Port Underwood Association Inc.
PO Box 59 Blenheim
port.underwood.association@gmail.com
Minutes of the Twenty First Annual General Meeting
Held Friday 3rd January 2014
Eric Jorgensen welcomed the members present to the Twenty First Annual General Meeting held at the Hinton residence, Haka Haka Bay. The Hinton family was thanked for the use of their residence by the Association. Members were invited to briefly introduce themselves.
| Present | Peter Banks, Bryon Gleeson, Eric Jorgensen, Ken Roush, Sara Roush, Ali Kircher, Paul Blaschke, Susan Rutherford, Annabel Phillipson, Greg Phillipson, Ruth Simonsen, Wendy Simonsen, David Whyte, Wayne Wiffen, John Cranfield, Diane Cranfield, Carole McArthur, Ian Cantwell, John Davison, Mara Davison, Jeremy Ward, Annie Ward, Irene Ross, Lex Hayward, Josie Smith, Naida Sharp, Kevin Sharp |
| Apologies | Patsy Platts, Robert Platts, Peter Platts, Tracey Williams, Lawry Hinton, Rosemary Rutherford, Tim and Victoria Freer, Helen and Trev Parr, Mike Rutherford, Steven Sheats, Barry Osbourne, George Platts |
| Minutes | The minutes of the last AGM, held 30th December 2012, were confirmed as a true and correct record.
G Philison/ D Whyte – Accepted |
| Matters Arising | Membership survey results were sent out to members with newsletter during the year.Roading maintenance was queried and explanation received that the maintenance schedule had been impacted by weather events.
Website not actioned as yet. |
| Correspondence | All correspondence has been dealt with by the committee.No significant matters arose during the year. |
| Chairs Report | Eric Jorgensen spoke to his annual report.Topics covered –
Jorgensen/Lex Hayward – Accepted An Information Sheet was also provided to meeting participants that provided details on the topics outlined in the Chairs report This is included below. |
| Treasurers Report | Ali Kircher presented the Financial Report.Ali overviewed the Associations accounts which are now sufficient to permit the Association to engage expertise if required albeit for a short time.
That the Treasurers report presented at the meeting be approved. A Kircher/E Jorgensen – Accepted Membership stands at 118 households. The meeting was requested to let the committee know of any new arrivals so they can be contacted and invited to join the Association. |
| Sounds Advisory Group Update | Ken Roush advised the meeting that the Sounds Advisory Group(SAG) is meeting in Port Underwood on February 24th and that the public is invited to meet with the group to discuss their issues at the Roush residence on Ocean Ridge from 1pm.Ken undertook to provide an update of SAG’s activities/discussions over the past year via email or newsletter. |
| Marine Farming Applications | – Jerdans Bay, The Neck and Whangatoetoe Bay were submitted to by PUA. Opihi Bay and Deep Bight Bay were not.- Consent Application Changes at Hearings – Meeting discussed the practice by consent applicants of altering their original consent applications at consent hearings. Submitters as a result are disadvantaged as their submissions don’t align with the application before the panel or Commissioner. MDC could require an exchange of evidence (as in the Environment Court) to ensure participants arrive at the consent hearing and no last minute changes are made.
SAG discussed this issue during the year and found the MDC lawyer unsupportive. Meeting participants will be able to raise any concerns they have with this practice at the meeting with SAG at their February 24th meeting in the Port. – Whangtoetoe Marine Farm Application – The decision on this application is pending following the consent hearing and exchanges between applicants and submitters on monitoring conditions. Meeting briefly discussed future marine farm applications for new space which are likely to extend further out into the Port and the extent of mussel shell deposition. |
| Neighbourhood Watch | Sara Roush gave an update on Neighbourhood Watch which included information on burglaries occurring in the Port, Mongrel Mob presence in Hakahaka, the fire in Flagg Bay.The meeting noted
– that public liability insurance may be appropriate for some members. – sensible to remove vegetation from immediate house surrounds – the Picton Police Station is unattended on weekends and public holidays and members should dial either 111 or phone the Blenheim Police Station. – can be useful to record out of place vehicle registrations and descriptions, dates and locations. A donation of $500 will be made by the Association to the Marlborough Rural Firefighter Service. Neighbourhood Support stickers/signs were available to the meeting attendees. Action Add the Blenheim Police Station number to the Neighbourhood Support list. (It is in fact already listed). Note in next newsletter the times when the Picton police are unlikely to be available and Blenheim police should be contacted |
| Freedom Camping By-Law | Freedom camping on some foreshore areas of Port Underwood are managed under DOC rules other areas are managed under a MDC Freedom Camping by-law.The Freedom Camping Bylaw is being reviewed, the meeting was asked to provide feedback to the committee.
Under the current by-law freedom camping is permitted (by vehicles with toilets) for a maximum of two nights anywhere in Port Underwood (managed by MDC) other than Ocean Bay. DOC forbids freedom camping in other areas such as Hakahaka Bay and Tom Canes Bay. |
| Whataroa Harvesting Plan | Prospective buyers of the Whataroa Forest have been canvasing local community groups for input on proposals to truck domestic logs on Port Underwood and Picton roads.The PUA committee have a list of proposed conditions which are covered in detail in the Fact Sheet.
David Whyte suggested the buyers explore the option of using the private forestry roading network that would see logging trucks joining the public road at the lookout on Port Underwood Road. Input from members is now sought so the committee can prepare a submission on the log transport proposals. Submissions are due by January 24th. Members are also encouraged to make their own submissions. |
| Road Incident Reporting | Meeting discussed incidents with trucks on Port Underwood Road and road accidents generally.Suggested that an incident reporting template be developed so details can be easily forwarded to Marlborough Roads as at present reported accidents/incidents are used by them as the benchmark for setting logging company road usage requirements.
Requested that any incident reports or any other forms of correspondence sent to Marlborough Roads, logging companies or MDC by members be copied to the Committee so a comprehensive picture of the issues can be understood. Action An incident reporting template to be developed so members can record road accidents/incidents. |
| Election of Committee | President – John Davison – K Roush/I CantwellSecretary/Treasurer – Sara Roush – D Whyte/J Ward
Committee – Ali Kircher Committee – David Whyte Committee – Annabel Phillipson Committee – Ken Roush Committee – Jeremy Ward Committee – Greg Philipson Committee – Di Cranfield Lex Hayward moved that nominations be closed and that the proposed committee be elected, seconded by S Roush. Accepted. |
| Retirement of Eric Jorgensen | David Whyte on behalf the Port Underwood Association thanked Eric Jorgensen for his significant contribution to the Association as the Chairperson over the last nine years.Eric was presented with a gift by way of thanks for his exceptional contributions. |
| Retirement of Ali Kircher as Secretary / Treasurer | Annabel Philipson expressed thanks to Ali Kircher on behalf of the Committee and membership for her long tenure as the Associations secretary and treasurer.Ali is continuing as a Committee Member this year. |
| The meeting was concluded at 5:50pm.Thanks were expressed to the Hinton Family for having the AGM at their home.
The next AGM will be notified for either late December 2014 or early January 2015. |