Minutes of IMCoS AGM 2016
(Approved at IMCoS AGM 2017)
Meeting Held on Saturday 4th June 2016
1 Opening and Welcome
The Chairman opened the meeting at 10.00 am. He welcomed all those present and thanked them for demonstrating their interest in the running of the Society by attending, and for taking the opportunity to discuss IMCoS matters with other members face to face. He had one addition to make to the published Agenda, which he would introduce under Item 9. He would allow time under Any Other Business for members to raise matters not previously covered. He aimed to conclude the meeting in good time for the start of Map Fair at noon.
Apologies for absence were received from: Jenny Harvey (Advertising Manager) and Ian Harvey who were setting up the IMCoS stand in readiness for the Map Fair, Valerie Newby (Vice Chairman), Cyrus A’lai, Peter Barber (President), Wulf Bodenstein, Raymond Frostick, Susan Gole and Elri Liebenberg.
Executive Committee members present were:
Hans Kok Chairman
Jeremy Edwards Hon. Treasurer
David Dare Hon Secretary
Ljiljana Ortoja-Baird Journal Editor
Diana Webster Member
Peter Walker Financial and Membership Administration
A total of 15 members were present, including members of the Executive Committee.
2 Approval of Minutes of AGM 2015
The minutes were approved. [Post meeting note: Francis Herbert noted that his name had been incorrectly rendered under Item 6 of the minutes.]
3 Chairman’s Annual Report
The Chairman read his report for the year.
In answer to a question from Francis Herbert about delays in moving to a new website, the Chairman replied that the end June deadline for the update of the PayPal feature was tight, but he understood the deadline would be moved to the end of September, which should give more than sufficient time. Rudolf Lietz asked whether the new website would be suitable for mobile devices. Ljiljana Ortolja-Baird assured him that the website had been designed with the requirements of mobile devices in mind, especially tablets. Nevertheless, a larger screen was really needed to view maps satisfactorily.
4 Treasurer’s Report
The Treasurer presented the audited Statement of Accounts for 2015. He drew members’ attention to a decline in income from both membership subscriptions and interest on bank deposits. The reported cost of website maintenance included some costs from the previous year because the contractor had taken money from the IMCoS kitty, held by them for administrative convenience, in 2014 without submitting invoices or notifying either the Chairman or Treasurer of the transactions. To redress the situation with the contractor would have led to increased charges. (See Note 3 in statement of accounts.)
The value of the IMCoS library has been written down to reflect book sales.
The Chairman commented that the financial loss incurred over the Perth visit had led the EXCOM to tighten its budgetary procedures. The new procedures are set out in Part C of the IMCoS Guidelines.
Rudolf Lietz asked why membership renewal appeared to follow a cyclic pattern. The Treasurer explained that many members switched to 3 year subscriptions when these were first introduced and have continued to renew them every three years.
Francis Herbert asked if there was any space left for more names of winners of the Helen Wallis Award around the salver. The Chairman said that there was space for only a few more names on the salver and a few more Symposia on the IMCoS plaque. It might be necessary to discontinue the practice of presenting the official IMCoS plaque for display during the International Symposia; a facsimile on paper might be used instead in view of problems with air transportation; however the Helen Wallis Award salver procedures remain unchanged.
The Treasurer proposed, the Chairman seconded, and the members agreed to re-appoint the auditors.
5 Journal Editor’s Report
The Editor reported that the Journal was being produced to a high standard and in a timely manner thanks to the excellent service provided by the printer, who now also provided a reliable distribution service.
After the IMCoS Symposium in Chicago in October she plans to make the Winter issue of the Journal US oriented. She has invited Wesley Brown to “guest edit” the issue by identifying potential authors and commissioning articles linked to the Symposium programme.
Design work for the new website was progressing well. The IMCoS logo and branding will be retained to aid recognition, but otherwise the site will be more modern and user friendly than the current version.
Rudolf Lietz noted that there were fewer advertisers on the current website compared with the Journal. The Advertising Manager is addressing this issue. Only members are permitted to advertise in the Journal and on the website in order to preserve the Society’s status as a non-profit making organization. In general, non-members show more interest in website advertising. Rudolf Lietz suggested that a possible way forward would be to include the cost of membership in the advertising fee. The chairman voiced his agreement in principle with this suggestion.
The Chairman thanked the Editor for all her hard work on the Journal and in helping to develop the new website.
6 Membership Fees for 2017
The meeting agreed to a proposal by the Chairman that the membership fees should remain unchanged at £50 for a single year or £135 for three years.
7 Website Matters
The Financial and Membership Secretary explained that a new website was being constructed by a new website provider that would also be responsible for site maintenance. The site is planned to go live at the end of June. There may be a gap of 2 or 3 days in service during the changeover. Not all the pages will be populated initially, but the most important functions will be operational from the start. The remaining pages and a selection of maps will be added as quickly as possible thereafter.
Members will be notified of their new and simpler user names and passwords by e-mail. Members only will be able to access articles in back numbers of Journals more easily than at present, but contents pages of back numbers and a few sample pages from the current Journal will be available in the public pages.
Francis Herbert asked if he could correct typographical errors in some of his past book reviews before there are transferred to the new website. The meeting agreed that correction of typographical errors would be permitted, but not any revision of the text before the reviews are transferred.
8 International Matters
The Chairman reported that preparation for the Symposium in Chicago was well advanced and on schedule for 24 – 29 October 2016.
Dr Vladi has agreed to organize the 2017 Symposium in Hamburg. The date has been fixed for 8-12 October 2017, beginning with a reception in the evening of Sunday 8th October followed by the Symposium from 9th to 11th October. A post Symposium tour starting on 12th October is under consideration. The Chairman has supplied a list of potential speakers, but the final choice will, of course, be left to the organizer. Francis Herbert offered to supply a list of German speaking contacts who could also be approached if more speakers are required.
Rudolf Lietz announced the formation of a society for map collectors in the Philippines (PHIMCoS). It currently has more than 25 members, and has started publishing its own Journal. The Chairman congratulated him and his colleagues on this achievement.
The Chairman announced the Helen Wallis Award winner for 2016, Catherine Hofmann. The silver salver had been accepted on her behalf by Peter Barber at the IMCoS Annual Dinner the previous evening.
9 Re-appointment of Officers
The re-appointment to the EXCOM of Hans Kok, proposed by David Dare and seconded by Rolf Lietz, and of Valerie Newby, proposed by Francis Herbert and seconded by Peter Walker, was agreed unanimously. Hans Kok asked the meeting to note that he would not necessarily serve the full term of 4 years if that would avoid the incumbent Chairman and Vice Chairman changing simultaneously.
The Chairman introduced an additional appointment to the EXCOM; Peter Walker, Financial and Membership Secretary, had been attending and contributing to, EXCOM meetings since his appointment. Recently he had taken a leading role in planning and developing the new website and would become webmaster when it goes live. In view of these new responsibilities he proposed that Peter Walker should become a full voting member of EXCOM. The proposal, seconded by Jeremy Edwards, was agreed unanimously.
The List of the Society’s Officers in the Journal will be updated to include the names of all current EXCOM members.
10 Appointment of IMCoS President
The Chairman was pleased to announce that Peter Barber had indicated his willingness to accept appointment as IMCoS President. He proposed, and Diana Webster seconded, a motion to confirm the appointment, which the meeting unanimously agreed.
11 Any Other Business
David Webb repeated his request to retire as the IMCoS official photographer and asked for a replacement to be identified as soon as possible.
12 Closure
There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 11.35 am.
