OBI OBI HALL

The Obi project. The first step has been completed with the best possible result. Subject to council approval, we should be able to have a simple septic system installed where origionally envisaged. The type and positioning of a waste disposal system affects the planning of the area between the hall and the rear of the property. So, placing of the services for the hall required this information.

John McKenzie organized a consulting engineer, Campbell J Foster of Mapleton, to carry out a soil evaluation report for a proposed effluent disposal system at the Obi Obi Hall property. The report advised that there was a suitable position for adequate effluent disposal using a septic tank and absorption trench system on the property. This report will form part of our application to Council for building approval.

One part of the drawings in the soil evaluation report.

Proposed effluent disposal layout by Campbell Foster.

Roger Todd’s concept drawings were used as a basis for the above drawing. The positions for the fire shed and the toilet block positions will vary from what is shown above.

Campbell Fosters complete written report (adobe acrobat required) below.

obiobi-effluent-report

Obi Project drawings. A Building Estimator from Maleny is working with John McKenzie to prepare our own preliminary drawings for the project

Architect Roger Todd. Roger was advised of our own vision for the Obi project. He has decided to withdraw from active participation with the Kidaman Creek Community Hall, as our vision conflicted with his own concept for the Obi Obi property. Rogers’s origional drawings and costing were instrumental in giving initial momentum to the renovation project. His services were supplied at a minimal cost. Roger requested that he be informed of progress with the hall renovation.

Electricity connection to the Obi Obi hall. Ron Kupiak (electrician) has been engaged to install an earth leakage detector and carry out any repairs needed to bring the wiring up to compliance standard.

Fencing. Keith Brady will be carrying out the fencing of the side and rear boundaries. A cattle grid and gate will have to be erected on Staves Rd at the rear of the property. An application to install a cattle grid and gate on Council property has been made to Sunshine Coast Regional Council through Councillor Paul Tatton.

Lease Documents. The latest documentation for the Obi Obi Rural Fire Brigade have been signed and returned to the Dept of Emergency Services for legal processing.

Auditor. We have a new auditor. Pam Engle has found us a new auditor for our financial affairs. Peter Hennessey from Kenilworth. An audited financial statement is required for our annual return to the Office of Fair Trading, Queensland. This statement confirms that we are managing our financial affairs in a proper manner. The Office of Fair Trading requires an auditor to hold suitable accounting qualifications. The Office of Fair Trading is part of the Dept of Justice and Attorney-General, Qld.

The Model Rules of our Association. The model rules, or constitution, of an association govern its operations, including the rights of members, management committee obligations and meeting procedures. It sets out what each Association and its management committee can or cannot do.  Associations have Rules that relate to the particular aim of that Association and do vary between Associations. The  Rules of our association state that the main object of our association is to maintain a local community hall.  The checks and balances contained in the Rules allow Associations to self manage their own affairs, without any overriding control from State Government. The Rules allow the Association to exist via the management committee as a legal identity, to be able to conduct its own business dealings.  The Office of Fair Trading recommends an association reviews its rules at least every two years. Modifications to the rules of an association are made by the passing of a special resolution at a general meeting. An application to vary the existing rules, with the appropriate fees, is then made to the Office of Fair Trading, who will accept the variation if it falls within their own guidelines. Our Rules, originally adopted in 1992, have never been updated: now need to reflect the sale of the Kidaman Hall and the changing distribution of location of our members.

Invasive weed page. This page has now been published and can be accessed at the top right hand corner of this post. The page is a work in progress.

26.08.08. The management committee met at Pam Engle’s house. Two previous meetings had been held, but with reduced attendance due to sickness. Topics relating to the management of the Obi project and our Associations Model Rules were discussed. It was agreed to hold a general meeting when the preliminary building drawings are completed and then both the plans and the Model Rules can be discussed.

24.07.08

A meeting was held at the Obi Obi Hall.

Dennis Woodford (from the Kidaman Creek management committee) and Grahame Beljon (representing the Obi Obi Rural fire brigade) met with Alan Mitchell, a consultant in the grants industry. Alan had been recommended by our shire councillors as a grant applicator that they were happy to work with. Allan has much knowledge of the grant process and has worked with many local community organizations. He gave us some good feedback on grant applications.

Grahame Beljon (left) and Alan Mitchell

He made us aware of the fact that grant applications to Jupiters Casino Community Benefit Fund and the Gambling Community Benefit Fund require that any applications involving new buildings or renovations need to have prior council building approval. So, we cannot lodge a grant application until we get council approval for the renovation of the Obi Obi hall. This will add more time to the renovation process.

The management committee has had two recent meetings. On the 10.07.08 and the 15.07.08, both at Pam Engle’s home, where the day to day business activities of the association continued.

At our recent meeting with our Sunshine Coast Regional Council councillors, Jenny and Paul recommended to us, a grant consultant (Allan Mitchell from Toowoomba) whom they had worked with. We then contacted Allan and have arranged a meeting with him at the Obi Obi hall in the near future, to discuss applying for grants through him. Since his report cost is much less than Red Tape busters, we decided to investigate further. Allan has a similar approach to the grant process as does Red Tape Busters, though he has a definite price structure. $300.00 initial cost to give us a report, then if he is successful; his commission is 10% of the 1st $15,000.00 + 2.5 % of any amount above the 1st $15,000.00.

The management committee, all keen gardeners, has decided to devote a separate page on this blog that will provide information to help identify new arrivals from the plant world. This may help to combat the steady increase of invasive plants that is occurring in the valley.

Because of the sale of the Kidaman Creek Hall property, it was decided to investigate with Dept of Fair Trading Qld, the process involved in updating the Model Rules of our Association.

The leased area for the Obi Obi rural fire brigade.

We have been asked by the Dept of Emergency Services Qld (who handles the legals regarding the Fire Brigades lease) for more signatures by the Trustees of the Obi Obi property to the lease documents and to stamp an imprint of our Incorporation Seal to the plan of survey. This requires Herman Schwabe, Barry Johnson and a committee member to sign the document in the presence of a JP.

The Hall renovation.

The building committee has been consulting with a building surveyor and are together developing drawings for the renovation of the hall. At this planning stage, in order to keep costs down, both committees have enlisted the expertise of their friends to help provide the consultancy services needed. Everything comes with a cost, we get the services at a cheaper price but it takes longer.

John Cutmore with the aid of his tractor moved the spare fence posts and the 200 litre drum that were at the front of the hall to more suitable locations.