AGM at Natfly 2013

[DWF]

The RA-Aus AGM is on this Friday (13th) at Natfly at Narromine.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, much as I would like to be there, I cannot attend due to the tyranny of distance and cost.

 

 

 

I urge all who can to be there and urge all members to vote on the Special Resolutions - in person or by proxy.

 

 

 

There are a number of questions I would like to ask at the meeting (if they are not answered in the various reports). I am sure other members would like to know the answers to these and other questions as well.

 

What questions do you have?

 

 

Can a member who attends the meetings as the following on our behalf:

 

1. The final audited financial statements are not on the web site as promised. Why not?

 

2. The monthly Profit & Loss statements for July and August are not on the web site as promised. Why not?

 

3. The current Deed of Agreement with CASA expires on 25th Sept 2013.

 

a. Has a new agreement been reached?

 

b. If not, when will this happen?

 

c. If it has, when will it be published on the web site and what are the milestones?

 

4. Safety Management System (SMS)

 

a. What is the status of the new SMS?

 

b. Are FTFs still expected to produce a SMS based on the pseudo template sent to CFI recently or is that on hold pending the 'new' SMS?

 

5. RA-Aus Mission and Objectives.

 

a. Will the Board issue a Discussion Paper on the topic to give members an insight into the Board's thinking and an opportunity to provide input to the discussion?

 

b. If not, why not?

 

6. RA-Aus Restructure.

 

a. What is the status of current deliberations (if any)?

 

b. If there is still a Restructure sub-committee who are its members?

 

b. Will the Board issue a Discussion Paper on the topic to give members an insight into the Board's thinking and an opportunity to provide input to the discussion?

 

c. If not, why not?

 

7. RA-Aus Strategic Plan.

 

a. Does the Board have a Strategic Plan for RA-Aus for (say) the next 5 years?

 

b. If not, does the Board plan to develop a Strategic plan and, if so, when?

 

c. Will the Board facilitate members consultation and involvement in the development of a Strategic Plan?

 

8. Technical Manager position

 

a. Is the position going to be re-advertised?

 

b. If so when?

 

c. What are the Job Description and Selection Criteria for the position?

 

 

 

DWF

 

 

[Spriteah]

DWF has been sent an email from me and some other board members answering many of the above questions. He may wish to post the replies for all to see. If he does I apoligies in advance for my typo's.

 

Regards,

 

Jim Tatlock.

 

 

[DWF]

Thank you to Jim and some of the other Board members for responding to my questions above.

 

It looks like at least some of our Board members are working hard to get things back on track.

 

A precis of their responses are included below in red. My comments are in blue.

 

1. The final audited financial statements are not on the web site as promised. Why not?

 

They were (and are) in the Member's Portal area of the web site under Financial Reports. I just didn't see them.

 

Jim's 2013 Treasurer's Report is there now also.

 

 

 

2. The monthly Profit & Loss statements for July and August are not on the web site as promised. Why not?

 

Staff have been busy. The July P&L is now on the web site.

 

 

 

3. The current Deed of Agreement with CASA expires on 25th Sept 2013.

 

a. Has a new agreement been reached? No

 

b. If not, when will this happen? The Board is liaising with CASA at present. The agreement they provided has time frames that we are unlikely to meet and therefore do not want to commit to the document and then not comply.

 

c. If it has, when will it be published on the web site?

 

d. What are the milestones? None yet. Not signed.

 

 

 

4. Safety Management System (SMS)

 

a. What is the status of the new SMS?

 

Jim and RAAus Ops met with CASA and spent several days working on an SMS.

 

Jim asked the board to formally agree to moving forward with the CASA template system offered. It will be discussed at the board meeting on Saturday.

 

b. Are FTFs still expected to produce a SMS based on the pseudo template sent to CFI recently or is that on hold pending the 'new' SMS?

 

Pending. Hold off at this stage until you hear from RAAus.

 

 

 

5. RA-Aus Mission and Objectives.

 

a. Will the Board issue a Discussion Paper on the topic to give members an insight into the Board's thinking and an opportunity to provide input to the discussion?

 

I think that is a fair question. The board has been lacking on strategy and policy duties.

 

They are high on my agenda and I hope the board after this next meeting with have a much clearer direction on the future.

 

Any Objectives should and will be open for member comment and consultation.

 

b. If not, why not?

 

 

 

6. RA-Aus Restructure.

 

a. What is the status of current deliberations (if any)?

 

b. If there is still a Restructure sub-committee who are its members?

 

b. Will the Board issue a Discussion Paper on the topic to give members an insight into the Board's thinking and an opportunity to provide input to the discussion?

 

c. If not, why not?

 

I have not received an answer on the Restructure yet.

 

 

 

7. RA-Aus Strategic Plan.

 

a. Does the Board have a Strategic Plan for RA-Aus for (say) the next 5 years?

 

b. If not, does the Board plan to develop a Strategic plan and, if so, when?

 

c. Will the Board facilitate members consultation and involvement in the development of a Strategic Plan?

 

We do have a document titled 'STRATEGIC PLAN 2013 to 2018' produced by the Board some eighteen months ago from an original drafted by the then CEO to cover the objectives and planning in detail for the next twelve months and planning for the four years following. It goes on to say that:

 

 

"This document should be considered a 'live' document which will be subject to change as the organisation grows and develops. The document and plan will be reviewed regularly by the board and staff of RA-Aus and it will be discussed in detail and further developed at each Board meeting and the most up to date version will be presented to members of the organisation at the AGM and all General Meetings."

 

 

 

The plan has NOT be reviewed nor updated and the board would be pleased to see that the present GM has put this item as number one priority for the agenda AGM this week. He states and I quote ' Although it appears to be a sound document, with continuing relevance, the Association's Strategic Plan has not been updated since 2011 This needs to occur, I believe this should be initiated - and led- by the Board.'.

 

 

 

The GM's recommendations are listed for Board consideration and I entirely agree that:-

 

a. The 2011 Strategic Plan needs an urgent update.

 

b. The outputs of the Constitutional and Restructure sub-committees will need to be incorporated; and

 

c. A draft Plan should be produced for the website in February 2014 and a final for the 2014 Board meeting in March.

 

 

 

8. Technical Manager position

 

a. Is the position going to be re-advertised?

 

Yes. It is an operational decision which Mark Clayton will action. The board will oversee the appointment.

 

b. If so when? Don't know.

 

c. What are the Job Description and Selection Criteria for the position? Can these be published on the web site?

 

Yes they will be at a later time.

 

DWF

 

 

[DonRamsay]

It is so refreshing to see a Board Member like Jim responding. A great and welcome change from previous Board Executives.

 

 

[kgwilson]

Natfly?? Ausfly . Thanks for the reminder. I'd forgotten to get my proxy organised.