INTRODUCTION
The NZGS Management Committee structure comprises, as a minimum, 6 elected members and an appointed secretary. Up to 3 co-opted members may be appointed. In accordance with the Society rules, elected membership of the committee is for a two-year period.
Eleni Gkeli is mid-way through her two-year term; Sally Hargraves has completed one two-year term and will stand for re-election; Kevin Anderson will announce his plans for re-election at a later date; Guy Cassidy will be stepping down at the end of this term.
The current Chair, Charlie Price, will not stand for a second term as Chair, but will become Immediate Past Chair. The current Vice-Chair and Treasurer, Tony Fairclough, will move into the role of Chair. These changes necessitate that a further Committee position becomes available, making the total number of positions available on the Management Committee in 2017, four.
NOMINATIONS FOR 2017 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Nominations for four elected members for the 2015 Management Committee are requested. A nomination form will be available on the website. A candidate for election must be nominated and seconded by two separate members of the society, and have the consent of the nominee. The form must reach the Management Secretary no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday 4th July 2017. Email or post is acceptable for forwarding completed nomination forms.
The Management Committee meets four times per year and is responsible for managing the affairs of the Society. Membership of the Management Committee is a rewarding experience and members are encouraged to give serious consideration to standing for election.
ELECTION OF MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE FOR 2017
Election of the Management Committee for 2017 will be via an online ballot if an election is necessary (i.e. more than four nominations are received). Results of the election will be announced at the AGM to be held on Wednesday, 6th September 2017 in Christchurch.
A summary of the nomination forms will be sent to members, if an election is necessary, and the election shall be conducted via an online vote.
The following extract from Section 7 of the Society’s rules is given below for your guidance, and a copy of the full NZGS rules is available on the NZGS website.
“SECTION 7 MANAGEMENT OF THE SOCIETY
7.1 The affairs of the Society shall be managed by the Management Committee.
7.2 The Management Committee shall comprise not less than 7 and not more than 10 members of the Society. The minimum of seven members shall comprise the Management Secretary and six persons elected by the members of the Society. In addition, the Management Committee may co-opt up to 3 additional members to carry out specific tasks and/or to give the Committee a better balance in field of interest, occupational or regional classification.
At the time of calling for nomination it shall be brought to the attention of the Society membership that the representation on the Committee should be maintained as broad as possible, both geographically and between engineers and geoscientists.
7.3 No fewer than three members of the Management Committee shall be full members of the Institution.”
The current elected committee comprises three engineers and three engineering geologists, with one Auckland-based, one Nelson-based, two Wellington-based and two Christchurch-based. We currently have three co-opted committee members, Ross Roberts (Auckland, Website Manager); Marlène Villeneuve (Christchurch, Geomechanics News co-editor); and Frances Neeson (Christchurch, Young Geotechnical Professionals representative).
Ex-Officio members are the Vice Presidents of the three International Societies and the Immediate Past Chair. The Australasian VP roles for the period 2017-18 will be held by the following:
- Mark Eggers, Australasian VP IAEG, Sydney
- Gavin Alexander, Australasian VP ISSMGE, Auckland (nominated to assume the role at the end of the current term, from September 2017)
- Stuart Read, Australasian VP ISRM, Wellington