Minutes Special General Meeting (following AGM) 15th January 2006

Minutes

 
President Denise opened the Special General Meeting at 12.20 pm
 
PRESENT:
Denise & Michael Hooke, Joe Di Cecco, Leslie Huggins, Carol Wilmink, Jocelyn Dexter, Phil Smith, Simon Pockley, Bruce Andrews, Rod Buncle, John & Ingrid Ainsworth, Bruce Costin – SOLN
 
Non-members – Tracey Watson, Steve Thomas, Dani Cullen ?, Mark Ainsworth, Bernard & Valerie Stahn, Kate Szkonter & Mark Bartkowski, Annette Gilchrist, Jim Carty
 
APOLOGIES:
David & Sylvia Churchill, Frits Wilmink, Alan Huggins, Elizabeth Smith, Susan Pockley, Mick Heland, Frank, Andrew & Bebs Buchanan, John & Avis Coles, Sam & Glen Falzon, Ron & Mary Starkie, Webber Family, Ailsa & Frank Fabb/Shields.
 
1.            Special Water Supply Catchment Area
 
This subject was discussed in response to the Forum held on 3 December 2005 and the letter from Don Forsyth of the CCMA (which had been circulated)

 
4)         That the Special Water Supply Catchment Area become a major project area of the Otway Barham Catchment Landcare Group (in addition to the Adopt-the Barham Valley Road Project)
 
NOTE: This Recommendation was referred to the Special General Meeting to follow the AGM as some people present, who were not financial members of the OBCLG, wished to have considerable input into this subject. Minutes from this meeting record that:

• Bruce Costin, SOLN Acting President, replied in support of Landcare involvement in this matter as he believes we should have some influence within the Catchment.
  

• Carol Wilmink – advised the meeting that she supports part of Bernard Stahn’s comments.  She wanted funding to do projects which do not benefit the landholders directly.  She suggested that a Policy on waterless toilets should be a matter for our group to pursue with Barwon Water.
  

• Bruce Costin replied that members needed to be given this sort of information as part of the concessions to landholders requested in the conditional support for the Catchment Declaration.
  

• Bruce Andrews brought us back to the original recommendation and pointed out the need to sort out these comments in The Special General Meeting.
  

• The Recommendations 4 (above) 5 & 6 from the Presidents Report were held over for discussion in the Special General Meeting.
  

 
The meeting was advised that 23^rd January 06 is proposed as the first meeting between the spokes team and Barwon Water
 
RECOMMENDATION 1
 
That the Otway Barham Catchment Landcare Group support the Determination of the Otway Barham Catchment as a Special Water Supply Catchment Area and send a letter to this effect to the Southern Otway Landcare Network for its February Meeting
 
Considerable discussion was held on this recommendation and various points of view put forward.
 
Discussion was held on the proposal put forward by Simon Pockley (during the AGM) for a publicly accessible river quality indicator for both the East & West arms of the Barham River. This indicator would provide valuable data from which to measure the effectiveness of Landcare activities and also help to raise public awareness of the importance of river health and provide a focus for projects.
 
Carol Wilmink felt that the River Quality Indicator was Barwon Water’s responsibility
 
Not adopted.
 
RECOMMENDATION 2
 
That the Otway Barham Catchment Management Group provide conditional support for the Determination of the Otway Barham Catchment as a Special Water Supply Catchment Area
 
The conditions for this support are as follows:
 
That Barwon Water take responsibility for funding and maintaining the following catchment infrastructure:

• Provision of stock crossings
  
• Provision of off-river watering points
  
• Fencing out of the river
  
• Fencing of areas with capacity for runoff
  
• Upgrading of effluent systems where necessary
  
• Riverside weed control
  
• Revegetation  and riparian projects
  
• Maintenance of the existing water pipeline from the weir to the West Barham
  
• Consultation on any proposed restrictions for future development
  
• Support for the publicly accessible river quality indicator for the Barham River
  

 
That the above points be relayed to Barwon Water in a letter
 
Moved:   Bruce Andrews         
Seconded:  Simon Pockley
Carried unanimously
 
B. Composition of the Catchment Management Plan Steering Committee / Advisory Group.
 
That  Simon Pockley and  Denise Hooke  represent the OBCLG on the Steering Committee/Advisory Group
 
Moved Carol Wilmink          
Seconded Rob Buncle
Carried
 
RECOMMENDATION 4 (From President’s Report to the AGM)
 
‘That the Special Water Supply Catchment Area become a major project area of the Otway Barham Catchment Landcare Group (in addition to the Adopt-the-Barham Valley Roads Project)’
 
Moved:   Bruce Andrews         
Seconded:  Simon Pockley
Carried Unanimously
 
RECOMMENDATION 5 (From Presidents Report to the AGM)
 
The meeting was in agreement that the Otway Barham River Catchment Community Group has done its job and is not a continuing group. 
If people within the Catchment wish to be represented they need to become members of the Otway Barham Catchment Landcare Group.
 
‘That, as the aims and issues of both Groups are the  same, the Otway Barham Catchment Community be integrated into the Otway Barham Catchment Landcare Group.
           
Moved: Denise Hooke             
Seconded: Bruce Costin
Carried unanimously
 
RECOMMENDATION  6  (From Presidents Report to the AGM)              
 
‘That the current Otway Barham Catchment Community Spokes Team, along with any other interested landcare members, become the members of a Working Party/Focus Group on behalf of the Otway Barham Catchment Landcare Group
 
Moved: Bruce Costin             
Seconded: Simon Pockley
Carried unanimously
 
OTWAY BARHAM LANDCARE GROUP MEMBERSHIP FEE
 
That the Membership Fees for the OBCLG be reduced to $25 per financial year beginning 1^st July 2006, to align with the other three SOLN Landcare Group Memberships
 
Moved: Denise Hooke
Seconded: Joe Di Cecco
Carried unanimously
 
GROUP PRIORITIES & PROJECTS FOR OBCLG IN 2006:  A flow chart is attached
 

• Adopt a Road Project – Barham River Road (David Churchill has provided a written Report on Adopt a Road)
  

• Continuation of the Priorities, Programs and Trials initiated in 2005.
  

• A Portrait of our Neighbourhood – Denise Hooke spoke on this project.Lucas is producing maps indicating each property – Landcare members were asked to indicate on the maps, at the conclusion of the meeting, where their property is and give their contact details
  

• Dung Beetle Trial – Alan Huggins was not present to give a report.  A written report from Bernard Doube prepared in June 2005 was circulated at the meeting. Alan to be asked to put an update on the Website when he could attend to it.
  

MEETING CLOSED:  2.00 pm