PRESENT: President, John Dillon (Redlands & Bunya); Secretary, Barbara Chester (Casino & Townsville); Event Manager, Paul Wilson (ROASS); Dell Lowien (Garden City & Dalby), Joyce Green (Redcliffe), Noelle Wardle (Northern Suburbs), Alan Salmon (Redcliffe), Marie Currier (Redlands), Gabby Johnston (Garden City), Don Chester
APOLOGIES: Paul Spencer, Colin & Lorraine Gould, Sonic & Kylie
Meeting commenced at 7.45 p.m.
PREVIOUS MINUTES: Paul Wilson moved that the Minutes be accepted as a true and correct record, seconded by Alan Salmon CARRIED
BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES:
Dishonoured cheque - dispute as to who the cheque belongs to - name on letter from bank different to that on the cheque attached - will continue to follow up.
Guitar Racks - Marie to follow up
Signs - More needed on stage to balance the overall appearance.
CORRESPONDENCE:
IN:
Insurance renewal - Public Liability
Invoice from Kedron Wavell re forum
Forum discussion material from Cane Country
Lord Mayor of Brisbane - regarding our letter for funding - approach closer to the event
Information on funding grants from Council
Forum information from Brendon Walmsley
Information regarding closure of Steer Records
Information - Norfolk Island Festival
OUT:
Letters to all Clubs re. forum
Minutes posted to those who requested them
Memo & letter to Webmaster re changes
CCMA Membership
Notice re AGM to Clubs
Email - AGM Notice & Minutes for Website
Caboolture Council re. Contestants for Urban Country
Fax to Lyn Bignall re catering for Forum
Barbara Chester moved that all tabled correspondence be accepted and all outwards adopted, seconded Joyce Green CARRIED
GENERAL BUSINESS:
Voting Rights at Meetings - Don Chester raised that issue that according to the Constitution there are different levels of membership which we should look at implementing as a way of getting more people involved and raising some extra revenue.
Associate Member - Interested in the objective of the organisation and wants to help - no voting rights.
Life Member - elected by committee - no voting rights.
Honorary members - no voting rights.
Individual members - set down a fee for membership - permitted to vote at meetings.
Club Membership - $150 - affiliation entitled one person from that Club to vote at meetings and entitles that Clubs members to be invited to Champs
Faxed copy or electronic copy can be accepted as a valid nomination for meeting - this should be incorporated within the model rules as is the above.
Paul Wilson moved that Individual members be permitted to join at a fee of $20, and Associate members $10 (non voting), seconded Barbara. CARRIED
Membership be due as at 30th June each year.
Executive Committee - at present consists of President, Vice President and Treasurer.
Allan moved that the Secretary and Event Manager be added to the Executive Committee and therefore the Quorum be raised to 11, seconded Joyce CARRIED
Songwriters Prize - With the closure of Steer Records, this leaves our winner with no means to release her recently recorded CD - It was agreed everything possible should be done to honour this prize - Barbara to follow up - alternatives available AMRAC (Australian Music Records ……), Great Southern Land. Music point is an alternative but only available to radio stations.
Paul Wilson reported on his visit to Tamworth -
Champs Showcase at the Family Hotel went well with a capacity crowd - CMAA College Graduation Concert - terrific - tickets provided as part of our purchase of College entry for our Champs rep.
Meet new GM of CMAA and Chairman keen to get more heavily involved in Champs.
Pleased to report that our Starmaker representative, Mellissa Baker and Champs Finalist, James Anderssen did well and both made it into the final 10 of Starmaker.
Golden Guitars- hob nobbed with big stars - met with people who expressed interest in being involved with Champs.
Paul is judging in Mackay on 19/20 February and will be a presentation to affiliated and non affiliated clubs extolling the benefits and reason why clubs should be affiliated.
Discussion are underway with the organisers of the Katherine (NT) Festival for Paul to visit in late April - interested in setting up NY Champs.
Request to present Champs Showcase in Ipswich in April - donation will be given to Champs in appreciation.
Need to established Judges Guild - Judges Forum to be held later in the year - dependant on Funding from grant.
Gabby - Thanks for get well card.
Marie - discussion re splitting sections to keep the crowd so that they don’t drift away after their own section - look at what sections are put on Sunday to attract crowd.
Dell reported on the Forum - although the numbers were a little disappointing those present all provided effective imput into the topics discussed.
Billy Vaughn provided background history on both forms of music genre - Bush Ballad and Country Rock.
Brendon Walmsley provided information on how the industry today perceived the genre and provided demonstration on strum patterns and examples of songs fitting the categories.
Bush Ballad - was agreed that 2 forms of Bush Ballad exist - Contemporary and Traditional - determined by the method in which they are played - best description and one the industry followed is available on the Australian Bush Balladeers website.
Country Rock - all information points to Country Rock being a derivative of Rock - provides entertainment variety for both audience and performer. Country Rock provides a great contrast to say, Bush Ballad - to listen to and perform alows the entertainer to have fun on stage encourages the artist’s “performance” to sell the song, not only vocal ability.
Information has been posted on the Champs website for all to read.
Age Categories - the most discussion centred around the Junior Age Group - present range of ages of this section is 13 years of age at the date of the festival in which they compete, having turned 16 but not yet 17. Seniors are 17 years and over.
Most festivals adhere to these age groups however there are a couple who don’t conform. Discussion centred around the fact that at 17 you aren’t permitted to do much without an accompanying adult - including being a Kedron Wavell.
It be recommended to clubs to adopt the following age groups:
Juvenile - up to 12 years but not having turned 13 at the date of the festival in which they are competing.
Junior - 13 years to 17 but not having turned 18 at the date of the festival in which they are competing.
Senior - 18 years and above
Golden Oldies - over 50 years.
It would be good if all Clubs could fall into line so that there was less confusion for contestants.
Clubs need to discuss this within their meetings and a vote will be taken at the AGM to include in rules.
NEXT MEETING - 10th MARCH 2005 - AGM to be followed by General Meeting.
Meeting closed at 10.10 p.m.