By MELISSA MEEHAN
COMMUNITY groups hoping to call the former Emerald police station home called on the Cardinia Shire CEO to stand in and defer a decision on the purchase of the site set for last night (Monday).
But because it was listed as a petition, a spokesperson for the council said the motion would go ahead.
Dale Blair from radio station 3MDR and spokesperson for the groups wanting to use the building wrote to CEO Garry McQuillan over the weekend after finding that a motion to discuss the purchase would be raised on Monday night.
“I am writing to you to request that you strike the recommendation for council not to purchase the old Emerald police station from the agenda for the council’s 18 August meeting,” Mr Blair said.
“Given council has commissioned a consultancy firm to report on future arts and facilities needs throughout the shire and given that the report is pending, it seems illogical to try to push through a vote on the matter without consideration of the consultant’s recommendations.”
Mr Blair also said that the council had not undertaken any consultation with community groups to assess their needs as was requested by the motion put forward by Cr Owen at the April meeting.
“The community has been assured that ‘public advocacy’ would be a key aspect of any decision made in regard to the old Emerald police station and that a ‘proper process’ would be adhered to,” he said.
“I daresay the community would be outraged if a decision not to purchase was made without waiting for the consultant’s report and would undoubtedly consider ratepayers’ money wasted if the report is ignored.”
A spokesperson for Cardinia Shire Council said that because the issue had been raised as a petition at the meeting, there was a certain process that had to be met, and would be raised as per the agenda.
It is expected that councillors will vote on whether to purchase the site, with council officers recommending that they vote against the purchase, citing that the building was not big enough to hold all groups and would only meet the needs of the radio station.
See online for the outcome http://rangestrader.starcommunity.com.au/.
