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COMMITTEE MINUTES – 10/04/2025

calendar April 10, 2025

after

Meeting: Committee Meeting
Date: 10th April 2025
Time: 17:00
Location: Marina Yard Tower

Attendance

Joe Pilcher

Jason Mesilio

John Canepa

Johnnie Buttigieg

Pepe Figueredo

Graham Olivero

Andrew Camilleri

Absent:

Suresh Mahtani (Apologies)

Gareth Jones  (Apologies)

Agenda

  1. Boat Yard App
  2. Forklift Repairs
  3. Water Meters Super Yachts
  4. Nissen Hut
  5. Marina Policy on berth allocation, transfer etc.
  6. AGM
  7. Extensions of Security
  8. Pontoon Leaders
  9. Maintenance of Marina Flex/Pontoons etc.

President welcomed the new Postholders

Minutes of the last meeting of the 19th March 2025 were approved.

Agenda:

1. Boat Yard System

  • The new Boat Yard system (App) was still not available as the conversion to sterling was still not finalised.

2. Forklift Repairs

  • Repairs are still pending

3. Superyacht Water System

  • The port had agreed and sorted everything out for The MHSBM to be able to bill the Super Yachts directly.

4. Nissen Hut

  • The Planning Authorities had sent the approval of the works on the Nissen Hut subject to various conditions. John Canepa, the person in charge if the Yard, would take this matter up and report to the Committee at its next meeting. It was also agreed to finalise the Wintering policy of the Yard and the cost of it. The President and Vice President will look into the number of boats which the Nissen Hut could winter.

5. Liaison with the Port.

  • Following the meeting with the Port in which both sides agreed to set up a Sub-committee to look at the issues of Berths etc and to have an agreed layout of the Marina Berths and its holders, the President outlined the policy that he would present to the Port. This was:
  • 1.           Take note of small boats that should not be on a large berth (Boats under 6/6.5 meters)
  • 2.           Take note of large boats on a small berth (Boats over 6/6.5 meters)
  • 3.           Take note of all derelict boats and those without a means of propulsion
  • 4.           Take note of all Empty berths. A decision will have to be taken on these and those boats whose owners have not answered the communications send by the Committee and have had an empty berth for over 3 months (as stated by the law) will have their berths revoked.

At that stage the Sub Committee will have all the information required to start preparing a plan of action which in the opinion of the Committee should be:

  • 1.           Change boats as at 1 and 2 above
  • 2.           If there is not enough transfer berths for either 1 or 2 above, the Sub committee will make berths available
  • 3.           Boats that for whatever reason have been in a berth which is not allocated to them and can prove that they have been in that berth since 1st January 2024, will have their new berths confirmed.
  • 4.           Any member whose boat is registered to his berth, can request a transfer provided that he falls within the new rules. The new rule will read “Under no circumstances will a small berths can be allocated to boats of over 6/605 meters or large berths can only be allocated boats of under 6/6.5. this can only happen in an emergency and only on a temporary basis.”
  • 5.           Any further requests for transfers or new allocations will now be approved by the permanent Committee set up by this forum.
  • 6.           No authority will be given other than in writing once this is discussed by the Committee.

At that stage, the Port will publish a new list which will form the basis of any further decisions. The Committee have the following recommendations to the Captain:

  • 1.           Members wishing to buy a boat already within the Marina and have that berth allocated to them and therefore relinquishing their berths, can do so.
  • 2.           Once 1. Is exhausted, Members wishing to sell a boat to a person on the waiting list can do so and have that berth allocated to them. This should minimise the fact that there are many unkempt boats because the owners cannot dispose of them.

At this stage, it is imperative that the Government take a decision on the way forward for the remaining empty berths as a matter of urgency. We would expect all of the above to happen before next October at which point the Committee has to go back to the membership as they requested when they unanimously approve the motion on this subject.

6. AGM

  • The President stated that the AGM had been a success with the Committee elected as recommended by the Committee and the Motions passed again as tabled by the Committee. These motions would now be applied on as whenever possible basis and this would be reported to the Committee as necessary. These mtions were:

•             This AGM believes  believes that any member that breaks any Bye Law or causes any damage in the Marina as a consequence of which the Pier Master has to resolve the issue either by using manpower or will be exempt other resources and thereby causing an expenditure to the MHSBM , will be charged the amount expended.

•             This AGM takes note that there are over 70 plus Free Berths in the Marina which the Port, under instruction from the Government, is holding back from issuing to persons on the Waiting list. We understand that the Government is now doing a study to determine what is the way forward on these, but in the meantime, the Marina funds are depleted as a consequence. This AGM instructs the Committee to send the Port an Invoice for each Empty Berth that it considers FREE and available to allocate to a new berth holder. The AGM further instructs the Committee to urge the Government to take a decision on the way forward since, even after the payment of the above-mentioned invoice, would still means loss of income to the Marina,

•             This AGM would like to urge the Captain of the Port to tackle the issue of Unkempt/Derelict boats. These boats start off by being unkept and in a “unclean and untidy” situation, become unkempt and not supervised, then become derelict and finally sinks thus causing problems to the Marina and its facilities. The MHSBM therefore urges the Port to deal with this a matter of urgency. It further urges the Captain to ensure that under “seaworthy condition” as it refers to in the Small Vessels mooring Control) Rules 2016 Rules of the Marina, the term means a boat which is clearly unkept and in a clean and tidy situation. It further would want the Captain of the Port to ensure that in a  “seaworthy condition” means that the boats have to be able to be propelled by the engine and that the engine must be working or under repair. Boats without a means of propulsion should not be allocated a berth.

•             The Committee would like to regulate the Use of Docky Docks, or similar, in the Marina. Any member that wants to fit one of these in his berth, (including those that have them at present) will have to apply for the necessary permission to be able to have it positioned within the berth. These members will be issued an annual license for its use, which license shall be annually renewable. This license is at no cost to the berth holder and the decision to grant or otherwise, will be taken by the Pier Master.

•             This AGM would like to enhance RULE 21.25 which prohibits inflatables to make it clear. The Bye Law will now read: “The use of Canoes, Surf Boards, Paddle Boards or any type of Inflatables is not permitted within the Marina Waters. Small inflatable dinghies that have an engine and which have been registered by the Port, will be exempt

•             THE SMALL VESSELS (MOORING CONTROL) RULES 2016 under SCHEDULE 3 (FEES PAYABLE IN RESPECT OF PERMITS GRANTED) sets out that Fees shall be paid annually in advance. The Committee understands that in previous years, previous Committees had asked the administration to send the Invoices on 1st April. Given the expenditure this year with the advent of the Yard, and the fact that Members understand that an amount of money would need to be put in a Reserve Fund, the Committee this year sent the Invoices in January. They also gave members a grace period until end of March was the date by which all invoices should be paid. Notwithstanding the Committee would like to confirm the implementation of this on an annual basis which invoices should be paid on demand but giving members until 1st March of the year to pay. Due to the fact however, that this is the first year when this Rule has been applied as it should, the Committee feel that for this year only, there should be a relaxation, and payments will not be enforced until the 1st May 2025. Thereafter members will be sent reminders and there will be a penalty for late payment of 2% per month, for a whole month and not fractions of it (in the case of boats of £365 the penalty will be £7.30 compounded per month). The Committee feels that this is only fair given the fact that members who pay early  Members also requested that at this meeting a budget for 2026 would be produced both for the Marina and the yard to be voted on by the membership.

  • This AGM feels that there is a need to review urgently the Security arrangements and security measures for our marina and vessels. These include a complete review of physical security presence, patrols and added required security equipment and measures for properly locking down our marina to stop unlawful entry and thefts of/from boats in our marina.”

7. Extension of Security

  • The President advised the Committee that the motion presented by Mr. Bautista required a subcommittee to be set up by the Committee. This sub committee had to look at the Security now being contracted in the Marina and  look at whether it required enhancing and at what cost. The President nominated the Captain and MR. Colton and asked Mr. Mesilio to contact Mr. Bautista to set up the Committee.
  • It was also agreed, pending the overall report which had to be presented to the EGM in October, to enhance the Security in the Summer (June to September) by introducing two more patrols in the afternoon i.e. there would be a patrol from 2 t0 4, one from 4 to 6, and another 6 to 8. This extension to the contract would lso be applied as from May for Saturday, Sundays and Publivc Holidays.

8. Pontoon Leaders

  • The president reminded Mr.Figueredo that the Committee had agreed to set up Official Pontoon What’s-App groups and leaders and this would work in conjunction with the Captain who would have meetings the different Pontoon leaders regularly. The President would remind members to put their names down in order to set this up.

9. Marina Pontoon/Flex maintenance.

  • A comprehensive survey of the Marina system of maintenance to the Pontoons and flexes were discussed. The Operations Committee was instructed to look into this with the Pier master in order to take the costs to the membership in the EGM scheduled for October 25.

No other business was discussed

Action Items

  1. Follow up with Amco mechanic on forklift repairs.
  2. Nissen Hut works
  3. Liaison with the Port on the Marina Survey
  4. Implementation of Approved motions
  5. Security Sub Committee
  6. Pontoon Leader system to be started by Mr. Figueredo
  7. Pontoon Leaders
  8. Operations Committee to follow up Marina Maintenance scheme.

There being no further business the meeting terminated at 18.30 hrs.

Next Meeting

  • Date: Thursday15th May 2025
  • Time: 1700 hrs
  • Location: Office at Marina Tower