MINUTES OF MEETING

At 25 Kereru Street, Taupo , 7:00PM

1. PRESENT:            Gerry Dance; Thomas Schwarz; Pete Masters; Neville Peach; Jonty Garlick; Lisa Rowland

2. APOLOGIES:          Else Tutert

3.   CORRECTIONS TO LAST MINUTES:

Committee agreed that the minutes of 18 June 2003 were a true and accurate record. Accepted by committee (Neville/Thomas)

4.         INCOMING/OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE

•         Letter from IRD dated 3 July 2003 - Withholding Tax Certificate

•         Letter from Tranz Rail dated 14 July 2003 regarding request to use railway sleepers for Huka Track

•         Chain Links books arrived on 5 August 2003

•         Rotary Ride Agreement dated 3 August 2003 between Bike Taupo (signed on behalf by Pete Masters and Lisa Rowland) and Patuiwi

•         Letter from Opus dated 8 September 2003 regarding culverts under State Highway One.

•         Remittance Advice from TDC regarding direct credit of funds due to Bike Taupo.

5.         TREASURER’S REPORT

Else submitted a statement of account to date, which was accepted by the committee (Pete/Neville)

6.         MATTERS ARISING:

Alan Vane will soon invoice Bike Taupo for the incorporated society registration fee of $100.00.

7.         SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS:

Media and Promotion:

•         Postcard  - Jonty said the postcard is in its final stages.  The secretary’s address needs changing.  Lisa has received a good response regarding sharing the Lifesaving Club’s post box so this will go on the postcard.  She will ring the post office and let Jonty know once confirmed.  Jonty needs to see Ross from the Corner Shop regarding advertising upon the card.  The committee suggested a catchy phrase be added ‘without your help - we can’t help you’.  The committee also approved putting on the front of the card :  ‘check out the website for biking in Taupo’.  Pete said we have approval from the Cycle Challenge Committee to post out the card with the cycle challenge results.  In return we help put the results in envelopes for posting.

•         Jonty said Taupo Times are awaiting updates with the Huka Track. We will do more press releases once the track is more completed.  There is already many people using it but bridges are not in etc - safety issue.

Website:

•         Thomas has renewed the domain name for another 2 years ($45.- / year +GST) and will need reimbursing - he will make out an invoice to Bike Taupo

•         Need to encourage people to keep looking at the website.  We could do this by one or two line emails to members like ‘Kinloch to Acacia Bay proposed track ’  ‘advocating widening of Poihipi Road - project pending ’ and ‘check out the gully systems that have been cleared’

•         Event calendars will be put in from cycle groups including social rides .

•         Put progress photos of the Huka Track on.

•         The working B poster on the website - Ω day of work

•         The Web host charge is due in September.  Bike Taupo needs to invoice the Mountain Bike Club a share  of the amount due (Total is $300.00).

•         Thomas gave the committee the website path for updating and adding news direct to the website.

Huka Falls/Spa Park Track - Rotary Ride

•         Section 2 is now finished to the first bridge site.  There is a small working B this Saturday 13^th from 9 - 12pm. 

•         Next weekend (20^th) is the big working B which Gerry has distributed a poster for, including the website.  Hoping to get plenty of people along to help out. 

•         The following weekend hopefully the bridges will go in. 

•         Currently the subcommittee is running the project well within the budget.

•         Murray Fleming came back to subcommittee and wants to build a new bridge wider then the current one to go in - estimates 20,000 riders using the bridge - it has to be safe.  This will bear no cost to Bike Taupo.  Pete will return the bridge that was to be used to the airport.  New bridge will probably be  done by Saturday week.

•         All agreed the construction of the Rotary Ride is the best thing for Bike Taupo.

Submissions / Funding:

•         Neville to write letter to Barry Hickling regarding the gully systems around that have been cleared - advocating bike and walking tracks be put through them.

Membership:

•      Membership has slowed down.  Need to get more members.

•      Membership drive to be done at the Day Night Thriller - volunteers from the committee to go around each tent site and sign people up!  Not as costly as giving out post cards in each pack!

•      One thought was to have a Bike Taupo stand (with banner and post cards) set up which does not need manning but where people can take a card if they want one.

TDC Cycle Strategy Team:

•         Lisa is co-ordinating a newspaper column called ‘Pedal Talk’ to appear monthly in the Taupo Times.  This will include progress on the Strategy Team’s projects, Bike Taupo, Cycling facts, events, profiles on people who cycle regularly. It is aimed to be light and casual and input from Bike Taupo is welcomed.  Lisa will chat to Jonty for ideas etc.

•         The Cycle Strategy team is attending the Cycling Symposium in Auckland on 10 and 11 October.  They are also presenting at the symposium.  Title of their presentation:  ‘Taupo the Cycle Friendly Town - Striving for a healthier active community - Cycle Strategy for Taupo Town’.

•         Cycle brochure is almost complete.  Bike Taupo committee looked it over.  Gerry said it is to be ready for the Cycling Symposium in October.

•         The team has prepared an Annual Report for 2002-2003 for presenting to the Council  in September.

8.         GENERAL BUSINESS

•         A student from Auckland requested our address  list for members for completion of a survey.  The committee reiterated that we couldn’t give out email addresses for privacy reasons.  It was suggested that Thomas reply to the student saying we will put his email request in the next newsletter and also put it on the forum.

•         Pete mentioned that Richard Balm who is great with funding opportunities would like to help us out in that department.  The committee agreed we needed someone to head this area .  Pete moved the Richard be succonded onto the committee and it was seconded by Lisa.  All were in favour .

•         Lisa mentioned the current funding application she had for the South Auckland Charitable Trust.  We need a project to apply funds for.   The committee agreed to apply for funding for the extension of the link to the Wairakei Tourist Park.  From Reids Farm, past Helistar etc.  It’s estimated at $5,000 per km and there is approximately 2.2 kms to be prepared.   Pete and Gerry will confirm this.  We cannot supply quotes at this stage but if funding is approved the Trust is welcome to audit the accounts once completed.  It was therefore moved by Lisa that funding from the South Auckland Charitable Trust be applied for the above project.  Pete seconded and all were in favour.

•         Day Night Thriller is 11 October - Murray is a huge supporter of Bike Taupo.  AT the briefing for the Day Night Thriller Pete will talk to the event - announcing that the riders will be using the first part of the Rotary Ride built by Bike Taupo etc.  We will also do a membership and promotion drive as mentioned in the Membership Sector above.

•         Jonty suggested bike racks be put in at Pak ën Save as currently people use the silver bar along the front of the building.

•         Pete will sort out an agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) between Bike Taupo and the Conservation Board for the concession use of tracks in the Taupo district.   This came about after a meeting with mountain bike club.  The commissioner of Crown Lands will not give concessions to non-incorporated clubs.  The mountain bike club is not incorporated.  It was passed that they wished us to apply for concession over the whole Wairakei Tourist Park.  How it will operate Pete is still thinking about.  Pete moved that Bike Taupo apply for concession over the whole Park to protect the interest of all bike users so access to the facility is not lost.  Seconded by Jonty - All were in favour.

•         Need to start a campaign to encourage bikers to use bells on their bikes - especially when approaching walkers from behind.  Everyone uses them in Europe.  Thomas to look at mentioning on website ‘pick up an inexpensive bell from your local bike shop - be safe be heard!’

•         Gerry mentioned the Trust Power Community Awards and that Bike Taupo should apply for the Rotary Ride.  The winner gets $1500.00 and he’s certain we would be in with a chance.  There was discussion whether the project had to be completed - Gerry to look into.

•         Need to set date for Annual General Meeting of Bike Taupo.  It will be:

Wednesday 29 October 2003 - 7:30pm at the Taupo Events Centre. 

Lisa to arrange.  Should be notified in the paper on 15^th October (two weeks prior to AGM).  Jo Taylor will approached to audit the accounts.  A Chairman’s report and Treasurers report will need to be given as well as confirmation of the inaugural minutes.

9.  NEXT MEETING: 

25 Kereru Street ,Wednesday 22^th October 2003  ,7:00pm

8.  CLOSE OF MEETING:     8:45pm