Minutes of a meeting of the executive committee of BRRAG held on 20 January 2023 via zoom

1. Welcome

Lӧtter Wepener welcomed those present.

2. Attendance register and apologies

In attendance: Lӧtter Wepener, Jacques de Wit, Gibbon Schickerling, Sarel Marais, Duard Scholtz, Ferenc Toth, Sue Muirhead.
Apologies: Willie Enright, Dalien Pachonick, Robert Schroeder, Wanda Nezar.

3. Minutes

The minutes of the meeting of 28 December 2022 were confirmed and the chair authorized to sign them. DECIDED that Duard’s portfolio be widened to include animals, River safety, including illegal buoys, and environmental affairs.

4. Correspondence

4.1 Received – nothing
4.2 Issued:

• Roads audit (including hump in Ocean View) was sent by Jacques. Ndlambe promised to do some work from November 2022 and also put a slurry on Hertzog road. Decided that we should follow up and find out what amount is allocated to out town for road repairs.
• Town hall lease still in progress.
  Trailer registration form: Sarel eventually received this. Sarel confirmed that he is registered on the system as the BRRAG proxy.
• Tennis court: confirmed that Daryn Lottering may utilize the club house on Sundays at a fees of R 400 per month.
  Illegal (?) construction cor 2nd Ave and Fourth Ave RB. Jacques will follow up.

5. Legal Matters

• Municipal issues: the caravan park tender is still awaited.
• Other legal issues: N/A
• Staff contracts: Leave for staff members has been arranged for January and February. The contract for Julius was renewed for a period of one year and Gugu for three months. Robert to advise regarding Gugu at the end of March.
• ERF 685 RB: the lease by a vehicle scrap dealer of the entire wetland area was of some concern. The chair to advise Estuary Care and to submit an objection on behalf of BRRAG. Committee members to make this widely known for members of the community to object. Also, Verona to be advised. Sue will arrange a petition.

6. Finance

Committee members were asked to continually promote BRRAG and garner support for the Organisation. The accounts as at the end of December were noted. Sue will advise if a easter market is viable.

7. Village Maintenance

Jacques will further discuss the signage removal by M&L Construction with the members. Noted that skips are now available in the industrial area for all to leave refuse. Fanie Fouche undertook to attend to low hanging branches in the Village, but nothing has come of it. Christmas light removal” Dalien will arrange. The chair to ask George Simpson to assist with a street light survey.

The refuse removers and their lists when asking for Christmas donations, have become a problem. Ndlambe forbids employees from asking for donations whilst we assisted with lists so that residents can identify the correct persons. The matter to be taken further at the meeting with the mm.

Sanitation: Jacques has taken this matter up with dir Maluleke. Although there is R80m available to be used in our area, It appeared that Ndlambe is lukewarm about this issue. It will betaken up directly with the MM at the March meeting.

8. Riversbend matters

Nothing new.

9. Village infrastructure

The water problem in Second Avenue is being attended to. The work seems to be a step in the right directions.

10. Security

There were no security incidents during the period that the December guards were employed. The NW Group remained on duty and did some rounds as well. The camera project is running into problems as a result of load shedding.

Note that the SANPARK group of “cleaners” were more of a problem than help and Fanie Fouche was asked to remove them from BRM. Ferenc advised that the SAPS was in need of an inverter for the charge office. Decided that after our December donation towards diesel that BRRAG is not in a position do make further donations.

BRRAG will support a bigger fundraising effort to be undertaken by the Chamber of Business. Ferenc advised that tower are where all the signal equipment is housed has been vandalized and is unprotected. Our reservoirs are also not protected. Questions whether these areas are a national key points were asked. The chair to investigate.

11. SDSG

The SDSG will send a letter to the relevant Minister objecting to Amatola taking over water supply in the entire province.

12. Estuary care

The sand dune issue is continuing with attorney Jeremy Ridl advising and taking the lead.
The illegal buoys are to be brought to the attention of EC.

13. Ward Committee

Next meeting 8 February 2023.

14. Chamber of Business and Tourism

Nothing new.

15. NRF

The NRF has sent a letter objecting to new rates to be implemented and also objecting to Amatola’s proposed new role.

16. Firefighting

Nothing new.

17. Website and FB

Gibbon reported that the FB page is well visited and is a success.

18. Newsletter

Articles to be forwarded to the chair for a newsletter to go out.

19. IDP

Nothing new

20. Other business

The next meeting – 31 March 2023 at 09h00 at 14 Krogscheepers Street BRM.

There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 10h15.

Chairperson