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[The draft minutes of the 2008 AGM were distributed to the membership with the mailing of EAB Update, for approval at the 2009 AGM.]
[At the 2009 AGM two amendments were agreed, and the meeting then approved the minutes]
[Glossary: the term nem.con. is an abbreviation for Nemine Contradicente, the Latin for "without objection".]
Sunday 11 May 2008, Prince of Wales Hotel, Southport
1 Thirty-five members were present and John Wells, President, chaired the meeting. Agreed that the meeting be conducted in English. Apologies for absence had been received from: Marjorie Boulton, Edmund Grimley Evans, Kate Hall, Brian O'Sullivan, Bill Simcock, Derek Tatton, Angela Tellier and Eric Walker.
2 Minutes of the previous AGM.
2.1 Terry Page proposed that 'in attendance' be amended to 'present'. Agreed, nem.con.
2.2. Ian Fantom had previously submitted 3 proposed amendments:
#8, Standing Orders. After discussion, agreed nem. con. to add: The Management Committee was unable to find a copy of the Standing Orders during the meeting [addendum to draft, agreed at 2009 AGM:] during which the president confirmed that they did have a document called "ĝenerala regularo" which he held before the meeting.
2.3 #8, Buchanan. Agreed, nem. con., to add: 'Arthur Sly asked why the Buchanan inheritance was being used to support a lecture in Esperanto to esperantists.'
2.4 #8, Membership. Agreed, nem. con., to amend 'this subject' to 'the reasons for the decline in membership' but not to make other amendments to this section.
2.5 With these amendments, the minutes were accepted, one vote against.
3 Joyce Bunting, Hon. Treasurer, presented the Trustees' Annual Report. In response to questions, David Kelso spoke briefly about Springboard to Languages, Paul Gubbins provided an update on the ongoing Review of Wedgwood Memorial College, and Joyce Bunting explained the Association's investment policy. The report was accepted, with one abstention. Paul Gubbins moved a vote of thanks to the Treasurer: accepted, by acclaim.
4 Joyce Bunting, Hon. Treasurer, presented the Financial Report, which was accepted, with two abstentions.
5 Reappointment of Kingston Smith as Independent Examiner was proposed by Helen Fantom, seconded by Michael Seaton. Ian Fantom queried why a full audit was not carried out and why we had moved (some years earlier) from the previous auditor/ examiner. Helen Fantom explained that a 'full audit' would cost more, for no significant benefit, and Joyce Bunting explained that the change of auditor had been a question of judgement on her part, approved by the AGM. The motion was passed, with one vote against.
6 Proposed by the Management Committee, that subscription rates remain unchanged. Agreed, with one vote against, two abstentions.
7 The chair proposed as scrutineers/ vote-counters Hilary Chapman and Harry Barron. Agreed, nem. con. The chair announced that Derek Tatton had withdrawn his candidacy for the Management Committee; voting then took place for the election of the Management Committee for the following year.
8 During the counting of votes, comments and suggestions from members were discussed.
Elizabeth Stanley pointed out the prominent publicity for the congress in the centre-fold of the free publication Conference Times and congratulated Jim Voiels on achieving this. She also reported that she had taken the opportunity of conveying to the Conference of Christian Women, taking place the same week, greetings and a copy of a prayer-book in Esperanto.
[Amendment to draft, agreed at 2009 AGM:] Ian Fantom argued that the language of the AGM should be English because use of Esperanto in the past had been excluded. Although it was a requirement that members support Esperanto, it is not a requirement that they be fluent in the language.
Terry Page raised the question of the language used at the AGM. His preference would be for Esperanto, although he acknowledged that there are a variety of opinions. Ian Fantom said that his recollection was that the language used was Esperanto unless someone objected, but Stephen Thompson said that the language used had been English since 1998, arising from the change-over from BEA to EAB and the requirements of Companies House.
Paul Gubbins recommended that the Association invest in a data-projector, so as not to incur heavy rental charges. The chair took the opportunity to thank the congress committee for the high standard of equipment and facilities.
9 The results of the election for the Management Committee (incl. postal votes) were declared:
David Bisset 69 for 5 against 4 abstentions
Jean Bisset 69 for 5 against 4 abstentions
Joyce Bunting 76 for 1 against 1 abstentions
Edmund Grimley Evans 71 for 1 against 6 abstentions
David Kelso 73 for 3 against 2 abstentions
John Wells* 75 for 1 against 2 abstentions
(* also candidate for President)
All 6 candidates were declared elected and John Wells was declared President for the coming year.
10 Jean Bisset announced that the 2009 Congress would be in Salisbury, 17-20 April 2009.
Signed: ...J.C.Wells... Date 18 April 2009
EAB's 31st Annual General Meeting was held on 11th May at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Southport; chaired by John Wells.
The following trustees were elected to the management committee:
[and the above table of election results]