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Minutes of the AGM of the Omaha Beach Ratepayers & Residents Assn. Inc. held at Omaha Beach Community Centre 9 January 2005 at 10.00 am. ATTENDEES Margaret Simpson (President), John Badham (Vice President), Jo Richards (Secretary), Michael Dow, Jonathan Hislop, Peter Jackson, Ron McMahon, Greg Stenbeck, Cr. John Ross and approximately 100 ratepayers & residents. An attendance register was circulated. WELCOME Margaret Simpson (President) welcomed everyone to the AGM. APOLOGIES Judy Crooks, Cr. Penny Webster, Terry & Joan Simpson, Ian Baudinet, Greg & Ann Dow, Kent & Diana Robertson, David & Leonie Rainbow, Steve Dods, Kelvin & Barbara Gibson, Robert & Leigh Giboney, Catherine Mitchell, Roger & Lorraine Richwhite, Larry & Debbie Keating, Wayne & Liz Rooney, Stephen Thomas, Mark Wilson, Nicola & Barry Mitchell, Steve Kelly. Moved that the apologies be accepted. CARRIED. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS AGM The minutes of the previous AGM held 4 January 2004 were circulated. Margaret Simpson moved that the minutes be taken as a true and correct record. CARRIED. PRESIDENT'S REPORT This report was published in the December 2004 newsletter. Margaret Simpson spoke about three major events since this publication. Matakana Fire & Emergency Services Trust Margaret said the concern as to the adequacy of our ability to protect Omaha properties from fire led to a meeting with representatives of the Point Wells community and officers of the Rural and NZ Fire Services. Subsequently, a public meeting was held in July to ascertain the level of support for establishing a Rural Volunteer Fire Force. She invited vice president John Badham to give further details. John said that the fundraising appeal for the Matakana Country Fire & Emergency Services Trust had been launched with the publication of the December newsletter. Brochures were also delivered in the area to be covered by the fire and emergency services from Green’s Road south of Matakana, north to Upper Whangateau Road and including the beach settlements in the Takatu and Tawharanui areas. Land had been made available for a fire station within the Matakana Country park and a fire engine and water tanker provided by Rural Fire Officer Phil Nesbit. John emphasized that volunteer firefighters would be trained to deal with medical emergencies and would be equipped with a defibrillator and oxygen. At this stage, seven volunteers had applied to join the force. About $27,000 in donations had already been received but with a target of $400,000 there was a long way to go. It was hoped to have enough money to be able to start construction within the year. Margaret thanked John for his involvement in the project. Craft Fair Margaret said that, at its meeting in October, the committee had unanimously decided not to hold the Craft Fair this year. However, members of the executive decided to host the event and she was very pleased to be able to present John Badham, as chairman of the Matakana Country Fire & Emergency Services steering committee, with a cheque for $1,700. The fire engine had been in attendance on the day and further donations were received by steering committee members 'on duty' at the entrance to the fair. Family Fun Day The Family Fun Beach day, held 8 January, had been expanded from the pre-teens in the morning, to include a fashion parade and beach wear contest for teenagers in the afternoon and a dinner, dance and celebrity auction for the adults at night. Dean Revell estimated there had been about 2,000 people on the beach and was very pleased with the success of the fundraising for the storage bunker and heli-pad. Margaret thanked OBRRA committee members for their assistance with the morning activities and congratulated the Omaha Beach Surf Life Saving Club on a fantastic day. TREASURER'S REPORT Copies of this report were circulated. Rob Hall resigned at the October committee meeting and Ian Baudinet had acted as interim treasurer. The financial year ended November 30, 2004 and Paul Kiesanowski had audited the accounts. In the absence of Ian Baudinet, John Badham presented the treasurer's report. To a question about membership subscriptions being lower than in 2003, he stated that, because ratepayers had received all four newsletters, some assume that they had paid their subscription. It was noted that they had received an invoice with the first newsletter. A comment was made that a resident thought they had paid but had not received a receipt or had their membership recorded. It was moved that the accounts be accepted. John Badham/Peter Turner Carried. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION Margaret announced that the 2004 committee recommended that the annual subscription be raised to $25.00. The question was asked what the money was to be used for and how would this increase be justified. John Badham stated that there were ongoing costs for monitoring and servicing of the security cameras. An objection was made to the interest-free loan of $10,000 to the Omaha Beach Golf Club and the member said that the Omaha Beach Ratepayers & Residents Association should not subsidise the Golf club. OTHER MATTERS
CONSTITUTION John Badham moved that the alterations, as published and circulated,
be made to the constitution. Each clause was to be debated individually. Lauraine Jacobs asked if legal advice had been taken regarding the proposed changes. Since it had not, she suggested this be done. Margaret argued that the promulgation of the proposed changes to the Constitution had satisfied the legal requirements. Peter Jackson then moved the following motion: A show of hands was taken. There were 52 votes for the motion, 28 against. CARRIED. Len Painter asked that the Constitution be addressed by the incoming committee. BOWLING CLUB REPORT (Judith Crooks) Despite low membership we are in good health financially and operationally. It has been good to have some new bowlers gained by having a minimal first year subscription. We were sad to lose Dave Ewart. He and his late wife Noela were foundation members of the Club. Although you will see us in whites, for championship events and Open Tournaments, we are much more casual the remainder of the time. All are welcome to the Friday night roll-ups. All you need are soft shoes. We have the spare bowls. SURF CLUB REPORT (Dean Revell) The Surf Club had had a very successful beach carnival day and, although the final fundraising total was not yet available, the celebrity auction had raised a very good sum and the beach party dinner and dance had been a very enjoyable occasion. Dean thanked OBRRA for their involvement in the day and was very appreciative of all the assistance given. He announced that the funds were to build a storage bunker with a heli-pad on top. TENNIS CLUB REPORT (Russell Hart) The AGM was attended by only three members. Russell Hart has now taken over the Presidency of the Tennis Club and intends to carry out further re-organization prior to re-energising activities. OMAHA BEACH FORESHORE PROTECTION SOCIETY Margaret advised she had attempted to make contact, but without success. Therefore, no one was invited to prepare a report for the AGM. OMAHA – WHANGATEAU YACHT CLUB (Terry Brailsford) The Yacht Club was in good heart with an organized programme of races. This evening was the annual race across the harbour from Omaha to Point Wells and all were invited to watch the race. COAST CARE GROUP (Terry Brailsford) The Coast Care Group had a successful planting season with over 1200 plants obtained and planted on the sand cliffs of the Northern Spit. GOLF CLUB (Michael Dow) As there was a tournament in progress, Michael Dow agreed to report briefly. Improvements to the course and work on the fourteenth hole had now been completed. The course was busy with players throughout the holiday period. GENERAL BUSINESS Lauris Mortensen thanked Margaret Simpson and Jo Richards for organizing the Craft Fair. Steve Isbey reported that a crab fisherman was dropping pots close to the shore on the surf beach and attracting sharks. He suggested that crab fishing be banned from Omaha Beach from November until March and had already contacted the harbour master Gary Cargill. It was reported that the grass reserve nearly opposite the boat ramp had a great deal of gorse amongst the grass making this unpleasant for children to play on. It was suggested that this issue be taken up with the Rodney District Council by the incoming committee. Peter Jackson said Margaret Simpson was to be congratulated for her efforts in obtaining 50% of the cost of the Security Cameras from Rodney District Council. He also thanked Michael Dow and Sheryl Raymond for their generous donation of the other half of the funding. Margaret mentioned in her report that it had been a torrid year. A member asked what she had meant by the term torrid. Margaret explained the outcry from committee members, concerning her assistance to residents and property owners asking for tree pruning, as one example. David Collinson said neighbours could be asked to prune trees on their property. Rob Simpson enlarged on Margaret's comments by pointing out that the 2004 & 2005 committees, in his opinion, were dominated by a ticket organized by the Omaha Foreshore Protection Society and asked what were the policies of the OFPS as articulated by its representatives on the OBRRA committee. He then suggested that they were to keep the public off the foreshore reserve and said that the group had threatened legal action if the RDC proceeded with the proposed foreshore walkway. Jonathan Hislop replied that the Omaha Foreshore Protection Society was for the protection of the dunes and that the muelenbeckia had increased. Rob Simpson said that another policy of the OFPS representatives appeared
to be to manage the Community Centre in the interests of the golf club. Rob reminded those present, as Lauris Mortensen had done, that the community Centre had been built with money raised by all residents and ratepayers and that there should be more equitable use of the centre by other groups and residents alike. He reiterated that OFPS representatives on the committee were opposed to tree pruning to retain views; despite the survey indication 80% of Omaha residents support this. David Hanson advised that whilst a member of OFPS, he was not a member of the Golf Club, and had supported tree pruning in his immediate area. Margaret was questioned about the statement in her report about the need to elect a balanced committee. Margaret said that she felt it was important that the committee should be representative of the interests and opinions of residents from all parts of Omaha and all community groups. Rob asked why the four most pro-active and energetic committee members had all resigned and expressed a lack of confidence in a committee, which in his opinion was dominated by OFPS representatives, to serve the community effectively. The secretary, Jo Richards, presented retiring president, Margaret Simpson with flowers and thanked her for her hard work and achievements for the ratepayers over the past year. John Badham was presented with a cake and thanked for his support and work as vice president. Michael Dow thanked Ron McMahon for his hard work on rabbit control. Nominations for the new committee were received, as requested, by 5 January and, as the nominations matched the maximum allowable number, the following were announced as the committee for 2005:
Councillor John Ross, thanked the Omaha Beach Ratepayers & Residents Association for its work on behalf of the community at Omaha. He said that co-operation with RDC over the past years had led to the success in gaining funding from the RDC to assist with the purchase of the security cameras. He hoped that the co-operative relationship would continue as it was in the best interests of the Omaha community. INCOMING PRESIDENT Russell Hart addressed the meeting with the following messages: The good work from 2004 would be built on, as well as the launch of many new projects. Feedback from the residents was critical to maintaining momentum and direction in 2005. Russell thanked the residents for the opportunity to lead the committee in 2005. The meeting closed at 12 noon. Russell Hart Jan White Copyright © 2005-2010 Omaha Beach Community Inc. |