AGM 2021
Lough Cumnel Group Water Scheme Co-operative Society Ltd.
Annual General Meeting
8:30pm, 3rd June 2021 via Zoom
Draft minutes
Lough Cumnel Group Water Scheme Co-operative Society Ltd.
Annual General Meeting
8:30pm, 3rd June 2021 via Zoom
Draft minutes
The meeting was opened sharply at 8:30pm by Paul Connolly who stated that the Chairperson, Sal O’Malley, had asked him to chair the meeting. This AGM covers two years, 2019 and 2020, and we need to adopt both sets of Financial Statements.
Minutes:
Minutes of the previous AGM held on the 29th July 2019 are available on the website to be viewed and he asked for a proposer to accept the minutes. The minutes were proposed by Austin Francis O’Malley, seconded by Sal O’Malley and so were carried. Nothing arising from the minutes.
Chairperson’s Address:
Sal then welcomed all to our AGM via Zoom, the new way of meeting. It has been a great alternative as the scheme had to be maintained throughout the pandemic. In order to do that, we had to meet on Zoom once a month. She then thanked Paul Connolly (NFGWS) for his help and support for the last 2 years. She thanked John O’Toole, our accountant, for keeping us out of the red. She then thanked our managers, Louise and Austin Francis for a job well done. To Egbert Polski a big thank you for being our website manager free of charge.
She then paid tribute to Jim O’Malley who is retiring as Vice-Chair. Jim was one of the founding members of the scheme (that is 46 years old). She congratulated Jim on all the good work he did through good times and bad, bringing it from brown in colour to being the first group scheme in Ireland to receive the International Standard ISO and IAMA award. For Best Managed scheme, we received the Meitheal Award. So for all that and more, the scheme are very grateful to Jim and wish him good health for the future. It was a pleasure indeed to work with Jim.
The AGM is for participants to be informed on how the running of the scheme is going, so questions were welcomed.
Sal proposed water charges remain the same as last year: First 160m3 free, after which to be charged at €1.10 per cubic metre. All drinking troughs charged at €1.10 per cubic metre.
Our scheme is a modern one and to keep that standard, a lot of hard work goes into the maintaining of it. Sal thanked Johnny McGreal, our maintenance man, who comes out in all kinds of weather to fix leaks.
Sal thanked our members for paying their water charges and asked them to keep checking your meters for leakages.
She then thanked the board of directors for their dedicated attendance for the last 2 years and adapting to Zoom meetings. The scheme is going very well at the moment and everyone should be proud of our good quality drinking water.
Audited Accounts:
John O’Toole gave a comprehensive report on the finances of the scheme for 2019 and 2020. He thanked Louise and Austin Francis for their help in compiling the financial report. The full audited Financial Statements are more comprehensive and available to members on request.
The purpose of the Auditors accounts is to place accuracy of the accounts John had prepared and submitted to O’Sullivans (Auditors). They have given their opinion that the accounts as prepared by the Directors are a true and fair state of the finances of the scheme.
Total of €173,000 on balance sheet. As of 31/12/20 - €43,000 owed by Mayo CoCo (standard at the end of financial year), €2,500 due from member billing. Creditors = final quarter owed to Glan Agua (standard at end of financial year).
John complimented the management team of Louise and Austin France for having the debtors’ list in such a good position.
John then went through the figures for both 2019 & 2020 and explained each entry. Miscellaneous:- As explained at the previous AGM there was a grant of €33,000 which was divided over 3 years.
Paul called for a proposer to adopt the accounts for both years.
2019 accounts – proposed by Austin Francis O’Malley & seconded by Michael O’Grady
2020 accounts – proposed by Sal O’Malley & seconded by Austin Francis O’Malley.
Managers’ Report:
Louise Noble presented the Managers’ Report:
It has been a busy 2 years since our last AGM. Unfortunately a large leak occurred on our main 6” pipeline early March 2020, resulting in no water for the majority of the network for a number of days. This also coincided with the emergence of Covid-19 in Ireland, so we wish to thank everyone for their patience and understanding while water supplies were down. The leak was found and repaired as quickly as possible. Whenever water supply is restored to the network after an incident such as this, it can then put pressure on the older piping and connections as pipes fill up again. Sometimes more leaks appear as a result – which in turn require detecting and repairing as quickly as possible.
We delayed sending out our water bills last year, to ease the pressure on households during the initial lockdown. They were sent out in June 2020. This year the water bills were sent out in April to allow us to include the AGM notice too.
Our staff and maintenance contractors have been busy throughout the last 2 years. Apart from detecting and repairing leaks throughout the pandemic, they have also undergone necessary training to allow us to carry out road crossings (licences are required for each road crossing).
2 significant additions to our network in the last year was the installation of a fire hydrant by the community centre and an extension of our pipeline in the Carramore area (adding 8 new field connections and 1 domestic connection last July).
There has also been a huge push in the last 6 months to install more equipment on our network – e.g. more stop valves and bulk meters, to allow us to detect where leaks have occurred even quicker. We also purchased an echo-sounder and recently completed some training on the use of this equipment, to aid further in leak detection.
Over the last few months, the scheme has employed the services of an engineering company (SDS based in Castlebar) to map our whole network in great detail and to carry out a full survey and review of our network. They are almost ready to present their report to the scheme - outlining and prioritising the upgrades that should be carried out in the coming years. This report will also be used in the scheme’s application to the Mayo CoCo this summer as part of the 2022-2024 Multi Annual Rural Water Programme.
We have also been working with SDS in recent months to try solve the ongoing supply issues we have in the Cregganbaun area. Water supply to that area is often reduced and sometimes non-existent when a leak occurs or there is high water demand elsewhere on the network. In the last 2 weeks we installed another air-valve and a non-return valve on the Leenane Road and are monitoring the situation closely to see if this has improved the situation at all.
Our plans for the coming year:
As previously mentioned, the scheme will be making a submission to the Mayo CoCo in the coming months for a grant for capital works to upgrade and improve our network. The report from SDS will be our guideline on what is most urgently required and will accompany our application.
We will also continue to regularly monitor the water flows to Cregganbaun and will hopefully be able to come up with a long term solution in the coming months.
We recently received a small grant of €500 from the Community Water Development Fund 2021, through the Local Authority Waters Programme. This grant is to be used towards the of planting of native hedgerows, trees and wildflowers on our plot alongside our water treatment plant, to assist in the improvement of the biodiversity in the area. This work will be commence this Autumn. By the way – if anyone has any logs or old branches on their land that they don’t need, we would be very grateful for them – to build a large insect and bee hotel running along the wildflower beds.
We hope to work with Local Authority Water officers on other projects in the future.
Paul Connolly thanked Louise for a very comprehensive report noting that the management team have been very busy since the previous AGM.
Election of Members:
One nomination received for John D Gartrell – proposed by Sal O’Malley and seconded by Ian Donald. Was elected onto the Board. Paul welcomed John onto the Board. Outgoing board members were Egbert Polski and Jim O’Malley. Egbert was returned automatically and Jim O’Malley has stepped down.
Water Charges:
Sal proposed that the water charges for the year remain the same at the previous year, as recommended by the Board. The Board recommended a charge of €1.10 per m3 for all water usage over the free allowance of 160m3 for domestic connections and €1.10 per m3 on all water used in field connections. The charges as recommended, were proposed by John D Gartrell and seconded by Egbert Polski.
A.O.B.
No questions were asked on AOB.
Paul Connolly, in summing up the meeting, said that he was delighted to hear that the scheme is planning to make submissions for funding. He told the scheme to be ambitious in its plans and to go for the maximum grants that are available over a 3 year programme. Works can be done in stages. The finances of the scheme are very healthy and a 15% contribution is within our capability. Members can be asked to contribute towards the 15% costs.
Biodiversity is important and water schemes are taking a lead on this. Our scheme is lucky with its source and has no pesticide problems to deal with. Other schemes have major problems. New EU regulations will be taking effect by December 2022. Schemes need to know their raw water and test it regularly. Paul will provide a template on the parameters that require testing.
He congratulated the scheme on its good work and its going from strength to strength. He thanked us for his invite to the AGM. He thanked Jim O’Malley for his services over a long number of years on the scheme.
The meeting closed at 9:01pm.
Minutes:
Minutes of the previous AGM held on the 29th July 2019 are available on the website to be viewed and he asked for a proposer to accept the minutes. The minutes were proposed by Austin Francis O’Malley, seconded by Sal O’Malley and so were carried. Nothing arising from the minutes.
Chairperson’s Address:
Sal then welcomed all to our AGM via Zoom, the new way of meeting. It has been a great alternative as the scheme had to be maintained throughout the pandemic. In order to do that, we had to meet on Zoom once a month. She then thanked Paul Connolly (NFGWS) for his help and support for the last 2 years. She thanked John O’Toole, our accountant, for keeping us out of the red. She then thanked our managers, Louise and Austin Francis for a job well done. To Egbert Polski a big thank you for being our website manager free of charge.
She then paid tribute to Jim O’Malley who is retiring as Vice-Chair. Jim was one of the founding members of the scheme (that is 46 years old). She congratulated Jim on all the good work he did through good times and bad, bringing it from brown in colour to being the first group scheme in Ireland to receive the International Standard ISO and IAMA award. For Best Managed scheme, we received the Meitheal Award. So for all that and more, the scheme are very grateful to Jim and wish him good health for the future. It was a pleasure indeed to work with Jim.
The AGM is for participants to be informed on how the running of the scheme is going, so questions were welcomed.
Sal proposed water charges remain the same as last year: First 160m3 free, after which to be charged at €1.10 per cubic metre. All drinking troughs charged at €1.10 per cubic metre.
Our scheme is a modern one and to keep that standard, a lot of hard work goes into the maintaining of it. Sal thanked Johnny McGreal, our maintenance man, who comes out in all kinds of weather to fix leaks.
Sal thanked our members for paying their water charges and asked them to keep checking your meters for leakages.
She then thanked the board of directors for their dedicated attendance for the last 2 years and adapting to Zoom meetings. The scheme is going very well at the moment and everyone should be proud of our good quality drinking water.
Audited Accounts:
John O’Toole gave a comprehensive report on the finances of the scheme for 2019 and 2020. He thanked Louise and Austin Francis for their help in compiling the financial report. The full audited Financial Statements are more comprehensive and available to members on request.
The purpose of the Auditors accounts is to place accuracy of the accounts John had prepared and submitted to O’Sullivans (Auditors). They have given their opinion that the accounts as prepared by the Directors are a true and fair state of the finances of the scheme.
Total of €173,000 on balance sheet. As of 31/12/20 - €43,000 owed by Mayo CoCo (standard at the end of financial year), €2,500 due from member billing. Creditors = final quarter owed to Glan Agua (standard at end of financial year).
John complimented the management team of Louise and Austin France for having the debtors’ list in such a good position.
John then went through the figures for both 2019 & 2020 and explained each entry. Miscellaneous:- As explained at the previous AGM there was a grant of €33,000 which was divided over 3 years.
Paul called for a proposer to adopt the accounts for both years.
2019 accounts – proposed by Austin Francis O’Malley & seconded by Michael O’Grady
2020 accounts – proposed by Sal O’Malley & seconded by Austin Francis O’Malley.
Managers’ Report:
Louise Noble presented the Managers’ Report:
It has been a busy 2 years since our last AGM. Unfortunately a large leak occurred on our main 6” pipeline early March 2020, resulting in no water for the majority of the network for a number of days. This also coincided with the emergence of Covid-19 in Ireland, so we wish to thank everyone for their patience and understanding while water supplies were down. The leak was found and repaired as quickly as possible. Whenever water supply is restored to the network after an incident such as this, it can then put pressure on the older piping and connections as pipes fill up again. Sometimes more leaks appear as a result – which in turn require detecting and repairing as quickly as possible.
We delayed sending out our water bills last year, to ease the pressure on households during the initial lockdown. They were sent out in June 2020. This year the water bills were sent out in April to allow us to include the AGM notice too.
Our staff and maintenance contractors have been busy throughout the last 2 years. Apart from detecting and repairing leaks throughout the pandemic, they have also undergone necessary training to allow us to carry out road crossings (licences are required for each road crossing).
2 significant additions to our network in the last year was the installation of a fire hydrant by the community centre and an extension of our pipeline in the Carramore area (adding 8 new field connections and 1 domestic connection last July).
There has also been a huge push in the last 6 months to install more equipment on our network – e.g. more stop valves and bulk meters, to allow us to detect where leaks have occurred even quicker. We also purchased an echo-sounder and recently completed some training on the use of this equipment, to aid further in leak detection.
Over the last few months, the scheme has employed the services of an engineering company (SDS based in Castlebar) to map our whole network in great detail and to carry out a full survey and review of our network. They are almost ready to present their report to the scheme - outlining and prioritising the upgrades that should be carried out in the coming years. This report will also be used in the scheme’s application to the Mayo CoCo this summer as part of the 2022-2024 Multi Annual Rural Water Programme.
We have also been working with SDS in recent months to try solve the ongoing supply issues we have in the Cregganbaun area. Water supply to that area is often reduced and sometimes non-existent when a leak occurs or there is high water demand elsewhere on the network. In the last 2 weeks we installed another air-valve and a non-return valve on the Leenane Road and are monitoring the situation closely to see if this has improved the situation at all.
Our plans for the coming year:
As previously mentioned, the scheme will be making a submission to the Mayo CoCo in the coming months for a grant for capital works to upgrade and improve our network. The report from SDS will be our guideline on what is most urgently required and will accompany our application.
We will also continue to regularly monitor the water flows to Cregganbaun and will hopefully be able to come up with a long term solution in the coming months.
We recently received a small grant of €500 from the Community Water Development Fund 2021, through the Local Authority Waters Programme. This grant is to be used towards the of planting of native hedgerows, trees and wildflowers on our plot alongside our water treatment plant, to assist in the improvement of the biodiversity in the area. This work will be commence this Autumn. By the way – if anyone has any logs or old branches on their land that they don’t need, we would be very grateful for them – to build a large insect and bee hotel running along the wildflower beds.
We hope to work with Local Authority Water officers on other projects in the future.
Paul Connolly thanked Louise for a very comprehensive report noting that the management team have been very busy since the previous AGM.
Election of Members:
One nomination received for John D Gartrell – proposed by Sal O’Malley and seconded by Ian Donald. Was elected onto the Board. Paul welcomed John onto the Board. Outgoing board members were Egbert Polski and Jim O’Malley. Egbert was returned automatically and Jim O’Malley has stepped down.
Water Charges:
Sal proposed that the water charges for the year remain the same at the previous year, as recommended by the Board. The Board recommended a charge of €1.10 per m3 for all water usage over the free allowance of 160m3 for domestic connections and €1.10 per m3 on all water used in field connections. The charges as recommended, were proposed by John D Gartrell and seconded by Egbert Polski.
A.O.B.
No questions were asked on AOB.
Paul Connolly, in summing up the meeting, said that he was delighted to hear that the scheme is planning to make submissions for funding. He told the scheme to be ambitious in its plans and to go for the maximum grants that are available over a 3 year programme. Works can be done in stages. The finances of the scheme are very healthy and a 15% contribution is within our capability. Members can be asked to contribute towards the 15% costs.
Biodiversity is important and water schemes are taking a lead on this. Our scheme is lucky with its source and has no pesticide problems to deal with. Other schemes have major problems. New EU regulations will be taking effect by December 2022. Schemes need to know their raw water and test it regularly. Paul will provide a template on the parameters that require testing.
He congratulated the scheme on its good work and its going from strength to strength. He thanked us for his invite to the AGM. He thanked Jim O’Malley for his services over a long number of years on the scheme.
The meeting closed at 9:01pm.