In his report to be presented at today's Waimate District Council meeting he said the building had a Historic Places Trust category one status and should be protected ‘‘at all costs''.
Mr Coles said the Waimate Historical Society had an agreement with the Department of Conservation (Doc) to use the building.
Several thousand dollars was required and that was money the society did not have and was unlikely to get through grant mechanisms, as it did not own the building.
The council was assisting the society to address the problem of funding a new roof and other related repairs by ‘‘putting the onus'' on Doc and the Historic Places Trust to resolve the issue, he said.
Doc area manager George Hadler said it had been determined the society might be able to acquire funding for the work required through a Lotteries grant.
Doc was happy to assist the society with any funding applications it might pursue, Mr Hadler said.
Transferring the building to either the society or the council had been raised and that would be looked at, he said.
