There has so far been no response to our call for help in researching weed control options and alternatives to glyphosate (message repeated below). If you have an interest in this issue, please consider helping us prepare a background paper to help decision making:

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Currently there are concerns by Villagers about the use of glyphosate as a weed (mainly couch grass) control tool on common land. The Management Committee (MC) has recently instructed the Works group to suspend its use of this tool on common land until a decision can be made by the Community at the General Meeting in March 2010.
 
So the Community can make an informed decision at the GM, the MC would like to commission a person(s) to provide a background paper with the following scope:
 
1. Undertake a literature review on the use, effects and efficacy of glyphosate
 
2. Provide a summary of the control of couch in the Village
 
2. Provide a summary of alternative weed control techniques particularly for couch
 
3. Make recommendations about the use of glyphosate and weed control strategies for the Village common land
 
The scope will also include requesting submissions/comments from Villagers to be included in the research.
 
For more information please contact Brad Nott by phone on 8557 7163 or 0417 866 424 or by email.

Neighbourhood Group (NG) Coordinators will be meeting in the Sharing Shed next Thursday 11 March from 7:30 to 8:30 pm.

The meeting will be with Management Committee “facilitators” to discuss the first round of Whole-of-Village Planning, which starts at the NG level.

Enquiries to Brad N - Phone: 8557 7163 or 0417 866 424 or email

Currently there are concerns by Villagers about the use of glyphosate as a weed (mainly couch grass) control tool on common land. The Management Committee (MC) has recently instructed the Works group to suspend its use of this tool on common land until a decision can be made by the Community at the General Meeting in March 2010.
 
So the Community can make an informed decision at the GM, the MC would like to commission a person(s) to provide a background paper with the following scope:
 
1. Undertake a literature review on the use, effects and efficacy of glyphosate
 
2. Provide a summary of the control of couch in the Village
 
2. Provide a summary of alternative weed control techniques particularly for couch
 
3. Make recommendations about the use of glyphosate and weed control strategies for the Village common land
 
The scope will also include requesting submissions/comments from Villagers to be included in the research.
 
For more information please contact Brad Nott by phone on 8557 7163 or by email.

Some Villagers may have received a bill from SA Water recently.  This has been sent in error.

Please DO NOT PAY IT.  

The only water charges you are liable to pay are those which appear on your levy notice.

If you have already paid, please contact Jane O'C by email or on 8557 6078, unless you would prefer to contact SA Water yourself to arrange for reimbursement.

In case you missed it in the last news Feed, the ATTACHED communiqué summarised the intended Whole of Village Planning process, which the Management Team has been working on since late last year. I acknowledge that the News Feed is not the most ideal way of communication for everybody…..so If you have any questions or don’t understand whatsoever, please feel free to call me or drop around anytime to discuss further.
 
Brad N - 8557 7163

Please note the specific request in advance of planning discussions: I would like everyone to prepare for participating in Whole of Village planning by simply asking yourself and your family and your children the following questions:

1. What does my house and NG look like from here on?
2. What does the village look like from here on?
3. How am I interacting with my community - within the village, within Aldinga and within our bioregion?

Whole of Village Planning

Just a quirky suburb?

You may have noticed through the Village communications feed the request for community members to submit their personal vision for the Village.

This action was initiated by the Village Management Team as a response to the need to recognise that that we are 8 years old and we now have over 100 people living here.

Why are we doing this?

The vision of the Village needs to be revisited, affirmed and or modified as the first step for Whole of Village Planning. It is imperative that the vision is predominantly derived from and reflects the people who actively live, or are intending to live, in the Village – a reflection of their hopes, dreams and aspirations.

Without this vision it is arguable that we will just become a quirky suburb!

The management team has committed to, as the highest priority for this year, the commencement of whole of village planning.

What does this mean?

Firstly, it doesn’t mean that all projects will come to a grinding halt whilst we plan. We must continue to identify simple ‘no brainer’ things that can be completed with minimal fuss. Secondly, every aspect of the village will be considered in its relationship to the village as whole. And thirdly, the recognition of scale is critical, i.e., the level at which planning occurs; and in our case we are determined that planning will start with empowering the individual at the Neighbourhood Group (NG) level and then moving through to our region, recognising that we have a place in the broader community and that to succeed we will need to manage our external relationships accordingly. Permaculture Principle number eight reminds us that we need to ‘Integrate rather segregate’. This means that by putting the right things in the right place, relationships develop between those things and they work together to support each other’

To do this the Management Team late last year developed some simple guidelines to undertake Whole of Village planning:

- A 10 year vision with a rolling 3 year plan
- Planning will occur within, and themes will be developed from, each Neighbourhood Group
- A simple planning toolbox will be used to help (not constrain) these Groups
- Planning themes will be generated from the community itself
- Reporting of the plan will be as graphical as possible

Overall process

1. Identified village facilitators will work with NG’s to outline their agreed aims for their NG, the Village as a whole and for the Region in which we live. Key themes from the NG perspective will be identified and prioritised. An immediate ‘Doing’ project will also be identified.

2. Each dataset (information) from the NG will be reviewed by the functional areas (NEC, Works etc) to ensure that they are compliant and feedback given to NG.

3. The functional areas (NEC, Farm, CDC, BDC etc) using the new information from the NG will also complete a similar strategic planning process. External ‘experts’ can be used to at this point to provide any information or expertise that we do not have.

4. The MC will then synthesise the NG and functional area information into a master plan consisting of all the key themes and desired outcomes. This plan will be highly visual and will be easy to understand. It will also be designed so that we can easily understand how we are tracking towards our stated aims.

5. A Whole of Village plan will then be taken to a community General Meeting for approval. This provides a mandate and direction for the Management Team and Functional areas

6. In the interim an activity(s) that has been identified as ‘low hanging fruit’ can be undertaken. In addition a nominal amount of $1,000 will be provided to each NG who completes this process in the specified time frame.


Time frame
1. NG’s completed their plans by Sunday 21st March
2. Functional areas completed by the end of March
3. Whole of Village plan completed by end of April
4. Approval sought at a General Meeting (date to be set – but not long after)

This is going to take time and commitment from everybody, and the way in which we work together is in essence the core of what is community.

So, hopefully I have provided an update as to where the energy of the management team will be focused in the short to medium term. More detail will follow as soon as we have finalised our approach. In the interim I would like everyone to prepare themselves for participating in Whole of Village planning by simply asking yourself and your family and your children the following questions:

- What does my house and NG look like from here on?
- What does the village look like from here on?
- How do I interact with my community - in the Village, within Aldinga, and within our bioregion?

A good place to start the creative juices flowing is by reading the excellent examples of personal visioning on the Village website. Thank you for the inspiring visions from Adrian Oakey, Paul Worsman, Bridget O’Donnell and Tricia O’Donovan. If you have one, send it in.

As indicated, whilst we do Whole of Village planning, the village still needs to run and projects will need to be completed. Again I would like to ask that every Villager reflect on their personal contribution to the Village. From my perspective we are currently enduring the SOFA syndrome at meetings, working bees and social events ….i.e. its the Same Old Faces Again (SOFA)

There are numerous ways of interacting and contributing to the Village so if you are just simply paying your levies as minimum …entertain getting off your SOFA and ensure that we are not just a quirky suburb but a live and vibrant Community that is striving to meet its stated vision!

Care of the Earth, Care of the People, and Living Creatively Together.

Brad Nott - Presiding Officer

All of us have some sort of vision for the way we want to live in our Village. Now, with the Management Committee about to initiate new inputs to whole-of-village planning, it’s a very good time to share some of those thoughts, so that we can get to know and appreciate both our commonality and our diversity.

A new webpage has been set up to present these ideas. Bridget O’Donnell and Adrian Oakey have kindly made the first contributions. See “Vision for AAEV” in the main menu at right.

If you would like to open up some of your own ideas to fellow villagers, send them in by email for posting on this new page.

Elizabeth H - Communications Group on behalf of MC

Thanks to Jane O’C, our super Secretary, the draft Minutes of the Community AGM held on Sunday 13 September have been completed and are now posted on the website:

a) On the Minutes page of the “Members Only” Section at:
http://www.aaev.net/page146/minutes/index.html [First item]

and b) Under “By-Laws etc” in the public section, as required by law, at:
http://www.aaev.net/about/by-laws_etc/index.html [Third item]

Below FYI is a quick summary of the outcomes of Sunday’s AGM. Please note that these are not official Minutes, which are still to come, and any errors at this stage are entirely mine.

Elizabeth H.

1. The Community AGM, held at the Bowling Club on Sunday 13 September, achieved a quorum and the meeting proceeded as planned.

2. The Draft Minutes of the 2008 AGM were confirmed

3. Richard Clampett, as Presiding Officer, gave a brief report, concentrating on acknowledgements to the 2008-09 Officers and Coordinators.

4. Special Projects were presented for voting on the forms provided

5. Treasurer's Report and Budget:
5.1 The Annual Accounts for 2008-09 were accepted.
5.2 The Base Budget for 2009-10 was presented

6. Budget 2009-10:
6.1 The proposed Base Budget for 2009-10 was accepted
6.2 The motion to set levies at the same level in dollar terms as last year was lost. An alternative motion to allow levies to rise by 5% (approximating the CPI rise) was carried.
6.3 All special projects were provisionally approved, based on the number of strike-outs being less than 37 (i.e., being less than 25% of all eligible voters). Project priority rankings are still being tallied from strike-outs plus specific rankings indicated on the voting papers. MC is delegated to apply these rankings to give the go-ahead to specific projects, acknowledging there will be only modest project funding this year.
6.4 The motion authorising MC to manage and reallocate funds between budget line items as necessary during the year was carried.

7. General Community Resolutions:
7.1 The motion seeking approval for a wood-fired stove in the house to be built on Lot 83 was lost.
7.2 The motion clarifying the terms by which WWTP volunteers are compensated was carried.
7.3 - 7.7 These motions were withdrawn in view of the outcome of voting for 7.2.
7.8 The Community House Design Brief as presented was accepted as version 1 of the Official Design Brief.
7.9 The motion to change the by-laws to allow the use of PVC-U in dwellings was lost.
7.10 The motion to change the by-laws to increase the level of compulsory water storage by lot owners was withdrawn for re-presentation at the next General Meeting. The wording of the resolution will be changed to ensure it is not retrospectively applicable to existing dwellings.
7.11 The motion to change the by-laws to prohibit wood-fired heating and cooking systems was carried.
7.12 The motion to change the by-laws to prohibit external aerials for the purposes of receiving or distributing services that could be provided by the Community communications infrastructure was carried.
7.13 The motion to establish a Works Maintenance Group was carried.
7.14 The motion seeking endorsement of two principles to inform a design brief for an Environmental Education Centre on the Farm was split to allow voting on each principle separately. Both were carried.

Election of Office Bearers for 2009-10:
Presiding Officer - Bradley Nott
Secretary - Jane O'Connell
Treasurer - Rick Davies
Deputy Presiding Officer - Under consideration by Ray Mines pending the outcome of the Governance Special Project proposal
Building Development Coordinator - Adrian Oakey and Michael Vawser jointly
Natural Environment Coordinator - Jill Wilson
Community Development Coordinator - Jacqui Good assisted by Gillian Clampett
Communications Coordinator - Elizabeth Heij
Works Maintenance Coordinator - Andy Coe
Arts and Cultural Coordinator - Kat Worth and Sue Gebhardt jointly
Farm Coordinator - Bradley Nott and Cam Waters
Governance Coordinator - Under consideration by Ray Mines pending the outcome of the Governance Special Project proposal
Heart of the Village Coordinator - Kevin Chan (Kevin will concentrate on progressing the Community Centre, and a project champion will be needed to progress work on existing buildings in Market Street.)

UnitCare Services, our Body Corporate Managers, are moving to new premises this Friday 4 September.

New Business Address: 52 Fullarton Road, Norwood
New Mailing Address: PO Box 4040, Norwood South, SA 5067
New Phone: 8333 5200
Web: www.unitcare.com.au

One of the best things about living in our Village is the wonderful range of ages we enjoy and meet almost every day, and the great feeling of freedom that our lack of fences gives to our daily outlook on everything we see.
 
This seems to be well worth fostering and nurturing, and it needs some attention not required elsewhere, because our open spaces are made up from both common land and private land, and there needs to be a clear understanding of which is what, and what is which.
 
A number of lot owners recently have “mentioned” to me that some of the younger people (in particular) apparently have difficulty with this concept of what is public and what is private.
 
Instances have included youngsters, and others, examining (private) articles on a back veranda, using private lots as if they were established pathways, running and riding bikes over newly planted gardens (and Village mounds) - with damage to the plants - and leaving “stuff” on private blocks.
 
May I therefore ask everybody, especially parents, to ensure as far as possible that there is distinction recognised very definitely between
 
* common land available to the community generally,  and
 
* private property and space where it is necessary to appreciate what is reasonable, and what is not acceptable.
 
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Not related directly, but relevant to note and be aware of, is that materials continue to be stolen from Village building sites, and this includes using boltcutters to break into a storage shed recently.
 
It would be in Village interests for any unusual or suspicious activities to be noticed and noted (whenever it is possible to do so safely and inconspicuously - to avoid potentially argumentative or difficult situations).
 
Richard Clampett - Presiding Officer

The graph below shows the most recent water consumption figures (payments now on appearing on levy notices) in comparison with the previously published figures for 2006-07.

The new (08-09) figures involve 47 households in comparison to the 38 reporting for the previous (06-07) period. Interestingly, the main difference in the two sets of figures is a big increase in the number of households in the range of 1-5 KL consumed. Does this suggest our new residents are mainly avid water savers?

Elizabeth H. - with thanks to Rick D for the base data.

Management Committee has received a number of complaints concerning pets attacking native animals, causing distress to individual people (mostly children), damaging, and in two cases digging up, vegetables.

The Bylaws leave no doubt about the conditions under which pets are allowed in our ecologically aware Village.

Bearing in mind our ethos of consideration for the environment and people, combined with care for our diminishing natural resources, Management Committee has decided to administer the Bylaws in the way they were intended, and seeks the co-operation of all pet owners, whilst recognising that many already co-operate fully.

This was attempted last year, but we seem to have slipped a bit, and hence a slightly different system will be instituted, and it needs to be clear to all residents.

Separate letters to known pet owners will be sent with registration forms, together with a hard copy of Part 8 of the Bylaws which is the specific part referring to pets, although the last two bylaws of Part 7 (70 and 71) deals with any animals on common property are also relevant and of interest.

A register will be kept of pets in the Village (by Secretary Jane O’Connell). This will include details of Council registration, and a description, preferably with photo, and identity tags will be issued where it is practical to use them. (micro-chipping for both cats and dogs - for easy and positive identification - is highly recommended).

Cat-traps will be obtained in an attempt to rid the Village of feral cats which have caused a deal of concern, so it is important to keep pet cats inside or contained, particularly at night. The cats caught in these traps will be taken to the Council pound to be dealt with, unless they are clearly identified

Loose dogs will also be subject to impounding (with Council co-operation), although dogs probably may be recovered quite easily with the standard payment to Council.

Should you wish to check the Bylaws about pets, please read Part 8 of the Bylaws, ATTACHED to this Feed for your ready reference. You may notice that we have been concerned principally with dogs and cats, but the Bylaws apply equally to all animals, whether simply pets or whether kept for eggs and/or meat.

Naturally we have a community sensitivity to all residents and there will be a grandfather provision for those who register (with the Village) more than the single dog and/or cat allowed by the Bylaws, but only on the clear understanding and agreement that after the death or disposal of any extra animal the normal restriction will then apply.

In return we ask for owners’ co-operation too, and suggest that pets not be taken to any Village home unless it is known in advance that they will be welcome.

Richard Clampett, Presiding Officer, for the Management Committee
AAEV Animal By-Laws 2pp

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PS A stray, but related, thought for consideration (not from Management Committee) just occurred to me – for people with no pets, and who may be thinking about it, what about an informal PET SHARING PLAN?

Perhaps there are children who would enjoy part proprietorship, without involving themselves, and/or their parent(s), with the total care and responsibility, and yet experience all facets of owning and looking after pets!

SIX MONTHS IN! – a six months Village summary (not just MC of course)
 
As it is about halfway through the term of the current Management Committee, I thought a “term report” may be in order.
 
Our regular voluntary contributors are doing a fantastic job for us, and they have been joined by some new arrivals in our midst – it is just tooooo dangerous to name them, because I might leave some out, but this is a friendly place so I will mention Trevor K, Andy C, Franka G, John H, Tony G, Julia E and apologise to all those I missed, and then chuck in all the Convenors for good measure!
 
From my point of view all the standard functions are working well and there are plenty of new projects in consideration.
 
Services has been strained by problems with our infrastructure, but John Turner and his helpers have done a magnificent job with keeping us going under very difficult weather conditions, where tradesmen, quite understandably, chose shaded work for preference.

However, our major functions have been maintained, and lesser problems have plans for fixing to a reasonable timetable, and that applies also to defects becoming more obvious in our infrastructure and being more of a longer term concern.
 
Plain sailing, with fair winds and relatively calm water, is more obvious with, in no particular order:

• secretarial and financial functions under first class control,
• farm and orchard progressing well (a huge leap in our development, with the feral proof fence and even to ordering the trees {Not a bad advance, Nott!!}),
• plans for our community centre to consider (and work out how to pay for!),
• governance planning for a suitable way to protect our corporate financial security with a parallel legal entity,
• social functions there for us as we wish, both weekly and for special events,
• re-cycled water coming into greater use (on most if not all orchards) and plans are in progress for lifting the biological standard of the product,
• Village communications at their usual immaculate standard for anyone wishing to be informed,
• the sharing shed and surrounds being used wonderfully well,
• our new strata managers keeping us well informed
• the Village records of systems, infrastructure and facilities being centralised and available soon and down-loadable, on call, by read-only computer access. (“Mavim” is the magic word for the system, or simply “Chancoeheijnottetc Inc.”),
• grounds and maintenance looking better than could be imagined without adequate water, and so a very great compliment to all involved
• neighbourhood groups have enhanced their realistic and useful niche function
• the Village sheds soon to go up on the recycling yard
• the arts mob doing their own things, and being somewhat coy about it
• the maintenance crew organisation working out well for the Village
• discussions on a streamlined system for co-ordinating routine maintenance functions, and allowing the more farseeing and exciting matters to be put into greater focus by the existing committees.
• the workshops refitting looking very promising in its early stages (?men’s shed??)
• the number of dwellings going up, including the progress on the Cottages – wow!!

 Are there things to be done or re-arranged? Of course there are, but we’ll get there!
 
Thank you all for helping in so many ways!
Richard Clampett , Presiding Officer

Please, if you are changing your postal address and/or other contact details, make sure to send your new details to BOTH the Body Corporate Manager for updating of the formal mailing list for levy notices etc, AND to me for updating of our Community directory. These two directories are, unfortunately, not linked.

1. To notify the Body Corporate Manager, Kate Plew at Unit Care Services, download, complete and return - in writing by postal mail or fax - the “Unit Owner Update” form that has been included for convenience on the Members Documents page of our website at: http://www.aaev.net/page146/private_documents/index.html (4th item on list)
2. To notify me, simply phone me on 8556 6892, or send me an email.

Please don’t let our contact systems get out of date. If the Body Corporate Manager does not have your correct address, this could result in levy notices going astray and you inadvertently becoming non-financial as a community member!

Thanks for your help in this - Elizabeth H. - for AAEV Communications

At the AGM, while not part of the formal discussion, the following call for participation in an innovative scheme to progress our Community Centre was made available as a handout. If you did not attend the AGM you may be interested. Please note that the amount already pledged to the scheme stands at $30,000 so this is not "pie-in-the-sky".

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