MINUTES OF COMMITTEE MEETING 
 

1. WELCOME

2. CORRESPONDENCE

          None tabled 

3. BUSINESS OF THE MEETING

 A  Melbourne Water

Robert outlined recent events and the recent discussions with Melbourne Water and Boroondara Council.

Melbourne Water had become aware of plans for some Wattle Park Primary School students to plant in designated areas in Back Creek during Arbour Day Week.

Melbourne Water had arbitrarily decided that the slope where we had recently prepared by using jute matting was unsuitable for school children, and had requested Boroondara Council to erect barriers. 

Robert rejected the use of barriers, and arranged an urgent meeting of representatives with Melbourne Water and Boroondara Council. 

This meeting was held at Back Creek few days before Arbour Day.

Present were: Robert B, Bob S, Jim B Barrie G, and Eleanor S (FOBC);

Also present was the principal of Wattle Park Primary School (Vicky Phillips). 

Melbourne Water representatives clarified its role - namely total management of Melbourne's waterways including the beds and banks.   They indicated that they have prepared a plan for future work in Back Creek which would be discussed with the Council.

They then commented on our upcoming intentions and insisted that all subsequent work by FOBC in Back Creek be approved in writing by Melbourne Water and Boroondara Council using a "Risk Assessment Form" (JSA). 

Robert pointed out that Melbourne Water had granted funding for most of the substantial amount of work FOBC had performed since its inception without any JSA and without any injuries or problems.

Wattle Park Primary School students had previously planted in Back Creek (often in sloped areas) without any complaints.

FOBC required all volunteers to sign an indemnity form, and had Public Liability Insurance.

Robert explained that this new requirement to approve all future work in advance would severely curtail FOBC's activities, and we would have to carefully consider whether FOBC had any future role in the improvement of Back Creek. 

Our involvement in the upcoming Tree Day may have to be scrapped in the light of restrictions now placed on us by Melbourne Water, and also the upcoming Arbour Day activities by Wattle Park Primary School students.

Eventually it was agreed at that meeting that the Arbour Day activities should proceed, but not at the slope they considered unsuitable.

B.  Arbour Day

Arbour Day activities did take place successfully over two half days with some Wattle Park Primary School students.  Robert supervised the planting with Adrian also helping.  Level areas along the path were planted and a lot of the planting was along the Lynden Park pathway.

The Arbour Day activities were funded via Wattle Park Primary School. 

FUTURE PLANNING

A good deal of discussion took place at our committee meeting concerning the implications of Melbourne Water's new requirements.

One suggestion was to contact the local papers advising of our threat to call off our involvement in Tree Day, due to objections by Melbourne Water. 

Eventually the FOBC Committee accepted on July 8th that we should proceed with Tree Day.     

We should also attempt to finalise our partially used existing Grants.  Unused Grants should either be returned to Melbourne Water or preferably offered to Boroondara Council for them to use. 

It was essential that a meeting be arranged between them and the Council to discuss their plans for Back Creek.  Perhaps Bob Stensholt could facilitate such a meeting at his office. 

Our immediate plans were summarised as follows: 

  1. Prepare a JSA for Tree Day for approval by Melbourne Water and  Boroondara Council
  2. Push for an early meeting of the Melbourne Water and  Boroondara Council and their respective roles (and the role of FOBC)
  3. Return the remaining Grant money, or pass it over to the Council.
  4. Bob was requested to arrange for Janyce (Council) to remove rubbish from Quinton Road and Cornell Street before Tree Day.
 

OTHER BUSINESS 

As previously discussed, Eleanor has prepared about 21 small paintings which she will be donating to raise funds for FOBC.  They can be exhibited over a weekend at the Through Road Child-minding Centre.  Extensive marketing/advertising will be required to maximise this generous fund raising activity, which will now be on hold until the Melbourne Water situation has been sorted out.  The suggestion is that the painting proceeds could be used for nesting boxes. 

Council has recently installed a sign to deter dog droppings.

 

FINANCES

The Treasurer provided a Balance Sheet and an Income Statement for the year to date.

Cash and near cash amounted to $10,771.33, of which $9,000 is reserve for future planting.

Approx. $1,700 will be spent shortly for Tree Day, and $2,100 is yet to be used for the Riversdale Road section of Quinton Road.  The Council can do this. 

$5,000 is the most recent Grant, which can either be returned or passed on to the Council. 

Several receipts had been issued recently for memberships plus $200 from 'Craig' (the owner of the new house at the bend of Quinton Road) for a small quantity of plant along his fence line.

Robert is hopeful that Adrian could plant these using his mechanical post hole digger. 

NEXT MEETING 

The date for the next meeting was not discussed, but has previously scheduled for August 12 at 8.00pm at the home of Bob Strickland - 160 Through Road. See you all there Bob