Summary of the Executive Minutes

Olives New Zealand Executive Meeting

Teleconference 25 May 2010

Meeting opened 6.30

 Attendees

Andrew Taylor, Chris Moore, David Walshaw, Graham Keen, Ian June, John Arthur, Lesley Wilson, Roger Armstrong, Steve Clark

Apologies

Ross Legh

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

Minutes true an accurate record; All Passed

Matters Arising

1)       President to provide a copy of the letter to HortNZ re Rent Holiday. Lesley will ring Peter Silcock regarding the outcome of meeting with Hort NZ

2)       EO to check with Brian Milne re missing minutes (September)

3)       Steve re minutes for website.  Meeting agreed the following procedure

a.        Exec approve DRAFT minutes via email

b.       Lesley remove DRAFT and send to exec

c.        Send to Steve to publish

Financial Report

4)       $10k better off than the estimate however EO has not been paid. This to be rectified within two weeks.

5)       May: had provided for the payment of $10k to HortNZ.  No account received.

6)       Queries surrounding income vs expenditure for Olive to Oil. EO assured that executive that the budget is correct. Attendees money has gone in, sponsorship money still to come.

7)       O2O course. Olives still to be paid for. 850kg of Olives processed. Invoice still to come.

8)       Graham stated that we have just enough money to survive until the end of the year. We must get the accounts out on 1 July.

Graham moved report be accepted

Chris seconded

All in favour

EO’s Report

9)       Report Submitted.  All manner of problems with Database and it is doing our image all sorts of problems.  Spent days going over the database.  Looked way back to September last year.

10)   Steve noted to cc Wendy when emailing Webmaster Chris Gaelic

11)   Website needs to be redesigned. The organisation has moved along way very fast and changes proposed are by now means a slight on the previous people but are to better manage the organisation as it is now and for the future.

12)   EO got a couple of quote for the website. One at $10k plus art work. Mogul came up with a $8k quote gives us database control, newsletter and it is a content management system.

13)   EO suggested that we use Xero on-line accounting system.

14)   Ian: Agrees with content Management System for the website

15)   EO recommends Mogul. No more costs to newsletter apart from the time we put into it.

16)   ONZ uses Cash Manager at the moment. Graham believes it works well. Thought not against going onto another system. Needs to be done at the end of the financial year.

17)   Graham noted that he is keen to step down as Treasurer at the end of the financial year.

18)   Andrew: What are we wanting Lesley and Treasurer to spend their time on.

19)   Discussion around role of EO and Treasurer in managing the accounts (who does what)

20)   Lesley to operate cashbook (administrative)

21)   Treasurer to operate Cashbook and paying accounts. (Reporting Budgeting Financial control)

22)   EO; suggests that we talk to our accountant to make sure that they are au fait with Xero

23)   John: Queried whether the current website system can be updated to give a single database. EO responded No

24)   How long will it take to set up new website. Quote stated 4 weeks.

25)   EO to design site-map, Mogul come back with design. Start putting the copy together.

26)   Discussions around financing the new website.  Agmardt money still to come in.  These costs have been carried by ONZ for some time. 

27)   Exec agree that we need a new website and it is our highest priority.

28)   Andrew: Exec still fielding queries and complaints surrounding database/membership. Needs to be prioritized

29)   John. Need newsletter within next 7 days and need to approve expenditure

30)   Graham: only income will be coming in is $40k for subscriptions and that is based on previous years.

31)   Down from $110k at beginning of financial year to $25K.  Worries about further dipping into funds.

32)    Agreement that once the website and online accounting systems are up and running there will be an increase in productivity and information flow.

Conference, AGM and Awards

33)   Ian: Draft programme submitted and discussed.  Following

34)   Matapiro: No processing but bottling and dispatch logistics.

35)   Need 2-3 large covers/marquees. Mitigate the need to use Matapiro’s buildings, which will be in use.

36)   Local association has been able to access two good marquees under sponsorship deals. (BNZ and Farmlands)

37)   EO suggested changes to hiring of War Memorial Centre to save money. Welcome and open the conference later in the evening after the field walk.

38)   Open just before the mix and mingle.

39)   Discussions around having the conference all in one day as current conference content seemed lacking to some Exec.

40)   It was noted that equipment needs to be at the conference because of sponsorship opportunities

41)   Noted that there is a field walk day and a conference day in the current format and that people traveling from across the country will be staying one night anyway.  If they come on the Friday they can get to see a large grove and get uptake on research plus opportunity for networking on the Friday night.  Plus the AGM then Awards and Dinner

42)   Noted that it was impossible for people to get in from the South Island on the Saturday morning.

43)   Great that we have two nights, first being mix and mingle and networking and the second night is a celebration of the industry.

58.34

44)    Saturday workshops:

a.        EIT of how and what goes into certify oils, may be limited cost with this. 

b.       Grove health (soils etc).

c.        Alternative uses for Olives and Olive Oil

d.       Blending of oils

e.       Marketing practices: how to put together a marketing plan or creation of Regional Brand.

45)   Lesley to look at holding all the workshops at EIT; catering class can provide Italian lunch.

46)   Looking at putting together a Budget for 80 and 150

47)    Combined Regional Chairs starts at 9.00am not 8.00am

48)   Dinner Speaker: Suggest we find someone who can talk on marketing. Lesley to talk to local firms. 20mins and keep it light

49)   Need judges for judging the oils.

50)   Need to make collection and handing out of awards more prestigious. 

51)   Lesley to organise media and need to organise time for people who have won best in class and over to speak and say thanks.

52)   Need to find some award for best in classes. John to send Ian the website for acrylic awards.

53)    8 best in classes and over all award

54)   Need a Compere for the evening

55)   Procedure for getting judges. Ross has in the past liaised with other exec members.  Lesley to check with Ross as to how far he has got.

56)   John: Noted that many people are using Olive Oil as soap. Lesley to look at getting a series of people together to look at ‘Alternative uses for Olive and Olive Oil’ workshop.

57)   Lesley to organise the alternative uses of Olives and Olive Oil

58)   EO suggested that workshop time be reduces.  Three in the morning and two in the afternoon.

59)    Wednesday the 16^th of June for programme finalisation and budget, and letters inviting potential judges. Judging occurs a couple of days before in Auckland.  Probably the Wednesday before the event.

Certification

60)   EO will try to rework (using less words) the paperwork.

61)    Discussion around Ross’s queries and comments

a.        Andrew has found out the costs are fixed and Plant and Food unable to reduce this.  ONZ is in actual fact getting a good deal.

b.       Got 143 oils certified last year.

c.        Discussion around how many oils are going to certified this year.

d.       Last year no money was made (close to a loss) to help fund ONZ administration.

e.       Documentation needs to go out now and we need to get the website updated.

f.         Costs around $1200 per sitting of the certifiers.  Plant and Food will reduce the number of sittings if number oils being submitted drops.  Need the width of timing but may be less sittings.

g.        If we have 150 oils the cost is $160 + GST.  18 panels at $1262 per panel.  The panels won’t do any more than 12 oils per panel; usually only 8 oils.

h.       Decided $175 + GST will be the price for this year. Per oil and no discounts, flat rate.  Still keep the certification for non-member at $400 + GST.

i.         Executive need to tell members that August panels come under a lot of pressure and that they need to get oils in as early as possible.

j.         Seal: Options have been distributed. Positive and negative feedback.  Currently have 11,000 dots in stock at EO’s office. Check to see if Ross has any more dots.

k.        If Awards Stickers are used then they have to use the certification sticker.

l.         Ian has sent out Seal options. Lots of different opinions.

m.      Discussion around Seal vs Dot.  Still lots more to do on this.  Seal will need rebranding and consultation.

n.       Agreement that we haven’t got time to change this season.  Rebranding may be able to be talked about at conference.

o.       John suggests we look at Australian system for putting certification on their bottles.

p.       Plant and Food Service Agreement: Lesley to sign on behalf of Exec.  Queries about Olives New Zealand role regarding sending out results. Lesley to talk to Ross regarding sending out results.

Chris: Moved the Services Order be accepted and that Lesley to sign on behalf of ONZ

John: Seconded. All agreed

q.       ONZ Exec Officer responsible for distribution of sample bottles to regional chairs.

r.        Cost of bottles and postage and packaging part of certification fee.

s.        EO to send Certification Documentation to all regional chairs for them to disseminate.  Also to go onto the website and notification via newsletter.

t.         EO to confirm revisions with Ross that these are the final copies.

u.       EO to check the price throughout the document and the addresses etc are the same.

v.        EO to check with Ross re: complaints, make sure we have cleared the backlog.

w.      EO to make sure email addresses are correct as people communicate.

62)   Red Seal: Feed back needed on

Sponsorship

63)   Sponsorship proposal nearly finished

64)   Summary of Proposal

a.        ONZ looking to enter into sponsorship arrangements with a small number of appropriate partners

b.       Principle sponsors, Gold Sponsors, Silver Sponsors and General Sponsors

                                                               i.      Principle 3 year contract $10K Benefits being Annual Conference, Processors course, Best in Show Award, advertising material, sponsors corner.

                                                              ii.      Gold 2 years $5k year. Processors course, annual conference plus website and best in class awards

                                                            iii.      Silver sponsor $2k for 1 year. Annual conference processor and website

                                                            iv.      General $500 primarily website advertising.

65)   Outline will be finalised first week in June.

66)   Has had discussions with two potential sponsors

67)   Principal sponsor is One company only.  The rest as many as possible. Discussion was held around cost of general sponsors

68)   Looking at simplifying the whole sponsorship system

69)   EO suggests Gold be for 3 years.

70)   Principle sponsor can have their material sent to our database via us.  Limited.

71)   Chris wants a list of the potential sponsors and who the primary contact is.

General Business

72)   Australia Olive Grower Magazine need profile and photo from Chris, Steve, Ross and Mark.

73)    President and EO to send out emails fortnightly to let rest of exec know what’s happening.

74)   After discussion unanimous decision to go forward with website

John moved David seconded

75)   John will host Hort NZ out on the grove on the 16^th of June

76)   John has been asked by the Italian consulate to  part of seminar at the Fielddays.

77)   John part of HB branch of ONZ. Surprised that the ONZ logo was on the festival advertising

a.        EO says an email was sent out to ask if there were any objections to using the ONZ logo; no replies received to the negative

b.       Exec not happy with the situation including the financial situation. Happy to participate in the day but it isn’t an ONZ event.

c.        Discussion around the financial aspects and the risks.   EO to ring and find out liability.

d.       Lots of discussion around our role and Exec are nervous about financial aspects and cost overruns

e.       Need to make sure that we a not liable for any of the losses or have to carry to funding until all the monies come in.

f.         EO to send the budget to ONZ Exec and estimate of timing for money.

g.        David Walshaw is opposed to ONZ being seen as running this event and the use of both the logo and ONZ banking facilities.

78)   Next meeting to be a face to face meeting particular focus on the Red Dot/Seal.

79)   Need to do short meetings re judges and conference (by phone)

80)   Next meeting Wellington 10^th of July. 9-4pm

81)   Exec officer to see if ONZ can use the HortNZ offices for meeting.

82)   Exec to organise their own tickets/accommodation and get reimbursements.

83)   Teleconference the week of the 16^th of June

Meeting Closed 10.10pm