Moree Plains Shire councillors have deferred a decision on the endorsement of projects for the federal government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, after they failed to come to an agreement about how much funding was needed for the civic precinct redevelopment.
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The Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program is for eligible councils to deliver immediate economic stimulus to their communities in response to COVID-19.
Council had recommended four projects to be submitted for funding - $1 million for a gravel resheeting program, $640,959 for stage one of the Civic Precinct Redevelopment, $100,000 for septic upgrades for village halls, and $86,250 for a pedestrian crossing near Woolworths.
At last Thursday's council meeting, council's director of planning and community engagement Angus Witherby recommended that council allocate more funds to the Civic Precinct Redevelopment, following a positive meeting with Create NSW.
"If council chose to allocate the higher of the sums, that would be significant in terms of usability of the facility afterwards," Mr Witherby said.
However, Cr Greg Smith was hesitant to recommend the Civic Precinct Redevelopment for funding, for fear the project would not be completed by the June 2021 deadline.
"We've only got seven to eight months to get it done," he said.
"We're still trying to get a reference group together to decide what we want.
"We also still have a grant that we were given that hasn't been spent.
"I think we're running a risk by double-dipping and by pushing the timeline. We're sitting on a grant we've had for years and haven't spent, but we're asking for another grant that we need to spend in seven to eight months. I think there's a chance we could get knocked back on it."
Cr John Tramby, who has been an advocate for the Civic Precinct Redevelopment for years, was frustrated that the budget for the project keeps being reduced by council and voiced concerns that there wouldn't be enough funding to complete upgrades to make the facility accessible for everyone, as required under the Disability Discrimination Act.
"When you do an upgrade of a building, it has to include everyone," he said.
"We can't not do these statutory upgrades."
One of the biggest causes for contention at the meeting was discussion over the possible cost of a disability access lift to the mezzanine level of town hall and whether a double lift was needed to service both town hall and the library.
Mayor Katrina Humphries suggested the mezzanine level just be closed off to everyone, however Mr Witherby confirmed council has a responsibility under the Disability Discrimination Act to include a lift.
"Once you get over the threshold of works for a building, the entire building needs to be brought up to specification," he said.
"User groups feel that a lift would be an important usability aspect. It opens up the opportunity to use the mezzanine level."
Mr Witherby said the cost of a lift and installation is approximately $160,000.
Cr Tramby suggested that a decision on the recommendation be deferred until the next ordinary council meeting on August 27, to give councillors more time to consider their options.
Cr Stephen Ritchie seconded the motion, which was carried.
