The council had proposed its annual $350,000 donation to the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust be transferred to Port Otago, which is 100% owned by the council. This was decided in February.
The council’s long term plan 2024-34 assumed the payment of a $350,000 donation to the trust would be transferred to Port Otago Ltd starting in the 2024-25 year, the first year of the long term plan.
But it did not happen, money instead coming from unbudgeted expenditure paying for last year’s donation.
Cr Gary Kelliher said he had recently gone to a presentation put on by the trust and it was very positive and he had been greatly impressed.
"This rescue service, for a small region, what it does for us, it is utterly amazing what it can provide," Cr Kelliher said.
"We have a trust which is run all by volunteers ... and it is an incredible outfit."
Cr Kelliher said the money given by the regional council was a key aspect for the council and its operations and he wanted it to stay that way.
The funds needed to be sustainable and he did not want it to be decided by another company.
"Do they want to be at the mercy of six or seven directors?"
He supported the assistance be maintained by the council rather than the trust coming up with this new arrangement with the port.
Cr Lloyd McCall said there had been plenty of discussion about the decision and it had not yet come to a conclusion.
"The rescue service is part of Otago’s DNA, something we all treasure."
He said the Port Otago proposal was putting another layer into the funding and just created angst.
Cr Tim Mepham said the $350,000 was not at risk and the support was still there for the trust and its operations.
The trust, Port Otago and the council just needed to sit down and work out an agreement.
The council changed the motion and instructed the council chairwoman and the council’s port liaison committee chairman to meet representatives of the trust and Port Otago to come to agreement.
Crs Kelliher, McCall and Michael Laws voted against the motion, which was passed 7-3.
