May 4th AGM: Volunteering opens window to Burlington’s core values - Heagle

May 4th AGM
Volunteering opens window to Burlington’s core values - Heagle 
For Brian Heagle – BPLA member and recently named Burlington Citizen of the Year – volunteering is all about contributing to our quality of life but it also opens a window to “see into the core values of what matters to Burlington.

“Burlington is maturing… coming of age… and with that comes a wiser voice that’s surprisingly strong and opinionated when it speaks of our quality of life and where it is heading,” he told the BPLA’s 2010 annual general meeting, held May 4th at the Burlington Public Library. The meeting was chaired by David and Judy Goodings, BPLA Treasurer and Secretary respectively.

“There is so much focus lately on structures, buildings and price tags that we need to remind ourselves that the real foundation of any exercise in community building is people, and that includes the vital role of volunteers.”

It was a theme picked up the same evening by John Boich, who was acclaimed once more as Association President along with a slate of board and executive committee members. He noted that many BPLA members have weighed in on critical issues in Burlington, including the attack on poverty, preserving the waterfront and green spaces, moving toward a caring and inclusive community and promoting civic engagement.

He had special praise for the work of his executive and board members who worked tirelessly on everything from the daily details of running an association to leading policy discussions and sharing with members their results via the redesigned BPLA website.

“By becoming informed,” he said, “our members are now in a position to enter the 2011 election campaign with both pride and confidence.”

Heagle agreed. The Burlington lawyer and civic leader told the AGM that the voices of volunteers resonate loudly with Liberals, who are “all about long-term vision, caring and inclusive communities.

“As Liberals, we occupy this space,” he said, adding that the Tories rarely talk of bridging the gap between haves and have-nots or mounting an effective war on poverty. “Liberals are directly aligned with what concerns Burlington citizens today and that’s our opportunity.”

BPLA members must engage people in respectful debate over the new Harmonized Sales Tax – an overall benefit to all Ontarians as one part of a massive tax remake – and also Ontario’s new approach to lowering the cost of generic drugs.

“Our association is ready, has the momentum, money in the bank and the people to push forward between now and the 2011 election,” he concluded. “As Liberals, the next 18 months will be our defining moment… our best opportunity… to step forward as volunteers and make a difference for Burlington.”

Board member Roland Tanner received special mention for his BPLA website rework. Presented by the Goodings, Roland took possession of a “data entry back-up system” – a 1920s era Underwood manual typewriter.

The AGM approved the following slate for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. 
BPLA Executive Committee, Ex-Officio members and Board of Directors  
 

Executive Committee:

President:                                        John Boich
Vice-president:                               Michele Schwenger
Treasurer/CFO:                              David Goodings
Secretary:                                        Judy Goodings
Membership secretary:                  John D’Addario 

Ex-officio members of the Executive Committee:

Past President:                        Christopher Brown-Syed
President of the Young Liberals:    Kyle Hutton
Past candidate:                               Marianne Meed Ward
President of the BFLA                    Dwayne Wanner
Young Liberals                               Amandeep Chawla, Nathan Watton 

Board Directors 
Keshav Agnihotri 
Michael Hourigan
Alyssa Brierley
Julien Marquis
Bev Butler
Jean Morton
George Cass
Matt Mathews 
Susan Caughran
Janet Mullin   
Stefan Cosac
Doug Pudsey
Ron Dennis
James Sisson
Gertrude Gottfredsen
Roland Tanner
Marilyn Heintz
Murray Heintz      
Joan Turbitt
Ross Wilson 
Peter Hodgson
Ken Woodruff
Mary Hopkins