NAUTICAL INSTITUTE

 

BC BRANCH – BUSINESS PLAN

 

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE

The objectives of The Nautical Institute shall be to promote and co-ordinate in the public interest the development of nautical studies in all its branches and in the furtherance thereof but not otherwise to:

 

1.      Encourage and promote a high standard of qualification, competence and knowledge among those in control of seagoing craft including non-displacement craft.

2.      Facilitate the exchange and publication of information and ideas on nautical science, to encourage research therein and to publish the results thereof.

3.      Establish and maintain appropriate educational and professional standards of membership.

4.      Co-operate with Government Departments and other bodies concerned with statutory and other qualifications, and with universities and other educational institutes and authorities in the furtherance of education and training in nautical science and practice.

5.      Encourage the formation of Branches and professional groups in other regions overseas.

 

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA BRANCH OF THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE

In furtherance of the objectives of the Nautical Institute and for the benefit of its members, the Branch will have as its objectives the following:

 

  1. Encourage and a high standard of qualification, competence and knowledge among the members, both seagoing and in senior positions ashore.
  2. Facilitate the exchange and publication of information and ideas on nautical science, and encourage research therein.
  3. Develop and maintain appropriate professional standards for the membership and for the marine industry.
  4. Provide support and advice to local and federal government departments and other regulatory bodies concerned with statutory and other qualifications, and  with centres of learning in the furtherance of education and training in nautical science and practice.
  5. Encourage the formation of other professional groups such as the Nautical Professional Education Society of Canada and the development of other Branches of the Nautical Institute in North America.

 

THE STRUCTURE OF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA BRANCH OF THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE

To accomplish its objectives, the Branch functions under the guidance of a Board of Directors consisting of:

 


 

Chairman

Vice-Chairman (Mainland)

Vice-Chairman (Island)

Treasurer

Secretary

Communications Director

Directors (15)


 

 

Committees of the Board are struck on an ad hoc basis. There are no quotas established for Island and Mainland representation, except for the two Vice-Chairmen who are responsible for their local areas.

 

THE OPERATION OF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA BRANCH OF THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE

To carry out its mandate and to achieve its various objectives, as a minimum the Branch meets twice a year for seminars and once for an Annual General Meeting. The Spring Seminar is on a subject of current interest, chosen by the Board after reviewing suggestions received from the general membership and from within that body. The Fall Seminar is traditionally devoted to issues of safety and the environment.

 

The business of running the Branch is the main focus of the Annual General meeting and it is at this time, the results of the Business Plan for the past year are reported to the membership. The Business Plan for the subsequent year is then submitted for approval by the membership together with an update of the business plans for medium and long terms.

 

At the AGM each year, the Board members step down and a new Board is elected. Members may stand for re-election. 

 

To progress the work of the Branch effectively and efficiently, the Board meets monthly throughout the year (except for July and August). Meetings of Committees of the Board occur at the call of the Committee Chairman.

 

BRANCH ACTIVITIES /PROJECTS  

A.     Short Term ( one fiscal year or less)

For the Branch fiscal year 2004 the Branch will undertake the following activities:

·         Active comment and participation in Strategic Projects initiated by NIHQ in the field of ColReg changes.

·         Initiate a series of industry visits to both familiarize the membership with all aspects of the Pacific Coast marine industry and to raise the profile of the Branch in this area.

·         Strengthen ties with organizations with similar aims and objectives such as the Maritime Coalition, Chamber of Shipping etc.

·         Campaign actively for new and younger members for the Branch.

·         Seek sponsorship by Industry on a regular basis for the Branch seminars.

·         Increase membership involvement by establishing informal presentations by members on their work

·         Undertake a review of the Directors’ Manual in its present form to explore the possibility of making it a publication aimed at a wider audience to compliment the Branch website.

 

B. Medium Term (two-five fiscal years)

For the Branch fiscal years 2005 to 2010 the Branch will undertake the following activities: 

C. Long Term  (beyond 5 fiscal years)

For the Branch fiscal years of 2011 and beyond, the Branch will undertake the following activities:  TBA

 

 

D. Ongoing Activities

The Branch will continue to support the following activities as ongoing projects:

 

1.      Seminars: Two per year ,one of which will have Safety and Environmental Protection as its theme and the other a subject or subjects as directed by the Board

 

2.      Advice to Regulatory and Other Authorities: Participation in the following consultative bodies :

 

(i)                  Canadian Marine Advisory Council (twice per year) at both Regional and Federal levels.

(ii)                Western Marine Community ten times per year.

(iii)     Transport Canada Regulatory Reform Public Consultations and Working Groups (as required)

 

BRANCH ASSETS

Fixed Assets

The Branch maintains extensive records of its activities from its inception but which are in no standard format and have not been purged for outdated or duplicate material. Research into the Branch’s history would be unnecessarily time-consuming and difficult without a complete review and standardization of the materials.

 

The Branch maintains a small inventory of Nautical Institute paraphernalia such as ties, tie-pins, cufflinks, plaques and coffee mugs etc for purchase by members or as tokens of appreciation for guest speakers. No audit of this asset or report is made.

 

Financial Assets

The Branch holds its financial assets in the following manner-

 

Chequeing Account – held at the Credit Union, with a flat monthly fee of $1.50, which includes unlimited cheque writing, a monthly statement and cheques returned. No minimum balance is required for an annual cost of $18.00 which is lower than the average service charges incurred over previous years.

 

Savings Account – held at ING Direct, presently paying 2.75% interest. Most of the Branch working funds are in this account. Transfers to the Credit Union Account are undertaken when required. An estimation of accrued interest in this account is usually in the region of $69 which fluctuates directly with ING investments.

 

Mutual Fund Long Term Account – The Branch operates a mutual fund account with a financial planner. The Treasurer is authorised to increase these funds by $500 annually. Market fluctuation will affect this account to a lesser or greater degree but the Branch has seen a return in the region of 30%.

 

Due to higher Western Marine Community fees, donations out and CMAC costs, the Treasurer was unable to invest at the bottom of the market. When seminar net revenue is received, the Treasurer will continue to contribute. The Treasurer’s long–term goal is to have the interest from this account offset the Branch’s operating expenses.

 

 

 

Branch Funding Requirements

  1. Annual General Meeting - The cost to members of the AGM has in the past been subsidized to encourage members’ participation as in some cases this will be the only meeting /seminar that they are prepared to attend. This meeting does not normally generate any surplus funds.

 

  1. Canadian Marine Advisory Council (CMAC) – The Branch covers the cost of one member attending the national meeting in Ottawa twice a year. The Branch representative provides Branch input to the various committees and provides an extensive report to the membership on the activities of this body afterward.

 

  1. Western Marine Community (WMC) – An annual fee is charged for membership and the Branch is represented by one member at its meetings which are all held on the West Coast.

 

Branch Funding

Funds flow into the Branch to support its operations primarily from two sources:

 

A.                 Subvention - This is an annual allowance provided by Nautical Institute Head Office for the purpose of developing the Branch mainly in the area of expenses to hold meetings. The current level is set by NIHQ at 1,000 pounds sterling for the British Columbia Branch.

 

B.                 Seminar/Function Profits - The semi-annual seminars and any other meetings                    are the only source of locally –generated funds. As costs change with location and type of function, the Board sets the fees separately for each function, finding a middle ground between assured profitability and maximum participation by the membership and the public in general. 

 

SUMMARY

The Business Plan delineated above represents the first submission by the Board of the BC Branch of the Nautical Institute and incorporates some background material as well as a description of current activities. By choosing activities that are both financially sustainable, and are approved by the general membership, it is hoped that the Branch may consolidate it present position and move on to become a well-known and respected member of the marine community in the province. In future years, it is hoped that the Business Plan will be a shorter document, as past activities will be the subject of an Annual Report to the members.

 

All members of the Branch, whether on the Board of Directors or not, are strongly encouraged to offer constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement of this process. Members who wish to participate in the realization of this ambitious plan are welcomed by the Board.  This may not necessarily require election to the Board; offers of advice, contact names, ideas for projects and information generally are always appreciated. Contacts within the Board are listed on the Branch website.