12/11/2024 - Gravel for toilet walkways arrives

12/11/2024 - More gravel.

12/11/2024 - Clippy slashing the out field NE of the containers.

12/11/2024 - Geoff M’s Multiplex Extra 300 post maiden.

17/11/2024 - MX Gate Issue - MX are aware.

25/11/2024 - Petro irons out his Extra with Eddie, Geoff and Dino.

25/11/2024 - Looks serious - but flew fine.

25/11/2024 - Geoff M with 10yo stick scratch built by Dino T.

3/12/2024 - David W presents Col V with a service award for his contribution over many many years.

3/12/2024 - Col says thanks in his usual inimitable way

3/12/2024 - David, Col and the award.

3/12/2024 - Mario Agius with the Clubman award who represented all members who participated in the move to MX.

3/12/2024 - Petro, Bill, Eddie and Brendon with their joint Clubman of the Year award for 2024..

Note - Hover for captions and resize the screen to see the full image if cropped on your device.

SEMAC NEwS NOV - DEC 2024

NOTES FROM THE SEMAC GENERAL MEETING 3 DEC 2024 7:30PM At Dingley Community Centre

Welcome

Bill welcomed the members & thanked them for coming to the meeting. Chris Zienkiewicz was introduced to the members present and welcomed to the meeting. 16 members attended the meeting.

Minutes of the previous meeting held on the 01/10/24 at the Dingley Hall & distributed by email by David W were accepted as a correct record of the meeting. The motion to accept the minutes moved by Paul D & seconded by Rob B. The motion was carried. There was no business arising from the minutes.

President’s REPORT

Bill advised that the current plans are to increase membership, stabilize finances, improve the overall membership experience and complete a 5 year strategic plan. To that end a membership survey has been issued.

8 new contacts have expressed interest in joining and 2 prospective members have indicated they will join.

A working bee was held on Oct 27, 19 people attended, and we cleaned out container, tidied up along fence line, filled and sowed bare ground with seed.

The next major project will be to installing the solar panels & security system and to investigate the cost of weather station & real time field cameras.

Treasurer’s REPORT

Financial forcast has been introduced and is anticipating a small operating profit for FY 2024/25.

Income to end Nov was $7083.70, Expenditure $5763.26. Bank balance is available on request from the Treasurer.

Membership is currently 38 Full Members and 4 Associates.

Secretary’s Report – David Wheeler

Committee has met three times via Zoom & one emergency meeting via phone hook up since the last general meeting. The main topics for discussion were the Working Bee, Christmas family day and the weekend/public holiday 9am start time. The emergency phone hookup was to discuss postponement of the Christmas family day due to the poor weather forecast for Sunday 1st December.

Correspondence In:- Seven emails from VMAA , including meeting minutes, reports, updates & advice notifications, various correcponcence from the Dingley Hall including an update to the SEMAC contact liste.

Correspondence out:- Dingley Hall hire payment.

General Business

Container deposit scheme update & reminder. It’s going well, $125 has been raised to date.

Christmas Party for Sunday 1st December was postponed due to a poor weather forecast. Members voted in favour of rescheduling as a ‘Family Day’ on the 19th January 2025.

SEMAC is now listed on VMAA’s ‘Find a Club’ and an example of the BADMAC club pamphlet that the VMAA will help fund to promote SEMAC was shown.

The Committee advised that in accordance with our Dandenong permit, the flying start times are 7am on weekdays & 9am on weekends & public holidays. Members present agreed that in order to mitigate risk of our Permit being revoked by Council, resulting in closure of the field & the demise of the club, we must adhere to these times.

Changes to the Sunday BBQ, General meeting & AGM supper funding. A small charge will now apply in order to make the catering cost neutral.

A Twilight Fly-in & BBQ has been proposed for February 2025 (date TBA). Members were in favour of this activity.

Eddie H advised that he & Petro had observed three large brown snakes (one was a five footer!) slithering across the runway crossover heading into the north west outfield quadrant. Eddie then gave a brief tutorial on snake bite first aid. Bill H suggested that members Google snake bite first-aid if members are not familiar with the treatment. Note: Ff calling an ambulance, the address quoted should be SEMAC flying field at the rear of MX, 236 Fernside Drive, Bangholme, 3175.

Three recognition awards were presented on the night. David W presented Colin V with a recognition award for his outstanding service to SEMAC over many decades (yes decades!) Col recently resigned his VP position on the Committee and it was deemed an appropriate time to again honour his service to the club. Col is most likely the oldest RC flyer in the country - amazing, and a top bloke to boot!

Bill H presented the Ron Paine Clubman of the Year award 2020–2023 to those members who stuck with the club as we relocated from Jakupi to MX & then endured the Covid years when we were unable to even visit the field. This award was accepted by Mario as representative of the membership through those difficult times.

Bill H presented the Ron Paine SEMAC Clubman of the Year award 2024 to three recipients. A joint award as the Committee just couldn’t split these guys. Our field is testament to the hard work & effort they have put in over the past twelve months and is currently looking as good as it ever has. The award was presented to Brendon, Eddie & Petro. Worthy recipient’s and Committee’s and the memberships hearty congratulations to the all three.

Petro’s raffle was put on hold until the next meeting.

Eddie & Petro did excellent work in the kitchen to produce a light supper that was enjoyed by all.

Meeting closed at 10:00pm. Next meeting at the Dingley Hall will be on February 4rd starting at 7.30pm