ACER-CART AGM Report 2020/2021

Executive Director's Report

Gordon Fardoe, RTAM Executive Director

Ihope you have all had a pleasant summer. I want to update you on office activities that have occurred since our Annual General Meeting. It has been a very challenging and busy summer. Immediately after the AGM, the RTAM office was broken into and equipment and furniture were either damaged or stolen. A police report and insurance report were filed and both reports are still under investigation. The office worked very hard to complete the financial information required to send to our auditors by August. As per the wish of the RTAM membership at the

AGM, the office has been in touch with several accounting firms to submit a proposal including

RTAM’s current proposal for the 2020 audit. The proposals will be reviewed in September by the

Executive and the Board will make a recommendation to the membership at the 2022 AGM. The storage room was cleaned, purged and inventoried. In the future, the RTAM office will conduct an annual inventory of supplies and office equipment to keep our records up to date and allow us to dispose of assets when necessary. The office is working on an improved method of disseminating information to the membership electronically. The office has contacted other

Provincial organizations and requested electronic copies of their newsletters to share through a link on the RTAM website. Our goal is to update this information every 60 – 90 days on the RTAM website. The office has reviewed proposals for IT services and the decision has been made to hire a new IT service provider in the fall. It was time to review our

IT services and our new contract will provide RTAM with better service in the future.

The current lease is completed on September 30, 2021 and the office has been exploring potential new leases at considerable cost savings. A decision will be made at the September 16th Board meeting, but the office could be moving to a new location this fall.

RTAM has entered into a partnership with Union Savings for a Membership Discount Program. This program is a value-added benefit to your membership, and I strongly encourage you to sign up to take advantage of the savings. I am currently in negotiation with the Winnipeg Football Club for a discount for tickets in the 2022 season.

With all staff now being full-time it was necessary to develop a Benefits Program. Quotes were received for Staff Benefits including Group RRSP Benefits over the summer. This new program will begin September 1, 2021.

The office phone is currently being ported to the new VOIP system. This new system will allow all staff to have separate mailboxes, seamless connection to their work phone through their cell phone if they are working out of the office, fax to email connectivity and voicemail to email capability.

The office continues to work on ways of improving operations, especially communications. Monthly staff meetings have been instituted to discuss ways to improve our services to our RTAM members. Please feel free to contact us anytime. We are here to provide services to our retired teacher membership. n