Memorandum To: APAS Board of Directors

Re: Weekly Reports from the General Manager

At past meetings of the Board of Directors and in discussions with Directors and Reps, I indicated that I wanted to move to a practice of weekly reporting to the Board of Directors as opposed to providing montly reports at Board meetings only.

Enough talk...

This is the launch of the "Weekly Report from the General Manager". This and future reports will provide you with a summary of the activities of the staff group in the week just completed and the projection of activities for the next week. The intention is to keep you more effectively informed of staff activities on key issues, projects, and responsibilities in a more timely fashion. You will receive the report weekly at some point between Friday and Sunday evenings. This should enhance the accountability and transparency of management to the Board of Directors. With weekly reports beinbg psoted online, a lengthy report should not be necessary at Board meetings with the time then better directed to issue or project discussion.

Regular weekly reporting ties into a shift that we will be making in communications. Beginning in December, 2009, we will be preparing and distributing an attractive monthly one-page summary of APAS activities and key issues. The communication will be distributed electronically to all RM Representatives and RMs and to other interested audiences at month-end. As editor, Aj will use the Weekly Reports of the General Manager, the President’s Reports, and Board, Committee, and Meeting reports to create this new monthly report. Our current thoughts are that, in addition to this monthly communication to these targeted audiences, we will publish at least two newsletters in 2010 that we will distribute province-wide. The first will be in January of 2010 to assist with our RM recruitment drive.

Jan 25-29, 2010

The snowstorm of the weekend ground activities in Regina to a near halt on Monday but the APAS office was open and busy.
The APAS Farm Estate and Succession Planning Webinar organized and delivered by Strata on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 was successful with 25 participants and very good content and resource people. Feedback has been positive.
The President and staff met on Tuesday, January 26 to deal with a variety of matters including the AGM Agenda, the Service Review and Contracts surveys, the KAP AGM and the Prairie Farm Leaders session, APAS involvement in a Farmers Market organizational/planning meeting, and Weather Farm.
Don Connick and Doug Faller are attending the KAP AGM in Winnipeg from January 27-29, 2010.
The General Manager completed the six month probationary review with Policy Manager Doug Faller. As you would expect, Doug passed with flying colors. We now welcome Doug as a permanent staff member of APAS.
Aj prepared the APAS in Action for January 2010 for distribution at month end, completed updates to the website, and dealt with other communications activities.
Sonia completed Minutes for January 18 Board Meeting and handled other administrative tasks.
Nial, Aj, and Sonia did further planning of the March 2010 AGM.

January 18-22, 2010

All staff were involved in preparations for the January 18, 2010 meeting of the Board of Directors and all staff but Aj participated in the meeting. It was a productive meeting in that necessary decisions were made and feedback received to enable us to proceed on key activities such as organization of the AGM and advancement of resolutions.
Environment and Food Safety Committee Chair Norm Hall and Policy Manager Doug Faller represented APAS at a meeting hosted by the Ministry of Environment in Regina on January 19, 2010 to discuss development of the Saskatchewan Environmental Code. This is part of the review of the environmental regulatory framework that has been underway in Saskatchewan for the past 15 months. APAS has been involved in all four phases of the review to date.
Greg Marshall, Norm Hall, Nial Kuyek and Doug Faller met with Kevin Murphy, Director of Program Evaluation and Performance Measures, and Lyle Saigeon, Executive Director of Fish and Wildlife, of the Ministry of Environment on January 19, 2010. Discussion focused on the environmental regulatory review and the move to a results- based framework, wetlands policy, and the potential for Ecological Goods and Services and Alternative Land Use Services in Saskatchewan.
Greg Marshall, Ernie Briggs, and Kevin Gilbert represented APAS at the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference and related meetings in Saskatoon from January 20th to 23rd.
Aj continued with updates to the website, follow-up to Crop Production Show, participated in a conference call on new branding campaigns and concepts, issued a news release to promote the APAS Farm Estate and Succession Planning Webinar on January 26, 2010, and assisted with the letter/invoices to member RMs.
Sonia worked on Minutes for the January 18 Board Meeting and the December 2009 Mid Term Meeting, reviewed the Regina Inn contract for the March 2010 AGM, assisted with the preparation and mailing of the Service Review and Contracts surveys to the 62 RM Representatives, and handled a variety of other administrative tasks.
Doug Faller participated in the Ministry of Environment meetings described earlier, drafted Minutes of the Economic Trade and Strategic Growth Committee, finalized the Service Review and Contracts surveys and the packages sent to RM Representatives, analyzed next steps on the transportation policy agenda, and revised resolutions from the Mid Term and the Scholz Report for submission to CFA.
It should be noted that the APAS/Scholz Report on New Entrant and Intergenerational Transfer Program Needs continues to receive positive media coverage with a major article in the January 21st edition of The Western Producer as well as in their editorial in the December 24th edition.
Invoices for 2010 membership renewal were sent to our 62 member Rural Municipalities on Friday, January 22, 2010.

January 11-15, 2010

Aj, Doug, Jeff Simpson, Garth Burns, Charles Boser, and Greg Marshall all contributed to the operations of the APAS booth at Crop Production Show. The surveys on contracts and producer cars were tested at the APAS booth and drew considerable interest.
Doug and Nial participated in a conference call of the Economic, Trade and Strategic Growth Committee where the resolutions referred to the committee and the Scholz recommendations were discussed.
Nial Kuyek met with the Council of the RM of Orkney #244 relative to potential membership with APAS and Norm Hall and Nial Kuyek met with the Council of the RM of St. Philips relative to the potential of their RM rejoining APAS.
Staff were involved in preparations for the January 18, 2010 meeting of the Board of Directors.

January 4- January 8, 2010

All staff and President Marshall were involved in planning discussions relative to upcoming events and priorities over the next four months.
Doug Faller, Nial Kuyek, and Greg Marshall were involved in a conference call with Dr. Andy Schmitz to discuss the 2010 Farming for Profit conference.
Aj Thakker and Nial Kuyek met with Mike Hoffort, Vice President for Prairie Operations, and Brent Bender, Director for the Regina District, with Farm Credit Canada. Purpose of the discussion was to update FCC on the changes, directions, and priorities of APAS and to open discussion of potential sponsorship of APAS by FCC.
The first monthly newsletter to APAS RM Representatives and Rural Municipalities was completed and distributed by email and fax.
Aj was involved in preparations for Crop Production Show.
Doug developed the surveys on contracts and producer cars that were tested at Crop Production Show and completed an article on railway costing for the website.
Nial was on vacation on January 7 and 8 attending the State Convention of the Kansas Farmers’ Union where he and his wife, Dale, served on a panel on health care to provide users’ perspectives on the Canadian health care system.

December 28 to Jan 2, 2010

While the APAS office was officially closed during this week, APAS issued a press release relative to the Level of Service complaint submitted to the Canadian Transportation Agency. The news release and subsequent interviews generated media coverage through the week and into the New Year.

December 21 to December 28, 2009

All staff were involved in follow-up to the December 18, 2009 meeting of the Board of Directors.
Enhancements were made to the telephone system to enhance functionality.
Aj updated the website and added reports and presentations.
Doug worked on updating the action to be taken on resolutions to incorporate the feedback form the Board of Directors.
On December 23, APAS submitted an application to the Canadian Transportation Agency for a Level of Service complaint against Canadian National Railways and its decision to delist 53 producer car loading sites including 24 in Saskatchewan.

December 14 - 18

Doug Faller continued to add transportation related content to the website, prepared the Evaluation Summary of the December 2009 Mid Term Meeting, and developed Recommendations for Actions to be Taken on Resolutions for Board discussion. Doug also participated in a conference call of the CFA Business Risk Management Committee.
Aj continued to focus on website maintenance and expansion. Aj also pursued arrangements for the Crop Production Show, prepared for a discussion with the Board on APAS Sponsorship Policy, and met with Guy Ash of the Canadian Wheat Board to discuss APAS sponsorship of WeatherFarm.
A majority of Sonia’s time during the week was devoted to follow-up on matters from the Mid Term Meeting and preparations for the December 18, 2009 meeting of the Board of Directors.
Nial participated in the monthly conference call with the General Managers of KAP and WRAP. Items discussed included the Producer Payment Security Project (which has received approval for funding at a lower cost level), rail issues, weather based derivatives, upcoming annual general meetings, the potential for joint resolutions, and agenda items for the Prairie Farm Leaders meeting to be held in Edmonton on January 8, 2010.
Nial Kuyek met with Rosanne Kopp of Kelly Services. As APAS has been a past customer of Kelly’s, Rosanne wished to update APAS on human resource services available through Kelly’s and to review any needs of APAS.
Nial Kuyek and District 5 Director David Spencer met with the Council of the RM of Pleasantdale #398 on Wednesday, December 16, 2009. This RM opted out earlier this year. The discussion was very good and the majority of Council seemed to be receptive to APAS.
Nial Kuyek and District 5 Director Norm Hall met with the Administrators of the RMs of Clayton, St. Philips, and Cote to discuss the potential of membership with APAS by these municipalities. Nial and Norm also visited Garry Moroz, past APAS Representative in the RM of St Philips, who will be supportive of this RM rejoining APAS.
Nial Kuyek prepared a draft budget for 2009-2010 for Board review and discussion.
All staff were involved in the meeting of the Board of Directors on Friday, December 18, 2009.

December 7-11, 2009

So, here we go with the first Weekly Report from the General Manager.

• Staff and Greg Marshall were involved in meetings to discuss follow-up to the Mid Term Meeting and planning and coordination of upcoming activities.

• The majority of Sonia’s time during the week was devoted to administrative follow-up to the Mid Term Meeting, processing of expense claims and invoices, and preparations for the audit.

• Doug Faller edited the resolutions from the Mid Term Meeting for member and public distribution, wrote transportation related content for the policy section of the website and began preparation of a summary of the RM Rep evaluations of the Mid Term Meeting. If you have not already done so, I suggest that you review the background information that Doug has authored on the website on “The Right to Producer Cars”. It is excellent. An ongoing task for Doug is monitoring and analysis of key and emerging issues.

• Aj’s activities during the week focused on adding the Resolutions, Action Taken on Resolutions, and other documents and presentations from the Mid Term Meeting to the website. If you have not already done so, I suggest that you review the coverage of the Mid Term Meeting on the website. It is amazing. An ongoing activity for Aj is updating the website and expanding and improving the website with new features all with the focus of “easy to use”. Aj pursues this with his usual energy and innovation.

• Doug, Aj, and Nial met to evaluate the Mid Term Meeting and begin to develop a draft agenda for the APAS AGM to be held March 22-24, 2010. A draft agenda will be presented to the Board for discussion on December 18.

• Doug and Nial attended a meeting of the Council of the RM of Grayson #184 on Tuesday, December 8, 2009. APAS Representative Harvey Mucha provided a report on the APAS Mid Term Meeting and key APAS issues. Nial advised the Council that a resolution sympathetic to the situation emerging in their Municipality had been considered at the APAS Mid Term Meeting. Nial noted that the resolution had called for APAS to examine the issues of corporate farming and to report on why it is happening and what could be done to reverse the trend. Nial reported that the resolution was defeated largely because APAS Representatives felt that they lacked adequate information on the issue and that the focus should not be on corporate farming. Nial indicated that APAS was available to work with the RM on any public policy issues that need to be addressed as these issues evolve and asked that the RM and Harvey keep APAS updated on developments. The Council was receptive to the APAS position as information relative to the issues involved has been rapidly changing. The Council appears to continue to be a strong supporter of APAS. Local farmers had arranged a meeting with the Saskatchewan President of LDM Foods for Thursday, December 10. This meeting will be pivotal in determining where this goes as an issue.

• While not wanting to scoop the President’s Report but wanting to fully review RM contacts during the week, I note that Greg Marshall and Norm Hall met with the Councils of the RMs of Emerald and Preeceville. Emerald is currently a member and so this was a retention visit. I understand that Greg and Norm were well-received and that the RM voiced its continuing support for APAS. While APAS representatives have attended meetings of the ratepayers and Council of the RM of Preeceville in the past, this RM has yet to become a member. My understanding is that the Council was receptive and indicated that they wanted a ratepayer decision on the matter. It was our understanding that the ratepayers of this RM have overwhelmingly voted in the past to join APAS, so we’ll do what we have to do to secure them as a full member in the upcoming year.

• Sharon, Sonia, and Nial were involved with preparations for our audit for the 2008-2009 fiscal year ended October 31, 2009. Rick LeGrand and an Associate from Dudley & Company were in our office on December 10 and 11 to conduct the audit. The audit is largely completed with outstanding information items to be completed during the week of December 14. A meeting of the Finance Committee will be organized in January to deal with the Auditor’s Report and other financial issues.

For More.......

To access General Manager Nial Kuyek's reports on APAS staff activites from December 2008 to the present, as well as the archived President's and Director's reports, please click [HERE]