THE long-running Mentone Activity Hub saga took another twist this week with councillors forced to attend a special meeting on Monday evening to decide its fate for the third time in the past two months.
Kingston councillors gathered to debate a rescission motion by Cr Rosemary West to ditch plans to proceed with the $1.5 million activity hub project.
For the second time in as many weeks Kingston mayor Cr Geoff Gledhill used his mayoral casting vote on Monday to push ahead with the hub reconstruction.
At March’s public council meeting councillors narrowly voted four-three to put the project on hold (‘Hub on hold as building costs rise’, The News 11/3/15).
Cr Ron Brownlees reintroduced the issue to be voted on at April’s council meeting and mayor Cr Geoff Gledhill used his mayoral casting vote to push the project through after councillors were deadlocked at four-four in voting (‘Second chance for hub wins approval’, The News 25/3/15).
Cr West said she called the rescission motion, debated on Monday, because Cr Paul Peulich had not been present at the two previous votes and she believed it was important for all councillors to be present when deciding to spend more than $1.5 million of ratepayers’ money on a new Mentone Activity Hub.
Cr West has argued council should investigate the possibility of converting former council offices at Brindisi St into a community hub instead, calling the plan to build a new activity hub at Venice St.
Cr West said it is “financially irresponsible for council to be splurging $1.5 million of ratepayers’ money on an unnecessary new building when the half-empty Brindisi Street building is 50 metres away, with parking alongside”.
Eight councillors attended Monday evening’s special council meeting. Cr Paul Peulich was absent so councillors’votes were again split four-four and mayor Cr Geoff Gledhill used his mayoral casting vote for the second time this month to approve the project.
Crs Tamara Barth, David Eden, Steve Staikos and West backed the rescission motion. Crs Tamsin Bearsley, Ron Brownlees, John Ronke and the mayor opposed the move to halt the project.
The News contacted Cr Peulich the day after the special meeting. He said “I supported it [the Mentone Activity Hub project] … I’ve never voted against it.”
