Special—10-30-2022
Signant Two Holdings Ltd.
Special Meeting
(Originally Scheduled Oct 16, 2022)
RESCHEDULED to Oct 30, 2022
MINUTES
Present: Sharyn, Vic, Duane, Cody, Sheila, Mike, Joel, Stephen, and listening in (observing), only, Marni & Cam, and Kyle & Marijana
1. a) Acceptance of Agenda
b) Review Minutes from June 28, 2022 Meeting
Vic moves to accept, Duane seconds
c) Length of Meeting – proposed 1 hr 15 mins
All in favour
d) Announcements
Carpet, Linoleum, Tile Removal – report to come, Sheila adds that Ron did some electrical improvements in addition to the flooring removal
Summer Time Slots
(The 2023 Booking Order is as follows:
-Cody, Carson & Brenna (and Melanie)
-Sharyn
-Duane
-Sheila
–Vic)
Vic has communicated a proposal via email which all directors are in favour of.
Each block officially has one week in November to decide on which summer timeslot and OOS #1 timeslot they wish to select, however to expedite the process the deciding block can book as soon as they’re ready and the next block will have one week from the time this booking is made to make their booking.
Sheila and Ron will be going out in May 2023 for a work bee, if anyone is planning on going out in May 2023 they are flexible and can book around this.
Vic and Duane will likely go out around Easter for a work bee (9-15 April 2023).
Reminder that all family members present are most welcome to share their ideas during discussions, however only shareholders vote.
2. Clarification of the nature of the issue regarding a healthy
environment in the cabin (strict limit: 20 minutes.
Further discussion could take place in “the email thread.”)
(Note that some family members have shared their thoughts and feelings about this issue via email threads shared with Shareholders, family members whose health has been affected in the cabin, and other family members who attend cabin meetings regularly. It is recommended that this input be reviewed by everyone prior to the meeting.)
Sheila believes the pre-meeting email communication has helped us understand each others’ point of view and have a better idea of how each of us sees the issue. When this was initially addressed we framed this as the ‘pet issue’. She believes through the email thread we have framed this as a broader issue around air quality, which is a point of agreement. Sheila initiated communication because she believed not everyone understood the severity of Melanie’s asthma reaction and is looking for a consensus on air quality as the issue to address.
Sharyn believes air quality is part but not all of the issue. She outlines how for Melanie pet dander can be life threatening. She believes the carpets and dogs in the cabin is the problem and although the carpet removal will certainly help, it isn’t a full solution.
Sheila adds that ventilation and filtration are issues which need to be solved. She believes a good hvac system could be a large part of a solution.
Sharyn outlines how this is an issue for many of her children and doesn’t believe this can be solved without keeping pets outside of the cabin.
Paulette states that she feels badly that this is something Sharyn and her family have had to deal with for many years. She believes none of the family would want anyone to get that sick. She would have liked to have had some communication so they could have worked something out.
Sharyn outlines how when you feel like it’s futile to fight on an issue then you just be quiet to avoid bringing things up.
Sheila notes it’s important to name that and is glad Sharyn brought it up and Paulette expressed her concern about the risk to Sharyn’s family.
Paulette states she is surprised this is an issue given the way her family leaves the cabin. She notes the futon and chairs are so old, even they like to cover them. (for their own use)
Duane notes he and Paulette believe it is worth taking steps to improve conditions one at a time until everyone is able to stay in the cabin and not have to risk any health issues.
Sharyn asks whether they are the only family which has this issue?
Duane responds it doesn’t matter because if there’s one person at risk then it’s worth pursuing.
Paulette notes she has allergies but is not allergic to dogs.
Sharyn clarifies that Melanie doesn’t just have allergies, she has asthma. There is a difference.
Stephen notes that he and Joel also have allergies but not to dogs.
Paulette asks whether it would help at all to separate their family’s summer booking from Sharyn’s? For example, would the pet dander not be as evident if Paulette’s family was two bookings removed from Sharyn’s family?
Mike believes this wouldn’t help as much as switching the flooring out and switching to furniture which isn’t fabric.
Vic asks whether we can go back to the agenda item, which is to clarify the issue at hand. He notes the air quality issue comprises several aspects, of which pet dander is one. He believes the common interest is improving the nature of the air and that we need to agree on this before moving forward. He clarifies that to qualify this as an air quality issue doesn’t minimise the pet dander component, it just captures multiple contributing factors under one issue.
Sheila agrees with this assessment of the issue and clarifies that the goal is to ensure the cabin is a safe environment for all family members. She notes that part of the plan would be continuous reassessment and hearing from people who are impacted and would like to propose the issue we are dealing with is the improvement of air quality in the cabin until it is a healthy place for everyone.
Ron states he’s committed to creating a safe environment for everyone. He describes how he had a distant relative who had a sudden asthma attack at night with fatal consequences. He is ready to do whatever he can to contribute to a safe environment and believes this is a sentiment which is shared by everyone in attendance.
Mike agrees everyone should want good air quality.
Paulette asks whether we are all in agreement that we should eventually be able to have pets in the cabin after the improvements are applied?
Jim responds that no, it should be the opposite.
Paulette asks what’s the point of putting in thousands of dollars into improvements if her family can’t make use of the cabin. She says that she knows that’s hard to hear, and asks whether there is some sort of resolution we could talk about which would accommodate pet owners?
Duane notes we have used the allotted time on this issue (for this meeting’s agenda) and we need to decide on a path forward.
Paulette notes if we’re not speaking to a solution where we can have pets in the cabin then she doesn’t know what to do.
Sheila notes if we frame the issue this way we will go around in circles whereas if we frame the issue differently we have a chance to move forward. She believes this will give us steps we can implement, after which we can check in with people to see if the experience has improved, and make additional decisions from there. She reiterates the other pathway gives us an impasse immediately.
Jim asks what do you want us to do when there are lives at stake.
Sheila responds she wants to do everything we can to change the things we can, which is why she and Ron removed all of the carpets so the new flooring can be installed. She notes this is one factor dealt with, so let’s identify the other factors, move forward, and evaluate where we’re at. She motions we must focus on and take action to improve all of the factors which impact air quality at the cabin with a view to making the cabin a healthy and safe environment for everyone.
Sharyn states that she can agree to that.
All are in favour.
3. Discussion: Action Plan Moving Forward (limit: 35 minutes)
(See attached “Proposal to Improve Air Quality at Our Cabin for Health Safety,” submitted by Sheila as a starting point for this discussion)
Sheila notes if anyone has anything to add on the previous item they are welcome to share it in the email thread but that we have moved on to the next agenda item which pertains to action planning. She reiterates the carpets, tiles, and linoleum are out and we have a plan to replace them.
Mike says he is on the lookout for laminate and is hoping to find a deal.
Cody asks whether we should be using a pet vacuum with a HEPA filter?
Mike responds we won’t be using a vacuum anymore once we move to vinyl plank, so this shouldn’t be an issue.
Vic notes the bedding and pillows become a prime environment for all sorts of irritants.
Sharyn responds that her family brings their own when they visit and asks whether others could do the same?
Cody suggests we could look into getting allergy covers for the pillows at the cabin. He believes this would be relatively inexpensive. There is agreement in the group and Cody commits to getting a cost estimate (**update: see price in appendix).
Vic notes ventilation is an issue because there is no air circulation in most of the rooms at present. He also believes there is also a potential with wood surfaces which may be harbouring dust and other allergens.
Ron responds we could apply a good quality varathane which would go into the cracks and could make the walls cleanable.
Sharyn notes this would be good as her family does not want to replace the (rustic) wood surfaces because they are an important part of the cabin.
Sheila commits to looking into this for pricing and feasibility.
Cody asks Sheila whether she has purchased air filters we’re not currently using?
Sheila responds that she donated two air filters (“Defenders” by Filter Queen) subsequent to the 2014 AGM discussion about measures that could be taken in order to have pets in the cabin while ensuring a safe environment for family members with asthma or other respiratory conditions. Sheila recently found these air filters stored in the upper closet of the third bedroom. They are advertised as being more effective than HEPA filters. Sheila says she will send out a picture so everyone knows what they look like.
Cody asks how should these be used (e.g., when anyone is at the cabin vs. only when people with asthma / allergies are there?)
Sheila responds the filters should be run whenever the cabin is occupied.
Vic asks whether we’re making a list of potential items and the next step is to decide which will be done and in what priority?
Duane suggests we move on and decide what the next steps will be and who is responsible.
Vic asks how much have we budgeted for laminate?
Sheila responds $3,000 – $4,500, although the quote was pre-COVID.
Mike believes this will likely cost at least $4,500 although he’ll do his best to try to find a deal.
Vic notes there is just over $10,000 in the account with several families having yet to pay their levies and the committee needs to be able to go out and get the best deal possible without having to circle back with the directors.
Duane motions the flooring committee move forward and look for the best deal possible for flooring as long as costs do not exceed $8,000. Sharyn seconds, all in favour.
Mike reiterates replacing the carpets will make a huge difference in air quality.
Sheila suggests we replace the furniture before the summer.
Sharyn asks whether we would be looking for new or used furniture?
Sheila responds she believes new is the best way to go. She estimates to get a vinyl or leather queen sofa and two leather swivel rockers would be between $5,000 – $6,000.
Duane notes this will take us another step closer to better air quality.
Sheila proposes we purchase vinyl or leather furniture including a queen sofa and two swivel chairs prior to this summer (Sheila, Sharyn, and Paulette to research), with the committee allotted up to $6,000 which is divisible by share holdings. Sharyn seconds. All in favour.
Duane notes as with the flooring committee, there should be an understanding that if the cost is slightly higher the committee shouldn’t have to come back to the group for approval.
Sheila says her family is willing to put out money to make things happen and move in the right direction. She notes the mattress in the third bedroom is desperately in need of replacement and suggests we move the mattress from the second bedroom into the third bedroom and purchase a replacement for the second bedroom (potentially a double bed with a top bunk).
Sharyn believes this would be great for her family as Clare has to sleep on the floor on a mattress when they visit.
Mike responds he really likes the mattress in the third bedroom.
Duane cautions that we don’t take too much on at one time. He suggests we start with the laminate and then move on from there.
4. Choosing date for AGM: Nov 13 or Nov 27, 2022
Duane would prefer to meet on weekdays, Vic would prefer to meet on a Monday or Tuesday.
November 15 at 7:30 (**note, this date no longer works for Mike and the AGM has been rescheduled to Nov 28, 2022)
5. Closing of Meeting (Sheila)
Appendix: Suggested Air Quality Improvement Initiatives
Prioritized:
Removal of carpets and replacement with laminate flooring
Removal of fabric furniture and replacement with leather / vinyl furniture
Usage of purchased air filters whenever the cabin is occupied
Under consideration:
Purchase of allergy barrier covers for pillows and mattresses ($20 for four pillow covers, $35-50 per mattress cover)
Application of a coating to wood surfaces to make them easier to clean and less likely to harbour allergens
Purchase of bunk-style bed (queen bottom / single top) for middle bedroom and move bed from middle bedroom to third bedroom
Purchase of a pet vacuum with a HEPA filter (proposed after the meeting by Duane in a text and agreed to by several Shareholders, including Cody who forwarded additional information and Internet links)