| Minutes 14 March 2009 |
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Location: Community Meeting Room in the Office of MLA Kezia Purick at Coolalinga. 1 Meeting opened at 2.40 pm Present: Alan Anderson, Gemina Corpus, Leisa Baldwin, Monika Osterkamp-Madsen, Jo Vandermark, Jane Moore, Heather Boulden, Jeremy Hemphill. Apologies: Penny Wurm; Denise Goodfellow; Michael Stott. 2 Minutes of meeting 15 Feb 2009 Accepted: Jeremy, Alan 3 Business arising from minutes a) Fogg Dam equipment list from Ken Levy – Monika to check b) Monsoon Forest Interpretive signage – Alan & Strider - in abeyance pending replacement of boardwalk. c) Donation boxes – to be followed up with a letter. d) Hunting of magpie geese and other birds review by NT government. 4. Correspondence: Out: • 25 Feb, email to Kezia Purick, informing her that the school bus has not been collecting children from Humpty Doo Station. • 17 Feb, email to Sarah Harris of Landcare, seeking permission to modify our grant expenditure. • 20 & 24 Feb, email to Gavin Gamston, providing an update on the Telstra Shop Darwin and Winnellie grant and letter with bank details for funding transfer. • 24 Feb, letter to Graham Phelps, Ex Director Parks, bringing to his attention that heavy rain has undermined the bitumen in some areas of the causeway and our concern about traffic, especially heavy buses that visit the dam. • 24 Feb, letter to Richard Hancock, CEO Department of Planning & Infrastructure (Roads) – same letter as to Graham Phelps. • 5 March, email to Barry Scott, asking (1) if the first part of the Monsoon Forest boardwalk reconstruction, that appears to be complete, could opened to the public and (2) for the NRETA website for Fogg Dam to include something to the effect that “Fogg Dam is the only wetland accessible all year by road from Darwin.” • 6,9,10 March emails to Territory Rural re prices for Aust Post/Landcare grant • 9 March, email to David Bohme, President of Lambell’s Lagoon Landcare, asking if they would be interested in joining FOFD in collecting data, photos, etc of damage, carcasses, etc. caused by shooters. • 12 March emails to Territory Rural re equipment for CCGS grant Correspondence In: • 20 Feb, email from Kelly McCabe of Telstra Shop Darwin and Winnellie seeking our bank BSB and account number • 26 Feb, email from Kezia Purick, saying she’ll follow up the school bus situation. • 4 March, email from Prue Adamson, giving details of the Heritage Officer with NRETAS who may be able to assist us with Heritage issues: David Steinberg, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ph 8999 5532, fax 8999 8949. • 5 March, email from Kelly McCabe, Telstra Shop Darwin and Winnellie thanking us for being included on email contact list. • 6,9,10 March emails from Territory Rural re prices of equipment • 9 March, email from Michael Crossland, Sydney Uni, to say they are unable to attend our meeting on 14th but will be pleased to give a report at the April meeting. • 9 March, email from David Boehme, President of Lambell’s Lagoon Landcare group, agreeing to work on compiling and recording issues relating to shooting and saying that we need to have as broad a group as possible to have any luck in shifting the political will. • 10 March, verbal approval from Sarah Harris of Landcare, to alter our budget. She says we should ask for an extension to complete the signage. • 10 March letter from Austcover for renewing public liability insurance • 12 March, emails from Territory Rural re equipment for CCGS grant • 12 March, fax from Halkitis Brothers re gravel for CCGS grant • 12 March, Quote from Territory Marine re bollards for CCGS grant • 12 March, quote fro Ace and Rural Painting re CCGS grant • 13 March, quite from Imagineer re signs for CCGS grant Correspondence accepted: Jeremy/Monika 5. Business arising from correspondence: • Water fowl shooting review: Agreed we should check with NRETAS regularly to ensure it happens/is not forgotten. Members asked to document incidences of concern. 6. Finance: Bendigo Bank Statement 26 Feb 09, balance $3,997.10 $3,000.00 received from Testra Shop on 5 March. Reimbursement to be made to Jeremy from Landcare/Aust Post Grant: Insect repellant $189.75 Gloves $33.00 Tools $295.72 $518.47 Plus from Telstra Shop Grant funding: Container $1,760.00 4 drawer filing cabinet & steel bookcase 33.63 $1,793.63 $2,312.10 Reimbursement of expenditure by Jeremy approved: Jo/Jane 7. Aust. Post/Landcare Grant a) PR Plan: Due to delays completing the Monsoon Forest Boardwalk, the original PR plan has had to be modified. Leisa in contact with Territory Regional Weekly to have an update article on Fogg Dam mentioning developments and grant funding. b) Purchase of equipment, tools. First aid kit, gloves, insect repellent, shovel, wheelbarrow, pliers, spanners, screwdrivers, secateurs and pruning saw have been purchased. Territory Rural has quoted in fire rakes, knapsack sprayers, tool box and safety glasses, masks and ear plugs. c) Working bees, attendance of Weed Workshop, additional people met at our recent working bee and Telstra Shop Darwin and Winnellie staff are interested. We need to measure the area weeded for our project report.. d) Signage – presentation and discussion with Jane Moore. Her draft focuses on visuals for the large panels emphasising (1) Environment and Ecology as an introduction to Fogg Dam and (2) Land Use – what you can do and see. These concepts were well accepted with modifications being: • for the map to include more information on where things are located, eg Harrison Dam, Windows on Wetland. • that the panels have introductory information on the rice project, Aboriginal and climate aspects with referrals to sites where more detailed information can be obtained, eg the FOFD container for the rice project and climate and WOW for Aboriginal information. e) Final Report due 17 April but we will request a 3 month extension for completion of signage and approvals from P&W and TOs. We require approval of signage from P&W before printing. 8. Telstra Grant The container has been transported to site and now needs to be levelled, tied down and a ramp built to the entrance doors. A 4 drawer filing cabinet and steel bookcase have been purchased at auction to store papers, photos and posters. Some additional shelving will probably be needed and the container needs to be repainted. 9. Clubs Community Grant Scheme opportunity To tidy the area around the Anzac Parade sign and container, a proposal was prepared to apply for a $5,000.00 grant under the Clubs Community Grant Scheme of the Casuarina and Palmerston Sorts Clubs, ie to: gravel the entrance from Anzac Parade to the Interpretive shelter and container; provide additional rice project information on the container and also pay next year’s public liability insurance of $350.00. A draft submission was tabled. Applications close 5.00pm 16 March. Endorsed. 10. Open Day 2010 • Need to commence planning now and to seek sponsorship. • Cost of 2008 Open Day = $456.00 ($300.00 PL insurance, $156.00 gifts for speakers). Cost of printing, which would have been considerable, was donated by ConocoPhillips – need to find a sponsor. • Ask for toilets on the west, plus BBQ , tables and chairs on west and east. • Follow up request re donation box. • Organising committee nominations: Leisa; Alan; Heather – need more. Gemina and Monika offered to assist, depending upon their work circumstances. Leisa offered to bring a plan of work to be done for allocation at the next meeting. Date in April/May to be determined then also. Write to CEO P&W requesting toilet to be installed on the western side of causeway, plus BBQ and table with seating on both the west and east side of the causeway. 11. Revision of Business Plan Leisa, Monika, Jane and Heather to meet to revise this. 12. Other business – a) Membership fees are due to be renewed on 30 March. $25.00 single: $30.00 family: $15.00 concession/student. b) Suggestion to write to Government area responsible for road signs, asking to have the ‘Fogg Dam’ sign altered to ‘Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve a sanctuary for wildlife’ c) 1975 proposal for Fogg Dam written by Greg Miles noted. It’s a very interesting read and includes bird and animal listings which are valuable as a comparison to now. d) Thanks to Kezia for use of the Community Room. 13. Next meeting: Sunday 26 April 1pm at Fogg Dam rotunda. Next working bee: Sunday 26 April from 9am to replace boards on Woodland to Waterlily boardwalk & weeding, followed by BBQ at 12md. Summary of issues to follow up. Request for extension of acquittal of Landcare/Aust. Post Grant and purchase remaining equipment Finalise installation of container and acquittal of Telstra Grant Business Plan Data collection on hunting Complete and lodge Clubs Community Grant Scheme Letters to Parks re (1) donation box (20) BBQ facilities and Roads re Arnhem Highway sign |