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Friday 24th March 2017 at 9:30 am at Grace Joel 3rd floor Recreation room.

1          Wallace Bottomley chaired the meeting

  1. Welcome to New Committee for 2017: Brian Matthews (ex Officio Minute Secretary), John McDermott, Hugh Hickman, Don Shaw, Tim Donaldson (a quorum);

and by invitation to Past Presidents: Graham Wallace, Bill Brabazon, Owen Diggelmann, Noel Vallance, Bruce Robinson; and Roy Bain as liaison for Grace Joel Village.

  1. Apology from Bob Clements.

Sustained WB / HH

  1. Minutes of previous Committee meeting 24th February – circulated and taken as read.

Accepted                 WB / DS

  • Arising: Correct the spelling for ‘Homes” (no ‘’l”).

5          Evaluation of AGM on 3rd March 2017

  • 1 visitor – having seen our advertisement and invitation
  • Main speaker – Margurite Vanderkolk “Auckland Zoo” was excellent.
  • Minutes of AGM – Circulated and taken as read.

Approved (as permitted by Bylaw III (h)) JMcD / WB

6          Correspondence:  

  • Auckland East Combined Probus exchanging newsletters
  • PAA – Reminder meeting Friday 10th March at Manurewa Cosmopolitan Club
  • PSPL – Invitation to join as a Member.  Recommend to incorporate your Club.
  • PAA – Report of PSPL Rep to promote Clubs (147) becoming Members
  • PSPL – Membership return
  • Glendowie Bowling Club – list of dates in 2017 to hire clubroom
  • Resignation by Murray Homes
  • Pepperjacks – unpresented cheque.

Received and approved WB / HH

  1. Secretarial: The web page now includes the last Committee Minutes (demonstrated during the morning tea break). Google search arguments “Probus” and “Glendowie”
  2. Treasurer’s Report:
  • Financial report for 2016-17year (as was presented at AGM) was tabled.
  • Reissue a cheque to Pepper Jacks ($594.00)

Approved WB / JMcD

  • Pub Charity audit for 2016 can now be finalised

9          Membership Officer:  DS will report names of no shows to elicit concern about them

10        Visits officer’s Report:

  • Scenic drive via Kauri Grove to Hallertau Brewery at Riverhead will be promoted at the May meeting after application of a grant by Pubs Charity for Bus ($600).

11        Speakers Report:

  • April     Main: Kevin Lamb – “Age Concern”                           Mini: none needed
  • May     Main: Maurice Mihotich – “This is my life”.                Mini: Bob Clements
  • June    Main: Peter Maxwell – “Cornwall Park Farm”                        Mini: New topic?
  • July     Main: Andrew Adams – “From Pharaohs, Kings …”  Mini: Outsider? TBA

12        House Manager’s /Steward Officer:  This appointment is urgent and subject to approval by GBC (for access and standards expected). An honorarium ($50) could be approved.

13        Almoner’s Report: Nil.

14        Newsletter: WB will edit (tone down) his “Future of the Club” discussion paper.   

15        Probus Auckland Assoc.  BM reported a meeting that he attended on 10th March.

  1. 16.         Notice of Motion at the next general meeting – “Discuss the future of the Club”

WB circulated a paper analyzing: Issues, causes, actions taken and strategy about conducting the next general meeting.  For Past Presidents’ advice, see next page.

17        Further business: TD will not be able to attend the next Committee meeting.  Therefore, without further nominations, there will not be a quorum.  Nevertheless, this meeting may proceed at the risk that any resolutions passed may be invalidated if the next Committee meeting does not approve the Minutes.

18        Next meetings:                      General            7th April to discuss “Future of the Club”.

Committee      21st April 9:30 am, Grace Joel Village 3rd Floor         Meeting concluded at 11:35 am.

 

Approved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                       

Advice and suggestions by Past Presidents at Committee Meeting 24 March 2017

 

  • Issues:
  1. Committee vacancies (4).  Quorum of six is needed at each meeting
  2. No House Manager - needs to be a Member of GBC.  RB will seek clarification
  3. Insufficient audience numbers (15 apologies and no shows) is an insult to speakers
  4. Membership (50) below critical mass – it should be 100
  5. Filling a bus for trips without having to resort to other clubs to join us – effort required.
  6. Threat of winding up if issues 1 and 2 above persist – just as occurred with Glendowie Ladies Probus Club.

 

  • Reasons:
  1. Rotary have relaxed their retirement age, thereby abandoning their project “Probus”
  2. Average age of Members (83)
  3. Competition by U3A and entertainment provided by retirement resorts
  4. Pervasion by new technologies providing entertainment.

 

  • Remedial steps taken over the last three years:
  1. Whip around ($1,400) when Club was insolvent in March 2014.
  1. Applied for grants ($2,000 p.a.)
  2. Had conversations about amalgamation with St Heliers Mens’ Probus
  3. Appealed to Members to invite visitors with intention to recruit new Members
  4. Admitted ladies to Membership
  5. Shoulder tapped Members (10) to accept nomination to Committee.

 

  • Action plan:
  1. Newsletter to include President’s analysis to start discussion about future of the club
  2. At next general meeting, call for nominations for Committee.  Begin with House Manager
  3. Ask selected Members (10) to join the Committee and publically hear their excuses
  4. Hold subscriptions already paid, in case of need to refund
  5. Meanwhile send delegation of Past Presidents to persuade some to stand for the Committee
  6. Call for notice of Motion for a Special General Meeting (in June) to wind up the Club.

 

 

 

 

 

Past Presidents in attendance:

Graham Wallace (1993)

Owen Diggelmann (1998, 2009-10)

Bill Brabazon (1999)

Noel Vallance (2005)

Bruce Robinson (2011-2)

John McDermott 2014-2015

Brian Matthews (2006-7, 2016)