THE future of Cohuna isn’t all doom and gloom, with a meeting last night expected to elect a new committee for the Cohuna and District Progress Association.
The Association voted to dissolve at the annual general meeting on November 14, but after community concern, the current committee left the door ajar and agreed to remain in caretaker mode until new volunteers were elected.
The not-for-profit organisation, formed by citizens and business leaders, has led events in the creekside town including the St Kilda Film Festival, Big Cohuna Festival and New Year’s Eve party.
The Gannawarra Times understands some members were optimistic that a new committee would be elected at last night’s meeting.
There are 67 financial members of CDPA, but only 11 financial member attended the AGM.
No one at the AGM accepted a nomination for any role on the committee.
In a letter sent to members, seen by the Gannawarra Times, members were thanked for the approval to have their votes overturned in order to keep CDPA operating.
“We have been advised by the liquidator and by Consumer Affairs Victoria that the proposal that we have come up with meets all legal requirements,” vice-president Dianne Bowles said.
“Without active volunteers, this association will go into liquidation. The association will cease and the funds will be divided amongst other community organisations.
“A new committee must be formed in order to stop this from happening.
“There are no accommodations in the rules to hold the funds elsewhere in a trust of any kind. There is also nothing in the rules to accommodate putting the association into a hiatus of any kind.”
Ms Bowles said there were two approaches that could be taken when it comes to the actions of a new committee.
“One is to do as we have always done, that is events, monthly member meetings,” she said.
“The second approach would be to do the absolute minimum in order to keep the association alive.”
“The absolute minimum is to have four committee meetings per year and do the annual reporting. That is all. We understand that people are busy and there may be little appetite for stepping up and running this association with the current social climate.
“Obviously, a full committee with people who want to run it as it always has been is the preference. As you would know, nobody accepted nominations at the AGM to form a new committee.
“What a new committee would look like, would be up to that new committee.”
Ms Bowles said in the absence of a full-time committee, members were urged to consider nominating to be on a “caretaker” committee.
“That is there in place only to keep the association in place until such time that an active committee could be formed,” she said.
“Thank you for your understanding as we have been negotiating this – at no time has the committee wanted CDPA to close.”
