Plans for council chambers uncertain

PLANS for the re-development of Wakool Shire Council’s Moulamein
office remain uncertain following a lengthy discussion at the shire’s monthly
council meeting last week.

With $1.2 million in the 2013/14 budget allocated
to a refurbishment and extension of the current council offices, the council has
previously explored several options including the possibility of relocating the
office altogether.

Following consultation it was decided that the chambers
would remain in Moulamein, and four options were put forward at the May council
meeting:

– Refurbishment of the existing premises plus the provision of
additional floor space in the form of a demountable addition to the building
($1,040,000).

– Refurbishment plus provision of additional floor space in the
form of a bricks and mortar addition to the building ($1,252,000).

– The
relocation of the Moulamein Business Centre into the Moulamein office building,
plus refurbishment, plus provision of additional floor space in the form of a
demountable addition to the building ($1,140,000).

– Relocation of Moulamein
Business Centre into the Moulamein office building, plus refurbishment, plus
provision of additional floor space in the form of a bricks and mortar addition
($1,352,000).

After three lost motions and a failed motion (for lack of a seconder), it was
finally decided that the re-development would go ahead pending further
investigation into other options.

For more on this story, see Friday’s edition of The Guardian (24/5/13).