There’s been a changing of the guard at the Cobar Services Club with outgoing secretary/manager of the past 14 years, Linda Carter, yesterday officially handing over to the club’s new secretary/manager, Dale Russell.
While Dale has technically been at the helm since Linda went on long service leave at the end of December last year, Linda has continued to offer her support but officially finished up yesterday.
A former board member of the club, Linda moved into the secretary/manager’s role on a voluntary basis “for a couple of months” in 2012 after they couldn’t get anyone to take on the role. At that time the club was facing a financial crisis and had gone into voluntary administration in 2010.
Linda helped to get the club to pay off its debts and bring them out of administration in 2013.
“It was hard keeping the doors open and a lot of the decisions I made were not popular,” Linda said.
“We had to cut back everything to the bone and then gradually increase where we could.”
Linda said getting up on stage twice and calling a State of the Nation meeting had been the hardest part of her role.
“And the personal attacks on me, the negative responses from people who said ‘What would she know about running a club?’
“Well I didn’t know anything, but I knew if you didn’t have money, you couldn’t spend it.”
She credits her “survival” during that time to having a supportive staff and board.
“Particularly those board members who offered practical support and came in to sell raffle tickets, pick up glasses and help with other jobs that needed doing,” Linda said.
Dale has 20 years experience working in the hospitality industry and has previously worked as the 2IC under Neil Urquhart at the Cobar Bowling & Golf Club, has managed the New Occidental Hotel and the Great Western Hotel and also had his own pub in Nyngan, The Smugglers Arms.
“I went mining for a while, but now I’m back,” Dale said.
He has worked at the Services Club since 2023 and agreed to take over the manager’s role as part of the club’s succession plan when Linda retired.
Dale acknowledges that Linda has done all the hard work and “saved the club from going under”.
Dale said his focus now is to build on the success Linda has brought to the club.
“I want to build it back up and get it to be a well-oiled machine,” he said.
While he’s learnt a few valuable lessons working under Linda over the past three years (particularly about cost saving measures), Dale credits his management style to his early mentor, Neil Urquhart.
“He taught me a lot and he probably thinks he didn’t teach me much, but I watched everything he did and took it on board.”
Dale prioritises “good service and good beer” but has lots of plans for upgrades for the Services Club—as and when the club’s profits improve.
“We have a bar upgrade, we’ve already done a Pokies upgrade but there’s more to come,” Dale outlined.
“We’re getting bums on seats and have already turned the club around with our profit last year. I plan to do a bit better this year.”
Dale has plans to renew carpet, repair the roof and other renovations.
“We’re going to do a room at a time as we can afford it, when we’ve got money in the bank,” he said.
Dale would like to see a lawn bowls rink returned to the club which they might be able to do with grant funding.
“I know that was something that Linda was against as it was a big cost to the club.
“It didn’t bring in any income and it couldn’t be justified when the club had no money and debts but I’d like to look into it.”
He’d also like to see the club expanded to include a second floor restaurant.
“It would be a great outlook onto the Open Cut,” Dale said.
