Tributes flowed for Stephanie Hunter as she stepped down from her role as President of the Residents Association at its AGM on August 9. The past two years under Stephanie's leadership have seen initiatives that will deliver lasting benefit to the Cove community. With Maureen Kelly acting as returning officer, all executive positions were filled with Doug Kohlhoff taking over as President, Len Yearsley as Vice President and Annette Searle and Kath Kohlhoff staying in their roles of Secretary and Treasurer. Susan Carter, Tony Hann and Gary Sylvaney were elected to the remaining Committee positions.
In taking on the president's role, Doug Kohlhoff thanked the many community members who have been prepared over the years to attend meetings and functions and contribute their annual $10 membership. Without this support the Association would cease to exist which would be a great loss to our Community. Associations like our Cove's Residents Association are vital, not only because they can deliver visible benefits like usable parks and facilities, but they also contribute to the development of healthy, vibrant, caring and enduring communities.
We have been lucky that our Association has regularly enjoyed higher membership numbers than similar associations in larger communities. In some communities there can be naysayers who are ever ready to throw brickbats and even question altruistic motives. This can deter some people from participating or joining. That our Cove's Association has already prospered almost half a century is a significant achievement in itself.
Doug observed that, in reading past records of the Association dating back more than twenty years, he had noted that the topics that concerned the community then were much the same ones that concern us now. Issues like: boat ramps, jetties, the need for more land in public ownership, roads, drainage, children's playgrounds, fire risk - all topics still on agendas in 2014. While there is always more to be done - and a few of the community's goals have proved stubbornly elusive despite huge efforts - a closer look at those past records reveals a long list of achievements many of which we now take for granted.
The important achievements of the past two years owe a lot to the stewardship of our retiring president Stephanie Hunter. Stephanie also tactfully, yet successfully, dealt with Councillors, MPs and Council staff in the interest of our Community and community members. Our Village has a lot to thank her for.
Full details of Residents Association's agendas, minutes and reports are placed on this website so that the whole community can stay informed of plans and developments.
