2023 APSC Elections
on behalf of elections@aquaticpark.com · NOVEMBER 16, 2022
This year the nominations function has been added to better help with the election and nomination function. This better serves the membership by providing another way at elections@aquaticpark.com to bring forth your nominations in addition to online forms and other traditional methods such as an email or call to a current board member. Nominations for any board position is open up to the moment of voting.
During this Annual General Meeting, held virtually via Zoom on November 24 at 7 PM, your Commodore and board of directors will provide a final update and summary of the year. The 2023 board elections will then take place hosted by the nomination lead with board oversight.
Remember: nominations remain open and all positions are considered available for any member to run for, regardless of whether the current director is choosing to run for reelection or the number of candidates currently running. Reach out to elections@aquaticpark.com to submit interest.
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Mike Rossiter: Commodore
I am running for the position of commodore of APSC for 2023. For the last two years I have been treasurer so I have a detailed understanding of how the club works, how it is financed, and the challenges we are facing. A non-profit, member run sailing club depends upon the cooperation and contribution of a wide variety of members acting towards the common goal of the club’s well-being. The commodore’s job as I see it is to represent our club to the stakeholders and community, to support the various executive members and committees that keep our club safe, happy, and prosperous, and to ensure decisions are made democratically.
My background is in education and education administration. I have experience leading a small business and coordinating a staff of educators. I know how to bring people together to achieve the professional and financial goals of an organization. That means cultivating positive relationships, building consensus where possible, and informed, careful decision making. Here are some areas I would like to highlight:
Communications: I believe that it is important that the membership be kept informed at all times of any changes made to the club, especially changes that are going to incur a substantial amount of time and money.
Safety: It is of utmost importance that the club be safe, both on land and on the water. House and Grounds, Safety Officer and Harbour Master play a big part in keeping the club safe, but if elected Commodore, I will ensure that any and all issues are tabled and handled in a timely manner.
Upgrades: As Commodore, I will take note of needed upgrades to make the club a welcoming place to spend time. There are a significant number of projects that need attention as a priority and that will be my priority – to get them done in a responsible manner after consultation with the relevant board members.
Financials: It is important that we maintain a healthy reserve fund to meet upcoming legal and organizational challenges as well as future expenses for the infrastructure of our club. I intend to build on the financial growth of the last few years, keep fees low, and watch spending on non-essentials.
The TRCA: Our relationship with the TRCA is the most important relationship that we must nurture, as the renewal of our lease agreement depends on it. As commodore, I promise to represent the club faithfully and carefully maintain this relationship.
Membership: Building a healthy membership means both attracting new members and keeping current ones happy and engaged in their club. Our members are willing to jump in and solve problems, come up with solutions, and have a wide variety of expertise and experience that we should utilize.
Club culture: I will build on the return of our vibrant social and race programs, and protect what is special about APSC – the camaraderie, the sailing focus, the history, and the stewardship of our bay and site.
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Katie Grundy: Treasurer
Hi everyone! For those who don’t know me my name is Katie, and I’ve decided to run for Treasurer on the exec board this year. I’ve been sailing my whole life and I love the uniqueness of APSC and the people that make the club what it is. I’ve had experience working as finance director in a smaller organization, and participating in leadership committees when I was appointed faculty director on the University of Toronto Students Union board of directors. I’m well versed in the use of spreadsheets, I know how to formulate a budget, and I never miss a deadline. I believe in responsible spending, intelligent investment, and saving for a rainy day. My goal, if elected, is to continue the excellent work of my predecessors in keeping our little oasis financially secure. APSC is about sailors helping sailors, and if elected, I feel I could be helpful in this position. Thanks for your consideration!
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Brian Burchell: Harbourmaster
I would welcome the opportunity to serve again in the Harbourmaster role in 2023. As many of you may know I have performed in this role previously. If elected, I undertake the following:
Service: Maintaining a swing mooring field of roughly 100 balls requires constant vigilance. Annual monitoring and service is necessary to keep our vessels safe from harm. The ground tackle from the lake bed block to the mooring ball needs a thorough inspection every 3-4 years. This means we should try and investigate roughly 30+ moorings a year. Often we are replacing ball, chain, shackles, and mousing. All this keeps vessels from coming free and wreaking havoc in the field.
Previously, I had maintained a database of the mooring field that goes back 18 years. I had built upon records of previous harbourmasters, including Marcus, Alex, and Barna. It’s a triage-based system where the greatest risk moorings are addressed first, regardless if there are current vessels moored on them. Chains and connections will corrode, and abrade under load, in an often unpredictable fashion, hence the need for ongoing inspection.
Though it is far from ideal, I would revive the existing barge into service for 2023. We have already repaired the lower part of the pontoons and with some easy hydraulic work can make it work. Long term, the barge needs replacement, but for now the greatest imperative is servicing the field. As far as I can tell nothing happened on this front in 2022, which is regrettable.
Collaboration:The harbour job requires a team for the practical work and provides valuable assistance to other executive roles. A typical work day for the harbour crew was every other Friday we would meet as a group of 3-4 and tackle a list of priorities.
The barge requires a minimum of two crew to operate and if we are moving member’s boats around to service their moorings another two crew on a work boat to move the members’ vessel. We typically lift the blocks for a thorough inspection and sometimes relocate them. For some, diving is required. It’s messy and tedious work and as Barna (a previous harbourmaster and now an amazing harbour volunteer) said to new recruits “don’t wear clothes to this that you are not ready to burn afterwords”. That is statement about the mud on the bottom and rust on mooring tackle and it’s true.
Assembling a team of volunteers is critical for the harbour role to succeed. For me, it’s safety first, and I am happy to report no injuries to our crew over 3 years of service. Its been a great place for members to spend their volunteer hours for the club and a lovely place for new members to work together. We never lacked for crew.
In order to support the club’s growth, the harbourmaster must have a thorough knowledge of the field in order to provide support to the executive. When the membership director emails: “so we have this 40 footer who wants to bring in this steel ketch, weighing 15 tonnes, can we accommodate them?” Or communications director, says “we have three boats coming from Rochester this weekend a 30, 40, and 50 footer, where can we put them?” I have fielded these very questions before, I have this knowledge, and responded to queries in a helpful and timely manner, and am prepared to do so again.
Membership Support: The mooring field is a dynamic place. Depending on winter conditions, the ice can pick up mooring balls and blocks together and move them. This changes the field map and potentially the proximity of one ball to another. Further, members are buying bigger boats; two side by side Tanzer 22 may now have 30 footers, that could be a problem. The harbourmaster should be there to help solve the problem. Ensuring members have peace of mind regarding the security of their moorings is a priority for me.
I am prepared to serve with other directors working in a collaborative and professional manner to maintain APSC as a safe and welcoming sailing club.
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John Komac: Harbourmaster
2022 was an extraordinary year for Harbour, the task of repairing and replacing the main docks with pontoons was a testament to how this club can pull together and do work above and beyond expectations.
This effort made APSC a safe place to be for the next generations of sailors.
We have had a good year when it came to mooring, no real issues with space, although the ice will shift things this winter.
As Harbour Master I have a plan to deal with low water levels in the upcoming years, in order for the club to have water access to dinghies and boats.
Many of the mooring have been visually checked last season, but some require hauling, chain and shackle replacement. I am negotiating a deal with the TMCC (Toronto MultiHull Club) to share in the use of their work barge to do deep mooring work. Their barge is in excellent condition and designed to safely haul heavier moorings than we have.
I will put a plan together to further inspect and repair mooring with the MTCC barge – keeping a work log.
Although APSC’s barge may be floating for now, it is not safe to use to do work in the bay.
The advantage of me continuing on as Harbour Master is I spend the majority of the season on my boat. Last season, I was able to assist a number of boats with engine problems back to the main docks and have helped to repair many of the engines.
The dinghy docks are our next challenge for the upcoming season. The beavers in the bay did a substantial amount of damage – steps are being made to replace the floats and enclose the bottom of the docks to avoid another beaver infestation.
I look forward to your support.
Harbourmaster
Johnny Komac
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Scotty Jones: Safety
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Fred Chevalier: Race Director
I’d like to reiterate my interest for the Race Director position.Here is a brief description for Web posting.
Thanks to the mentorship from past directors, the support of the race team and despite some bad weather Wednesday, we had a great summer.
During the past year I have had the chance to do the Race Officer training from Sail Canada. My goal is to continue to develop APSC race activities and to create a comprehensive and thriving program that provides learning and fun opportunities for sailors of all skill levels
Nick Scribner: Duty Officer
For the continuity and fluid running of the club shuttle. Continue upkeep of logging stationary and facilitate smooth operations for duty officers, shuttle drivers shifts and scheduling.
Tim Kirkwood: Member at Large
I would like to continue in my role as member-at-large for the club. My responsibilities include representing the club’s interests to the sitting politicians for our Ward 14. I have in the past requested help from Councillor Fletcher and her office in negotiating a new 5-year lease with the TRCA. This was no small feat, as Councillor Fletcher played a huge role in helping us secure the lease that we have now. I am also close to our MPP Peter Tabuns, though we have yet to work together in the club’s interest. I hope someday, he is a motivated and thoughtful person.
I sit on the board of the Outer Harbour Sailing Federation. These clubs, all 7, range from rowing skulls and sail dinghies to multi-hull sail craft. Our involvement helps represent APSC in common areas of interest such as boating safety in the Outer Harbour, as well as widening our representation in all areas of boating in the GTA.
We will have to negotiate a new lease over the next year or two, and I would like to continue with the excellent Councillor Fletcher and if needed, lawyer Jennifer King who helped immensely in negotiating terms for the 2018 lease. Also, I’m working with Andrea Chreston of the TRCA to finalize an agreement allowing paddlers (canoes and kayaks) to rent paddle craft storage in our dinghy compound.
I also work to facilitate with other areas of the club business and enjoy the rewards of helping and working with like-souls!!
Tim
Kate Wilson – Vice Commodore
Hey Sailors! It would be my pleasure and honour to stand as your vice commodore again in 2023. Over the past season, I have approached this role as one of support – to each of our other directors, assisting where and when I can; and to the membership, lending an open ear and bringing forth any of your causes or concerns to the executive team. I wholeheartedly believe that our community at APSC is the best on the lake, and I hope to continue our work in fostering that through another year, keeping our club safe, happy, and prosperous.
