A new chapter for Moyne and Corangamite shires' library service has left the councils having to fork out an extra $80,000 each to wind up the former corporation - something that has raised the ire of one councillor
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Cr Jim Doukas raised concerns about the extra costs and questioned when he would get a chance to formally say "no" to the deal which would evenly split the cost between the two councils.
He said that now the Corangamite Regional Library service was closing down, and Moyne and Corangamite shire councils had agreed to operate a joint service there was a "debt to finalise".
The change was prompted by the departure of both Colac and Warrnambool City Council - which by August will be running its new library hub in conjunction with South West TAFE in a new $20 million complex.
Moyne Shire's director of corporate and community services David Rae said there was a call on the council to make a further contribution for the current year to satisfy the requirements of dissolving the former library corporation.
He said councillors had been informed at a previous workshop that the corporation had foreshadowed an additional contribution of $80,000 from each of the councils.
The matter is set to come before next month's council meeting for debate by councillors, Mr Rae said.
Cr Doukas took issue with the 50/50 split of the $160,000 required to dissolve the corporation because he said he believed it should be 42/58.
Mr Rae said while historically Moyne's contributions to the corporation had been less than 50 per cent, it had been generally agreed, in principle, that both shires would meet the cost of dissolving the corporation by covering half each.
He said that arrangement might end up being a "$10,000 difference or thereabouts".
But Cr Doukas said that while that might not sound like a lot of money to some, "to me it's the people's money".
"I cannot support us paying 50 per cent when we should be paying 42 per cent," he said.
Cr Doukas said he wanted to know when councillors would get the opportunity to say "no".
Mayor Ian Smith said it would be something that would be discussed at the next meeting.
The net cost to council of its library service, which also includes its arts program, was $676,000 in 2020-21, but it rose to $704,000 in 2021-22 and the draft budget for 2022-23 sees those costs increasing to $731,000.
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