Visitors are welcome

The meeting commenced at 1935 with the President, Neil VK6NE in the chair.

Present:
Neil           VK6NE        President/ QSL/ Zone29Award Manager/ VK6 N-WIA Rep.
Malcolm    VK6LC        Vice President/ Federal Awards Manager
Cliff           VK6LZ         Minute Secretary
Christine   VK6ZLZ       Membership/ VK6 Website/ Federal Awards Website
Trevor       VK6HTW    Federal Councillor
Neil           VK6BDO     Education Officer
Tony          VK6TS         Councillor
*Roy          VK6XV        Secretary
*Bruce       VK6OO       Treasurer        From 20.45

The Division is governed by a Council consisting of a President, Vice President
and seven other Councillors, currently plus *two Ex-officio Councillors.

Apologies:   Eddie         VK6ZSE      WESTAC Chairman
                     Dennis      VK6KAD     Broadcast Officer
                    
Visitors:       Will        VK6UU     (Past Federal Councillor)
                     Kathi      VK6HKR
                     Bob        VK6PO
                     Bob        VK6CG
                     Claude    SWL Member

Full minutes except Names of Possible *National Directors/The Board*, by
request of our President Neil VK6NE.

The President explained that, at the last minute, due to family reasons, he was unable to attend the Federal Convention.

(1)    MINUTES:

1a    The minutes of the March Council meeting, (09.03.04) were read by the President and accepted (VK6LZ/VK6ZLZ)

Business arising:

1a.1    Malcolm VK6LC, reported that he had contacted Mrs. Farkas (widow of VK6CF-SK) informing her of the obituary that he had circulated and put in AR and offering any assistance.

1a.2    Christine VK6ZLZ reported that she had ordered some refreshments for the AGM.

1a.3    Kathi VK6HKR put in an apology for the AGM – She will be in SA.

1a.4    Roy VK6XV reported that all items for his action had been completed - no reply yet from Federal.

1b    The minutes of the Special March meeting, (16.03.04) were read by the President and accepted (VK6LZ/VK6ZLZ)

(2)    CORRESPONDENCE IN:
2.1    Two requests for call books
2.2    Bulk QSL cards for QSL Bureau
 
    CORRESPONDENCE OUT
2.3    Letter to Federal Re VK6LZ resign as exam invgilator, appointment as exam marker.
2.4    Letter to Federal Re VK6LC resign as exam invgilator, appointment as exam marker.

(3)    TREASURER'S REPORT - Bruce VK6OO
No Report This month

(4)    BROADCAST OFFICERS REPORT
Neil VK6BDO Temporary Broadcast Officer, reported that two weeks back someone had locked the ch 2 repeater for a time just prior to the broadcast, but had cleared in time for the news.
.
Malcolm VK6LC asked if we could put in a microwave link to the repeater to overcome the problem?

Tony VK6TS and Will VK6UU explained that this was not necessary as both the repeater receiver and the broadcast transmitters all had a Remote frequency shift facility fitted. However this was currently out of service due to maintenance but would be reactivated by WARG soon.

(5)    MEMBERSHIP REPORT - Christine VK6ZLZ

Christine reported that there was one new member this month:
VK5XPS/6 Paul Smith Full Member Proposed VK6ZLZ/VK6BDO agreed.
Paul was warmly welcomed to the division.

(6)    EDUCATION REPORT - Neil VK6BDO

Neil reported that at the last exam conducted by WARG, 8 candidates sat for 15 examinations resulting in 4 Passes.

The next exam is scheduled for 1.05.04 at Hillview Scout Hall to be conducted by WARG at which 6 candidates will sit for 9 exams.

(7)    FEDERAL COUNCILLOR’S REPORT - Trevor VK6HTW

Trevor Reported on his attendance at the Federal Convention held in Brisbane over the weekend of 2nd to 4th of April 2004.The most important item on the agenda was the move from a Divisional based WIA towards a National body
    
Trevor first commented on the openness of Federal Council and the frequency and content of information he had received by E-Mail prior to the meeting
    
Friday

Friday the 2nd was a talkfest - several other Federal Councillors quizzed him on VK6’s intentions regarding his vote for acceptance of the proposed new constitution.    He simply replied that he had got his instructions!
    
Saturday
    
On Saturday, there was a white board session on the National Model and mainly Legal stuff.
    
There was a new document that no one in VK6 had seen as yet. This was the Legal Document called the
CO-LATERAL AGREEMENT, that all Divisions were expected to sign (to create the National WIA)

It contained far reaching ramifications.
    
Trevor considered that it was essential that the VK6 Council consider it first and was thus prepared to invoke the 30 Day rule. In fact this was not required since the Federal Convention was eventually adjourned until the 1st of May in Sydney. Which in the event is after most divisional AGMs where it can be discussed with the members
    
It was said that “We will not touch your assets” (but see the wording in the agreement).
    
The document was variously described as merely “an agreement”, “Shareholder agreement”, “a goodwill document”.
 
    
Divisional action required would be to:
    
•    Change name of divisional companies to not include any reference to WIA or Wireless Institute.

•    Become merely another radio club.
    
•    Terminate sharing in WIA Membership subscriptions (no more divisional component) as of the 30th of June 2004.
    
•    In VK2 take over the Dural property and the Parramatta Property, appoint a property committee (from VK2 division) for 5 years to manage them, but then do what they liked with them.
    
•    In VK3 similar in regards to property in Victoria - Also guarantee to fully maintain the VK3 repeater network indefinitely. - Trevor saw this as an expensive exercise especially if the current volunteer force evaporated.

•    The back page only had space for two members of each divisional council to sign. This upset several people.

Will VK6UU commented that this was the first time we had seen this in writing.

Cliff VK6LZ emphasised the importance of inserting into the document guarantees for any thing that we considered we would need to continue for VK6 members.

Trevor VK6HTW commented that the only clause it included for VK6 was that some of VK6 repeater licenses could be paid by the National WIA for 5 years which is meaningless since they have already been paid for the next 5 years.

There was a HEAVY PUSH for the Co-Lateral Agreement to be agreed at the convention.

Trevor said that it was very important for VK6 Councillors to digest the details.

At the Convention an informal poll of Federal Councillors was taken as to how they felt about the National WIA proposal:

VK1        OK
VK2    `   NO        But satisfied with the level of documentation so far
VK3        NO        But satisfied with the level of documentation so far
VK4        NO/YES    But satisfied with the level of documentation so far
VK5        YES
VK6        YES        But NOT satisfied with being presented with Legal Documents on the day, Need more time to study papers.
VK7        YES        But Need more time to study papers.

Trevor said that at the convention all were pushing their own wheelbarrows!

The Convention then turned to other agenda items:

The minutes for the 2003 AGM were accepted.
    
AR was too large for electronic transmission
    
CD Roms for call book need more work.
    
Trevor pointed out that the VK6AGM was on the 17th April. (as is VK2 – VK4 is on 24th).
    
2004 Call book was still available (150 copies).
    
Options for Foundation Licence were discussed.
    
Ron Smith Education Officer discussed ACA approval for continuance of WIA exam service, had letter from ACA with deadline of December. Did not want to disseminate the letter, reluctantly allowed Trevor to read it, it said that ACA were to give six months notice of termination of present agreement plus another six months. Trevor said that the letter should be circulated, his impression was that the inferred urgency was not substantiated.
    
WIA Strategic Review Committee - ACA refused to communicate.
    
WIA membership Federal Subscription component to stay the same ($61.85).
    
There was a lot of talk Saturday night
    
Sunday (Ran smoothly)

Nominations and elections for Directors and Officers were processed, With Ernie Hocking re-elected as President, and David Wilchefski as only Director. David Jones not re-elected, and David Piley resigned.
    
VK6 Council passed a vote of confidence in David Piley as a Federal Director
ACTION: VK6NE to E-mail David Piley to try to get him to re-consider.
    
VK4/VK6 motion to adjourn further discussion to later date Agreed unanimously.  Meeting to re-convene in Sydney (Parramatta) on the 1st May 2004.

There appears to be a massive increase in interest at the AR Electronics School in the Eastern States since the WIA News has been relayed over CB channels (as it is in VK6 Neil VK6BDO confirmed similar situation in VK6)

John Martin has been granted Life membership for his chairmanship of FETAC for past ten years.

Gil Soans (SK) posthumously awarded the Higginbottom Medal for 30 years service to AR.

Motions:
•    Case for/against National WIA was withdrawn
•    Review of ACA liaison - VK1 offered to do it so it was passed.
•    ACA Committee - withdrawn
•    Student Diploma withdrawn
•    Direct Debit (discussion on computer cost) passed
•    Member ID - Reworded - VK2 offered to Investigate so it was passed

All nominations for positions were passed, there are vacancies for Historian, Exam Co-ordinator, and AR Editor.

AMSAT had asked for a donation of $10,000, VK3 offered to donate $1000

New 2005 Call book, aim for November 1st, Brenda Edmunds offered to do ground work.

Next AGM, VK1 offered Canberra, not settled, costing to be researched

Minutes were taken by Ken Fuller (VK4KF)
    
VK6 Council Comments
    
Malcolm VK6LC, What happened to our amendments to the proposed constitution?
Trevor VK6HTW, Michael Owen checked them and they will be on the agenda for the next meeting.

Malcolm VK6LC, Urgent need to have full set of National WIA Proposal documents to study.
So many documents being received without an official document register, someone should have been nominated as the official National WIA document controller.

Need to get out of Dream world. It is an Illusion. Need a proper marketing proposal. We have to be able to make a decision on behalf of VK6 members.

Neil VK6NE, The proposal was not generated by an organisation, just a group of concerned people (12).

Malcolm VK6LC, This is our future with Mickey Mouse proposals.

Trevor VK6HTW, We need to get additional copies of the Co-Lateral Agreement.

ACTION Neil VK6NE to E-Mail Michael Owen to get copies of the CO-LATERAL AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSITION DOCUMENT to be E-mailed to VK6 Councillors.

Trevor VK6HTW, Why is a new Company required, what is wrong with the current Federal Company?

Will VK6UU. Members don’t know why! - One bad division will bring the whole WIA into disrepute. - Best reason for a National WIA. Cited the Peter Parker Membership application to VK3 fiasco.

Trevor VK6HTW, The definition of a director differs from division to division.

Neil VK6NE listed possible Directors for National WIA which at this stage is confidential (who nominates these guys anyway?)

Will VK6UU, commenting on Dennis VK6KAD not getting all of federal information, said that people get left out of the loop at federal quite unintentionally.

Cliff VK6LZ, in view of some acrimonious criticism of Trevor by an outsider (not covered above), Proposed
“A Vote of Confidence in our Federal Councillor, Trevor VK6HTW and Appreciation of his Representation on behalf of VK6 Members at the Federal Convention”. Seconded by VK6TS and carried unanimously.

Will VK6UU, the next step is for the divisions to discuss the National proposal, it appears that the bigger divisions with assets are not dissatisfied with it.

Malcolm VK6LC, The problem is with Federal Management - have to be careful on sensitive issues or they will loose support.

ACTION: Neil VK6NE to call another special meeting after we have seen the new documents.

ACTION Christine VK6ZLZ, to extend booking for AGM room from 0930 to 1430 on 17th April

(8)    GENERAL BUSINESS

VK6XV        Offered to become custodian of the Xtal Bank.

VK6ZLZ    Concerning query regarding a re-joining member not receiving recent AR, this was because he had lapsed his membership (now rejoined).

VK6NE         Has sent out letters to inactive dx’ers, requesting old QSL cards if no longer wanted for archiving. Had received a letter from VK6FP detailing his QSL history.

VK6NE        Reported on the call sign suffix block SAA to STZ, currently allocated to Scouting . Out of 775, only 38 have been allocated (now 27), and 28 (now 26) were allocated outside of the block. Would like to get them de-allocated.

ACTION VK6NE to discuss with the National co-ordinator for Scouts.

Next Meeting 4th May 2004

Meeting Closed at 2235

Addendum
Christine VK6ZLZ
WIA membership Federal Subscription component to stay the same.
At present still add divisional component VK6 Total subscription =
Full $71.00 Pensioner/Student $65.00 Family/No AR Mag. $39.00.
Until this whole business is sorted out.

President VK6NE ..................... Minute Secretary VK6LZ .................
E & OE

REMINDER that the Divisional AGM is Saturday the 17th. of April 2004 at 10am
at CWA house.  And that the QUORUM is 25 members (the reduction to 15 was
never processed at Corporate affairs)

Would those expecting to attend please inform Christine VK6ZLZ by E-mail   [email protected]   or by phone 08-9458-6218 so that catering can be arranged.

VK6NE President   ………………    VK6LZ (Min Sec)  ……………

Visitors Since 12th October 2003