CRARC AGM roundup

Good evening all, a belated notice to advise the outcome of the CRARC AGM held Wednesday night last week.

Approximately 28 financial members attended the AGM and after the annual reports were accepted and the special resolution to modify the objects of the club (see emailed version sent out to financial members prior to the AGM) was voted on and passed.

Nine nominations were received for the nine committee positions and all nine were declared voted in by the returning officer. Eight members of the previous committee were re-elected with Fergus VK1FM standing down and being replaced by Rob VK1FRJ. The composition of the new committee is as follows:

If I can include here a huge thanks from myself, the committee and indeed the whole club to Fergus VK1FM for the efforts he has put in over the last three years as the secretary – a position that often entails significant effort to help keep the club going. Thanks very much Fergus – sad to see you stand back, but it is great to know that you will be continuing to help out with the education aspects.

On completion of the election of committee, a discussion was held on the subject of the annual club subscriptions. These have remained at $30 per year for approximately the last 15 years and do not on their own cover the costs associated with the running of the club and with reducing donations from the WICEN front (and large potential costs we need to self insure for in the event of site works), we need to be proactive about ensuring the clubs financial status remains suitable into the future. After significant discussion, a motion was put from the floor to raise the club subscriptions from with effect 1 May 2024 from $30 per year to $40 per year. This was unanimously passed. Whilst this may seem like a significant increase, please note that there have been no increases in 15 or more years and it remains well below CPI increases over that period. It is also well less than most clubs of a similar nature and we believe represents very good value for money (note you no longer pay a licence fee, so you save around $55 per year per licence!).

Finally, the door prize of three Retevis RT3S radio packages was drawn with Scott Eyles VK1FAQ (originally won by David Peterson VK2DHP, but generously donated forward to Scott, a newly minted amateur), Patrick Slavin VK1EE and Christopher Collins VK1NKO being the lucky winners of these prizes. A number of “Hills Antennas” hats provided by Bitek were also raffled off.

Matt VK1MA

For the CRARC committee