The Otago Daily Times reported last week that an international syndicate of investors had bought the assets of the company stored in the Loan and Mercantile building, owned by the Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust, in the Oamaru historic precinct.
The syndicate, led by Tasmanian businessman Greg Ramsay, had plans to expand the company, including adding a distillery in the future, but was having difficulties meeting a new interpretation of the rules governing the storage of hazardous substances, which include whisky.
Mrs Dean and Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton, along with the Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust, have been working to try to keep the company in Oamaru.
The alternative is to shift it to a building in Dunedin.
Yesterday, Mrs Dean was hopeful the issues could be resolved.
She sent documents on the issue to Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson last week, then met her to put the case for keeping the company in Oamaru.
"She [Mrs Wilkinson] is well aware of the issue and I made the point to her that the whisky operation was an adaptive use of a historic building and fitted very well into the precinct," Mrs Dean said.
While not looking for any relaxation of the regulations governing the storage of the whisky, Mrs Dean wanted the regulatory process done in a "timely, co-operative and helpful way".
"The minister entirely agreed," she said.
The civic trust would now work through the regulations with the regulatory authority to resolve the issue.
"All things being equal, the process should run its course in a more helpful way than it has been doing," Mrs Dean said.
Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton met Mrs Dean in Wellington on Thursday last week to discuss the same issue.
He said yesterday he received "a good hearing" and was promised Mrs Dean and Mrs Wilkinson would look into the issues he raised.
