ALBURY councillors have been urged to extend funding for the city's peak business body before September's municipal election.
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The call from Albury Business Connect follows the council last year rejecting a recommendation to continue sponsorship and financial assistance until June 2024.
Instead it opted to shorten its aid to June 2022.
Albury Business Connect president Barry Young made a plea to councillors at a forum on Monday night to revisit the decision.
"We would ask council to reconsider, we think it's reasonable based on our performance, I think our operations team and our board have done an amazing job delivering on the operational plan," Mr Young said.
"It would give us some surety going forward, as a board we look long term.
"Our five-year strategy is in place and this would link up nicely."
Mr Young also stressed that having a longer funding deal would help in recruiting a new business connect general manager.
The incumbent Carrick Gill-Vallance, who finishes in the role tomorrow, is taking up an economic development role next month with the Richmond Valley Council at Casino in far north NSW.
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"We're recruiting for a general manager at the moment and I think any general manger worth their salt will be asking the question of us about our funding going forward and it does put a little question mark on how we can offer that to a potential new general manager," Mr Young said.
Mayor Kevin Mack offered support for reviewing the decision, noting it was made before the COVID shutdown.
"I feel strongly that we should consider it, given the current environment," Cr Mack said.
When the deal was altered from 2024 to 2022 on March 9 last year, Cr Mack used his casting vote to pass the motion 5-4.
He said at the time he wanted to see membership improved and "a two-year turnaround on this particular sponsorship would not be unreasonable and would probably encourage bit more of a different approach".
