Draft TMGC Management Committee Minutes for February 15, 2023

1.    Welcome and Apologies

Gerry Moloney (President, Chair), Ross Barnes (Treasurer), Kevin Arnold (Vice-President), John de Jersey (Secretary), Kristo Bradley and Katy Hewitt.   Apology: Greg Kearney (Captain).

Guests: Andrew Revie (Club Professional) and Graeme Andrews (Greenkeeper).

2.    Professional’s Report.

·      Andrew is advertising the Eagle Challenge which is planned for the fourth Thursday of each month (February 23 is the second edition).  The first Eagle Challenge was on Australia Day when 27 golfers competed, with three breaking their handicap.  The public holiday may have inflated the numbers. It is expected that the number of players will initially be quite small and that we will have to work hard to build the competition.

3.    Greenkeeper’s Report.

·      The electric motor had to be replaced on the fairway mower, at a cost of $3500.  Graeme thinks the cost can come from the greenkeeper’s budget as a contingency item.

·      Graeme and committee members are working on an application for a new irrigation system.  The maximum that can be applied for is $250000 and the application is due by March 3.

·      Graeme has sprayed kikuyu encroachment on some of the greens and it is dying back.

·      A new Club member asked how to tell the location of the holes on each playing day.  It was noted that there is a sign near the second, seventh and eight tees giving the required information.  On the first, fifth and sixth, the hole position can be seen from the tee or from the approach shot position.  This leaves the fourth and the ninth where information on the hole position provided near the tee would be useful.

·      The MC noted that it is passed time for Graeme to take some annual leave.  He plans to take each Monday off in March as a first step to addressing the accumulation, given that Monday is the best day of the week for him to be away.

·      It was noted that there had been some discussion about the selection of trees cut down last month by Jason.  Advice was taken from Jason and from two senior Club members with good knowledge of the trees concerned.  There were good reasons for cutting down the trees on the first, second, fourth and ninth holes, basically because they were diseased, potentially dangerous, or in one case because they were toxic to native bees.  There remains one large pine tree on the left side of the fourth fairway which is dying and needs to be removed. 

·      Coles have provided a $1400 quote for removing the stumps and for levelling the 17th tee.  This will be done when the expertise and equipment become available. 

4.    Minutes of Previous Meeting

The Minutes of the MC Meeting of January 11 had been pre-circulated and were approved (moved Katie, seconded Kevin, carried unanimously).

5.    Business Arising, not elsewhere on Agenda.

·      A motion to accept a quote of $10K from ABC Alarms to provide CCTV coverage was circulated by email and approved by MC members.  This motion was confirmed at the meeting, moved Gerry, seconded Katie.

·      Redirection of effluent spray away from the 9^th green (ongoing).

6.    New Memberships

New members were approved as follows.

Full members: Peter Rayman, Allan Wykes, Johann Beninger,

Koa Marshall, and John Dautby.  Country members: Jay Fong, Jarrod Whyet.  Junior member: Ngahuia Peke. With these additions, we now have 240 financial members.  With these additions we now have over 240 financial members.

7.    Financial Report.

Ross had pre-circulated the financial report for January.  It showed a final credit balance on January 31 of $201,775.25. Several expenses for Clubhouse refurbishment will be included in the February statement. These include the cost of the CCTV installation, the cost of the completed external work on the Clubhouse (guttering, soffits etc) and the cost of the current refurbishments inside the Clubhouse.  A further project to cover the back deck area and the walkway between the clubhouse proper and the toilet block with synthetic grass was put on hold until the present project is completed.

8.    Workplace Health and Safety. 

·      It was noted that a big branch was hanging somewhat precariously from a large pine tree near the third fairway.  Graeme will investigate the level of risk and how it may safely be removed.

·      Three quotes had been obtained for provision of security screens to the rental house.  The MC accepted the quote of Alugard for $3152

 (moved Ross, seconded Gerry, carried unanimously).

9.    Captain’s Report.

Greg had pre-circulated the Captain’s Report.  It showed that there were 264 Saturday competition rounds played on the three Saturdays in January when play was possible, resulting in an allocation to the Club of $1355.20 after prizes and specified allocations.  Greg, Graeme and the other volunteers were thanked for the special Australia Day activities on January 28.  A number of other matters, including a draft slow play policy, were held over till the next meeting. Regarding the score cards, the question was asked as to why there needs to be a separate hole index for male and female members (to be discussed).

10. Correspondence

·      Inward

Information on granting opportunities was received from the Scenic Rim Council and the Sports and Recreation Disaster Recovery Fund.  It was decided to concentrate on putting in an application to the Sports and Recreation Minor Infrastructure Grant towards a new irrigation system.  This application, requesting $250,000 and requiring a significant contribution from the Club, will be submitted before the March 3 deadline.

A request for support was received from the Ipswich Vigoro Association Heart Kids Day.  It was agreed to offer four free games of golf to be used as raffle prizes.  A request for a donation towards Queensland Girl Guides Day was not supported.

·      Outward

Notification was received from Louise Nelson the Club’s Insurance Broker (SureFinity) that she had requested quotes from a number of companies but only one had offered coverage, being the policy developed for golf clubs by Australian Golf Insurance.  This offer was accepted but it was agreed that further investigations be undertaken before renewal is required next January to ensure that this is the best policy.

Letter to Andre Cafun of ABC Alarms accepting the CCTV quote (see above).

11. General Business (not included above).

·      Thursday March 16 was selected as the date for a working bee to undertake sundry jobs including gurneying of paths, buggy shed doors, outdoor tables and chairs, demolishing the old cold room, painting of new fascia and soffits, cleaning gutters on big buggy shed, cleaning sponsors’ tee signs etc. Gerry to advertise in Newsletter.

·      New contacts were agreed for the YouI insurance cover on the rental property, namely Ross and Gerry as the Contact Persons. 

·      Membership fees for parts of the year should be calculated in months, not weeks or days.

·      Professionals sponsorship.  Todd and Katy are undertaking further discussions with The Professionals management (ongoing).

·      Contact details need to be tabulated for all Club accounts, policies and activities, to ease transitions between management committees after each AGM (ongoing).

·      Quotes for artificial turf (see above).

·      Rental property.  Katy will undertake the required 6 monthly inspections.

·      Microsoft issues regarding licences have now been addressed.

·      It was noted that the security wire across the driveway is not being put up each afternoon.

·      The required signage for the OLG Licensee and Number being made by Dave Strong needs to be placed at the front door once renovations are complete.

·      Membership categories will be discussed at the next meeting.  It was agreed that the increase in subscription for next financial year should be the Brisbane CPI percentage increase, across all categories.

12. Closure and Next Meeting. The meeting closed at 3.15 pm and the next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, March 15 at 1.15 pm.

Minutes prepared by John de Jersey, TMGC Secretary.