We aim to hold a public event at Sydney Park in October – and we want those Sydney City Farmers who are interested to have the chance to help us in the initial planning right through to the organization of the event.

All you need to do is send us an email at sydneycityfarm@gmail.com by May 20^th with the subject “Help with Spring Event”

Include your name and contact number so we can contact you to discuss your level of involvement.

Over the next few months we’ve organised stalls at organic markets and festivals to spread the word about city farm.

Volunteers needed: Help spread the word at market stalls

It’s a perfect time to get even more involved and help out. We’re looking for people to volunteer a morning or afternoon to help man the City Farm stall.

If you would like to help, please call Liesje on 0425 200 355 or write us an email at sydneycityfarm@gmail.com

The dates for stalls are:

May
23       Primo Italiano Festival – Stanley Street, Leichaardt

June
5          SMH Growers Market, Pyrmont (TBC)
19        Everleigh Markets, Newtown

July
3          SMH Growers Market (TBC)
17        Everleigh Markets

August
7          SMH Growers Market (TBC)
21        Everleigh Markets

September
18        Everleigh Markets

It’s a surprisingly easy day and you meet lots of nice people. At the stall we will explain the concept and how people can get more involved. We’ll also be selling seedlings and t.shirts to make it more fun.

Let us know if you can help out on any of these days by emailing sydneycityfarm@gmail.com.

If you can’t make it, do the next best thing and mention the city farm concept to a friend. Join our facebook group,  and invite some friends to join the discussion about what they want at the Sydney City Farm.

Thank you for your ongoing support,
Elsa and the City Farm team.

Saturday Dec 5, 2009 Cane Room, Callan Park, Rozelle

ATTENDANCE
19 non—voting members
21 Financial voting members including
Committee:
President Andrew Jackson
Secretary Elsa Evers
Treasurer Liesje Clement
Commitee Member Anthony Sheedy (Trustee)
Committee Member Carolin Wenzel
Committee Member Carolyn Matthews

Proxies
Vice President Rod Simpson

Apologies
Committee Member Brandon Saul (Trustee)
Committee Member Michael Beaumont
Sky De Jersey

11:00 Members arrive

11:20 Chair welcomes members

Hello, on behalf of Sydney City Farm I’d like to extend a warm welcome and thank you for attending our second Annual General Meeting.

My name is Anthony Sheedy and it’s my pleasure to serve as both a Committee Member and a Trustee of Sydney City Farm.

I would like to acknowledge that we are here today on the land of the Gadigal people, of the Eora nation – who are the Traditional Custodians of this land. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to any Aboriginal people present today.

At this AGM we will hear reports on developments of the organization through the year, including our audited financial statement.
We have given notice that we need to vote on a Special Resolution to make necessary amendments to our constitution.
We will elect some new committee members, and all our office bearers for 2010.
And we’re delighted to have with us a special guest speaker, Alex Graham, who will talk to us about the Australian Conservation Foundation’s Green Home program.

So the first item on our Agenda is to confirm the minutes of last year’s AGM
- you should all have a copy, or be able to see one.

11.13 Confirm minutes of last AGM

Mover Anthony Sheedy

Seconder Andrew Jackson

11.16 Introduce President Andrew Jackson

We’ve had some great developments for Sydney City Farm in 2009 and I’d now like to welcome our current President, Andrew Jackson to tell us all about them.

11.17 Andrew gives President’s Report – significant developments of previous year

- Involve membership more with Public Meetings
- Set up subcommittees – Seedling Project, Investigating finding another site,

Led to meetings with City of Sydney council – Council voted unanimously to investigate suitable sites and models. Keen for it to continue to be a community organization. We are keen for a form of partnership with council.
The closest we’ve been to the farm starting to become a reality,
The org is really about to change from lobbying focus, to deciding what we’re going to do there.
- Not giving up on Callan Park, ultimate vision is for a network of Sydney farms, or one City Farm spread over several sites.

Realising the City Farm is more important than ever. Right now while Australia’s and world leaders are trying to come to agreement on changes that need to be made to deal with climate change, the groundswell of community concern and action on reducing our ecological footprint needs support.

11.27 Chair introduces Treasurer Liesje Clement

Our finances have been audited and I’d like to now hand over to our current Treasurer, Liesje Clement, to take us through the financial statement – which you should also have a copy of.

11.28 Liesje presents audited statement (Appendix 1. See below)

Accept President’s and Treasurer’s reports
Moved Anthony Sheedy
Seconded Andrew Jackson

11.30 SPECIAL RESOLUTION (Appendix 2. See below)

Now we have a very important procedural matter. When we went through our constitution we noticed that it needed to be updated, especially so that we could expand the number of committee members to increase our effectiveness. We’d like to acknowledge the pro-bono help of legal firm Wolfe & Associates in preparing the Special Resolution.

In checking the rules of Association, we discovered that we need 75% of eligible voting members present, plus any proxies to pass this resolution. This is why we were very particular when you arrived to make sure that people had renewed their membership if they wanted to be a voting member.

For the purpose of voting on this resolution I’d like to now ask your cooperation – can anyone who is sitting at the front who is not a financial member please move towards the back, and anyone who is a financial member who arrived later, please come forward.

You might like to read your hand out while Committee member Carolin Wenzel reads it out.

11.35 Motion to accept Special Resolution: (requires 75% of voting members present)
Mover Jeanette Cudmore

Seconder Liesje Clement

Motion carried unanimously

11.40 Announce resignations and vacancies

Resignations
Michael Beaumont – from committee

4 Offices bearers – resigning some to stand for re-election
- Pres –Andrew Jackson
- Vice Pres – Rod Simpson trustee
- Treasurer – Liesje Clement
- Secretary- Elsa Evers

Announce nominations for committee members & office bearers
Now that we have passed the resolution we would like to expand our number of committee members and we have the following nominations:

David Gilligan
Sky de Jersey
Carla Thackrah

Rest of Committee
Anthony Sheedy – Trustee
Brandon Saul – Trustee
Carolin Wenzel
Sky de Jersey
Carla Thackrah

“In accordance with the rules of association – these 11 committee members are considered to be elected

We also have the following nominations for office bearers
Pres – Andrew Jackson
Vice- Pres – Carolyn Armstrong – qualified horticulturalist, Both Andrew and Carolyn have served the committee well in their negotiations with City of Sydney Council, Leichhardt Council, Friends of Callan Park and the Callan Park NGOs precinct.
Secretary – Liesje Clement – Keeps all our organisational matters up to date, and generally takes care of everything
Treasurer – David Gilligan – who is an accountant

As the number of nominations for office bearers equals the number of vacancies to be filled, the people nominated are taken to be elected.

Moved Jeanette Cudmore

Seconder Carolin Wenzel

Vote by acclaimation – Unanimous acceptance

11:50 Chair introduces Guest Speaker – Alex Graham, Green Home program

It gives me great pleasure now to introduce Alex Graham, who is the Coordinator of the Banksia Award winning Green Home program run by the Australian Conservation Foundation.

GreenHome helps people help the environment by making simple changes to the way we live. Alex will share some practical tips with us on how we can make changes at home and at work to reduce our ecological footprint. And she will give us her insights into how City Farms support a more sustainable approach to urban living.

11.51 Alex speaks about Green Home program, relevance of City Farms to

reducing the carbon footprint of cities and practical ways to save water and energy

How City Farms can contributre to Sustainable Living
What’s the Vision
- a place that attracts a lot of people – show them active examples of sustainable living
- there all the time, not a one off event
- come because they want to, exciting, things happening, a café
- everything that’s done on City Farm is done because it’s sustainable

Everyone has a different entry point to sustainable living for a lot of people it’s food – 50% or our ecofootprint
We can do a lot to reduce our energy use for heating and cooling
Switching to solar hot water cuts our greenhouse emissions and can hearly halve our electricity bill

to address that
Greenhome is about facilitating local solutions for that community. Facilitators, not necessarily experts– have lots of information available for free,

Produce guides on real changes people can make in the home
Greenhome guide – Sydney specific
http://www.acfonline.org.au/uploads/res/Sydney_web.pdf
Greenhome Guide
http://www.acfonline.org.au/uploads/res/NSWGreenHomeweb.pdf
Incl cleaning, shopping, energy saving, dealing with waste

Challenging to live in a society driven by consumption
So taking fewer flights, reducing amount of animal products we eat makes a massive difference.

12.05 Chair thanks Alex – Liesje gives Alex present

Chair calls for Any other Business or questions for clarifications

Request by SCF member Liz
Sydney Food Fairness Alliance AGM on next week, asking is there anything that SCF wants presented, or support we need
http://sydneyfoodfairness.org.au/alliance-to-act-on-food-security/
Sydney Food Fairness Alliance coordinates the efforts of rural producers, health professionals, community workers and community-based advocates active in developing a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable food system in the Sydney region.

Carolin to draft request and email to Liz

Member suggests SCF vision includes project similar to one in Nth England – a regional food centre
Incl cookery classes, cottage industry for making jam, cheese, bread etc

Tim Jackson from Friends of Sydney Botanical Garden
Brought cuttings of Plectranthus Agentatus

Committee to meet late Jan or early Feb

Date for first Public Meeting
Saturday 20 or 27 February 2010

12.25
There being no further business, I now declare the meeting closed

Thanks to everyone who brought a plate for morning tea. Let’s enjoy chatting over cups of tea and cake.

Appendix 1
Audited Financial Statement

Profit & Loss Statement

July 2008 through June 2009

Income

Donations                                                              $831.00
Activities Income
T-Shirts sold                                              $1,960.00
Membership Income
unwaged members                                      $105.00
Standard members                                   $1,120.00
passionate members                                   $150.00
business members                                         $70.00
other members                                         $6,380.00
Total Income                        $10,616.00

Cost of Sales
T-Shirts manufactured                             $2,893.84
Total Cost of Sales               $2,893.84

Gross Profit                         $7,722.16

Expenses

Supplies
Merchant Fees                                                  $839.34
Hire of premises                                              $244.00
Insurance                                                           $766.71
Late Fees Paid                                                     $21.00
Legal & Accounting                                         $544.00
Promotion & Advertising                                $731.00
Training                                                                $75.00
Website                                                              $280.45
Employment Expenses
Contract Staff                                  $5,139.10
Staff Amenities                                    $38.59
Total Employment Expenses  $5,177.69
Postage & Email                                                $103.71
Printing & Stationary                                      $658.34
Total Expenses                          $9,441.24

Operating Profit                       -$1,719.08

Other Income

Other Expenses

Net Surplus / (Deficit)           -$1,719.08

Appendix 2

SPECIAL RESOLUTION

To amend Sydney City Farm Constitution

2. To consider and if thought fit to pass as a special resolution pursuant to clause 37 of the Constitution the following alterations to the Objects and Constitution of the Centre:

Objects:

1. To add a further object (1.h) as follows:
“(1.h) To operate independently from any other group and be wholly devoted to the creation of a working urban farm and centre for sustainable urban living.”

Constitution:

1. To alter Rule 14(1) as follows:

Delete sub-paragraph 14(1)(b) and insert instead:
“(b) a minimum of three and a maximum of seven ordinary members each of whom is to be elected in accordance with Rule 15.”

Insert at the end of Rule 14(1): “A member shall not be entitled to be a committee member unless the member has paid the member’s annual subscription payable for the then current year.”

2. To insert at the end of rule 14(2) the sentence:

“Office bearers hold office as office bearers until the conclusion of the annual general meeting following their election as office bearer and are eligible for re-election as office bearer.”

3. Delete Rule 14(3) and insert instead:

“14(3) At the annual general meeting in every year one third of the committee members, or if their number is not a multiple of three, then the number nearest one third, shall retire from office, the retirement to take effect upon the conclusion of the meeting. A retiring committee member is eligible for re-election.

14(4) The committee members to retire in every year shall be those who have been longest in office since their last election, but as between persons who become committee members on the same day those to retire shall (unless they agree among themselves) be determined by lot.”

4. To re-number Rule 14(4) as Rule 14(5).

5. To insert in sub-paragraph (a) of Rule 15(1) after the words in the second line: “two members of the association” the words “who have paid their annual membership fee for the then current year”.

6. To add at the end of Rule 15(6) a further sentence: “Only members who have paid their annual membership fee for the then current year shall be entitled to vote.”

7. To add new paragraph 17(c):

“17(c) A certificate by the Treasurer as to payment of any monies due by a member including any membership or subscription fees shall in relation to the right of the member to vote, be conclusive evidence.”

8. To amend Rule 32(4) by deleting from the fourth line the words “other than” and inserting instead “including”.

Notice sent to members November 13, 2009
Special Resolution passed at AGM Saturday Deccember 5, 2009-12-15
Passed unanimously by 21 voting members present and all proxies.

When: Saturday, 5th December, 11am – 1pm

Where: The Cane Room, Callan Park, Rozelle (map)

What’s on the agenda?

1. A solid constitution – to make sure Sydney City Farm is a robust community organization before any hairy decisions have to be made, we need to get the constitution right. We will be making some changes to the constitution at the AGM, which you can preview here before you vote on the day.
2. Where will we put the first city farm? – Update on where the city farm is positioned, including an update on progress with Sydney City Council.
3. Vote on committee members – If you would like to nominate yourself or anyone else to be a committee member, you can do it by emailing a nomination form to sydneycityfarm@gmail.com or posting it to 237 Bulwara Rd, Ultimmo, NSW, 2007.

Renew your membership and vote at the AGM
To be eligible to vote at the AGM, you need to be a current financial member. You can join or renew online, or of course you can join in person on the day at the AGM.
If you are one of the 1500 people on our email list who is not a member, please take the opportunity to join up now and become a financial and voting member of Sydney City Farm.

1. Engaging with the Masterplanning process

• Form a sub committee for process which looks after who goes to masterplanning meetings and who reports back to the committee
• Approach Council with the idea of a short-term interim ‘lease’ on the site
• Look for more direct financial sponsorship – for support and web maintenance etc.
• Research the councilors – the issues and their perspectives
• Develop a communication pack/document that addresses common concerns in advance – for example the business plan and financial sustainability prospects
• Put some signage for Sydney City farm out on the road at front of Callan Park to show our prospective existence at the physical site and within electorate
• Get elected to Council or support a candidate.
• Get a regular column in the Inner West Courier to promote SCF and the associated activities that are synergistic with the Farm within the electorate
• Connect with local schools (Montessouri, see Anne Sloane)
• Erect a permanent sign in Callan Park saying “We want the Sydney City farm to be here.”
• Look to a variety of levels on which to engage with the Masterplanning process eg. Masterplan meetings, meetings with the councillors, and be aware, co-ordinate and engage synergistically with other interest groups to build widespread support. (Create a list/document that outlines this three-pronged approach)
• Improve email communications about meetings and attendance
• Generate/develop RSVP email notices to ensure attendance at meetings
• Research all possible grants at local, state, and federal level as well as philanthropy.

2. Finding a new site for the Sydney City Farm

• Contact councilors and private developers
• Look at vacant land that is privately owned
• Tackle sites with a limited number of stakeholders
• Avoid anything that would take too long
• The new site should be ‘as well as’ rather than ‘instead of’ Calla Park
• The new site needs to be a 3Ha minimum. Q: How far is too far away?
• Site options might include smaller sites in Leichhardt, Sydney Park or Hyde Park Barracks
• At a TAFE? Railway land? The Botanical gardens? The Domain?
• Need to be able to have animals as well as vegies ultimately for it to be considered a farm – but interim just with vegies?
• Contact other councils. Ask Leichhardt for an alternative site, then start asking the next surrounding councils
• Look at leasing/borrowing private land for a period of time until no longer available
• Ask developers – they would know which sites are available and how long they might be abandoned for (before construction starts)
• Q: Should we be dividing our energy in seeking another smaller site?

3. Maintaining enthusiasm for the Sydney City Farm

• Approach SHFA re making use of the nursery on-site to grow seedlings for distribution to schools to provide resources for “kitchen school” gardens.
• Monthly public meetings to maintain community involvement
• Regular emails to members to maintain interest
• Have a weekly Orange Grove stall manned by volunteers to maintain face to face contact and perhaps sell locally grown vegies
• Host regular discussion or film nights showing how city farms work across the globe
• Encourage letter writing to SMH, local papers and the Telegraph
• Develop a media plan
• Research Randwick Council program of providing free seedlings and tools to those who plant on the nature strip and ask Leichhardt to do something similar.

4. Working with NGOs already on the site

• Start gardening in temporary boxes (such as Earth boxes) that can be easily moved and offer free sets to the NGO’s to house on their site that we would maintain with as much or as little participation from the NGO’s
• Conduct needs analysis of the NGOs. Look at what’s in it for them and from their perspective (Talk to Douglas Holmes)
• Just start gardening and get those who participate to sign a disclaimer to avoid legal issues
• Write a list of the NGO’s on the site – who are they and what do they do?

At the end of the meeting it was decided that it was time to open up City Farm to monthly public meetings. The next public meeting will be held on Saturday the 2nd of May. All are welcome. Prior to that, the committee will review the outcomes from the brainstorm meeting and decide which ones are priorities and can be made into immediate action points to be designated at the public meeting.

A motion was passed to investigate the development of plant nursery programs with those mental health organisations already working in Callan Park within the NGO precinct. This could happen with the help and facilitation of SCF member, Douglas Holmes.

The decision was also made to hold a meeting in late February to brainstorm ideas on how to get active in the interim period that the masterplan process for Callan Park is underway.

If you have any ideas for the agenda of that meeting, or a certain set of skills that you could offer Sydney City Farm, please respond on this blog with your full name, ideas and skills outlined.

We will send an announcement out with the exact location and time details for the upcoming meeting closer to the date.

PS. It’s not too late to buy your loved one a Sydney City Farm membership for Christmas.

SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER, 2008, 11am – 12pm in The Cane Room, Wharf St, Callan Park.

Click on map for enlargement

Park at end of Wharf St on waterfront

RSVP by reply email by Sat 13 December, 2008. <sydneycityfarm@gmail.com>

AGENDA Introduction of Committee members

Report by the Chairman

Financial statement

Questions

Any other business

==================

Dear City Farmers,

We are pleased to invite you to our first ever AGM! It’s been a dramatic year of growth and surging fortunes for our vision to create a vibrant City Farm and Sustainable Living Centre in Callan Park.

It’s incredible that in just a year we have generated more than 1500 supporters on our email list, and 270 financial members.

Financial membership entitles you to participate in formal meetings of Sydney City Farm & Sustainable Living Centre Inc.

So please come along on Saturday December 20th, for our first AGM, appropriately held in in The Cane Room on the site we propose would be perfect for a City Farm at Callan Park.

It’s a chance to meet our office bearers and committee members, and find out about all our activities this year. Lemonade, tea and cake will be provided or feel free to bring a coffee over from the markets.

We will also have some of our popular City Farm t-shirt for sale. A great Christmas gift.

On behalf of the Sydney City Farm Committee: Andrew Jackson, Rod Simpson, Brandon Saul, Liesje Clement, Carolin Wenzel, Anthony Sheedy and Carolin Armstrong.

FORUM – CALLAN PARK – AT THE EDGE!
Callan Park is at a critical stage in its history under new management by Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority.  Three speakers discuss diverse aspects of public site histories and their implications for Callan Park.

• Dr Allison Cadzow, Parklands Culture and Communities Project at UTS, discusses the cultural diversity and use of parks around the Georges River and the relevance of her work for Callan Park
• Professor Stephen Garton, University of Sydney, has written widely on psychiatry and Callan Park and will be discussing asylums
• Don Goodsir, OAM, foundation member and past president of Headlands Preservation Inc, discusses the campaign to preserve the defence sites on Sydney Harbour, including Mosman

WHEN: Sunday 7 September 2008 2 – 4.30 pm [including afternoon tea  on the Verandah]
WHERE: NSW Writers’ Centre, within Callan Park enter at Main Gates  @ intersection of Cecily and Darling Streets, Rozelle, then follow the signs
BOOKINGS: Essential – 0413 733 218
COST: $10.00

TOUR – MERMAIDS AND GALLEONS OF CALLAN PARK
Tales from unpeopled buildings and of mysterious mermaids and galleons will reconfigure your understanding of Callan Park’s past as you trample across its landscape and see its future too in Sydney University’s plans to bring its “prestigious image” and a new suburb to a new era in Callan Park’s history.

WHEN: Sunday 7 September 2008 11 am to 12.30 pm
WHERE: Meet at NSW Writers’ Centre, within Callan Park
enter Main Gates @ intersection of Cecily and Darling Streets, Rozelle, then follow the signs.
BOOKINGS: Essential – 0413 733 218
COST: $10.00

See you there!