Tuesday 2 September 2008.

Headlands Hotel, Austinmer.

Attendees: Lynda Starkey (Stark Event Management), Pauline Smith (Otford Pantry), Barbara Allen (Piccadilly Travel), Greg Watts (Helensburgh Post Office), Steve Melchior (Just Cruisin’ Harley Tours), Shelley Daniew (Embroidery Plus), Kaylene Prendergast (Illawarra Credit Union), Neil and Leslie Craddock (Thirroul Optometry), Quentin Field (Interphase Security and Electrical), Matthew Dignam (Dignam Real Estate), Carol Van Der Water (Watergum Grove), George Vasal (Headland’s Hotel), David Abernethy (Thirroul Toastmasters), Phil Preston (Helensburgh Toastmasters), Ian Pepper (Property Penguin), John Radnidge (Symbio), Geoff Pybus (Wagon Wheels), Ron and Mary Macmaster (Sharkey’s Beach B&B) and Andrew Sheath (Jim’s Bookkeeping Thirroul).

Apologies: Suzi van Middelkoop (Tea by the Sea), Scott Smith (NiO), John and Frances Vander (Articles Fine Art Gallery)

Meeting opened: 7:10pm.

Chairperson, Pauline Smith, announced the new Executive Team, as follows:
President – Pauline Smith
Vice-President – John Radnidge
Treasurer – Quentin Field
Secretary – Ian Pepper
Minute Secretary – Suzi van Middelkoop
Webmaster – Scott Smith
Media Liaison – Lynda Starkey
Meetings Officer – Barbara Allen
Membership Officer – Greg Watts

Presentation by Phil Preston and David Abernethy, Toastmasters.

Media Report.

Focussing on promotion of the Annual Ball on Friday 7 November, Festival of Flight on Saturday 8 November and the Kite Day on Wednesday 5 November.

Webmaster Report.

In the absence of Scott Smith, Quentin discussed briefly the potential benefits to NICC of utilising Facebook. Quentin and Scott will give a presentation at the next general meeting.

Treasurer’s Report.

Total accounts in the order of $27,000 – excellent financial position. We have recently submitted reports to the Department of Fair Trading re Public Officer and annual accounts that we had inadvertently omitted to do in the couple of years – Exec was not aware of the need for Incorporated organisations to do so. Quentin is now our Public Officer.

Membership

currently stands at 73, with 9 new members in the past month or so.

Member Directory and Location Map. Membership closed 31 August for the purposes of producing the final format, but new members will be included if approved before the map is printed. Meeting with Charli Design next week to update data. Ron Macmaster suggested changes to the layout re how the Map sits in displays and how readers typically use the map; rotating rather than flipping. These suggestions will be incorporated into the Map.

Member presentation

Ian Pepper, Property Penguin.

General Business:

Grand Pacific Drive signage unveiling attended by NICC members, specifically John Radnidge and Steve Melchior.

Steve Melchior will feature on the ABC tomorrow night, 6pm, as part of a two-part series on Grand Pacific Drive.

Recognition that we are in a sound financial position and should consider spending some of our funds; for example, supporting significant community events such as FoF, or Kite Day as ‘naming sponsor’ or revamping “buy local, buy Chamber strategy. Decision needs to still be adding value to members.

Suggestion that general business should be more planned, reflecting the top one or two concerns of the membership at present, as opposed to the current random request for issues on the night. Facebook could be used to determine the most popular topics to members, say, two weeks before a general meeting, with those topics being formally including in the meeting agenda.

Sensis and street maps of the Northern Illawarra in the Wollongong White/Yellow Pages telephone directory. Ian Pepper reported that he has made initial contact with Sensis to determine why current maps end at Towradgi Road – still pursuing.

Meeting closed 8:50pm

Next Meeting – General Meeting, Tues 7 November 2008.
Headland’s Hotel, Austinmer; 6:30pm for 7:00pm meeting start.