I WISH to respond to the letter from David Collins (The Border Mail, May 24).
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David said that “before the decision to spend a lot of money on the Wangaratta saleyards was made, it should be delayed until after new yards in Barnawatha were built and the effects were felt”.
The decision to proceed with the renovation to the Wangaratta saleyards has already been made through a unanimous vote (7-0) without equivocation by the council in April last year.
To continue the procrastination in proceeding with the renovation to the saleyards will simply escalate the cost of works, eventually to a point of non-viability, which may be a municipally contrived objective.
David draws spurious comparison to Drage Air World where land was purchased and a centre constructed without an established client base, compared with an existing profit-making community asset (the saleyards) on land already owned by council with a strong history of support and a user-base that is expanding.
David mentions that during his time as an executive member of the Benalla VFF branch he lobbied for the now-closed Benalla saleyards.
I draw to readers attention that a resolution was carried unanimously at the April bi-monthly meeting of the Wangaratta VFF Branch, in the presence of the president of their livestock division, to lobby for the already council approved works to the Wangaratta saleyards to proceed.
David’s subsequent comparison to Benalla fails to add that the bulk of that trade has found its way to Wangaratta (including selling agents) but will probably be lost to another municipal-owned saleyards at Shepparton, rather than market at Barnawatha and trade in Wodonga.
He also fails to examine the impact on the employees directly engaged in connection with the Wang- aratta saleyards (estimated 90-plus) and their alternative employment options, plus the local business-trade community and the loss of revenue to the Rural City of Wangaratta.
I strongly urge our municipal decision-makers to continue the procrastination process regarding the Wangaratta saleyards upgrade with extreme caution.
— PAT LARKIN,
Wangaratta