We are privileged to live in such pleasant streets where our children can play in relative freedom, however we must also take care to educate them about being aware of vehicle speed, in particular vehicles that may be travelling faster then expected. The streets within the village are considered to be public roads and as such are currently subject to the standard 50km/h speed limit contrary to any signage that exists. As a community we can agree to drive within a 25km/h limit, which is a much safer maximum speed for our little streets. This can be achieved through your own awareness of vehicle speed when in the village and by letting visitors and tradesman know that we encourage drivers to drive under 25km/h.  The last thing anyone wants is an accident in the village from someone driving too fast or a child being complacent about road safety.

In the coming months, road safety and speed limits will continue to be on the agenda for the village whether through painting on the roads at Arts workshops or Management Committee discussions with Council. Whilst we will be investigating our options for applying for a slower speed limit, we are already aware that any measures that we take such as signage, chicanes, crossings, etc will have to comply with the relevant Australian Standards and will likely be a costly undertaking. If anyone in the community has a particular interest in championing this area or valuable experience with road standards, costs or design, please come forwards because we need your help.

In the meantime I urge everyone to continue to treat our roads as 25km/h and at the same time educate our children to be safe on them, particularly near the play areas.

Ray Mines - for MC

This is a very quick, informal report back from the AGM on Sunday. The official Minutes will be posted soon, but in the meantime, for those who were not there, here are the main outcomes. (Any errors are mine and subject to correction! Elizabeth H)

The meeting got off to a very positive start with a verbal report from Brad Nott, Presiding Officer, on the year's events and milestones. 

This was followed by a summary from Ray Mines, Deputy Presiding Officer, of the Strategic Planning activities, an introduction to the draft strategic plan, and an outline of how the Strategic Planning Group proposed to implement the priorities emerging from the plan.

Rick Davies, Treasurer, then presented the financial reports for the past financial and planning years, and introduced the proposed budget, including base budget and development budget, for the year ahead. The final budget as presented included inputs from the Strategic Planning group, and from villager Jodie Summer who had assisted in revision of the presentation format.

On the day, the order in which resolutions were taken changed somewhat from the order in the Agenda. However, for simplicity of reference back to the detailed content of the resolutions, the outcomes are listed below in Agenda order with Agenda numbering.

4.1 Resolution 1 [Principle of using the Whole of Village Plan to guide future projects]: CARRIED
4.2 Resolution 2 [Principle of allocating funds to achieve the priorities identified in the Whole of Village Plan]: CARRIED

5.1 Project Resolution 5.1 [Completing concrete floor of eastern shed in recycle bay]: CARRIED

7.1 Finance Resolution 1 [Acceptance of Financial Report & Treasurer's Report]: CARRIED
7.2 Finance Resolution 2 [Adoption of the base budget]: CARRIED
7.3 Finance Resolution 3 [Adoption of the Whole of Village Plan budget]: CARRIED
7.4 Finance Resolution 4 [Transfer of $50,000 to the Sinking Fund]: CARRIED WITH AMENDMENT. (In consideration of the loss of Finance Resolution 6, the resolution was amended to apply $45,000 to future infrastructure requirements, with $5,000 being used to cover a shortfall in allocations from the Sinking Fund.)
7.5 Finance Resolution 5 [That levies remain unchanged for 2010-11]: CARRIED
7.6 Finance Resolution 6 [That the moratorium on levy payments by the Development Company cease]: LOST (John Maitland explained the current financial situation of the Development Company, then absented himself for a discussion of the implications for the Community. In view of the information given, it was generally felt to be the wrong time to apply this resolution.)
7.7 Finance Resolution 7 [Re-engagement of Unit Care Services as body corporate manager for the next year]: CARRIED
7.8 Finance Resolution 8 [Authorisation of Management Committee to re-allocate funds between budget line items]: CARRIED

8.1 Resolution 1 [Endorsement of the revised Vegetation Guidelines]: CARRIED

7.2 Resolution 2 [Placement of rainwater tanks on common land within the Seaberry Walk development]: WITHDRAWN (Debate is continuing within the Seaberry neighbourhood as to the best solution of water collection of the carports. However, a show of hands at the meeting indicated a positive attitude of the Community towards a proposal of this type if an acceptable tank location plan can be developed.)

OFFICE BEARERS - The following appointments were agreed:
Presiding Officer - Ray Mines
Secretary - Jodie Summer
Treasurer - Rick Davies
Deputy Presiding Officer - Eric Rasmussen (nomination of Wayne Allen could not be checked in his absence)
Building Development Coordinator - Adrian Oakey & Michael Vawser
Natural Environment Coordinator - Jill Wilson
Community Development Coordinator - Jacqui Good & Lucy Chan
Communications Coordinator - Elizabeth Heij & Jane O'Connell
Works Maintenance Coordinator - Tony Gerlach & Andy Coe (to be confirmed with Tony)
Arts and Culture Coordinator - Mary Davies
Farm Coordinator - Cam Waters
Governance Coordinator - Wayne Allen
Heart of the Village Coordinator - Kevin Chan

The appointees were congratulated by acclamation, and special thanks given, with acclamation, to the outgoing Presiding Officer (Brad Nott) and Secretary (Jane O'Connell).

OTHER BUSINESS - Immediately before lunch, Jacqui Good, backed up by Elizabeth Heij, made a short presentation seeking volunteers for participation in a wide range of Community activities.

The Meeting closed around 3:30 pm.

As you aware the Community recently approved the transfer of Lot 145 that included materials such as wood and the cobbles located on the farm.
 
Resources on Lot 145, as well as the cobble stones stored on the farm, will soon be owned by the Community and therefore should be used in the best interests of the Community as a whole. Until this usage is considered and a guideline developed, the Management Committee would like everyone to refrain from taking these cobbles for their individual, private use.
 
Existing and new common-land applications that include use of cobbles will not be affected.
 
Should you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to call or visit me at home.
 
Brad N - 8557 7163 or email

As you aware the Community recently approved the transfer of Lot 145 that included materials such as wood and the cobbles located on the farm.
 
These resources will soon be owned by the Community and therefore should be used in the best interest for the Community as a whole. Until this is considered and a guideline developed, the Management Committee would like everyone to refrain from using these cobbles for their individual, private use.
 
Existing and new common land applications that include use of cobbles will not be affected.
 
Should you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to call or visit me at home.
 
Brad N - 8557 7163 or email

At Sunday's General Meeting, a quorum was achieved and all three resolutions were passed with no dramas.

Thanks to all villagers who came to the meeting or sent in a proxy to make this possible.

The meeting outcome means that:

1. The Statutory Officers of the Community Corporation are empowered to proceed as soon as possible with the transfer of Lot 145 (Market St environs) from the Development Company to the Community Corporation.
2. The Works Maintenance Group are empowered to proceed with purchase of a more robust ride-on mower.
3. The Arts & Cultural Committee and Play-Spaces Group are empowered to proceed with building a play sculpture behind the Amphitheatre screen, just west of the fire pit.

In addition, a show of hands gave Jacqui Good the mandate to set in motion exploration of options for encouraging sightseers to leave their cars and walk rather than drive through the Village.

Those present appreciated by acclamation the good organisation, preparation and presentation by the Management team that made a positive and efficient meeting possible.

The official Minutes of the meeting will be posted on the Minutes page of the Members section of the website when completed.
 

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!

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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