Presidents Annual Report 2005/2006
Trading and Profit. The club traded well during the 2005-06 financial year and had cash assets of over half a million dollars at the close of the year. Some of these funds has been allocated to various projects and has since been spent in order to improve facilities at the club. We are fulfilling our community responsibilities with not only charity days but with donations to specific needs of our community (note increase in donations). Bar trading at the club was static but due to good management our trading profit was up. Poker machine turnover and profit was down with many factors contributing to the bottom line (hopefully the new gaming lounge and additional machines will affect these figures). Keno was up slightly in both turnover and profit. There was a considerable increase in the costs of running the golf course and bowls greens with a slight decrease in the income received resulting in an increased loss for this area. Overall the net profit for the year was acceptable, although it was down on the previous year, but this was due to the spending required to give the members the facilities they require. Our non-current liabilities have almost been eliminated with only our commercial bill with the bank being outstanding. This bill has been renegotiated with better conditions and the committee has felt comfortable in investing funds into club improvements.
Committee. I would like to personally thank the members of this current committee
for their dedication and assistance in having the club advance in the manner
it has. You will see them in the club performing tasks that will reduce our
costs. I would particularly like to thank Vice President Joy Deane for the time
and effort she puts into the club with promotions and building expertise, Treasurer
Janet Reibel for her time in working with the office staff to give us a viable
balance sheet, and Michael Clifford for his time as Secretary (before we appointed
a secretary manager) in the manner that the minutes and correspondence were
presented and completed. The committee, in conjunction with our secretary manager
Mark Whiting, have been a positive force in having a successful club. As more
interest has been shown by members in becoming part of the committee it is possible
that after this year’s election that some of the old committee may not
be re-elected. Thanks to all committee members for the effort this last year.
Not all decisions are made with full agreement but that is why we have a diverse
mix of club members on the committee. Hopefully this next year will be just
as exciting and fruitful.
I must also thank the committees of the golf and bowls clubs for their contribution
towards the success of the Country Club. Without these dedicated workers there
would be no competitions or sporting success.
Staff. The club, once again, has had a change in management personnel with
secretary manager Glenn leaving to pursue other avenues. The appointment of
a new manager Mark Whiting took place the day before Melbourne Cup Day, giving
him an immediate baptism of fire. Mark has lived in the area for a number of
years before starting with our club and has now been with us for almost a year.
He has made a huge difference to the establishment and we hope that a long-term
tenure will eventuate (he has recently been appointed secretary manager).
Again thanks are due to our office manager Dawn Stockwell for the manner she
has kept the club running when the top job has been vacant and to her office
staff for performing to the high level of previous years.
Just when you think that you know all the staff someone leaves (for varying
reasons). The only staff members working behind the bar since last year are
Rick, Joanne and Leisa. A new position of bar manager was created and we were
fortunate to acquire the skills of Brad Robb. This gives us another avenue of
supervision and responsibility.
In the green keeping area we were unfortunate to lose one of our apprentice
green keepers. Rather than employ another apprentice we decided that a groundsman
would be of greater benefit and this has been done with satisfying results.
Head green keeper Michael Hall and his three musketeers do a great job in keeping
the golf course and bowling greens to a more than acceptable level.
The rangers in the golf starters box have proved that they are an asset to the
club and beside keeping green fees at a sustainable level and enforcing the
rules also reduce the pressure on the bar staff.
The handyman is a unsung hero going about his work with little fanfare but we
would certainly know if he was absent. Keep up the good work.
I would like to thank all staff for their effort during the year in making the
club run effectively. It has been a pleasure to attend the club and feel that
you are in a friendly atmosphere and that you will be well looked after..
Membership. Our membership as at 23/8/06 was 1572 with 1016 social members.
The committee has again frozen membership fees for this current year resulting
in golf and bowls members being subsidised approximately $100 per member to
cover our sporting costs. We are supplying refreshments, both bulk and packaged,
at the “cheapest” possible prices and we will shortly be reviewing
these bonuses so that only members receive them, with visitors having to pay
the “full freight”.
Smoking. The decision to bring in a “Non Smoking” policy in the
clubhouse, except for the gaming room, from 1st October, 2004, followed by the
Queensland Government regulations have been broadly accepted by our members.
From 1st July, 2006 a total smoking ban within the clubhouse has been implemented.
The “Dedicated Outdoor Smoking Areas” (DOSAs) have been allocated
on the golf course, the bowling greens and around the clubhouse with signs showing
the appropriate areas.
Developments. There were numerous projects started or completed during the
year.
Energex fitted a new transformer outside the clubhouse to adjust the drop in
voltage that we were receiving, causing the air conditioning to drop out. This
was at no cost to the club, only minimal inconvenience.
After numerous requests from patrons a new parquetry dance floor was fitted
into the function room to replace the old dance floor that had become dangerous
and unusable. Unfortunately the new renovations resulted in a wall being placed
over part of the dance floor and part of it had to be removed.
Due to the vandalism on both of the bowling greens security lights and cameras
were installed to the existing light poles. Since they have been erected there
have been no further incidents. The deterrent and probable detection has been
effective. Green staff were stretched to overcome the results of the grass kill.
New and pre-loved mowers were purchased during the year for both the golf course
and the bowling greens to replace well worn equipment.
The barbecue hut was completed after additions were made to comply with council
health regulations. A new barbecue was purchased and has been used on various
occasions. With our new extensions it is expected that usage will increase.
The dam was emptied, cleaned and deepened to make it a viable water storage
unit (again we are outdoing the Queensland government). A new bore was sunk
by the side of the third fairway, new larger pipes were laid, a new pump room
was erected with a large pump installed, and electrical cables were laid from
a pole to the power box and then to the pump room. Then we waited. Eventually
a new transformer was fitted for the power, and usage of the pump took place
on 17/8/06. The head greenkeeper Mick Hall has been seen with a smile from ear
to ear with enough water and pressure to water whatever he likes. The additional
use of treated sewer water is in the hands of Cooloola Shire Council but the
two bores that we have are supplying enough water at this time. Not all holes
of the golf course have had fairway watering installed yet but this will be
an ongoing project. As a result of these alterations the water train was sold
and a trench digger was purchased.
The furniture, particularly the chairs in the bar area, were in desperate need
of replacement or refurbishment. After reviewing quotes for either option it
was decided that the current chairs were of a high quality and needed the padding
recovered and the metal arms and legs needed sand blasting and powder coating.
The resultant furniture is a credit to the club. The high stools in the gaming
room are being recovered in the same material as the additional ones being purchased.
The high stools in the bar area will be supplemented by additional stools during
the renovations.
The restaurant was closed for a number of days whilst it was given a new coat
of paint and was reopened with a new format to hopefully satisfy more of the
patrons who wish to use it. The bistro appears to be trading well.
The club applied for a Queensland government grant to erect a motorised shade
cover for one of the two bowling greens. This grant of two thirds of the cost
has been approved and we are hopeful construction will start before the next
summer.
The renovations to the clubhouse finally started on 20/6/06 after approval was
granted by the relevant authorities and contracts had been signed. The renovations
include the resumption of the verandah area for clubhouse use, the splitting
of this area and the old function room into a gaming room and a new function
room and the addition of a new decking area with shading of sails. Further changes
to the old gaming room will start when these have been completed. The reasons
for the alterations were to enlarge the gaming room and to cater for the new
smoking regulations. All construction appears to be on track and on time at
the moment.
Social. A number of promotions taken place in the club, with the new secretary
manager feeling his way to find the appropriate bonuses.
The poker machine promotions, giving the equivalent of $1,000 in prizes each
month, kept those players happy during the year. We have purchased club loyalty
swipe machines for installation on the poker machines and these will come into
operation after the move to the new gaming room.
The weekly badge draw has proven to be a huge success with great drawing power
on Friday evenings. It was won at approximately $1,200 and at the time of writing
this report had risen to approximately $1,500.
The entertainment in the club has now been set so that there is a band (possibly
only one man) on all Fridays, Saturdays and special function days. We are using
local talent in order to reduce our costs and promote the local industry.
The courtesy bus is being utilised more and more with many people taking the
safe way to attend the club. This service will be monitored to give the best
service at the most appropriate times without being a burden to the club.
The Christmas ham giveaway was a huge success with many members enjoying the
half leg hams that the club gave away with the badge and ticket draws. It will
probably be repeated this year with the use of the new swipe readers making
it easier for staff to run.
The club had a number of Christmas parties for local businesses and will be
trying to entice as many as possible this year to show local visitors to our
club the benefits of joining.
The club has limited the number of charity days to six during the year with
Legacy, the Tin Can Bay P-10 School, the local Ambulance, the local Lions club,
Queensland Cancer and S.I.D.S. being the current recipients. On these days proceeds
from both bowls and golf go to the chosen charity. Unfortunately we cannot cater
for all charities and unless one of these charities drop out and get replaced
there will be no new charities added.
Special days such as Australia Day, Melbourne Cup Day, New Years Eve and other
holidays will see the club catering for large groups, as we have in the past.
Children are always a quandary at clubs with those for and against allowing
them in and then supervising them. We hope to be able to partially satisfy both
groups with the installation of a kids play area in the near future with the
burden of supervision still resting on the parents.
Toward the end of the financial year surveys were taken from members regarding
the style of the Sunday raffle. It was apparent that the prizes had become antiquated
and needed revamping and this has been completed with interest returning.
During 2006 the club celebrated its 40th anniversary since foundation and plans
were put into place to have an informal day of bowls, golf and camaraderie.
This has now taken place and all those who attended, from some of the earlier
pioneer members, had a most enjoyable day.
Stephen Wallis.
President, Tin Can Bay Country Club Inc.