Stars bright in sky and on big screen Around 200 film and music buffs enjoyed the cool night air last week, for the Molong Music and Movie Night. Held on the Molong Central School Oval, the music of GabeMusic entertained revellers before a screening of 2015 film, Oddball. Presented by Molong Advancement Group, Cabonne Council, the smell of popcorn wafted across the oval thanks to the school Parents and Citizens who also cooked sausages to perfection. We look forward to the next one!
ABOVE LEFT: Maggie, Lilly, Ellie, Imogen, Izzy, Clara, Jake, Emma and Cooper settled in for a great night. ABOVE RIGHT: Sue and Jo Burgess looking forward to the film screening.
ABOVE:Connor, Nikora, Peta, Scarlett, Hunter, Melissa, Willos, Lisa, Kyran, Linda, Victoria and Te Paea. ABOVE: Kayla, Harrison, Hudson, Luke, Paige, Isabel, Siara and Robert being supervised by big sister Stella (middle).
Residents pool talents for sport and rec funds In February local firm, Cheney Suthers lawyers filed an application for Rebuild Molong to be registered as an Incorporated Association. We received confirmation of the registration on 15 February 2023. Rebuild Molong Inc. has adopted the model constitution (without modification) prepared by NSW Fair Trading. The constitution states that Rebuild Molong’s objective is to: Advance social or public welfare by providing funds to organisations, sporting clubs and educational establishments who have suffered loss and or damage to sporting equipment and infrastructure due to flood waters or other disasters, to ensure that they can continue to take care of their physical and mental health while they are recovering from the disaster. Local firm, YBM, have been appointed as the registered office and accounting firm and will prepare the financial accounts for the Association. To date no funds have been drawn from the GoFundMe platform or received from the AuctionsPlus auction and Carcoar sale. The funds from the online auction and Carcoar sale are being held in trust with Nutrien Harcourt until the Rebuild Molong Incorporated bank account is operational. Impact assessment and insurance claims. As stipulated, Rebuild Molong Inc. will work in consultation with Cabonne Council to disseminate the funds raised. In December Cabonne Council asked Molong’s sporting and recreation clubs to submit audits documenting what was lost, damaged or destroyed. Cabonne Council also commenced the insurance assessment process to ascertain what infrastructure and items will be covered by Council’s insurance and where the gaps are.
Council staff have worked tirelessly to submit the insurance claims. Three building quotes have been required to accompany the applications. Critically we need to ensure funds raised are not spent in areas where insurance will be received. Why must we wait for the insurance assessments to be completed? Critically we need to ensure funds raised are not spent in areas where insurance will be received. Can monies raised be spent on items outside of sporting and recreation assets? The funds raised must legally be directed to the intended recipient, being Molong’s sporting and recreational facilities.
Continued from page 4 Next steps Rebuild Molong Inc. look forward to working closely with Cabonne Council and our sporting and recreational clubs. We will continue to publish updates in The Molong Express and importantly post updates on the Rebuild Molong Instagram page. A talented local community member drafted the words below which Rebuild Molong Inc. felt captured the sentiment perfectly. “Together we rise above the floodwaters. United, we rebuild our beloved Molong. With hard work and determination, we turn adversity into opportunity and make our small town stronger than ever.”
Meeting with Cabonne Council On the 27th of February members from Rebuild Molong Inc. and Cabonne Council met to discuss the findings of the audit and insurance claims. We agreed to run a three-phase approach: 1. Cabonne Council and Rebuild Molong Inc. to meet with Heads of sporting and recreation clubs to discuss the results of their audits. Working with Council, it is our intention that funds be released relatively quickly to address key priorities. 2. Rebuild Molong Inc. to provide resources to support sporting and infrastructure grants identified by Council. Some of these grants may require a level of co-contribution. 3. Longer term, Rebuild Molong Inc. will look for opportunities to support Cabonne Councils recovery plan, ‘Building Back a Better Cabonne’, which could involve some of Molong’s sporting and recreation infrastructure being moved or co-located.
MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 9 March 2023
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