February 11, 2022
To all CJBS Members,
We hope this message finds you all safe and well.
As you may know, Coastal Jazz & Blues Society is in a period of leadership transition, but the current Board of Directors is committed to fulfilling our duties to ensure the sustainability and oversight of the Society, and will continue to govern the Society.
The election conducted at the 2021 AGM was not conducted according to the Society’s Bylaws. There is no provision for “voting out” Board members — if the number of candidates exceeds the number of open Board positions, then an election should be held to determine which of the candidates are elected to the Board — otherwise the candidates are acclaimed. This was the legal assessment provided to the Board by an independent counsel, which was confirmed and agreed to by the Society’s own legal team. These Bylaws are public information and can be found here.
These Bylaws were precisely designed to avoid the kind of uncertainty and chaos that resulted at the AGM in question. Emotions were running high resulting in words and actions that we profoundly regret.
We take our responsibilities to the Society’s Members, its history and legacy and our commitment to the music and the musical community with whom we work every day, very seriously. Carrying on the legacy and intent of our Founders, the Board would like to assure Staff, Society Members, and the community at large that we will engage in a thoughtful, transparent, and equitable process to determine the future artistic leadership of the organization. In addition, the Board’s composition needs to reflect the community and we are committed to recruiting new candidates to achieve that and to encourage a wider spectrum of voices at the table.
With that in mind, we note that there are currently open Board positions and want to emphasize that as part of achieving the goal of a transition to a wider spectrum of voices, Board recruitment is an on-going process. We always welcome interested, capable individuals who are willing to step up to guide the Society in its mandate, to participate in its commitment to the community, and to do the work necessary. For those of you who are interested in being considered for a position on the Board, we invite you to contact us at [email protected] with your resume and a cover letter outlining your interest in joining the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society Board as well as any prior and/or relevant Board experience. All interested candidates will be contacted.
Additionally, we would like to congratulate Rainbow Robert on her new position with the BC Alliance for Arts & Culture.
Kind regards,
CJBS Board of Directors
