Town centre upgrade costs concern

An overspend of nearly $54,000 on the Alexandra town centre upgrade sparked a heated debate at this week's Vincent Community Board meeting.

The board had asked for more information about the upgrade and a report from Central Otago District Council parks and reserves manager Grahame Smail was tabled at the meeting.

Board members discussed whether the original project included the Golden Block shopping area as well as the Tarbert St business area and also disagreed about whether authorisation had been given for work in both areas.

Mr Smail said the town-centre upgrade plans dated back to 2003.

The Alexandra Community Board decided in 2007 that low er Tarbert St, Ennis St and Centennial Ave were part of the central business district and the upgrade project should include removing poplars at the river end of Tarbert St and replacing street furniture, lighting and gardens in the Golden Block as well as carrying out similar work in Tarbert St.

The aim was to match lighting, furniture and landscaping in the two commercial areas, he said.

Delays in receiving the street-light poles meant the entire upgrade was postponed but work began in the Golden Block in late 2008 with the Ennis, Limerick and Tarbert Sts work done between April and September last year.

A budget of $570,000 had been allocated for the work, with $270,000 from the Alexandra Flood Amenity Fund and $300,000 from a loan, to be repaid from rates.

The overspend was $53,975 and Mr Smail and the council's roading manager, Julie Muir, recommended $43,553 come from the flood amenity fund with the rest coming from the board's Alexandra general development account.

The project included roading and footpath work and involved the council's parks department as well as its roading division.

Board member Mary Flannery felt some of the work had been done without authorisation.

Fellow board member Graeme Bell said the board should have been kept informed at each step of the project.

"We needed to know what we were getting for our money, rather than finding out later," he said.

Board chairwoman Clair Higginson said everyone involved could learn a lesson about resolutions and following up on work.

There had been no resolution asking for someone to come back to the board with a budget for the work.

"This highlights the need, when two or more arms and legs of the council are involved, for it to be a collaborative project.

People need to work together - that's what we expect."

lynda.van.kempen@odt.co.nz