Karen Baker, Treasurer and incoming Vice-President, presented the 2022/2023 budget for the Rotary Club of Belleville. The budget Committee was comprised of Peter Malone, Chair and Rotarians Tracy Bray, Peter Coy, Karen Baker, Randy Coker, Collin Myers, Rosi Ouellette, Darrell Smith and Jo-Anne Wheeler and worked very hard to put forward a responsible budget for the Club. Their time and collaboration was recognized by everyone.
After more than two years restricted by COVID, everyone has felt the challenges and frustrations that grew day by day, Zoom by Zoom. Congratulations to Past Presidents Doug Peterson, Tim McKinney and Darrell Smith for their leadership and commitment and for keeping the Club working at almost full strength throughout the pandemic. The funds raised and projects supported over the last two years is an amazing show of what the Rotary Club of Belleville is all about. The Club adapted quickly, especially where programs were concerned to ensure those we support were not negatively affected. Fundraising was adapted to meet COVID protocols while still raising money and maintaining regular meetings for the lunch time and the after-work members. We look forward to getting back together in person, integrating the magnificent work of those who attend either Rotary meetings, organizing more fellowship and continuing the considerable work of those committees that raise funds and those committees that spend what is raised.
The Board is taking steps this coming Rotary year to encourage members to create additional fundraising committees and ideas to compliment the excellent work of longstanding fundraising committees such as Rotary Loves Kids and Diners and Duffers. More recently we have had fundraising initiatives from the after work members such as Hockey Night in Quinte and the Belleville Senators 50/50 ticket sales.
So here's to strengthening post-pandemic fellowship and building on the core initiatives of this great Club. IMAGINE ROTARY and what we can do!
Karen went through the Operating and Service Budgets pretty much line by line and included year-to-date expenditures as well as the 2021/2022 budget and proposed 2022/2023 budget. The bulk of revenue in the Operating budget comes from members' dues. It was noted that dues have not increased since 2010 and a recommendation was made to increase from the current $400 per year to $470 per year. The Operating budget includes the Rotary International Annual Conference, dues payable to District 7070, President-Elect training, office supplies, auditor fees, professional services (bookkeeper), website hosting and maintenance fees. The Service budget consists of fundraising initiatives, investment fund contributions and other rebates and donations. Total funds available for disbursement in 2022/2023 Service budget total $149,949 and expenditures based on budget proposals of the "spending" committees total $148,038. Disbursements include International Service, literacy projects, Indigenous Peoples Partnerships, Quinte Children's Foundation, Kids Against Hunger, Rotary Loves Trees, Food for Learning, Special Needs Children and Global Disaster Relief fund to name some of the expenditure areas.
A motion was made by Karen Baker, seconded by Ken Wheeler to adopt the Operating Budget for 2022/2023 as presented with all in favour. A second motion was made by Karen Baker, seconded by Shannon Neely to accept the 2022/2023 Service Budget as proposed/presented by the Budget Committee with all in favour. A third motion was made by Karen Baker, seconded by Doug Peterson to approve a dues increase as recommended by the Budget Committee to $470 per year. All members were encouraged to raise as much as they can with as little cost as possible.