JOY president steps down

JOY 94.9 president Breed Lewis stepped down at the organisation’s annual general meeting on Monday night due to personal and professional commitments outside the LGBTI radio station.

Lewis’ two year tenure as board president began after previous president David McCarthy resigned from the position in 2010 for health reasons.

In her final president’s report at the AGM, Lewis outlined the station’s achievements over the last year, which included gaining Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle as a patron under JOY’s new Patron’s Program, and engaging the LGBTI community through a cultural survey.

Five candidates for board membership were elected unopposed to fill new vacancies left by Lewis and others. New board members include long standing JOY members Colin Krycer and Geoffrey Devine.

Former president David McCarthy was re-elected and appointed the new presidency, with Jed Gilbert appointed vice president and Greg Adkins appointed secretary.

A finance report revealed a positive financial position for JOY, with a surplus of $35,000 for the 2011/12 financial year.

Procedures to approve expenditure from a new capital fund for ongoing technology costs prompted some discussion.

JOY member and vocal ALSO Foundation critic Geoff Richards raised concerns that the majority vote needed to approve this expenditure could result in spending decisions not supported by a large proportion of members.

He said similar situations had arisen at the ALSO Foundation and amended the new procedure to require 75 percent member approval for spending from the new fund. The amended procedure passed with a majority present voting in favour.

Following the voting, the third annual Addam Stobbs Award for Broadcast Excellence was presented to Jade Gulliver and David Lim, hosts of pop culture show Diff’rent Strokes.

JOY board members praised the duo for a diverse and professional program.

“We see it as an absolute honour even to be on air, so to be recognised is even greater than that,” Gulliver said.

New life memberships were also awarded to Andy Kay, Adrian Perillo-Phipps, Gary Wilson, Jodie Wilmer and former Deputy Lord Mayor Gary Singer.