Leave $1 million for the new Cromwell visitor information centre in the budget for the coming year and "let's get this damn thing sorted" was advice the Central Otago District Council heeded yesterday.
The project was deferred last year and the council had to make a decision on the timing of the work, Cr Neil Gillespie said.
"Nine months ago we decided to defer it but we need to decide when we are going to fund it.
Are we prepared to say `yes, we are going ahead with it'? "His concern was for the second year of the project, as the costs to operate the new centre had been estimated at 40% higher than the current costs.
It was important to know those costs so district ratepayers could make informed submissions on the proposed expense, he said.
The matter came up as the council considered the district component of the rates for the coming year.
"I don't think we should throw out the project but it all harks back to timing," Cr Gillespie said.
Cr John Lane said leaving the capital expenditure in this year would have no impact on rates and it would force the council to make a final decision before June 2012 on whether the project should go ahead.
"I say leave it [the $1 million figure] there and let's get this damn thing sorted out."
The council still had 15 months before it had to decide.
"We're not the world's best at decision-making and this would be a classic example, " he said.
The project was part of a bigger redevelopment to revamp the Cromwell town centre, Cr Gillespie said.
The sum remained in the budget but the council resolved to wait until a review of visitor information centres had been carried out before agreeing to spend money on a new Cromwell centre, or spending $130,000 to upgrade the Roxburgh visitor centre.
The Cromwell centre would be located on Murray Tce and replace the existing facility in the Cromwell mall.
It has been a controversial topic, with decisions made by the council rather than the Cromwell Community Board, as visitor centres are seen as a district-led initiative, and funded by district rates.
