Minutes of the 75th Annual General Meeting, 10 May 2025
Seven sheets, published as Lauchlan Harrison sent them, with one change: the slate of officers on the last two sheets printed a private telephone number beside thirteen of the names, and all thirteen have been taken out, here and in the copy offered to open. Words struck through on the paper are shown struck through here. Two of them record amendments carried at the meeting itself: to condition (c), on how the Society's funds were to be divided, and to (m), on how long the website would continue. The rest mark the officers who, had the vote gone the other way, would not have stood again.
The agenda and reports circulated before this meeting: Agenda CSCL 75th Annual Meeting.
the original (PDF) · 7 pages · 656 KB
Page 1
The Canadian Society for
Creative Leathercraft
MINUTES TO THE 75th ANNIVERSARY
Saturday, May 10, 2025, 10 a.m. to noon
PROGRAM
&
TABLE OF CONTENTS
President’s Message page 1
Minutes of the 74rd Annual General Meeting in Hamilton Last section
Agenda & Business Arising from the minutes of the last meeting page 2
2024-25 Reports from the CSCL Executive Council page 2 - 4
Council of Fellows Report - Virtual Annual Competition 2025 page 2
2024-25 Branch Reports page 2
2023-24 Financial Statements page 4
Continuation Report page 5
Plebiscite On Continuance page 6
Call to order at 9:45 am
Presidents Message
Welcome to the 75th Annual General Meeting. We gather here in Hamilton to celebrate Leather work and those hardy Members who are still hard at work
Our struggle to pass the craft to a new generation is a challenge that our remaining Members must embrace on a personal level. Our challenge will be finding a ways to keep knowledge alive.
The Virtual Photo Competition was held a couple of weeks ago and the quality of the work was very good. Please go on line and take a look at the prize winning pieces, there is some exceptional work. It is tough to have your work judged but how else can we improve?
The Workshops will pass to the Member guilds I hope they keep busy and inspire more work in the coming year. The winds of change have been blowing and the tree that is the CSCL is coming down.
All the best,
Sean Dalgetty
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Agenda
Accept the Minutes of the 74th Annual General Meeting as read moved by Lauch Harrison, 2nd by Sheena Burger - Carried
Business arising from the Minutes
1 Number of Articles for Weston Trophy Entry reduced to three. Moved By Sean Dalgetty, 2nd Sheena Burger - Carried
2 Number of Articles for Best of Level Award reduced to three. Moved By Sean Dalgetty, 2nd Sheena Burger - Carried
3 Report of the Continuation/Dissolution Committee and committee participants. See report on page 5
4 Plebiscite and if needed Election of Officers
Executive and Ex-Officio Reports as read or circulated
a. 1st Vice – Jimmy Wilkes - No Report
b. Membership: by Barbara Chynoweth For the 2024-25 year we had 19 General members, 0 students, 1 Honorary Fellow, 11 Fellows and we have 1 Sustaining member. Of the total 31 members we have 5 who have been presented with Life Memberships.
Please remember to notify the Membership Chairman of any changes in your contact information.
c. Library – Paul Kitchener - The Library's present home is at Paul's house and grounds in Omemee Ontario, Visitors will be welcomed when the set up is completed.
d. Bulletin – Lauch Harrison – the bulletin has not been issued this year. No Report
e. Council of Fellows – Met once this year to set criteria for judging the Virtual Competition. The Virtual Judges were Lauch Harrison, Sean Dalgetty. The in-person judging will be done by Lauch Harrison & Sean Dalgetty. See attached Virtual Competition results.
f. Workshop Program –Lauch Harrison/Jim Wilkes – Hinge Box in Norland
g. Web Site – Eugene Pik - No Report web site will be updated to to show out come of Continuation vote/plebiscite.
h. Privacy Officer – Lauch Harrison - no report
i. Treasurer's report see below
e. Report for Judging
Virtual Annual Competition
April 26, 20245 in Hamilton at 8 pm
To the Council of Fellows -Regarding Judging the 2025 Annual Virtual/Photo Competition
Present: Lauch, Sean,
Call to Order at 8:05 pm
The Virtual Annual Competition was opened a week late on April 8 due to a massive Ice Storm and power outage and closed April 24, 2024. Sean& Lauch on April 26, 2024 to discuss and judge 13 entries submitted by Three General Members, and One Fellow.
The judges were prepared to give Annual and Biennial Awards. To that end ten Craft Ribbons, one
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Salon Ribbon and 5 monetary prizes were given.
The high quality of the entries allowed the Judges to give out Best in Show - $50, Muma Award for Tooling and Colouring - $50, and Best General Member - $50 and a Salon Ribbon to Greg Belenky for his Lady Godiva. Greg also was awarded 2 Craft Ribbons for Lady Godiva and Art Nouveau Wallet
Julien Jans received a Craft Ribbons for his Sturgeon Scutes Bracelet. Julien's Ripple Watch Strap earned a Craft Ribbon.
Best Belt in Honour of Jack Meharg - $50 and a Craft Ribbon went to Bob Richardson for his Guitar Strap, he also received 2 Craft Ribbons for Western Style Belt and Octagon Box
Lauch Harrison received 3 Craft Ribbons for Black Billfold, Tea Box w/Toadstools and Hinged Box
Scoring as follows out of 10
Lady Godiva — 10 — Greg Belenky — salon, craft — Stunning Epic Work
Art Nouveau Wallet — 9.5 — Greg Belenky — craft — Great Colour work
Black Billfold — 9.0 — Lauch Harrison — craft — Excellent job on rolled edges very neat stitching
Tea Box Toadstool — 8.0 — Lauch Harrison — craft — Well executed design
Hinged Box — 8.0 — Lauch Harrison — craft — Great Colour work excellent block dye very neat hinge
Western Style Belt — 7.0 — Bob Richardson — craft — Large scope with challenging contrast thread good hand stitching
Floral Guitar Strap — 7.0 — Bob Richardson — craft — Very good Carving background was unbalnced near the Initials
Octagon Box — 6.0 — Bob Richardson — craft — Amibitious Stitching work
Sturgeon Scutes — 6.0 — Julien Jans — craft — Creative use of these tough scutes
Ripple Watch Strap — 6.0 — Julien Jans — craft — Stitched border could have been closer to edge
As the fifth iteration of the Virtual Annual not all the photos are showing the aspects, quality and telling a story. The images were smaller with less detail and it is hard to Judge. We were happy to give monetary awards to well deserved pieces and their makers.
Thanks
Lauch Harrison FCSCL
and Sean Dalgetty FCSCL
2023-24 Branch Reports
Hamilton - met most months thru the year on the 2nd and fourth Wednesdays. Hamilton has five General, and two Fellows.
Mississagua – has not had a meeting no report
Norland Norland Branch - Respectfully submitted by Tracey Howard
Our September meeting ended up being cancelled and at our October and November meeting we did Christmas Broaches. December we do not have a meeting as everyone is very busy getting ready for Christmas. January and February we made Sheep Skin Mitts
March we hosted a CSCL Workshop making a hinged box.
April was cancelled due to the Ice Storm that hit our area and everything being closed.
Our May meeting will be on the 24th and in the morning the members will be working on their own projects and after lunch we will be working on a project that everyone will be doing.
At our May meeting we will plan our BBQ gathering
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Financial Report
CSCL Income & Expenses
March 31, 2025
Income
Membership 1,200.00
Annual 1,583.00
Awards 0.00
Shows/Workshops 0.00
Misc Income 7,865.98
10,648.98
Expenses
Annual 2,916.88
Awards 0.00
Sows/Workshops 0.00
Bank Charges 54.00
Misc Expenses 0.00
2,970.88
Income/Loss 7,678.10
31-Mar-25Bank Balance 17,882.84So this is the Income and Expense for the 2024-2025 year. Below is what is left in the Awards which is part of the Bank Balance. I can't remember if we paid any of them out last year?
Awards
Al Foss 350.00 Manuel 1,287.52 Heacock 1,671.14 Meharg 500.00 Michigan 759.05 Woodstock 1,169.14 London 60.00 White 450.00 6,246.85
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Continuation Committee Final Report
for the 75th Annual General Meeting
The continuation Committee was tasked investigate the possibility of Dissolving the Society and to prepare the ground for a Vote to decide the matter. All Members where invited to attend and the Committee held meetings on the Fourth Tuesday of the month prior to the Executive Meetings. In order to proceed to an educated vote, Members must know what will happen to the Assets and Liabilities of the Society and know there will be an orderly transition if Dissolution is chosen.
The Committee has come up with these recommendations and rules for the vote that will be passed to the Executive Committee for inclusion in the Annual General Meeting.
The Conditions of Dissolution
a) List of Physical Assets is of no intrinsic value and will not be sold. The fate of Fellows Stamps & Zalitas Pins – will be determined by the Council of Fellows.
b) Funds and bequests from deceased/retired Members. ($3068.66) will go to Craft Ontario to be set up as bursaries for Artisans.
c) Endowments from member guilds, ($3228.19) and Operating Funds ($9843.14) will be treated as cash and will go to Member Guilds struck through: (to be shared based on Membership ratios) (end of struck words) in equal parts (moved by Barb C, 2nd Sheena B. - Carried to include MAL with a Mechanism to draw funds held by Remaining Guilds.
d) Members at Large will write proposals to the Caretakers to access the Funds from the dissolution of the society
e) The Library will be intrusted to Paul Kitchener for inclusion with his Leather Museum, extra materials to be auctioned with the funds going to the cash reserves. Library will be open to Members.
f) Membership Dues for 2025 – 2026 will be returned.
g) Care Taker Officers - at least two – Chairperson & Treasurer will be elected In lieu of a full suite of Executive Officers. Caretakers if possible should be present in each remaining Guild.
The Vote
h) The Vote will be held prior to the Vote & Installation of the 2025-2026 Slate of Officers.
i) The Mechanism for a Plebiscite, the vote is available to all paid up Members. To happen at an Annual Meeting. To be a show of hands, a majority of 50% +1 of the Members Voting. Proxy Voting will be allowed.
j) The question “By a Show of Hands & Proxies- Do we Dissolve the Society? For Dissolution and Against Dissolution
The Continuation
k) Demonstrations for Fairs and Show – workshops need a list of volunteers
l) Virtual Annual Competition – Unknown Future
m) Website will continue with very infrequent updates for at least struck through: 5 (end of struck words) 2 years at a cost of struck through: $120 (end of struck words) $40 USD
moved by Nancy Durham, 2nd by Paul K - Carried
With Regards to all the Members who have had input into this Report
thanks
Lauchlan Harrison
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Vote on the Continuation of the Canadian Society for Creative LeatherCraft
Discussion of the Continuation Report
The Vote was taken by the 11 Members Present in good standing with Proxies for 6 Members. There are 13 votes to Dissolve. There are 3 votes to Continue. There is one Abstain. By a vote of 13 to 3 the Society has been Dissolved.
the caretakers
Lauch Harrison, Sean Dalgetty, Della Chynoweth from previous commitment
Paul Kitchener and Doug Schavo expressed interest if needed
the role call of Members in good standing in person –11 Members - Sheena Burger, Tracey Howard, Della Chynoweth, Barb Chynoweth, James Wilkes, Nancy Durham, Lauchlan Harrison, Sean Dalgetty, Paul Kitchener, Doug Schavo, Betsy Rennie.
in proxy- 6 Members – Barry Taylor, Colin Paddon, Tammy Gray, Alf Luneborg, David McPherson, Lauren Malec
By a Show of Hands & Proxies- Do we continue the Canadian Society for Creative Leathercraft?
For Continuation 3 votes — For Dissolution 13 votes — with 1 vote Abstain
The Canadian Society for Creative Leatherwork is Dissolved.
If the Vote is for Continuation the Slate of Officers that are Struck through will not stand for their Office
Motion to Adjourn - Moved by Sean Dalgetty- Carried
THE SLATE OF OFFICERS FOR 2025-26 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
EXECUTIVE
Past President Lauch Harrison
President struck through: Sean Dalgetty (end of struck words)
1st Vice President James Wilkes
Secretary struck through: Lauch Harrison (end of struck words)
Treasurer struck through: Della Chynoweth (end of struck words)
BRANCH PRESIDENTS
Hamilton Sean Dalgetty
Mississauga Jim Wilkes
Norland Tracey Howard
M.A.L. Appointee Doug Schavo
EX-OFFICIO
Chairman of the Council of Fellows
Teaching Standards
Editor – Canadian Leathercraft struck through: Lauch Harrison (end of struck words)
Membership Barbara Chynoweth
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Librarian Paul Kitchener
Privacy Officer struck through: Lauch Harrison (end of struck words)
Electronic Communications Officer Eugene Pik
SPECIAL COMMITTEES
Workshops Jim Wilkes
Continuation Committee
Doug Schavo, Della Chynoweth
Motion to Adjourn
The words above are the document’s own, as the paper prints them. Spelling and spacing are left as they stand.