June 24, 2021 Council Synopsis of Minutes

Funeral and Cremation Services Council of Saskatchewan
Council Meeting
Thursday, June 24, 2021
Teleconference
9:00 a.m. 

Synopsis of Minutes 

Present via teleconference and/or Zoom: Dustin Hall, Chairperson; Shannon Leson, Vice-Chairperson; Don Sheppard; Nancy Kirk; Chelsea Krentz; Mark Muir; Gay Patrick; Robert Volk; Amanda Starosta; Denny Huyghebaert, Deputy Superintendent of Funeral and Cremation Services; Sandy Mahon, Registrar

Regrets: Scott Moffat

Guest:  10:00 a.m. – Perry Nyhus, Senior Marketing Consultant, Harvard Broadcasting

Minutes taken by: Tanya Chernick-Aldridge

Council was advised that one complaint has been received since the last meeting of Council and the complaint was forwarded to an investigation committee.  Sixty virtual compliance reviews have been conducted to date in 2021.

Sandy Mahon, Registrar, has announced his retirement:

“Several years ago during a council meeting the matter of succession planning was discussed.  At that time I gave a commitment that whenever the time arrived I would give sufficient notice of my intentions in order to ensure a smooth transition.  The Premier’s announcement yesterday to lifting restrictions on July 11th has caused me to arrive at a decision I have been postponing during the pandemic.  It is my intention to announce my retirement at the council meeting on Thursday, which will allow the process in finding my replacement to begin.  I have not set a specific date at this point as I wish to ensure there is a smooth transition once my replacement has been named and is in place.  It has been a pleasure to serve the council these past 16 years, but on my forthcoming birthday I will have reached my best before date”.

A motion was passed to accept the revisions to bylaw 2050 as recommended by the Legislative &
Governance Committee.

A motion was passed to accept the January, February, March and April 2021 Revenue & Expense Reports as presented.

A motion was passed for the Communication Committee to proceed with doing a trial run for doing both boosting posts and promoting the FCSCS website on Facebook for the month of July and reporting the results to Council at a future meeting.

A motion was passed to accept the offer put forward from Harvard Broadcasting and move forward with the FCSCS Radio Ad Campaign

2021 Spring Symposium Update

  • 2021 Virtual Spring Symposium Registrations
    • 257 Registrations Received
  • 2021 Virtual Spring Symposium Attendance
    • Day one – Licensees 232, Guests 13
    • Day two – Licensees 185, Guests 10

A motion was passed to accept the 2021 Committees of Council as presented.

A motion was passed for Gay Patrick to replace Jeff Weafer as a Council member authorized to sign cheques.

A motion was passed to issue the difference between the full meeting rate and the teleconference rate for meetings that were held by Council, Committee members and mentors between March 17th, 2020, and December 31st, 2020

Status of the Sask. Polytech Funeral Service Education Program

Don Sheppard, Chairperson of the Professional Development Committee, was in contact with Janice Danino, Sask. Polytech Program Head and Nadia Hladky, Sask. Polytech Continuing Education Administrator and they both confirmed that as of June 2022 the Funeral Service Education Program (FSEP) will be terminated, and it will not be renewed.  Any students enrolled will be required to have completed the course by then.

Students that have not completed the course by June 2022 will be looked at on an individual basis by the Continuing Education Consultant to see if there is a way for the student to complete the course and receive their certificate.

All students have received server letters form the Program Head and Academic Chair regarding the program being discontinued and the timelines for completion of the course.

Letters were sent to all students in early February 2020 giving students information on 2 Student Advisers and their contact information to assist in setting p an academic plan and to ensure their success.

The Registrar will circulate the June 16th, 2021, correspondence from Sask. Polytech to all Owners to see which funeral homes are willing to accept students to complete their practicums.  A list of accepting funeral homes will then be sent out to all registered students.

The next meeting of Council will be held on Thursday, September 9, 2021

In the interest of timely disclosure, this synopsis of Council Minutes is posted for your information only.  This is a summary only and is not to be used in place of the office version.  Official Council Minutes are not created until the transcript of the minutes is reviewed and adopted by Council at a subsequent monthly meeting.  To inquire into any matter arising from this summary, please contact the Registrar.