April 17 2013

Minutes of the Harcourt Progress Group

Date: Wednesday  17th April, 2013	Harcourt Valley Primary School
Present:  Annette Smith (minutes) Judy Foster, Ian Foster, Kay Francis, Judy Kent, Ayron Teed, David Heath (chair), Donna McLoughlin, Kelly Aitken, JP Frappier, Vera Hemkes, Craig Watkins
Apologies: Tyrone Rice , Melva Graham
Welcome:
Business		Action/ Who	When
Minutes
Business Arising
None arising
General Business
·         Community Plan
·         NBN – Craig reported back on his meeting today with a Liberal Party advisor – not necessarily an election issue.  Need an awareness of the issue.  The group can do very little.
·         Group formed to look at submission to council to purchase the house in the main street.		Annette, Kelly and ?
Meeting finished at  9pm
Next meeting :  Wednesday 15th May, 2013 – 7-9pm at HVPS

March 20, 2013

Minutes of the Harcourt Progress Group

Date: Wednesday  20th March, 2013	Harcourt Valley Primary School
Present:  Annette Smith (minutes) Craig Watkins (chair) Andy and Melva Graham, Kelly Aitken, JP Frappier, Judy Kent, Faye Hards, Judy and Ian Foster
Apologies:  David Heath, Tim Barber
Welcome:  Steven Hilley - MASC, Tony Gibbs -NBN co
Business		Action/ Who	When
Minutes
Business Arising
Deb Simpson – first race is in Castlemaine, calendar is still not out, hoping to have this finalised next week.
Community Conversations in Campbells Creek – Craig will try to go Newstead Community Planning Update from Craig
General Business
·         Steven Hilley –– Transport Connections Community  Planning – Project ending in June - universal access map of transport in Harcourt – maps showing facilities that people can use, especially for people with disabilities.  Also useful for tourists.  Available to download on line. What area should be covered in such a map of Harcourt?  Issue is that Harcourt is very disjointed		Steven will bring back a draft of the map for the group to consider.
·         Tony Gibbs –corporate affairs – community relations - NBN overview presentation – whistle stop and life hacker are sites which can be used to get cheap NBN connections – subject to planning approvals the system will be live by the end of the year. Further discussion with the group about options for fibre cable instead and the impact it may have on people wishing to live in Harcourt.
·         Annette reminded everyone that  the purpose of the group is to progress Harcourt as a whole and not for individual people’s particular causes.
·         Challenge is to create a centre of Harcourt.  How to go about this?  Discussion of a community hub
·         Applefest discussion – connection to Taradale Festival – need to discuss with them               Need additional signage in people’s paddocks, beautification of entrance of freeway at Harcourt               Need for Marketing  of Harcourt
·         Train – a brief discussion of the possibility of getting the station opened again
·         RV dump – discussion for next meeting.
Meeting finished at  9.30pm
Next meeting :  Wednesday 17th April, 2013 – 7-9pm at HVPS