Mike Finnerty
THE Mayo GAA Board have included the first official discussion of the county’s ‘Strategic Plan’ as the eleventh item out of twelve on their agenda for Thursday night’s meeting of the County Board.
In an e-mail that was circulated to clubs yesterday (Monday), just three days before the meeting which will be held at McHale Park, it was confirmed that club delegates will discuss the recently published Mayo GAA Draft Strategic Action Plan at the end of a lengthy agenda.
Among the items down for discussion before the Strategic Plan is debated are the appointment of a Mayo junior manager, sponsorship, amalgamations, club and county development draw, hurling boundaries and return of trophies.
Thursday night’s meeting will be the first opportunity that all Mayo’s football and hurling clubs will have to discuss the draft report with the executive officers of the Mayo GAA Board.
Interestingly, despite being asked by the County Board last autumn to develop a five-year Strategic Action Plan for Mayo GAA, The Mayo News understands that no members of the steering committee who compiled the report have been officially invited to attend this week’s meeting.
However, speaking to this newspaper last night (Monday), Ballinrobe GAA club’s Liam Horan, who chaired the Action Plan steering committee, said he was looking forward to engaging with clubs this week.
“The issue goes before the County Board now and we’d hope that it will get ample debating time,” he said.
“We’re available to answer any questions and we look forward to answering any questions that clubs might have on Thursday night.”
It had been expected that a County Board meeting would be dedicated exclusively to discussing the 76 recommendations put forward in the Draft Action Plan which was officially launched ten days ago.
However, Mayo GAA Chairman, Paddy McNicholas, told The Mayo News yesterday (Monday) that a separate meeting would only be held ‘if it was needed’.
It remains to be seen whether or not club delegates will be asked to vote on the Draft Strategic Plan on Thursday night.
Club meetings have been taking place all across the county in recent days and a number of clubs are due to meet before Thursday to mandate their delegates on the issue.
