Minutes of Connecting Country Reference Group meeting June 11 2009
Posted on 18 June, 2009 by Connecting Country
Present: Maurie Dynon, Doug Ralph, Bernard Slattery, Marie Jones, Kirstin Hutchison, Jan Hall, Julia Brown, Beth Mellick, Patrick Kavanagh, Christine Kilmartin, Krista Patterson-Majoor, Tim Read, David Major, Deirdre Slattery, Geoff Park
Apologies: Elvyne Hogan, Peter Johnson, Julie Hurley, Virginia Adrian
Agenda
1. Marie gave an account of the proposed management structure of the incorporated Connecting Country:
–the elected Management Committee, which will meet regularly and make key decisions
–the Reference Group, open to all members who nominate: it will meet less often to review and advise the Management Committee
–the Advisory Group: this will consist of members with a range of expertise, who will be available for occasional consultation
She also thanked all for their input over the last 2 years.
2. Geoff gave a funding application update, and fielded questions. The package applied for provides:
–on ground works [fencing, offset of production losses, etc]
–community awareness
–monitoring and research
The questions and discussion which followed covered the following areas:
–the autonomy of Connecting Country within the NCCMA package
–the role of the Mount Alexander Shire
–the necessity to have an eye to future funding
–the equity challenge in using whatever funding is granted; and the importance of the planning projects workshop in clarifying how this is done
–the relationship of the Reference and Advisory groups to the Management Committee
–the need for clarification on the links between work on private land and the local Parks and Reserves; and between private and Trust for Nature property.
3. Krista gave brief Landcare report: the Landcare coordinators will finish at the end of the month. She emphasized the importance of MAS council connections from the point of view of information distribution and possible availability of facilities [for example, office space]
4. Julia gave the Project Officer’s report:
– the website is being updated regulary, 10 news and events and a link to an article in the latest TFN Bulletin on Connecting Country.
– Moderated 26 comments, all spam bar 2.
– Emails to info@connectingcountry.org.au now redirected to Julia
– Considering adding another blog section ‘related news’ to add books and other associated news.
– Potential problems with google earth for some users of CWMP.
– 158 sites marked on CWMP. To discuss recording and monitoring of statistics with Green Graphics.
-Incorporation. Written invitations sent out to all Landcare groups, friends groups, field nats, MASG, TFN, agencies, MAS councillors on Monday 1st June.
– Email invitations followed on Friday 5th June.
– This will be followed up by email and phone calls asking if people require any further information.
– Buda is booked and paid. Wine, catering, helpers confirmed.
– Presentation to be worked on.
– Media Doug and Malcolm and I will meet with Lisa Dennis Monday for photo @ Richards Road near pony club with regeneration and mature trees. Article will go in Friday 19th Mail and possibly Tuesday 23rd Express as well.
– Add in public notice’s Mail and Express. Notice in ‘Where to go….what to do’ in Mail. Press release drafted.
5. Future Projects workshop: [it was suggested at the May meeting that this be combined with the incorporation meeting ‘perhaps in the second half of July’. The steering committee subsequently decided to split the two events]
–it was decided that one of the purposes of this meeting is to ‘ground truth’ Blueprint projects, via a template and Landcare group knowledge
–a discussion followed on templates, and on methods of managing competing claims
–times and dates for the workshop were proposed. A decision on this will be made in readiness for the June 29th meeting.
6. Constitutional matters: Bernard gave a brief rundown on the constitution to be proposed on June 29: it will be the Model Rules of Association, modified to allow for an eight member committee.
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