New Albany Racing Club board appointed, Alan Smith re-elected as president and ex-MP Alannah MacTiernan joins

Albany Racing Club has had a major board shake-up with only Alan Smith being re-elected after a tumultuous couple of months. A special general meeting was held on Thursday night, to appoint a new board in the wake of the previous one resigning en masse after racing at its historic racecourse was suspended because of “ongoing financial challenges”. Racing and Wagering WA suspended racing immediately at Percy Spencer Racecourse on February 11 due to financial problems and the board at the time, headed up Smith as president, subsequently quit. Acting general manager Karen Short also quit in the same week. Albany lost their February 21 meeting, which was run at Mt Barker instead, but gained approval to return to racing from RWWA and successfully hosted a meeting on February 28. Smith has remained the club’s spokesperson in the interim and hoped for reappointment at the special general meeting. However he was the lone survivor from the resigned board, with previous vice-president Graham Fagan and treasurer Grace Smith plus the remaining four board members not part of the newly formed board. Roy Rogers, Lesley Solly, Darren Jerrard and Brian Fuller were the other board members who are now gone. ARC members voted Smith back onto the board along with local businessman Barry Panizza and Albany trainer Cliff Green. Former politician Alannah MacTiernan was a surprise appointment, with the long-serving MP who is based in Albany now part of the new board. Alison Rae, Tracey Sands and Darren White were also elected to the seven-person board. In a board meeting held directly after the special general meeting, Smith was voted in to the role of president with a vice-president and treasurer still not decided on. Smith said the main business of finding a new board was achieved at the meeting. “Electing a new board was the only purpose of the night,” he said. “It was disappointing we only had about 40 people there but its onwards and upwards from here. “We’ve got to get the community support now. “This is a very positive step (a new board) and the general tone of the meeting was positive…a lot of people are prepared to help out.” ARC is gearing up for the lucrative $400,000 Wellington and Reeves The Bluff Knoll, the second edition of the regional WA slot race on Sunday, March 16. Smith said a smooth running of The Bluff Knoll and an appointment of a new general manager were the two key areas of business for the new board. Albany still has major meetings the Albany Cup (April 20) and Jericho Cup Qualifier (April 27) to come following The Bluff Knoll.