FRIENDS OF BACK CREEK 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – 12^TH MAY 2009 
 
 

The 9^th Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Back Creek was held on Tuesday 12^th May 2009 at 8.00 pm at the home of Robert Brierley, President. 

MINUTES 

 

The meeting was declared quorate. 

1. APOLOGIES 

      Apologies were received from: Jim Breen, Chris Walta, Bob Stensholt, Heinz Kreutz 

2. PRESIDENT’S REPORT  

The President delivered a comprehensive report of activities conducted by the group during 2008 (copy attached) the main points of which were:

• Membership has declined slightly;
• Donations have increased although the number of donors has decreased;
• Support for FOBC remains strong and the organisation is in a strong financial position;
• During the year FOBC published 3 newsletters distributed to over 500 households locally;
• 13 working bees were held involving over 500 participating volunteers;\
• Melbourne Water expressed some concerns during the year as to the safety of volunteers engaged in FOBC activities.  As a consequence FOBC prepared a Job Safety Analysis encompassing all the work activities which satisfied both Council and Melbourne Water.
• Melbourne Water has obtained capital funding to proceed with major willow removal along the creek.  This work has commenced and is expected to take 4 years to complete;
• Planting along the creek has continued over the year but with the drought making conditions difficult and reduced the planting season; and
• FOBC’s subsidiary group operating south of Toorak Road in Glen Iris has made significant progress in rehabilitating  their section of the creek.
• Work of the group is scheduled to continue into 2009 with emphasis on the following activities:
• Planting the Riversdale Road end of the creek together with the west embankment near the Cornell Street entrance;
• Complete planting along the area south of Quinton Road;
• Follow up planting after the completion of Melbourne Water’s various staged works; and
• Participate with and supervise school groups and scouts planting activities within the creek.

 
 
 

3. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING 

 The Minutes of Meeting No. 8 were received and confirmed as a true record.

 Moved –   Barrie Gallacher

 Seconded -  John Cott 

4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES 

      No matters were considered. 

5. TREASURER’S REPORT 

The Treasure reported a small surplus for the year of $172 after allowing a provision for future planting costs. An audited copy of the Treasurer’s report is attached. The Treasurer’s Report was accepted as a true reflection of the FOBC’s financial position.

 Moved –   Eleanour Stephenson

 Seconded -  Barrie Gallacher 
 

6. ELECTION OF OFFICE BEARERS 

There being no additional nominations and no resignations, the committee for 2008 was re-elected to officiate for 2009. 
 

7. OTHER BUSINESS 

1. A pamphlet was received from Boroondara Council outlining a plan to remove five non-indigenous trees from the reserve south of Cornell Street in accordance with Council’s ongoing program of revegetation.  It was requested that this notice be displayed in FOBC’s notice board for the information of Back Creek patrons.
2. Advice had been received from Council as to the availability of funds through the Community Development Fund program.  In this context the Committee canvassed numerous ideas and agreed that a proposal be submitted for the establishment of suitable bird nesting boxes in the creek area to compensate for habitat lost through the Melbourne Water willow removal project outlined above.  It was noted that applications closed on 19^th June and Robert Brierley agreed to construct a proposal for submission.

 

8. CLOSE OF MEETING 

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.30 pm. 
 
 

                                          CONFIRMED AS AN ACCURATE RECORD 
 

                                          Chairperson _______________________ 

                                          Date   ________________________