MINUTES OF AVENUE BOWLING CLUB ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 25 JUNE 2012
Meeting opened at 7.07 pm
ATTENDEES: P Glass, V Sartori, A Connell, M Fisher, B Kamp, D McKendrick, Glenn Arthur, A Wilson, G Wilson. M Whiting, S Cooper, D Cook, I Jones, O Boratto, G Simpson, G Stirling, P Kay, G Kay, M Mettrick, P Clegg, V Hermann, P Burke, L Burke, C Hawken, W Hawken, P Thistlethwaite, G Harris, T Cuttler, W Cuttler, C Carlton, J Auty, L Robinson, C Sinclair, V Bourke, F Hollingsworth, D Murfin, P O’Connor, A Clegg, P Blythe, C Glass, M Thistlethwaite, S Sullivan, M Russell ----- 43 in attendance
APOLOGIES: T Noonan. J Fernihough, R Kick, Geo Arthur, D Fletcher, K Brophy, R Shugg, L Denning, L Barrersby, B Robinson, J Kenny, S Kenny, P O’Farrell, R Whitefield, K Werner. N Edwards, G Platt
(1) MINUTES OF PREVIOUS AGM
Moved P O’Connor seconded V Sartori that Minutes be accepted. Carried
(2) MINUTES OF SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING OF MEMBERS (Dec’11) re Candeloro St
Moved C Sinclair Seconded P Burke that Minutes be accepted. Carried
(3) MINUTES OF SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING OF MEMBERS (4/12) - New Constitution
Moved D McKendrick Seconded A Connell that Minutes be accepted. Carried
BUSINESS ARISING FROM MEETINGS 1,2 OR 3 ABOVE - NIL
REPORTS
Reports from Club President, Club Secretary, Club Treasurer, Men’s Bowling Section President, Ladies Bowls Section President, Ladies Bowls Section Secretary and Greens Director were forwarded to all members prior to the holding of the AGM
It was moved D Cook Seconded A Connell that all reports be accepted. Carried
TREASURERS REPORT
Audited financial statements for the Y/E 30/4/12 were forwarded to all members prior to the date of the AGM. Treasurer reported that actual results for the year were close to cash flow forecasts. Treasurer asked for any questions regarding financial statements from the floor, however none were forthcoming.
Treasurer also stated that COM recommendation to the new Board of Directors would be that there would be no increase in membership or green fees in 2012/13.
Moved P Blythe seconded G Wilson that report and Audited Accounts form the Auditor be accepted. Carried
ELECTION OF OFFICE BEARERS
The following Board of Directors positions each only received one nomination, hence Chairman Arthur Clegg declared the nominees elected unopposed:
ChairmanArthur Clegg
TreasurerPeter Blythe
SecretaryPeter Glass
Mens Bowls
PresidentPeter Thistlethwaite
Ladies Bowls
PresidentMarion Fisher
There were however 3 nominations both for Director (2 yr term) and Director (1 yr term), thus requiring a ballot for each position. Position of Director (2 yr term) attracted the following nominees:
-Peter Kay
-Carol Glass
-Val Sartori
Ballot was taken and voted counted by appointed scrutineers with the result being that Peter Kay and Carol Glass each had the same number of votes, thus requiring a re-vote. Members were asked to only vote for one of these two nominees. Fresh ballot resulted in member Peter Kay receiving the majority of votes and being duly appointed to this position.
Position of Director (1 yr term) received the following nominations:
-Graham Simpson
-Andy Connell
-Odino Boratto
Ballot was taken and counted by appointed scrutineers with result being that nominees Graham Simpson and Odino Boratto both ended up with an equal amount of votes; hence a second ballot was required. Again members were requested to only vote for one of these 2 nominees. Fresh ballot resulted in Odino Boratto receiving the majority of the votes and being duly appointed to this position,
Chairman Arthur Clegg thanked retiring (former) Committee of Management members Bob Shugg, Paul O’Farrell, Carol Glass, Bill Hawken, Val Sartori, Andy Connell and Graham Simpson for their input over the past 12 months.
GENERAL BUSINESS
Chairman confirmed that the new Board of Directors would meet in the next couple of weeks and would be determining the level of membership and green fees applicable for 2012/13. The (former) Committee of Management has recommended that these fees remain at 2011/12 level for the forthcoming year.
The Club has also received a letter from Auditor Dan Watson advising the Club of his resignation as Auditor, effective from the completion of the 2011/12 Audit. It was moved Peter Thistlethwaite seconded Carol Glass that Mr Watson’s letter be accepted and he be sent a letter of thanks. Carried.
Chairman advised the meeting that the former Committee of Management, being aware of the impending arrival of this letter had discussions with Dennis Wright, a qualified Auditor who subsequently agreed to act as Auditor for the Club. It is envisaged that the appointment of Mr Wright would save the Club approximately $6,000 pa and the Club Treasurer would do the bulk of the accounting work.
Moved Peter Thistlethwaite seconded Dave Murfin that the meeting endorse the Committee of Management’s recommendation that the Club appoint Mr Dennis Wright as Club Auditor. Carried
CANDELORO ST PROPERTY
Chairman Arthur Clegg advised members of the lack of progress in the re-zoning of the Club’s Candeloro St property. At the December 2011 Special Meeting of Members, at which members were advised that it was necessary to seek a report form an independent auditor and a re-assessment on the level of contamination in the property. Further, quotes received for this audit ranged from $25,000 to $55,000 (plus GST).
However, quotes for the re-assessment started at $44,000 (plus GST) which if accepted would take the cost of the project to date to $98,000. Bearing in mind members at the December meeting authorised expenditure of up to $100,000 for this project, which at the time appeared to be the upper limit of expenditure, left no funds for any remedial works or to cover costs if one or more pf the owners of the neighbouring properties objected to the re-zoning. Estimations are now that the total cost of this project may be in the vicinity of $150,000. Because of the higher than expected costs and potential for cost overrun the Committee of Management was not prepared to accept the assessors quote. Currently additional quotes are being sought, through a retired Shire Engineer & Town Planner.
It is expected that within the next 2 months, the Board of Directors will have to decide whether to proceed with the environmental audit or abandon the project in favour of other options, which include:
-Do nothing, put the proposal on hold
-Sell the property “as is”, Currently zoned Rural and could be worth $400,000]
-Re-locate the Club to the property (no re-zoning required) and sell the existing property containing the clubhouse and greens.
Depending on the decisions taken it may be necessary to consult members at a future Special Meeting of members.
OTHER-
Club Secretary addressed the meeting regarding uniforms for next season. For the past 2 years the Ladies have been allowed to wear their registered Club shirts whilst playing weekend pennant, and the men have been allowed to wear their registered Club shirts whilst playing midweek pennant.
As from 2012/13season, all players on the green during pennant must wear the same designed shirts. After consultation with the Ladies Bowls Section over the past few months, it was agreed that the ladies would change their shirt to the design currently
worn by the men. All they requested was that the shirt had to be white in colour (as distinct from the cream worn by the Men), made of a lighter material and it had to have a white collar (with a green stripe) rather than a green collar.
Club Secretary had discussions with Fashion Clubwear (the manufacturers of both the existing Ladies and Mens shirts) in the weeks before the AGM, resulting in the attached example being formulated, which was shown at the AGM. The revised design has to be registered with Bowls Victoria and then sent with the Mens shirt to Bowls Victoria seeking permission for our members to wear either shirt during Midweek or weekend pennant.
HONOUR BOARDS
A number of the Honour boards are full or nearly full. At a recent Committee meeting it was suggested that the full boards be photographed with the photos being placed in a leather bound album for perpetuity. The full Honour boards could then be replaced.
Members strongly resisted this approach and suggested it would be better to re-position the boards closer together and/or up higher on the wall.
Club will need to bear this in mind when planning its Honour board strategy.
There being no further business, meeting closed at 8.35pm