Presidents Report
As the AGM approaches once again, it is time for my yearly report which is a little different by including reports from other Board members to give an idea of what is happening in their areas of responsibility.
Covid is still with us, and several members have now contracted it including myself, but we have still carried on with no closures this year. Museum attendances in general have been steady as have group visits. However, workshop programs were curtailed and our Motorfest event for 2021 was cancelled along with the Motorfest events from other Clubs
Fortunately, the 80 years of Defence/100 years of RAAF event in October was able to proceed and in May we held the Inter-Iveco Day. Both events were a great success.
Thankfully, the Anzac Day March was back to the normal format this year and went very well. We look forward to transporting the veterans in the Adelaide March every year.
Now that our finances appear to have stabilised, we have been able to turn our attention to other areas such as site and building maintenance. Coupled to this was the damage to some of the roof areas due to the hailstorm in November and the protracted claim on our insurance which is still ongoing. In addition, we are considering how to make better use of our other buildings and improve the collection, displays and the visitor experience. The recent arrival of the LAV 25 has enhanced the display and is proving to be popular with the visitors and our members. Getting some of the vehicles currently displayed outside undercover is another priority.
A run to Harrogate is being organised for later this year please take the opportunity to get your vehicle out on the road. Several Clubs have organised Motorfest events over 2 weeks in October (our Society included) and I would encourage members to participate in some of the runs. Entries are open now. Of course, don’t forget the Emergency Services Day at the Museum on 23 Oct. It seems October is going to be a very busy month.
Our general meetings have still been suffering poor attendance despite some interesting videos being played, I am hoping this is mainly covid related. So, please try and attend if you can. We are always open to suggestions to make the meetings more interesting.
Similarly, our Sunday opening roster is causing concern. Only 17 members are now on the roster. If you are able, please add your name. It is currently every 7 weeks, but the interval will be much longer with a few more people. We need members on the roster to stay open and maintain our income.
Unfortunately, on a sad note this year we lost long time members Ralph Brooks and Mick Hicks and recently the sudden passing of Jeff Pinney’s partner Ruth. Our thoughts are with their families. A Wake for Mick was held at the Museum which was a great tribute.
Finally, I wish to convey my thanks to the Board and subcommittee who again this year have put in many hours of work, we have made some great progress. Also, thanks to all members and volunteers who have contributed with their time or donations during the last 12 months. It is because of your support that we can keep going and improving.
Dave Carmen President
Update from the workshop
This year has been ups and down with several MTA groups last year and the Bowden Brompton Boys followed by a drought this this year with all visits stopped due to Covid. The good news is these activities are due to resume within a few weeks.
We have seen some activity of members vehicles since the recertification of the hoist with several members using the opportunity to do services and repairs, Rob Sanders is making huge strides with his 2lb Attack Carrier and the workshop is open most Saturdays to allow and help him where needed, Rob is hoping to unveil it at the Emergency Services Day.
Sam, Bill, Darryl, and Ian are forging ahead with the Radial engine after diagnosing and repairing the problem and that appears to be only weeks away from a test run.
Our biggest upset was the Loss of Mick Hicks after the great work he achieved in the workshop toolroom.
Thank you to all the team for another great year.
Mike Jebb Vice President/ Workshop Manager
Updates from the Safety Team
Currently we have a small library of Publications from SafeWork SA on display at the rear of the meeting room. These Publications are out of date but still relevant. The intention is to build on these publications with up-to-date digital copies.
We have conducted a pilot workshop on silent Signals to ensure that members are using the same signals when guiding vehicles within the museum complex. We will conduct additional workshops on silent hand signals, vehicle operation, Safe Work updates in the foreseeable future or as the need arises.
If anyone enjoys a challenge and a little light reading then the current 152 pages of the Work Health and Safety Act followed by 534 pages of the WHS regulations, along with hundreds of pages of the relevant Australian Standards, from SafeWork Australia is waiting for you to peruse. But wait there is more; the SA Approved Codes of Practice for anything and nearly everything, and let’s not forget the monthly SA Government Gazette Notices to also digest. If reading is your thing, then this could fit the bill.
In any Organisation, Safety is now every one’s Business. Every person can be held accountable for their actions or inactions in any incident; hence Safety is Paramount. None of us are growing younger.
Rod Hart and Ray Hall Safety Officers
Think Safety and stay Safe.
Report from the Treasurer
In the last financial year, we were fortunate enough to receive a few grants including the Salisbury event grant, DVA grant and a grant to upgrade our watering system.
After receiving a Grant from the Salisbury Council for a solar system, a Tindo system was installed and operational by August. To date after a few calls back and forth with our provider and an account credit, our electricity bills have dramatically dropped. In the 2020/2021 financial year we paid a total of $5,958.03 and for the 2021/2022 financial year our total bills have been $1,135.37 which we believe is mostly connection fees and overnight usage.
This year we have also ran two very successful events, the first being in October of 2021 and the second for history month in May. The total for both the events was over $20,000.00. Last year our 5-year mortgage agreement with Wood Park came to an end and the board made the decision to take the mortgage to Bendigo Bank. The good news is that the mortgage is currently sitting under $95,000.00.
Finally, along with the Membership Officer we have been looking to modernize and streamline the membership process. We started at this renewal season by preferably emailing the renewals to the membership and updating the database. I would like to thank everyone for their patience while we get this procedure in place.
Ryan Vallis Treasurer