26 people attended the AGM and enjoyed the supper and selection of the club’s wines that followed.
Matter arising from the meeting requiring action post the AGM were:
Annual Accounts and President’s Annual Report
If you couldn’t make the AGM, copies of both of these have been uploaded to the Club’s website for your perusal.
The Club’s Special Licence
There was some discussion at the AGM about the need for the Club to have a liquor licence and the associated high annual cost. Suggestions were made that approaches should be made to City Councillors and politicians, especially in light of the upcoming elections.
Richard Taylor, who has managed the licencing process for the Club for several years, has made the following comments in order to inform members of his experience of the current position with regard to the licence. He advised he has already spoken to Councillors who have advised that the District Licensing Committee, which is administered by WCC, is only applying current law, so there appears to be no opportunity for change at that level. Local MPs he has spoken to have said trying to make a change by way of a Member’s Bill is extremely unlikely to succeed.
That leaves, as the only avenue, submissions at the time of the next review of the Sale of Liquor Act. Richard said he continues to keep a watch on the situation so that any favourable shifts can be seized upon straight away
The Club’s Sound System
Thanks go to Jan Sammons for providing feedback to the committee post the AGM that reaffirmed that the use of the Community Centre sound system would mean over a 50% increase in the cost of us hiring the hall for each tasting. Rather than incur this cost, the committee has resolved to first try using a suitable lapel microphone and use that with the boom box/speaker at the back of the room. Also, they will ask the presenter to try and stay behind the table.
Ability to purchase wines if unable to attend a tasting
The committee was asked to consider ways that absent members might be able to order wines. Several logistical issues were identified and after discussing these, the committee resolved not to pursue this idea any further. Instead, the committee preferred an informal arrangement where an absent member could ask a friend attending or one of the committee before the tasting to order the wine for them.
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Turnout For the 40th Anniversary dinner at Bellamy’s by Logan Brown was excellent.
Attached to this Newsletter you will find the minutes from the 2017 AGM. The President and Treasurer will present their reports on the night and details will subsequently be made available on the Club’s website for those who might be interested. This is your club and the AGM does offer an opportunity to have your say and/or raise matters of interest. If you have ideas or thoughts to offer please don’t be shy to raise them.
While travelling in Hawkes Bay and visiting wineries (purely for research purposes you understand) Anne and Jenny came across the following quote. “anything is possible with a little lipstick and a great glass of wine.” Personally I will skip the lipstick and cut straight to the chase
This will give members an opportunity to compare wines from a producer from the Gimblett Gravels area and one of the equally excellent producers from the more coastal Te Awanga area. Much to look forward to over the next few months.