Meeting Minutes for 15 Jan 2023
SMRRA General Meeting
Sunday 15th January 2023
Started 3pm
Finished 5.45pm
Attended by:
Harry Longworth, Michael Freeman, Olivier Kapanakos, Teresa Skowron, Wendy Capezio, Mick Newman, Charles Kolano, Grantley Imgram and approximately 30 members of the public.
Office bearers for committee were elected as follows:
Executive committee members elected:-
Nominated by seconded
CHAIRPERSON-HARRY LONGWORTH O.K M.N
VICE CHAIRPERSON- OLIVIER KAPETANAKOS M.N H.L
TREASURER- MICHAEL FREEMAN W.C T.S
SECRETARY- TERESA SKOWRON M.F H.L
ASSISTANT SECRETARY- WENDY CAPEZIO M.F M.N
General committee members elected:-
Nominated by Seconded
MICK NEWMAN W.C O.K
VELE CIVIJOVSKI M.N O.K
GRANTLEY INGRAM M.N O.K
CHARLES KOLANO M.N O.K
Olivier Kapetanakos address the meeting explaining that there will be other voluntary positions available in the future.
ITEM 1: motion- H.L -to accept the membership as stands, motion passed, all in favour
ITEM 2: motion- Mission statement and objectives, motion passed unanimously
ITEM 3: Motion-Meeting CODE OF CONDUCT
- “I’ll listen to you, if you listen to me” – Take turns speaking rather than talk over the top of others.
- “Play the ball, not the person” – Focus on the problem and not the people or politics.
- “Actions speak louder than words” – What are we/you going to do about it? We’re not here just to complain about things, but to decide on a plan of action.
*Motion passed
Item 4: IDENTIFICATION OFF KEY ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED
- The land rate increase and the special rates variation
- Proposed land use changes
- Council de-merger
H.L proposed the need to create sub committees and administration sub-committee.
Examples of some potential sub-committee include: roads, rates, rubbish, communications, membership drive and public relations.
Also we will potentially need a sub-committee for organising the other sub- committees.
Motion: The creation of a community communication sub-committee
This sub-committee sees to the co-ordination of various press releases and communications such as the website.
Motion passed.
Item 5: There was a former organisation called “The Snowy River Ratepayers and Residents Association. They have disbanded but have some funding they would like to pass on to our organisation.
Motion: For the treasurer to open a back account and deposit the funding from the previous group. Motion passed.
Item 6: The deadline for submissions from the community to SMRC is on the 22nd January 2023
A general discussion – it was recommended that if people write to the the council re: the rate rise and they might like to send copies to councillor Luke Williamson, SMRRA and Nichole Overall to ensure the original correspondence doesn’t go missing.
Item 7: Land use strategy
Deadline is in February sometime –exact date needs to be confirmed.
Item 8: Council de-merger discussion
‘The promise of amalgamation was to consolidate and hence save money’ (H.L)
The amalgamation has so far failed to “accurately and effectively represent the different parts of the LGA” (H.L)
NEW BUSINESS
The attendees where asked if they have any other issues that they would like the organisation to take up.
Motion: ALL IN FAVOUR OF NO RATE RISE
A discussion ensued as to whether this motion should be amended
-another discussion ensued on what services are meant to be funded by the state government as opposed to council’s as well as more discussion about the land use proposal.
Updated Motion- all in favour of opposing the special rate variation only.
Motion passed.
Public member comment+ motion:
A member would like council to explain in detail, in writing, ‘why the council want a rate rise and how they have been deficient in their organisation to reach this stage, where this rare rises is necessary?’
G.I suggested an amendment to the motion –
Amended motion- That the SMRC PROVIDES IN WRITING a detailed explanation about why they need a rate rise + where they have been deficient and ask for a 12 month delay in the rate rise to allow the community investigation.
Motion passed –action for the community
MOTION- TO INVITE COUNCILLOR LUKE WILLIAMS TO A SMRRA MEETING TO ANSWER COMMUNITY QUESTIONS
Motion passed
H.L. nominates Vele as the rubbish sub-committee leader
Nomination accepted and passed
+item– Grantley sought permission from the committee to discuss this SMRRA meeting and other information during a radio interview tomorrow morning.
Permission granted.
A committee meeting will follow and this issue will be discussed then.
Motion- we commit to providing zoom meeting streaming and or transmission for future meetings so everyone has opportunity to be present.
Motion passed.
Motion- All in favour of continuing to meet in Cooma at the Cooma Ex-Services Club at least monthly, in a hybrid manner.
Motion passed.
The chairperson H.L thanked all for attending.
Meeting closed at 5.44pm