Greater Hume Council's deputy mayor has used her casting vote to carry a controversial recommendation to fix the sinking Jindera pool last night.
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During council's Wednesday night meeting, Councillor Heather Wilton moved a motion to build a new Jindera pool complex, which was seconded by Cr Jenny O'Neill, a Jindera resident.
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Cr O'Neill said she was concerned the recommended reparations would be a waste of money, should they not work.
"It worries me that we're spending $150,000 and could find that it doesn't work or has to be redone or, God help us, the pool is wrecked totally," she said.
"This is a chance also to bring the pool up to a disabled standard.
"It would be very difficult to spend the $150,000 and then down the track find that we've got to do it all over again."
Cr Matt Hicks spoke against the amendment, arguing leveling the pool would cost only about $70,000 and the remaining money was a contingency for other improvements pool upgrades that could be done.
"If we engage Mainmark (the pool repairers) and it is unsuccessful, we've lost between $63,000 and $150,000, if it is successful we've saved in excess of $1.25 million," he said.
"So wouldn't the odds suggest that we would be much better off trying to fix the pool first, given what we can save and what we can put to other improvements throughout the Shire?"
When put to a vote, the amendment did not pass on deputy mayor Annette Schilg's casting vote, in the absence of mayor Tony Quinn.
The original recommendation was carried, again on Cr Schilg's casting vote.
Cr Forrest, Hicks, Lindner and Schilg voted in favour of the original recommendation.
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