Volunteers from the Rutherglen Visitor Information Centre have been apologised to, over what one councillor has called the "deplorable" situation of Indigo Shire taking over running the centre.
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Rutherglen Wine Centre pulled out of the job last month, following a rejected request for more council funding.
Speaking at this week's meeting, Cr James Trenery disagreed with the council's estimate that it could run the centre for less money than it cost Rutherglen Wine Centre.
"They were asking for a little bit of extra money, we apparently couldn't afford it, but I guarantee you now, it's going to cost us a lot more. It is going to cost the ratepayers huge amounts of money extra," he said.
"We're disconnecting with a volunteer community group, they're disappearing.
"It is absolutely atrocious that we do that as a shire.
"As a councillor, I apologise to them - we have treated them poorly."
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Volunteers will be offered the same roles when the information centre is transferred to the council and about half had committing to continuing, but Cr Trenery and Cr Bernard Gaffney both said some would refuse to work for the council.
They voted against the move at Tuesday's meeting, but it was passed 4-2 after a lengthy and heated discussion at the meeting conducted remotely over Zoom.
Following an argument over who was speaking over the top of the other, Cr Gaffney asked to move a motion of dissent against mayor Jenny O'Connor
"I asked the CEO a question and you've shut the debate down," he said.
His question was then answered and the debate continued.
Councillor Diane Shepheard supported the move for the council to run the information centre.
"It was unexpected really that we ended up in this place because with the last budget item (at the council's July meeting), we had given an extra $20,000 to (Destination Rutherglen) to run the VIC," she said.
"They then at their next meeting decided not to do it.
"I'd like to thank them for having done such a fantastic job for so long.
"They have also been very connected to the community in the work that they've done, not only with the visitors."
Council officers advised that they believed it was appropriate for Indigo Shire to continuing selling alcohol at the centre, in the form of wines from the Rutherglen region, but councillors wanted more information before making a decision next month.
"It concerns me that Indigo Shire staff will be involved in the sale of alcohol," Cr Gaffney said.
