but as per the recommendation of Mark it was decided against, in an effort to work things out with Vicki C.
Miscellaneous Items
Neil asked if we could look into doing away with the plastic chairs in the garden and suggested asking the CSA about their metal-framed chairs. He also suggested we get potted plants for the newly tiled garden. Neil with look into both.
John and Haji have has their hours reduced and are happy with the result.
Vicki asked to have the Sami al Kheir discussion on January’s agenda moved from the meeting that night to when, and if, the EGM is held.
Allan W reported the findings of the survey he conducted the week prior to the meeting. Its response rate was 5% of the overall membership, which was the typical and expected response rate for previous club surveys. The findings showed that with a few outliers, respondents were either “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the club and its administration. Areas for improvement (as indicated by the outliers) are newer toys for the children, children staying too late, children unsupervised in the garden and slow food service.
Neil W and Mark T noted their displeasure with the inconsistency of food quality, portion sizes, service times and side dishes. Ray B said he would keep an eye on the kitchen and food service. Pete C suggested that pictures of how the dishes should look could be posted up to aid the chefs in meal preparation.
Simon H noted that we need to make the club manager aware of committee decisions as soon as possible. Ray will liaise with Flemming until Ian M returns.
Neil W and Mark T expressed concerns that there has been a large number of staff at the outside bar, but poor service. Neil also noted that the dress code of the staff outside was becoming increasing informal. Vicki suggested that if the staff are not dressed appropriately to work, they should be sent home that day without pay.
Flemming has requested a bookkeeper for the club to help free up John and Haji a bit. Allan W suggested that we train an existing staff member on a program like QuickBooks and this will save time, but training for this will be required. Simon mentioned the possibility of a club member volunteering for the position as well. Simon will speak to said member and determine their qualifications.
A motion was passed by the committee moving the sign in book to the outside reception to ensure that all members, whether entering the main bar or going directly to the garden, sign in upon entry.
[At this point the Chairman had excused himself for a moment, Vicki asked if there was no further business and left at 8.01. The meeting was still open and Simon H had not yet tabled his business.]
Simon also brought up getting a till system into the outside bar. Allan informed the committee that we have POS systems in both the upstairs and downstairs bars and that as soon as possible they should be installed in the outside and terrace bars. Pete C said that it wasn’t possible at the moment, due to ongoing construction projects, but it will be possible once renovations have been completed.
Close of meeting: 8.30.