The matter has again been traversed at the Waitaki District Council after it voted last month not to contribute $30,000 for flush loos.
During a council activity update meeting last week Cr Jim Hopkins queried a management report which said the council had given approval "to proceed".
Cr Hopkins said his recollection was that while the council had considered a request for another $30,000, that was as far as it went.
"We voted not to do that," he said.
"I don’t recall us voting to proceed with any toilet at all."
He asked for council staff to clarify what was happening.
Council infrastructure manager Joshua Rendell said the statement the new toilet would be installed "following council approval" was probably "a little bit misleading".
"Essentially, we were waiting on the council’s direction whether it wanted to contribute that additional $30,000 towards flushing toilets or not," he said.
"Obviously, council made a decision, and we will progress to the option that does not include that particular upgrade," Mr Rendell said.
Mayor Gary Kircher reminded the council it had previously ticked off the toilet — as part of a joint project with the Department of Conservation and Te Runaka o Moeraki.
But a request from the runaka to make it a flushing toilet went to the council on August 27.
Council project manager Erik van der Spek said the flushing option might yet proceed because Te Runaka o Moeraki had now approached the Ministry of Business, Industry and Enterprise for funding.
"We’re just waiting to hear their response," he said.
The flushing upgrade was in line with a request from the runaka given the cultural and environmental significance of the site,
Following the meeting Mr Kircher said the need for council to step up at Moeraki was "a good example" of providing a ‘wellbeing’ function which could otherwise be said was for the government to provide.
However, it was within council’s mandate to support the area under the Waitaki Geopark.
"I’m philosophical about these things."
Toilets at the site had been pressing for some time after previous Doc facilities were removed some years ago.
"First of all, we’re putting one back, but it was a request of a flushing toilet," Mr Kircher said.
The Tourism Infrastructure Fund money behind the project was $100,000 for an initial $130,000 capital cost including new toilets.
Doc also contributed $30,000 to the toilets plus spent $21,442 on a new Moeraki Boulders entrance.
Waitaki has also budgeted at least $30,000 a year to service the new facility.
