Board doles out remaining funds

The remaining discretionary fund of the Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board has been spent, seven groups having made a case for a share of the cash.

When the board met in Mosgiel last week, $4650 remained in its fund and seven groups had applied for more than $21,600.

The board accepted three of the applications and declined the rest.

The group to get the biggest share of the fund was the Elmgrove School board of trustees, which the board gave more than $2700 towards a $15,000 project to build a scooter and bike track at the Mosgiel school.

Board chairwoman Sarah Davie-Nitis said the community would be able to access the track, so moved that the board accept the application. Member Phillipa Bain seconded the motion and everyone voted in favour.

• The next biggest beneficiary was the Taieri Parents Centre, which was given the nearly $1450 it requested to go towards buying a projector costing more than $2000.

Centre committee member Tamsyn Arnold, speaking at the meeting in support of the application, was asked by Mrs Davie-Nitis if people who were not centre members could attend antenatal classes where the projector would be used.

Mrs Arnold said the classes were open to anyone.

Board member Dean McAlwee said the centre was a "worthy cause'' and moved it be granted the amount requested. Mrs Bain seconded the motion and everyone voted in favour.

The final $500 in the fund was given to the Saddle Hill Foundation Trust to help fund an "encouraging safety project'' to train Neighbourhood Support volunteers and associated groups on the Taieri to prepare for emergencies.

Board member Martin Dillon moved the amount requested be granted, Mrs Davie-Nitis seconded it and everyone voted in favour, except board deputy chairwoman Joy Davis, who did not vote because of a conflict of interest.

The board declined the following applications:

• A request for $175 from the Southern Cross Millennium Leisure Marching Team to help buy a custom-made flag was declined.

Board member Maurice Prendergast "wholeheartedly'' supported the application and moved the $175 be granted.

"There is not enough discipline in society and marching is based on discipline.''

The motion failed because of a lack of a seconder.

Mrs Davie-Nitis moved to decline the application because the flag would only benefit the club members rather than the community.

Board member Martin Dillon seconded the motion and everyone voted in favour.

• A request for $4000 from the Lodge St John No 84 Charitable Trust to help buy two heat pumps to install in the Mosgiel Freemasons Hall at the corner of Park St and Gordon Rd was declined.

Trust assistant treasurer Alistair Church, speaking at the meeting in support of the application, said the existing oil-fired heating did not make it comfortable enough for a past tenant, so the trust was seeking funds to buy the heat pumps.

Mr Dillon said as the trust was a private organisation, he moved the board decline the application. Mrs Bain seconded it and everyone voted in favour.

A request for $2500 from the Taieri Bowling Club to help buy a dishwasher was declined.

Mr Dillon said the club was a private organisation with paying members, so it should be declined.

Dunedin city councillor Mike Lord moved the application be declined, Mrs Bain seconded it and everyone, except Mrs Davie-Nitis, voted in favour.

• A request for $10,000 from Arthur Burns Preschool to expand and improve a play area was declined.

Preschool president Sara Ferguson and head teacher Lynette Pool spoke at the meeting in support of the application.

When asked by Mrs Davie-Nitis if the play area would be open to the public, Mrs Ferguson said it would not but past and present pupils and their families would be able to use it at social events.

Mrs Bain moved the application be declined as the play area was not open to the wider community.

Mr McAlwee seconded the motion and everyone voted in favour.

SHAWN.MCAVINUE @thestar.co.nz