The Northern Environmental Action Team invites you to join us on Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 7pm for our Annual General Meeting (AGM).  The AGM will be at Northern Lights College, 9820 120 Ave in Fort St. John, BC, room 2112. 

NEAT is growing and expanding, making this a very exciting time for our organization.  Come and learn what we have been doing over the past year.  If you are interesting in becoming more involved, such as becoming a board member, please contact the NEAT office at 250-785-6328.  We may have the perfect opportunity for you. 

Please mark your calendar and make plans to attend NEAT's AGM.  Now is the time for your voice to be heard. Refreshments will be provided, but in true NEAT fashion, we do ask that you bring your own mug. 

Agenda for the Evening

1.    Call to Order    

2.    Introduction of Board of Directors, staff and members present

3.    Acceptance of Agenda        

4.    Acceptance of Minutes (with amendments) from April 30, 2009 Annual General Meeting    

5.    Annual Reports
     a.    President’s Report - Andy Larstone
     b.    Financial Report  and audited financial statements – Meagan Mueller
     c.    Executive Director’s Report - Sally Emory

6.    Appointment of Auditor – Meagan Mueller

7.    Nominations/presentations by nominees
Minimum of 3 directors, 2 year term
     a.    directors whose term expires: Kathleen O’Neill, Bruce Kosugi, Sheri Dressler
     b.    Andy Larstone, Jarrod Bell, Meagan Mueller have one year left in their term.   

8.    Orientation to Voting Procedures – Kathleen O’Neill

9.     Voting


10.    New Business
     a.    Notice of new bylaw (6b) (to be voted on at 2011 AGM)
New members must have a membership 30 days prior to the elections held at the Annual General Meeting in order to vote.  

11.    Upcoming Events
     a.    Fun in the Sun – August, 2010
     b.    NEAT outside event –  August, 2010
     c.     That NEAT Thing – Dawson Creek
     d.    Earth Day Forum with High School Students

12.    Other Business
     a.     Membership dues

13.    Results of Election

14.  Adjournment
 

President’s Report 2009

In 2009 the NEAT Board of Directors refocused on resuming a strategy to provide a
new home for our organization. Many lessons had been learned during our previous
attempt, which proved to be a distinct benefit while planning for a new building
project. It was agreed that the new project would avoid potential pitfalls
experienced during the last effort through careful planning, sustainable timeframes
and thorough consultation.

Due to prior experience, the Board agreed that acquiring property for the
project was the most important element in the equation. A “Relocation” committee
was formed to research potential options for the acquisition of a building location.
We were very fortunate to have Dave Eaton participate in the process due to his
considerable experience in the field.

The committee first considered the possibility of purchasing an existing
building for renovation but a lack of suitable locations prompted a change in focus.
It soon became obvious that the most effective and achievable strategy for NEAT
was to purchase an empty lot suitable for construction. A double lot was available
for purchase on 110 Avenue across from the Peace Lutheran Care Centre and the
location met all prerequisites for the creation of our “Green Building” project. In
July, NEAT purchased this property from the Oil & Gas Commission.
With property in hand, NEAT was then able to move forward to the next step
of planning. The “Relocation” committee was disbanded and replaced with a “Green
Building” committee to oversee the planning development of our project. The first
order of business was to identify and engage competent design and revenue
development consultants.

A local design consultant, Lukas Armstrong, had expressed an interest in the
project and submitted a proposal for design services. Lukas had a diverse
background in “Net Zero” and sustainable building projects. The Board agreed to
accept Lukas’ proposal. As well, Sue Popesku, a well-known local fundraising
consultant had expressed interest in the project. Sue also submitted a proposal,
which was accepted by the Board.

Utilizing extensive recommendations and input from the “Green Building”
committee, Lukas began work on the design of our building in cooperation with
Brian Wakelin of Public Design in Vancouver. Brian is the architect that will sign for
the project when completed. The project is divided into well-defined “phases” which
provides NEAT with an opportunity to assess our financial capacity to proceed at the
end of each stage. This ensures the sustainability of our endeavor. Lukas and Brian
have produced some exciting design proposals in 2009 and we look forward to the
completion of design development in 2010.

Sue Popesku has worked closely with the NEAT Board and staff during 2009.
In cooperation with several committees, she has assisted in developing budgets,
communications strategies and potential revenue generation opportunities for our
organization. Sue has provided invaluable advice to our organization and continues
to work with staff, directors and committees to help diversify our revenue stream.
We look forward to continuing our relationship throughout 2010.

The “Green Building” project is a work in progress and will proceed in a
sustainable fashion until completion. We will begin construction when NEAT has a
more diverse revenue stream, a solid fundraising plan and a project design that
matches our vision and mission. The project’s timeframe will be determined by
those factors. This approach guarantees the long-term success of both the project
and our society.

For twenty years NEAT has been providing a variety of environmental
services throughout the Peace River region. This has ranged from running a handson
recycling depot in Fort St. John to providing complete regional waste reduction
education and promotion services. It is an amazing achievement, which continues
to grow and evolve. It has been my pleasure to serve as President of our
organization during that time. As with any society, there comes a time when
change is necessary in order to ensure positive development and the influx of new
ideas. In light of this, I will not be seeking to renew my term as a director of NEAT.
Instead, I will act as NEAT’s first Past President and provide what advice and
direction I can to assist the society along its path to excellence.

It has been an incredible and highly rewarding privilege to serve as President
for two decades and I owe the organization a debt of gratitude for the experience.
It has taught me much and helped me greatly along my life path. NEAT is part of
me forever.

In conclusion I would like to sincerely thank NEAT directors, staff, members
and volunteers for their hard work and commitment to the values of organization.
We are extremely fortunate to have so many enthusiastic, talented and
conscientious people supporting our efforts. I am confident that together we can
help implement the sweeping changes needed to restore balance to our beautiful
planet Earth.

Andrew Larstone, President
June 27, 2010

Executive Director’s Report 2009

2 Decades…3 Rs
(Reflect, Refine, Reaffirm)

2009 was a significant year for NEAT. It was our twentieth anniversary and, like others who celebrate a
significant anniversary (usually one that ends with ”‐0”), we took time to take stock, to reflect on our past
accomplishments, to fine‐tune our programs and to look ahead to our future.

Reflect

Many environmental organizations were formed in the late 80s but few are still in existence today. I believe
that one of the greatest gifts NEAT’s founding members (including Andy Larstone and his brother Phil, and
Ruth Ann Darnall) gave to the organization was our name. Many of the groups that have folded (Dawson
Creek Recycling Association, Chetwynd and Area Recycling Society, Princeton Recycling Society) had a very
strictly defined purpose as shown by their name. Once their purpose had been achieved—the development of
a recycling program in their community—the group no longer had a reason to be. NEAT was able to expand its
purpose beyond its original mandate of waste reduction because our name did not limit us to a narrow
concentration. Our name gives us a broad focus, a strong foundation and principles to guide our operations.

Refine

We can be justifiably proud of our past achievements—the first permanent recycling depot in northern
Canada, school programs that have been incorporated into other jurisdictions’ programming, interactive
outreach programs—but we are not an organization that rests on our laurels. This year, the Board of Directors
reviewed NEAT’s policies and streamlined the committee structure. We hired a program co‐ordinator to
separate those responsibilities from my role as Executive Director. We updated our programs to make them
more receptive to the needs of our community.

The title of our outreach staff was changed to eco‐advisors to reflect their expanded role, especially in the
business community. Our school programs have been revised and a strong emphasis was on reaching high
school students. We developed new and enhanced partnerships with BC Hydro Power Smart, Tire
Stewardship BC and Destination Conservation. We worked closely with PRRD as they developed the
Community Energy Plan. We also grew geographically as we now operate in Fort Nelson/Northern Rockies
Regional Municipality.

We also strengthened our support tools. Both the pRRRdy and NEAT websites were completely revamped, we
produced the region’s first Waste Reduction calendar and we expanded our video resource library. We
recognized that there is still a need for hands‐on demonstrations of environmentally friendly products and
services and we purchased land for the construction of a green education building.

Financially, we were able to secure some mid‐ and long‐term funding. We received $144,400 through the
federal government’s Community Action Fund and we signed a new, five‐year contract with PRRD. We had
several fee‐for‐service contracts with local municipalities and sponsorships of most of our events.

Reaffirm

In September, the Board of Directors, staff and several volunteers had a mini‐retreat to review our Strategic
Plan, to confirm that it was still relevant. It remains an ambitious plan but one that is achievable. As part of
the review, we affirmed that NEAT’s vision and mission statement are very accurate representations of our
organization and that our guiding principles provide the framework for our planning decisions.

Principles (We believe that…)
We lead by example, creating awareness and demonstrating solutions.
We are an integral part of the community in which we live and conduct business.
We recognize that change happens when people become motivated.
We know that outreach is the main means of sharing our Mission with the community.

Our successes
For twenty years, NEAT has been a community organization supported by residents and businesses. NEAT is
truly a “team”. Members and enthusiastic volunteers assist in “spreading the message” through their actions
at home and at work. The Board of Directors and staff are personally committed to NEAT’s vision and mission
statements, guiding principles and core values. The people involved with NEAT are key to our longevity and I
do not expect that this to change over the next two decades.

Accomplishments by the numbers
6 outreach staff employed in 2009
66 years current Board members have collectively served NEAT
67 committee and board meetings in 2009
229 members
1726 students who received school presentations
3589 enquiries
204,950 km2 geographical region that NEAT serves

Recognition by name

Board members for their commitment and encouragement:
• Andy Larstone, Jarrod Bell, Kathleen O’Neill, Meagan Mueller, Bruce Kosugi, Sheri Dressler, Ruth Ann
Darnall

Staff and consultants for whom working at NEAT isn’t just a job:
• Morgan Peltier, Tammy Hrab, Lisa Benjamin, Letitia Da Ros, Heather Stark, Jessica Stanley, John Bass,
Sue Popesku, Katie Stevenson‐Fitzpatrick

Committee members for their gift of their time and expertise:
• Edward Stanford, Dave Eaton, Karin Carlson, Kevin Brown, Ivan Lewis, Dorri Larstone, Charmaine
Gareau, Dacia Douhaubi

Partners and Supporters of a shared vision:
• Peace River Regional District, City of Dawson Creek, City of Fort St. John, BC Hydro Power Smart,
Encana, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Spectra Energy,

And another “Thank You” the founding members for the gift of our name.
Northern…it’s where we live and work
Environmental…it’s our passion
Action…we don’t just talk…we do!
Team…we work together to reach our goals.

Sally Emory, Executive Director

Treasurer's Report - DRAFT

January – December 2009

Sander Rose Trobak Chartered Accountants conducted a full audit of NEAT’s financial records. This full audit
is a requirement of the Waste Reduction Education program contract with Peace River Regional District and
NEAT’s directors’ insurance policy.
Separate records are kept for NEAT’s contractual Regional District activities’ revenues and expenditures.
Northern Environmental Action Team
In a review of the year’s finances, here is a quick summary:
Where does the money come from?
• The four major sources of income are Peace River Regional District, PRRD ($227k) local area
municipalities ($34k), Grants ($67K) and Donations ($24.5k).

Where does the money go?
• The four major expense groups include capital asset purchases ($215K), personnel ($90K), administrative
expense ($63), Advertising and promotion ($45k)
• Personnel expense includes administrative support, part-time eco-educators in North East BC, temporary
staff in the summer and part-time help
• Administrative expense includes full time Executive Director compensation.
• The remainder of the expenses are broken down amongst many programs and related costs to support
the various NEAT initiatives.

How do we compare to the previous year?
• Net deficit of -$143k was incurred compared to a net surplus of $13k in 2008. The large deficit this year
is due to the purchase of land that will be the site of NEAT’s future home.
• Expenses were up approximately 49.9% year over year.
Other notable items:
• NEAT currently has a $105 mortgage and $87k in savings.
• NEAT has secured a 5-year contract with the Peace River Regional District for 2009-13.
• NEAT continues to provide environmental leadership and stewardship in the Peace Region. Thanks to
everyone for another great year!

Meagan Mueller
Treasurer