Costs in excess of $80m revealed in marathon meeting

With costs in excess of $80m and questions about the tender process, some Councillors were reluctant to proceed.

DEPUTY Mayor George Cecato has been a strong advocate of the project and has said in the past he is "not bothered" by MP Gurmesh Singh's calls to delay it.

Speakers at times were difficult to hear via the audio link at Thursday night's Coffs Harbour City Council meeting.

The sounds of protesters urging Councillors to move ahead with the Cultural and Civic Space building could also be heard at one point.

On the agenda was a motion to progress with the major building stage of the Gordon Street project.

A concept drawing of the Cultural and Civic Space.

Cr Keith Rhoades revealed that recent figures show the cost of the project will be in excess of $80m - above the previous estimate of $76.5m.

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Outspoken critic of the project Ann Leonard, who has addressed Councillors on a number of occasions in the past, was back again tonight.

She said she was resigned to the likely outcome the vote would once again be tied and Mayor Denise Knight would use her casting vote to progress with awarding the building contract.

"I asked myself why I would bother but I couldn't, in all consciousness, not attend."

Ms Leonard understands the need to spend millions of dollars on cultural infrastructure but fears 100 per cent of the cost will be borne by the community through borrowings.

Ann Leonard speaking against the project at a meeting in July 2019.

She says Council's administrative services are already adequately housed, and could be improved at a lesser cost. She also questioned the proportion of space allocated to cultural facilities as opposed to administrative purposes.

A senior staff member took to the microphone to say the civic and cultural spaces are more than twice that allocated to administrative space, and couldn't say where Ms Leonard got her figures from.

Ms Leonard urged Councillors to pause project until after the September 2021 elections.

Sarah Mufford spoke in favour of progressing with the building tender.

"I come from the cohort of people who understands the benefits of iconic infrastructure to shaping a region."

Cr Paul Amos questioned Council's ability to afford the build with a number of cost overruns on projects in recent times including the West Woolgoolga Sporting Stadium.

Spending on pools and the looming waste crisis is also a concern for Cr Amos.

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"We can't take this project on and remain stable into the future in my eyes," Cr Amos said.

Cr Sally Townley recognised these liabilities and said the project represented a "big leap".

"It will be paid off in 30 years but will be standing in 100 years. It's a huge gift to this generation and generations to come and that's why I fervently support it," Dr Townley said.

George Cecato says Council is in a strong financial position and that Gordon Street is the "perfect location" to help activate the CBD.

"We are going to open a door to an incredible future to this city."

Mayor Denise Knight used her casting vote to progress with the next stage of the building process.

 

Cr Michael Adendorff said he walked through town that afternoon and his heart was "pounding with pride" at the prospect of the Cultural and Civic Space and Coffs Harbour becoming a real "player".

He urged detractors like Cr Rhoades to celebrate and move forward.
"This is emotional and hard and taken out a chunk of my life that I will never get back."

Cr Tegan Swan asked if she could speak both for and against the motion.

"I personally love the building and we deserve incredible facilities."

But she was suggesting there was some kind of legal problem with the tender process but Cr Townley said the likelihood of lawyers and several experts having overlooked the legality of the process was "nil".

"This is just a stalling tactic."

With the meeting going for over two hours a short recess was called.

After the break Crs voted on Cr Swan's alternative motion and with votes tied Mayor Knight used her casting vote to defeat it.

Cr Amos then attempted to raise another alternative motion - this time to activate a process of competitive tendering rather than continuing on with the early contractor Lipman Pty Ltd in the possibility of bringing costs down.

But general manager Steve McGrath warned about delaying, as the costs on the table are only valid for a set period.

Cr Townley argued that early contractor involvement (ECI) gives more certainty moving forward.

Cr Amos's alternative motion was voted down and it returned to the original motion to progress with the next stage of the building contract.

Predictably it was tied along the usual four/four line and Mayor Knight used her casting vote to progress with the building based on the 80 per cent detailed design.