At 32 Taharepa Road, Taupo, 7:00PM

1. PRESENT:               Pete Masters; Neville Peach; Lisa Rowland; Else Tutert; Gerry Dance; Thomas Schwarz; Richard Balm and Bruce Jefferies (Lake Taupo Development Company)

2. APOLOGIES:          Jonty Garlick

3.         CONFIRMATION OF LAST MINUTES: Committee agreed that the minutes of 21 January 2004 were a true and accurate record. Accepted by committee (Richard/Pete)

4.         MATTERS ARISING:

(some of which is covered in Subcommittee Reports)

•          Event Signs:  Richard has investigated local authority for Welcome Bay and will pass notes on to Neville to prepare letters to major events. 

•          Constitution Changes: Richard has investigated the Internal Affairs Dept and we are able to avoid auditing accounts.  We may however find some funding agencies require audited accounts and we will deal with that as and when they arise.  Other changes to the constitution were agreed and Pete will approach Alan Vane of Le Pine & Co regarding these changes and having them formally noted.

•          Patuiwi Trust:  Cheque and letter were delivered to Patuiwi Trust Secretary, Michael Allan on 29 January.

•          Photo Gallery/Volunteer section:  Thomas has set this up on the website.  He will give basic training to the committee after the meeting so that we can put in photos ourselves.  He has also made a start to setting up newsgroups including volunteers jobs to be done.

•          Southern Trust:  Lisa re-sent application to Southern Trust and we have now received an acknowledgement of receipt from them.

•          Funding for tools/display stand:  Richard will report on this in subcommittee reports.

•          Rotary Club - future prospects - Gerry has yet to approach the Club.

•          TDC Community Grant:  To be done by Neville

•          Bike to Work Flyer:  Thomas did not get this but the flyer still went out to all TARTS and Mountain Bike Club members via the internet.

5.         INCOMING/OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE

•          23 January 04 - letter from DOC

•          27 January 04 - letter from DOC

•          28 January 04 - letter from Scottwood Trust

•          30 January 04 - letter from DOC

•          Southern Trust - acknowledgement of receipt of funding application

•          4 February 04 - letter from TDC

•          5 February 04 - letter from The Mayor

•          12 February 04 - letter from Ministry of Transport

•          February 04 - letter from Mountain Bike Club

•          29 postcards received from prospective members and inputted on website

•          29 January 04 - letter to Patuiwi Trust

•          23 January 04 - letter to Southern Trust

                                                               Accepted : Gerry/Richard

6.         TREASURER’S REPORT

•          Neville advised he had some forms from the Bank for approval and completion by the Committee regarding access to bank details via internet.  Pete moved that the appropriate forms be signed enabling the Treasurer to access the Bike Taupo bank account by internet.  Seconded by Gerry - all were in favour.

•          Accounts paid:

o         Patuiwi use of land fee $562.50 plus GST for the next 6 months

•          Funds received:  $100.40 being proceeds of the Bike To Work Day Bikers Breakfast (donated to Bike Taupo by TDC Cycle Strategy Team)

•          Neville provided the Secretary with an account balance.

•          Cheque for $2,000 and letter received from Taupo Mountain Bike Club as a donation towards Huka Falls extension tracks and changes.  Neville to bank and Lisa to document conditions of donation.

Treasurer’s Report accepted:  Neville/Richard

7.         SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS:

Media and Promotion: (in Jonty’s absence):

•          The committee agreed that Jonty’s reply to the truck driver letter to editor was excellent and also Keith Crate’s response.

•          The postcards are proving an excellent drive for membership shown by the amount coming in through the post.  Lisa mentioned that there is a little confusion regarding postage.  Not sure whether people think its postage paid but receiving a few with unpaid postage attached.  These cost Bike Taupo 80 cents each card to uplift from Post Office.  Committee agreed that there are not many and petty cash can cover these amounts.

•          The final race for the current Mountain Bike race series  is coming up (4 races to go) and the committee will prepare a questionnaire for distributing at this race.  Questionnaire to basically ask participants and users of Craters of the Moon tracks - what they want out there.

•          Newsletter is due out (Jonty to prepare):  Some headings for newsletter include:  Wairakei Forest Park update; Rotary Ride extension track and Huka DOC track updates; Kinloch track; volunteer online; Ironman general safety on roads.

Website:

•          Membership stands at around 860.

•          Gallery now set up and committee training will take place after this meeting.

•          Volunteer section is almost ready

•          Thomas is cutting over to a new server , which will be cheaper for items to sit on the website.  Once this is changed over the above new features will go live.

HukaFalls Extension Track

•          Pete reported that the new route from Huka Falls up to Helistar is now marked (known as Helistar Hill)  Bruce Lilburn of Helistar will sponsor some of the works.  Area is to be scrub barred and then Russell and the digger can start anytime. 

•          River right changes (two hills on Aratiatia track) will be scrub barred first and checked out 8am on Sunday.’

•          Mountain Bike Club have given Bike Taupo $2,000 with a couple of conditions that we acknowledge their input publicly. 

•          Regarding the culverts beneath State Highway One - Gerry reported that Matt Thrush of Opus is advocating strongly on our behalf.  Matt is to prepare a letter to Transit requesting a meeting on site.  We also have information (ammunition) regarding Transit okaying the opening of 3 culverts in Nelson.  Its probable if okayed to continue that the works and costs would have to be met by the community (Bike Taupo) as Transit would have not spare funding for such a project.

•          Apparently Transit have allowed $300,000 to put a clip on cycleway across the Control Gates bridge.

Submissions / Funding:

•          Richard to look into the TDC Annual Plan situation

•          Richard is preparing applications for funding to the following:

o         Castle Trust ($6,500 - digger hire)

o         Trillion Trust ($1,000  - display stands)

o         Century Foundation ($1,000 - track tools)

o         Lion Foundation ($5,000 - digger hire)

He reported that he has been told that the best way to apply for funding is to separate projects into small amounts (instead of applying for large sums of money as total projects).

                       Richard moved that all the above applications for funding be approved for sending.  Lisa seconded.  - All were in favour.

•          Richard reported that he has seen good quality cycle shirts for around $60.  We could put Bike Taupo logo etc on shirts and sell to create an income for projects.

TDC Cycle Strategy Team:

•          Bike Wise Week:  Bike to Work Day Bikers Breakfast went well despite the weather with around 90 people attending.  Funds raised and given to Bike Taupo were $100.40.  Lisa on behalf of the Cycle Strategy Team thanked the Bike Taupo Committee for their manpower and assistance at the breakfast.

•          New Paths:

o         The Taupo View Road/Gillies Avenue path is almost completed despite a complaint by a neighbour that it will spoil the reserve.

o         The Riverbank track has commenced from Control Gates Bridge to Sewerage Plant.  It has worked out more expensive than anticipated and TDC is looking a re-assessing the project.  A couple of complaints regarding this new path have also been received from public.

o         The new 2 metre wide path from Secombe park to Wharewaka Point is underway.

•          Usage Counts:  Students have recently done a usage count on the Lions Walk near Hot Water Beach during weekends.  It can be reported that on average around 60 people were counted per hour on the walkway using a variety of transport (walking, cycling, blading etc).

•          Pedal Talk: Lisa requested in future the Committee advise at meetings what they would like featured in the following month’s Pedal Talk Column.  Next month feature track changes from Huka Falls river right and left.

Wairakei Forest Park: (new subcommittee report)

•          Pete reported that no progress has been made with the Commissioner since their request for fees to be paid for holding a concession at the Park.  Negotiation has been handed over to Chas Hutton who will prepare a reply to Commissioner of Crown Lands.  For the time being these dealings will be set aside.  However, track management must move ahead.

•          Approval will be sought to do maintenance only at the Wairakei Forest Park .  Bill Wheeler is in favour of this.

•          Accordingly Pete moved that for the purposes of maintenance only a subcommittee of seven people including Richard Balm as chair (on behalf of Bike Taupo) be set up.  Lisa seconded and all were in favour.

•          The following people have registered their interest in being this subcommittee:   Richard Balm (chair); Kevin Loe; James Rusk; Craig Donnelly; 2 Mountain Bike Club members (Len Malcolm and Peter Lockwood).  A seventh person will be appointed.

•          This subcommittee will handle and manage the existing track network as an initial set up and once all matters are resolved the approved Mandate will take over the management.

•          Some ideas to future fund a mountain bike park in Wairakei Forest included approaching a large sponsor (ie. Contact Energy) and rename the mountain bike track area (eg. Contact Mountain Bike Park).

Acacia Bay to Kinloch Track (new subcommittee)

•          Bruce Jefferies from Lake Taupo Development Company (‘the Company’) was present at the meeting (who is the driver of the track’s progression).  He reported that a steering committee will be set up and Pete will be on this committee as representative for Bike Taupo.  Pete accepted this position as long as he is able to succond others where appropriate.

•          Bruce reported that a Hui has been organised for Kinloch / Acacia Bay people to present the concept of the track.

•          Stage One will probably be from Whakaipo Bay to Kinloch. Strategies in the plan will push tourism and other land use.

•          Pete will send an email detailing what’s next.

•          Kevin Snowdon to be facilitator.

•          Bruce will try to come to meetings to be present as liaison between the steering committee and Bike Taupo.

•          A database of landowners is being established including determining whether leases/subleases are involved with the land.

•          It was mentioned that a more professional approach is needed to managing maintenance of such a track.

•          Bike Taupo committee all agreed that they would adopt an interest in promoted a wider view of users of such a track.

3.         GENERAL BUSINESS

•          Bike Taupo Strategic Plan:  2004 goals prioritised as follows.

•          Frequency of future meetings: 

It was agreed to make meetings six weekly.

•          TDC / Road Safety Campaign:  Else Tutert of the Cycle Strategy Team provided Bike Taupo with a  proposal to run a Road Safety Campaign ‘Don’t Burst the Bubble’.   Community development road safety funding could be applied for to run the project.  The committee agreed to investigate this and Gerry is to obtain more information from Else on what is involved with running it.  Might be too big for Bike Taupo.

9.  NEXT MEETING:    

Wednesday 31 March 2004 - 7pm - Creative Café unless otherwise advised.

MEETING CLOSED AT 9:00PM