Another year has passed and appreciation to all for their service to the 42nd Memorial Service of 2019
2019 AGM * Chairman: Barry Gobbe OAM JP - Secretary/treasurer: Gary Raymond APM OAM -
Support Group Manager: Tina Morgan RN
Committee Members * Rob Garner - Meredith Knight - June Bullivant - Barry Bullivant - Paul Touzell - Loretta Touzell
Beverley Roberts - Nelly Dean - Ken Peterson
The chairman opened the meeting at 1025 hours on the 19th January 2019.
The 2019 AGM opened with several apologies.
The minutes of the last AGM were presented, moved by Rob Garner and carried by Beverly Roberts.
The secretaries report followed and was moved by Tina Morgan an carried by Celia Harris.
The Treasurers report followed and was moved by Beverley Roberts and carried by Rob Garner.
The Support Groups Report was moved by Celia Harris and carried by Rob Garner.
Follow up is required on the website construction and the Facebook page "Day of the Roses" as there are some conflictions.
The association runs a closed group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1124670080927204/ page and our "Day of the Roses" correct Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/dayoftheroses.com.au/
Following up on the above: The website is a very complex platform but has been attended to. However, if there are any concerns please email us at info@granvilletraindisaster.info so as we may attend to your inquiry.
Still unable to close down the roge Facebook page Gary & Barry have decided to start a page which they both will manage so check it out at "Granville Train Disaster Association Inc." or https://www.facebook.com/groups/2172595049662082/
The following is the process involved which has taken place over the past two years due council and legislation changes:
On the 6/6/2018, I attended a Cumberland Council meeting to support a motion re the ongoing councils' involvement in the annual memorial services. There was no need for me to speak as councillors Ola Mamed and Glenn Elmore had the motion well under control. If you would like to hear what the motion and discussion was just click on the website below and go to the 6th June Meeting and advance the meeting to 56 minutes & 8 seconds as it was last on the councils' agenda for the evening.
https://www.cumberland.nsw.gov.au/watch-previous-council-meetings
Originally I was advised if the annual service was to continue the association would have to apply for a grant every year. We were also forced to take out insurance as the previous services have never been covered. This we did and we were granted the funding to run the next memorial. I then advised the Cumberland Council Administration that we don't want the funding for I believed the responsibility to maintain the memorial site and the supporting of the anniversary service expenses is their responsibility. At the above council meeting, my understanding is that the motion put forward and carried by the council was to run the event as part of the councils event calender with the assistance of Sydney Trains and Parramatta City Council. Howver as stated above Parramatta City Council pulled out.
We the people of the Granville Train Disaster Association will assist Cumbereland Council with the running of the service until our days' end and it is my wish that the siblings/relatives and survivors continue it on in our/my absence as those who lost their lives on the 18/01/1977, should never be forgotten.
You may ask, why has this happened? It is that councils were all terminated and reformed with amalgamation causing a re-zoning of areas putting the memorial site now in a different council zone. You may remember the troubled council of Auburn Council with all its alleged corruption, well now it is called the Cumberland Council. Yes, the one which we have to deal with now. Although we sympathise with the newly elected councillors, we were informed that Parramatta Council had advised them of their role in the annual memorial service. On top of this, traffic legislation, risks assessments and politics all have come into play which we have never had to face before during the past 39 years.
Stay safe all.
The Granville Train Disaster Association Inc.
