Annual General Meeting on 9/Dec/2014
Club President Heather Smith welcomed 18 members and thanked them for coming. She then read the Presidents Report, and mentioned the decline in numbers at our monthly meetings.
Michael Barlow gave the Treasurers Report but stated that the final copy was still with the Auditor.
The Committee for 2015 was elected (see below), but several key positions could not be filled.
Plans for 2015 were discussed, and an Extraordinary General Meeting was scheduled for Tuesday 10th February at the Auckland Museum.
The club library was dismantled due to lack of use, and the books were sorted into three piles ...
1. For the Museum - Wilma Blom to take these.
2. For Auction - Heather has these and will sort them out for the auction in October.
3. A few were given away.

Extraordinary General Meeting on 10/Feb/2015
23 members attended the E.G.M. which was chaired by our President Heather Smith.
Being an expert on club rules and regulations, Glenys Stace led the discussion. Glenys also has a deep knowledge of the Auckland Museum Institute's relationship with the Auckland Museum, our Conchology Section, and the Department of Internal Affairs which governs club activities - especially in regard to financial matters.

To start with we were told that the 'Notice of Motion' circulated to members would not be voted on because it was not correctly worded. IE. it should have contained a finalised version of the proposed revised Constitution & Rules rather than simply containing a summary of the proposed changes. So the focus of the meeting then turned to the question of whether we wanted to remain a Section of A.M.I., or whether we should dissolve the Conchology Section and start a new web based club - either Incorporated or Unincorporated.

There was much discussion on this subject, and an examination of the implications of each alternative. It became evident that the easiest course of action would be to remain as a Section of A.M.I. and simply modify the Constitution & Rules to reduce the monthly workload that has become a burden on a diminishing number of volunteers. Dissolving the Conchology Section and forming a new club would be the more difficult road, involving the Department of Internal Affairs. It would apparently also have negative financial implications (IE. our tax status as a non-profit organisation).

In the end a vote was taken and the vast majority of those present opted to remain as the Conchology Section, Auckland Museum Institute.
A working group of various Committee members was established and tasked with drafting a modified Constitution & Rules. When this activity is complete they will send out another 'Notice of E.G.M.' and accompanying 'Notice of Motion' - this time a compliant one!

Auckland Shell Club Transformation
The running of A.S.C. will be very different this year due to the ongoing decline in meeting numbers, as well as our inability to fill key administrative positions.
We believe that transforming A.S.C. into an Internet based club may be beneficial. IE. the focus of our communications will be our website and email rather than monthly meetings and newsletters.
To this end ...

. Meetings: Will in future be held on demand rather than monthly. This year we only have an A.G.M. in December scheduled, and will also get together for our annual Shell Auction in October (see below).

. Website: www.aucklandshellclub.net.nz now contains a "Members Forum". Members (and also non-members) are encouraged to contribute to this forum any information, articles, requests, or questions that you may have. Subject threads will be created as required - all we need is your shell related input. Simply email your information/suggestions/questions/responses/etc to aucklandshellclub@gmail.com.

. Newsletters & Poirieria: Our newsletters will in future be sporadic. Communication to members will be primarily by email or posted on our website. Apologies to those of you who are still not online. Poirieria magazine will not be published in future. Articles such as it contained will now be published in the Members Forum on our website.

. Subscriptions: From now on our meeting and mailing costs will be greatly reduced, so subscriptions are no longer required. We should be able to cover all our annual costs from the Shell Auction commissions.

These changes will greatly reduce the workload that has in the past burdened a small dedicated team of officers. The onus of keeping the Auckland Shell Club alive now shifts to all members. A club is only as strong as its members and we encourage you all to play an active part.

Whangarei Shell Show
9am-4pm on 9th May 2015 at Forum North, 7 Rust Avenue, Whangarei.
All are welcome to join in celebrating the Whangarei Shell Club's 50th anniversary.
Shell collectors are encouraged to bring shells for display or sale.
Contact Whangarei Shell Club president, Jill Hayward, on 09 435 2547.

Shell Auction
24th October 2015 at the Albany Hall, Auckland.
Please email your lot lists (initial limit of 20 lots) to aucklandshellclub@gmail.com, or post to Peter Poortman, 26 Pendlebury Street, Green Bay, Auckland 0604, before the end of August.

An update from our new President
The Working Group is on the verge of circulating a proposed new Constitution & Rules document and advising a date for an Extraordinary General Meeting to vote and adopt it. There has been a lot of debate and thought go into it. It will look much like the former Constitution & Rules but in fact there are many dozens of small changes making it simpler, more flexible, and less demanding on our small club and its officers. We hope to be in touch again very soon.
Martin Walker

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