Extra funding has been found for the $10,000 worth of additional expenses at the new memorial wall at Glencoe.
The money has jointly come from Wattle Range Council and the Glencoe Progress Association and will pay for labour costs and the additional stone pavers over its concrete base.
The decision to complete the wall was taken at the December monthly council meeting.
The council had already allocated $50,000 to the stone structure but its November monthly meeting in Millicent did not endorse a request from ward councillor Deb Agnew for additional funds.
Her request was met with spirited opposition from councillors and staff and the meeting resolved for her funding motion to lie on the table.
The Glencoe matter was resolved at the latest meeting following a successful notice of motion from Cr John Drew.
Council will now accept around $5000 from the Glencoe Progress Association to meet the cost of the imported stone pavers and has authorised a budget variation of $4600 to meet the installation costs.
This is subject to successful negotiations with the builder regarding the price.
Cr Drew said the Glencoe Progress Association would allocate about a third of its available funds to purchase the pavers so the project can be completed “The Glencoe Memorial Wall has been an important project for local residents,” Cr Drew said.
“Already it is almost an iconic feature in the district and will enable families to commemorate loved ones in a way that has been readily available to all other settlements in the council area.
“It is therefore important the wall be completed to a high standard as designed. “It is the Glencoe Progress Association’s hope that council will be able to come to an arrangement in regard to laying of the tiles so the project can be completed in the near future.”
Cr Drew said he was unhappy with the outcome of the November meeting and his motion would achieve a reasonable compromise.
Ahead of the latest discussions lasting 12 minutes, Cr Dale Price had declared a conflict of interest and left the meeting chamber.
Cr Price is the secretary of the Glencoe Progress Association and he stated that he had promised a donation to assist with the purchase of the pavers.
