Moree Plains Shire councillors have stood by the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre (MAAC) board, quashing a notice of motion to review the current management of Moree’s popular tourist attraction.
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Councillor John Tramby put forward a notice of motion at last Thursday’s council meeting, requesting that council consider the future management of the MAAC as part of the 2018/19 budget review.
The notice of motion recommended that council conduct a cost benefit review of the current board management and review their obligations under the ‘Competitive Neutrality Regulations’ imposed on councils. It also suggested that council consider that the MAAC be operated by a section 355 committee to allow “greater transparency, financial control and responsible management of the complex”.
The motion was brought about after the board requested an additional $250,000 for operations costs as part of council’s review of the funding agreement with MAAC.
“The board came to us and wants another $250,000 because income didn’t match their expectations,” Cr Tramby said.
“That should have been transmitted to us earlier.
“I’m yet to see any balance sheet from the last financial year.
“It worries me that we have an operation that operates at its will and we have to pick up the tabs because that’s what we said we’d do.
“I think whilever we have a board, we don’t have any financial control.”
The MAAC board addressed the notice of motion through a response read by councillor and board member Sue Price.
“The MAAC Board rejects the notice of motion as; that unless advised, it is operating within the current occupancy agreement, the current funding agreement and the Corporations Act,” Cr Price said.
“The MAAC board works closely with Moree Plains Shire Council staff at a management level with open communication and has always been willing to provide financial or other information to councillors on request.
“The situation regarding the Competitive Neutrality Regulations was identified and addressed at the time the company MAAC Limited was formed. The legal advice received was that MAAC was not bound by these regulations.”
Cr Price reminded her fellow councillors that the MAAC is one of Moree’s biggest tourist attractions, drawing more than 230,000 people through the gates each year.
She said the board has been looking into how it can redeem costs.
“The main cost is electricity and wages but we have no power to change electricity costs unless we turn off the pumps and close the facility,” she said.
“Wages again is difficult because by law we have to have enough people on supervision to manage the risk factor.
“The only other way is to increase income. We have raised the gym fees and we’re looking at other rises but it’s a case of how much can a bear bear. If we raise the income by raising the price, we might reduce our patronage and that’s something we don’t want to do. Most people should be able to afford to go to the MAAC.”
Speaking against the motion, Cr Mike Montgomery said he believes council should give the board members a chance to address these issues.
“It’s too early to throw the board out in favour of another process,” he said.
“It effectively offers a vote of no confidence in those people we are asking to sit on that board. I believe we need to have confidence in them and support them.”
The notice of motion was effectively defeated, with Cr Tramby the only councillor who voted in its favour.
Councillors Kerry Cassells, George Chiu and mayor Katrina Humphries declared conflicts of interests and were not present during the discussion and vote.
