Hardys Bay Residents Group

Minutes

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting for Hardys Bay Residents Group Inc. held at 7.30 pm Tuesday 28 February, 2007, Hardys Bay Church Hall.

Welcome: President Adrian Williams welcomed members and guests to our first AGM.  HBRG is now 1 year old this month.  Guests were Deborah O’Neill, Labor candidate for Terrigal and David Abrahams from Pretty Beach School.

Apologies:  Our meeting coincided with another local group’s meeting.

Sandy & Anthony Robinson, Jim Macfadyen, Allan & Fiona Lambell, Graham & Joyce Dalzell, Mike Chitty, Christine Cave, Barry Johnston, Rodney Craigie, Warren Cross, Paul & Helen Robinson and Ruth Dunlop.

Financial Report:  Unfortunately the Treasurer was unable to present a full report tonight.

Cash on hand is $1,316.51.  Have received substantial amount from website and newsletter advertising, the latter being self funded.  Expenses – printing of newsletter. Full report at next meeting.

AGM Procedure: Nominations for President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer and Communication Officer. 

• Nominated and accepted were: President: Adrian Williams, Vice-President: Bill Egan, Secretary/Treasurer: Kay Feltham and Communications: Allan Wilson. Moved as accepted and seconded by John Brown.
• Decided as the Executive Committee have a number of large projects and issues we would form a committee as last year, and sub-committees to work with various champions of the causes in 2007.
• Executive Committee: Terry Feltham – Oyster Leases, Graeme Smith – Sedimentation, Kel Gulliver and Fiona Atkinson. Fiona will be monitoring water quality in the bay this year.
• Sub-Committee: Rob Hill, Allan Bennett and Brent Walker.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting:  Minutes accepted as true and accurate record. Moved by Kel Gulliver and seconded Terry Feltham.

Business Arising from Minutes – Reports: Exciting news on issues.

Press Release re mosquitoes – Sandy Robinson who championed the mosquito cause couldn’t be here tonight.

· Earlier this month Bill and Adrian met with National Parks and Wildlife and Dept. Environment. They put forward their position that covered the lower Hunter and Mid North Coast.  Our mosquitoes are not the same breed as we have salt marsh here.  Govt. supported report for treatment of Bti bacteria – not a problem with that.  Have to work out licensing agreements.

· Channel 9 program ‘Australia’s Terrifying Top 20’ will be aired end of March – April includes salt marsh mosquitoes.  Adrian and Bill Teasdale were interviewed for this.

· Adrian & Allan Wilson met with Chris Hartcher, Shadow Minister and member for Terrigal together with Shadow Minister for the Environment, Michael Richardson.

· A letter is being sent out by Chris Hartcher to constituents re control of mosquitoes.  Ryde have a similar problem and have a control program.  Gosford City Council unable to conduct a trial Bti program due to lack of funds.  NSW Coalition has agreed to pledge funding for $100,000 to develop a long term solution.

· Adrian will meet with NP&W this Friday.  Updated details will be on website.

· David Abrahams advised Pretty Beach School have installed bat boxes.  Scientific report shows bats eat some mozzies but does not make a huge difference.

Oyster Lease Grant – Terrific news.  Applied for and received an Environmental Grant  for $15,000 to restore part of the foreshore along Hardys Bay Parade – remove old roof tiles and debris in a one-off payment.  We have submitted a schedule of expenditure and have one year to complete and report how the money has been spent. 

• Terry Feltham is coordinating.  The Oyster Farmers are committed to helping with leasing of barges.  Volunteers to load and move rubbish.  Council has agreed to stack on roadside or take away and will cover costs.  Safety gear will be covered as well.

• Marie Andrews and Deborah O’Neill presented the grant to HBRG.

Foreshore & Traffic – Adrian has been inundated with concerns in the media about Bouddi Groups’ proposal for Hardys Bay.  HBRG are not part of the Bouddi Group and our position in the press misrepresents our position and letters we forwarded to that group about foreshore development.

• Have had meetings with Council as a group and traffic sub-committee.  Council knew of Bouddi Groups plan and were quite open.  Traffic control and safety with some foreshore development as things progress.
• Noel Gurney representing another group was also at the original Bouddi Group meeting.  They had never agreed to what was submitted by Bouddi Group.  No survey was ever completed.  Against putting anything on the road reserve as this limits access for fire brigade in case of emergencies.
• Their proposal only covered the from the intersection at shops to Cnr Araluen & Heath Road.  It took up 1/3 of foreshore for a playground,  8 rows of very large trees, 20-40 angle parking which would remove green area.  By the time a path, hedge and angle parking – very little parkland left.
• HBRG met with Council’s traffic people and formulated our ideas which have been sent to Council.  Safe pedestrian and traffic flow.  Take minimalist view of what needs to happen – don’t want to build a lot of structures.  Council has taken HBRG’s ideas and will now incorporate their traffic plan and beautification. It’s up to Council – higher level view is traffic and safety, then minimalist beautification – small playground area. Exceptions to some issues will be taken up with Council when their plans are released.
• Pretty Beach School also written to Council on safety and access for more walking and bicycling areas, especially around the shops and bridge.  Same as HBRG.
• HBRG have regular meetings with Council on foreshore, Pretty Beach boat ramp and sedimentation.  Told the same thing – all residents should have input, not just a couple of people.
• One year to gather views.  Contact point will be our website www.hardysbay.com. 

Pretty Beach School – HBRG were approached as the active area group to support the school and P & C in replacing demountables for new modular ones.  Deborah O’Neill lobbied Minister to replace the classrooms and administration building as a result of petition signed.

• David Abrahams advised 164 children at the school, 120 families and thanked Deb and everyone for the support in getting this over the line.
• The pre-school relocation is also being undertaken within the grounds.
• HBRG delighted to have been approached – great for the school and our area.
• Our next newsletter will feature a prominent piece on the school’s history.

Waterways – Have had two meetings – they will come along to one of our future meetings to highlight their position on moorings and navigable waters.  They have jurisdiction over waters.

Actively involved with us/them.  Boats in difficulty – if we had mooring id numbers it would help us, however there are some privacy issues.

• Bill attended a meeting with Pt Clare Progress Assn.  They are pushing hard to get the middle channel, which is nearly closed, and Lobster Beach area opened up.  In danger of becoming a lake if nothing is done.  HBRG working with other progress associations on this issue.

Maintenance Schedule – Met with Council for a couple of meetings.  Have put us the contact for the area.  Issues like logs on foreshore, grass not being cut along Hardys Bay Pde, Extension wharf upgrade. 

Marina – Nothing further to add.  Michael Sparks contacted us and the Executive Committee made suggestions.  Having another look at it as there are several issues to overcome in this early days of planning prior to DA stage.

New/General Business –

Law & Order – April last year Snr. Constable Jo Plummer from Gosford Police attended our meeting.  Our area did not show any problems on their statistics.  Urged us to call either Gosford or Woy Woy stations with any issues.  There have been a lot of cars broken into, outboards stolen and very few reported.  If it’s not reported you won’t get anything back if it is found.  Take precautions – don’t leave cars unlocked.

• Please report any incidents.
• As a result of the reports to date we have a lot more police presence in our area.

Land Valuations – new VG 01Jul 2007.  Used as the base for rates and taxes.  Up 60-70%.

Objections must be lodged to Dept of Lands by 23 March, 2007.  www.lands.nsw.gov.au or Valuation Objection Forms can be obtained from Barrie Johnston of Raine & Horne Killcare.

Newsletter – out towards end of March – early April will be distributed.  Also at RSL, shops and on our web page.

Boat ramp meeting Council – Graeme put forward very pertinent points for the pontoon area and flow around it.  Very sympathetic and have undertaken to work with Graeme.  Basically a mangrove issue – 2 mangroves stopping the water flow.  Need for balance between protection and eradication in this area as well as RSL creek and Turo Creek.

• Chief environmentalist at Council admitted mangroves are spreading.

Correspondence:

Various Emails – predominantly about foreshore redevelopment and support of our newsletter.  Letter from Mr Radford of Wagstaffe supporting Bert Meyer’s comments in the last newsletter.

Environmental Trust – letter confirming $15,000 Environmental Grant for oyster clean-up.

Other – Invitation from Combined Progress Associations – whole of Gosford area.  Bill attended the meeting.  Our view is that it is good with global issues that affect a large number of areas.  Will participate in next meeting.

Next meeting:  To be advised around mid-April.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.50 pm.