Committees

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There are three permanent committees in the Association. All committee members are volunteers who put time and effort into making the Ramblers a worthwhile club for all. If you have been with the club for a few years and have derived enjoyment from its activities, then you should consider giving something back by volunteering for one of these committees. Some positions require more commitment than others, but there are still many things that can be done to help the club with only a minimum of effort. The next time a position is open or a job needs to be done, volunteer; who knows what latent talents you may have!

Executive Committee: manages the business of the Association
Coordinators Council: responsible for the outdoor activities of the Association
Safety Committee: promotes safety awareness within the Association

Executive Committee:	manages the business of the Association
Coordinators Council:	responsible for the outdoor activities of the Association
Safety Committee:	promotes safety awareness within the Association

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is responsible for the ongoing affairs of running the Association. It has the final decision on any directives suggested by the Coordinators Council, the Safety Committee, and various sub-committees. One of its most important responsibilities is keeping the club in a sound financial position. The Executive meets when necessary, but no less than four times a year. At each meeting members of the Executive report on issues concerning their positions and any sub-committees. Minutes of each meeting are taken, with summaries submitted to the Packrat newsletter.

There are ten positions on the Executive Committee: President, Vice President, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Trips Director, Social Director, Programs Director, Packrat editor, and Membership Director. All positions are for one year, and all are elected at the Annual General Meeting, except for Past President and Trips Director. The following summarizes the responsibilities of each position:

President

The President serves as the chief executive officer of the RMRA. Duties include:

call and chair meetings of the Executive, and of the Association;
serve as an ex-officio member on all committees of the Association;
delegate the duties of the President to the Vice President when unable to be present at a meeting;
approve with the Vice President subsidies to members to attend courses;
appoint a member of the Executive to represent the Association at organizations such as CAOC and CASC; and
represent the Association to the media.

Vice President

The Vice President acts for the President when the President is unable to attend meetings. In the event that the office of the President is vacant, the Vice President shall assume all the duties of the President for the balance of the elected term. Other duties of the Vice President are:

be responsible for finding information on and announcing courses;
approve subsidies of courses with the President;
act as an information officer to maintain and update documents as necessary;
see that copies of documents are in plentiful supply (e.g. trip sheets, brochures, etc.); and
call and chair meetings of the Safety Committee.

Secretary

The Secretary keeps the minutes of the Association. Duties include:

be responsible for the minutes the Annual General Meeting, and all meetings of the Executive and Coordinators Council;
maintain all minutes in a Minute Book which shall be the official document of the Association;
have copies of the minutes available for members;
be responsible for all correspondence of the Association;
collect and distribute all mail received by the Association;
send letters of thanks on behalf of the Association to outside speakers;
maintain the bulletin board;
file annual documents as required by the Societies Act of Alberta; and
maintain custody of the Association Seal.

Treasurer

The Treasurer is the financial officer of the Association. Duties include:

maintain the Association bank accounts;
maintain the ledger of the Association;
have the financial records audited at year end and presented to the AGM; and
collect all annual membership dues and other fees approved by the Executive.

Past President

The Past President lends continuity and experience from the previous Executive.

Trips Director

The Trips Director represents the Coordinators Council on the Executive. Duties include:

at weekly meetings present the outgoing trips and reports of the previous week's trips;
check that coordinators have announced their trips adequately to members;
maintain a log of trips, and update the ongoing trip statistics;
ensure that trip announcements are kept up to date on the phone information line and on the website;
discuss any trip incident with the coordinator or participant that may require review;
call a Coordinators Council meeting at least once a year;
present a summary of trip statistics to the AGM; and
be a member of the Safety Committee.

Social Director

The Social Director organizes social functions for the Association. Duties include:

organize social functions such as:
- Christmas and Valentines potluck dinners;
- Stampede breakfast;
- year-end camp; and
- Annual Dinner and Dance.
organize a sub-committee to assist in planning and coordinating social functions; and
see that the coffee shop supplies and funds are in good order.

Programs Director

The Programs Director arranges Wednesday meeting programs. Duties include:

arrange Wednesday meeting programs at least once a month;
provide a mix of outside speakers, members' slide presentations, and instructional programs; and
be a member of the Safety Committee.

Packrat Editor

The Editor issues the Association newsletter six times a year. Duties include:

edit submissions to the Packrat for suitability;
arrange for advertising, printing, and distribution to members; and
file a copy with the Association archives, and send an issue to CAOC.

Membership Director

The Membership Director maintains the membership roster. Duties include:

be present at Wednesday meetings to distribute and accept Membership Application documents;
check applications for correctness, receive membership fees, and issue membership cards;
maintain the online membership list, and issue hardcopy versions from time to time;
have pins, crests, history books, etc. available for sale;
provide address labels for mailing Packrat newsletters and notices; and
receive and file trip signup sheets from coordinators.

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Coordinators Council

The Coordinators Council deals with matters relating to outdoor activities. The Council consists of all Coordinators and the officers of the Association: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Trips Director is elected to chair the Council and to be their representative on the Executive. The Council generally meets twice a year in the spring (April) and fall (September). Some functions of the Council include:

consider conflicts or concerns arising from trips;
be responsible for trip ratings;
consider recommendations from the Safety Committee, including safety policies;
nominate and approve applications for Probationary Coordinators;
approve Probationary Coordinators to Full Coordinators;
recommend Coordinators for special recognition or awards;
determine the recommended car pool rate; and
discuss any issues of concern to Coordinators.

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Safety Committee

Committee Agenda

Education:: Knowledge is the key is the key to maintaining a high level of safety awareness on club trips. The Committee promotes outside courses relevant to RMRA activities, conducts Wednesday evening programs and forums, and suggests field trips to practice safety techniques.
Documentation:: The Committee will endeavor to make sure that safety documentation is up to date and readily available to members.
Safety Proposals:: Proposals are formulated as necessary for consideration by the Coordinators Council.

Committee Members

Four members of the Executive are on the Safety Committee:

Vice President: the Vice President is the chair of the Safety Committee;
Trips Director: the Coordinators Council considers recommendations of the Safety Committee;
Programs Director: the Programs Director is in charge of arranging Wednesday programs; and
President: the President is on all committees.

In addition there are up to eight club members who hopefully represent a cross section of the Association to give a balanced perspective to the Committee. The Safety Committee meets from time to time as it feels necessary to make plans to execute its agenda.

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