MOUNT Gambier City councillors overruled a staff recommendation to discuss five questions about the $39.1m Community and Recreation Hub behind closed doors at this week’s monthly meeting.
City Council chief executive Andrew Meddle recommended the questions, one of which sought information on whether council has the “financial capacity” to pay for the project, be discussed in confidence.
Councillor Steve Perryman told the chamber council could be “in breach of the Local Government Act’ by withholding information without valid reasoning.
The recommendation to move into confidence was based around tenders and whether the disclosure of the information could infer a commercial advantage or prejudice the commercial position of council.
However, Cr Perryman rejected the confidentiality bid, suggesting council being “embarrassed” by the answers was not an appropriate reason to keep the discussion behind closed doors.
He said it was “highly questionable” the legislative provisions adequately cover council’s consideration of the discussion in confidence.
Cr Perryman requested the questions be discussed openly due to their general nature of both questions and answers.
“Neither are dealing with tender nor giving detail to project design, specifications or budget,” he said.
Elected members then voted to discuss the questions openly, with all elected members supporting Cr Perryman’s push with the exception of Cr Max Bruins.
However, after a division was called, Cr Bruins changed his vote to the affirmative, making the decision unanimous.
In response to the questions, which have now been publicly released, Mr Meddle said council has “financial capacity to meet expected borrowing needs” from the Local Government Finance Authority.
Mr Meddle said council administrators and finance authority have met in recent weeks to discuss the project and elected members are expected to be briefed in the future.
The questions also sought clarification on roles and responsibilities of council officers, architects as well as presiding members and the community and recreation hub sub-committee.
The role of informal gatherings, the community and reference group and full council has also been queried.
Mr Meddle said architects hired to work on the mammoth project’s design travel to Mount Gambier where they “work through specific elements” of the design.
Project manager applications and a strategic agenda from council experts was also queried by Cr Jenner.
Mr Meddle said procurement for a project manager is under way with the tender being sent out nationally.
He said a decision would be made in the future.
Communication between council and the wider community in regards to changes to the internal design was also brought to the chamber which is expected to happen “imminently”.
The questions with notice requested further information about the architects involved in the hub, with Cr Jenner asking their movements throughout the day.
Cr Ben Hood and general manager City Growth Judy Nagy said the architect meets with general managers throughout the day before meeting with elected members in the afternoon.
Cr Hood said briefings typically discuss the architects current projects.
