ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING MINUTES
MEETING HELD MARCH 28th 2023 at 7.30pm (either before or after general meeting)
VENUE: German Austrian Australian Club – 5 McFarland Road, Wodonga
Meeting started at 8.30pm -after the general meeting
- ATTENDANCE & APOLOGIES (all financial Club member in attendance need to be recorded, only members financial prior to the date of the AGM are eligible to vote or hold Committee positions)
Apologies – Elsie Romey, Dick Bates, Adam Greenwood, Dave and Anne Merbach, Doug Flack, Adam Jacobs, David Shephard, Fred King, Lorne Campbell, Don Stewart, Mike Johnston, David Johnston, Allan Wilson.
Attendees 46 members: Clinton van de Stadt, Sandy van de Stadt, John Kontista, Sharon Kontista, Malcolm Godde, Neil Hillas, Michael Yerbury, Michael Sarroff, Kym Rouch, Michael Rouch, Mark Clifford, Tony Ryan, Dexter Cobbin, Peter Dwyer, Stewie McLean, Phillip Stuckey, Matthew Goodwin, John McInnes, Raffaele Gangi, Colin Broster, Kelly Coutts-Smith, Glenn Withers, Paul Bullock, Graeme Male, Evelyn Male, David Sinclair, Mark Lennon, Maxwell Colebourn, Ramon Coulthard, Rex Beard, Barry Solomon, Kent Baker, Peter Hensgen, David Barson, Chris Brosolo, Russel Cole, Stuart Moore, David Lutton, Ellsworth Vonthien, Paul Hare, Bryan Baker, Michael Colegrove, Benjamin Humphries, Rick del Monte, Geoff Barratt, Troy Coulston.
Visitors 4 : Ray Waring, Joanne Sarroff, Jo Kearney, Amanda Hinkelman.
- CONFIRMATION OF 2022 AGM MINUTES – Read by Phil. Move to Accept – Graeme Male 2nd – Neil Hillas ALL IN FAVOUR. CARRIED.
- REPORTS TO MEMBERS for 2022 years activities of AWMEC
Presidents Report –
AWMEC PRESIDENTS REPORT TO THE AGM ON 2022 YEAR
Presented at AGM March 28th 2023
Well, if 2020 and 2021 were defined by Covid 19, 2022 has been the year of the big wet. Although we were thankfully moving out of covid restrictions & were able to hold all of our meetings during 2022, rides and activities were certainly affected by constant rain & floods for at least half the year.
It has been pleasing to see the increase in numbers of members (& guests) attending our monthly meetings during 2022, perhaps due in part to people wanting to get to things after all the Covid restrictions but I suspect also due to the hospitality and great venue provided by the GAAC & the excellent meals provided by Lee. Our year culminated in a very enjoyable Christmas party at the GAAC and I would like to thank Graeme & Evelyn Male for organizing the event, Lee for the great food & Mark Lennon for again donating one of his exquisite models to be auctioned.
2022 saw the resurgence of our Butterball rally which was a challenge for the rally committee to organize at relatively short notice and with the difficulties thrown up by post Covid venue shortages etc. As it turned out, Neil, John, Mark, Don with Stewie and others pulled a rabbit out of the hat in putting a really good rally together and those of us who attended had a very enjoyable weekend & are looking forward to this year’s Butterball.
Stewie and the ride committee (Mike Y, Neil H, Tony R, Mark C & John Mc plus others) were active in organizing rides through the year (some washed out by rain) with the monthly mid-week coffee rides proving to be consistently popular. Interestingly, numbers on the more recent weekend rides have been increasing; could this at least in part, be due to the SMS reminders now being sent prior to events? One of the 2022 highlights was again enjoying the hospitality of Kevin Hammond and Cathy Dobson at their property for BBQ lunch.
The Fundraising & Regalia Committee with Kellie, Mark L & Ray Matheson, have been very active with both the monthly raffles, getting regalia going plus managing the magazine re cycling which has been a big hit.
Our Machine Examiners are crucial to our club operating the club permit schemes in both NSW & Victoria with Doug (Vic), Tony, Stewie & Mark (NSW) again putting in the effort and time required to do this job for which we are all very grateful.
We are very fortunate as a club to have a cohesive & committed Management Committee who get the job done, with those jobs often being time consuming. Clint & Sandy as Secretary along with Chris as Membership Officer were new to their roles in 2022 and have done extremely well at coming to grips with the tasks involved. David as Treasurer, Michael Sarroff as Vice President and Editor, Paul as Bike Registrar & RMS/Vic Roads Liaison Officer, Mike Yerbury Welfare Officer & Kelly Meeting Activities Co Ordinator are all now experienced hands who continue to do the work required, along with the sub committees, to keep the club running. I am pleased to report that all of the current Management Committee have indicated preparedness to accept re nomination for their positions which bodes well for the club’s immediate future.
I would like to thank our Machine Examiners, Committee, Subcommittees & other members who have assisted with club activities in the past year. It is worth repeating that without members stepping up to contribute to the Club through these roles, our Club would not be able to operate.
Once again, I would also like to thank you, our members for showing up to meetings, rides & events in increasing numbers. This club is about & for its members and in our case, sharing our enjoyment of motorcycles & motorcycling in various ways. As this will be my last meeting as President, I would like to say what a privilege it has been to hold this position in the AWMEC and thank you all for the support that you have given me. I believe it’s time for a newer team to chart the future direction of our great club and I am confident that you will all give our new President & the 2023 committee, sub committees and machine examiners our full support.
Phil Stuckey
AWMEC President
Treasurers Report – Available on request
Membership Officers Report – CHRIS BROSOLO – 28 New members in the year, total of 222 current financial members, 6 members not renewing.
ACCEPTANCE OF REPORTS – Moved – Tony Ryan 2nd Mike Yerbury. ALL IN FAVOUR. CARRIED.
- CONFIRMATION OF FEES – The Committee proposes that the Annual Membership Fee remains at $40 and the Joining Fee remains at $40 Committee Proposed this motion. 2nd Tony Ryan. ALL IN FAVOUR CARRIED.
- ELECTION OF COMMITTEE, OFFICE BEARERS & SUB COMMITTEES
- COMMITTEE (the current Committee will stand down & all positions declared vacant)
Executive Committee
- President – Graeme Male nominated Michael Sarroff 2nd Paul Bullock – Michael Sarroff ACCEPTED POSITION
- Vice President – Stewie nominated: Graeme Male 2nd Mark Lennon, – Graeme accepted Mike Colgrove nominated Neil Hillas 2nd Mark Clifford – Neil Hillas accepted. Members voted – Neil Hillas 24 Votes. Graeme 12 Votes. Neil Hillas – ACCEPTED POSITION
- Secretary – Stewie nominated Clinton van de Stadt. 2nd Graeme Male. Clinton Van De Stadt ACCEPTED POSITION.
- Treasurer– Graeme Male nominated David Lutton. 2nd. Mike Yerbury David Lutton ACCEPTED POSITION
- Membership Officer- Neil Hillas nominated Chris Brosolo. 2nd Stewie Mclean. Chris Brosolo ACCEPTED POSITION
Ordinary Members – Additional Office Bearer Committee Positions
- Club Web Manager & Editor – Graeme Male nominated Michael Sarroff 2nd Neil Hillas. Michael Sarroff ACCEPTED POSITION
- Bike Register & RMS / Vic Roads Liaison Officer – Graeme Male nominated Paul Bullock. 2nd Neil Hillas Paul Bullock ACCEPTED POSITION
- Welfare & Fellowship Officer- David Lutton nominated Mike Yerbury. 2nd John Kontista Mike Yerbury ACCEPTED POSITION
- Meeting Activities Coordinator – Stewie Mclean nominated Kelly Coutts-Smith. 2nd Neil Hillas Kelly Coutts-Smith ACCEPTED POSITION
- Club Constitution & Rules Officer – Phil Stuckey nominated David Lutton 2nd Mike Sarroff. David Lutton ACCEPTED POSITION
NOTE- Members of the Executive may also be elected to fill one of the above Additional Office Bearer positions in which case that position would be deemed to be filled and not require an additional Ordinary Committee Member to fill that position for that year.
- MACHINE EXAMINERS
- NSW Machine examiners (minimum two positions, preferably three) Tony Ryan, Mark Lennon, Stewie Mclean ALL IN FAVOUR. CARRIED
- Vic Roads Permits Officer (one position as stipulated by Vic Roads) plus one additional examiner. Doug Flack. examiner Additional examiner – Stewie McLean. ALL IN FAVOUR CARRIED
- SUB COMMITTEES
- Ride Committee –
- Chair – Stewie Mclean
- Members (at least 3) John McInnes, Tony Ryan, Neil Hillas. ALL IN FAVOUR. CARRIED
- Rally & Events Committee –
- Chair – Neil Hillas
- Members (at least 3) John McInnes, Don Stuart, John Kontista. ALL IN FAVOUR CARRIED
- Fundraising & Regalia Committee –
- Chair – Kelly Coutts-Smith
- Members. Mark Lennon, Ray Matheson. ALL IN FAVOUR. CARRIED.
- Networking with External Clubs & Groups Committee –
- Chair – Elsie Romey
- Members – John Kontista, Rex Beard. ALL IN FAVOUR. CARRIED
- Ride Committee –
CLOSE OF AGM. 9.10 pm.