FTLA Special General Meeting Thursday 16th February 2016

The FTLA and VLC are holding special general meetings of the Association to formally approve the measures which will merge the two organisations and move to the new Landcare Victoria Incorporated.

This is the key legal step in enacting the merger, endorsed by members at the 2016 Annual Forum. Since that meeting the committees have worked assiduously to prepare the groundwork for the merger to take place.

This has involved a number of activities, namely:

• The pro bono engagement of legal firm Baker & Mackenzie, who have developed a merger implementation deed for both parties which is guiding the key legal steps around the merge,

• The development of a new set of Rules for the Association which reflects the activities of both organisations accurately and will set up Landcare Victoria Inc well for the future in terms of its governance, and

• The engagement of an external person, who has most recently completed work for the National Landcare Network, to provide the new Committee of Management with a range of guidelines and procedures to assist its effective operation

We are currently working hard on the essential detail, new logos, integrating websites, bringing together the various work of the paid staff within both organisations, and key decisions / actions for the committee to ensure a seamless continuation of service to you, the members, during this period of bringing all parts of both groups together.

The Special General Meeting will be for the purpose of considering and, if thought appropriate, passing the following special resolutions, that the Farm Tree and Landcare Association Inc:

1. Accept the terms of the merger of the Victorian Landcare Council Inc with the Farm Tree and Landcare Association Inc as specified in the “Merger Implementation Deed”.

2. Adopt the new rules for the Association as circulated, which give effect to the merging of the Association with the Victorian Landcare Council Inc, to take affect 3rd April 2017.

3. In adopting these new rules, the name of the Association be changed to Landcare Victoria Inc.

4. Appoint as at 3rd April 2017, per rule 26.2 of the new Rules the following people to the committee of management: Terry Hubbard (Strath Creek Landcare Group), David Clark (Upper Mt Emu Creek Landcare Network), Kaye Rodden (Barrabool Hills Landcare Group), Artur Muchow (Middle Yarra Landcare Network), Sandy McKenzie (Burnt Creek Landcare), Belinda Brennan (South Gippsland Landcare Network), Peter Berrisford (Bellarine Landcare Group), Phillip Horner (Ovens Landcare Network), Mike Haughton (Neerim Landcare Group), and Anthony Dufty (Moorabool Landcare Network).

5. Recognise the outstanding service of the outgoing committee members of the FTLA, namely Karen Alexander (7 years), Alex Arbuthnot (12 years), Susan Campbell and Richard Jamieson as founding members of the FTLA (30 years) and thank them for their valued contribution to Landcare.

We look forward to your active participation in the Special General meeting and encourage any questions which you have be directed through the FTLA Office to our Committee of Management members.

Only members that hold voting rights may vote at this meeting.

More details, contact information and RSVP details are available at this link:

https://www.landcarevic.org.au/groups/state/ftla/ftla-special-general-meeting/