The board discussed a new report about the hall this week, following its decision last month to stop the previously approved $5.6million hall renovation.
A report by Central Otago District Council property and facilities officer Tara Bates included recommendations to carry out the $45,000 earthquake assessment, then to spend another $170,000 if it was only above the minimum requirement of 34% of the National Building Specification.
It recommended then spending another $1.1million for building compliance and maintenance work. Board members Shirley Calvert and Robin Dicey voted to accept all the recommendations.
Annabel Blaikie, Neil Gillespie, Anna Harrison and Nigel McKinlay voted against accepting them. Werner Murray did not vote.
But after a break, council staff at the meeting said the decision left them with nowhere to go.
Therefore, the board decided to approve the spending for the earthquake assessment.
No other recommendations were approved.
Board chairman Neil Gillespie said the board had put itself in a "ridiculous situation" because of its inability to agree on a resolution for the hall.
"We’ve let our ratepayers down because we haven’t involved them ... it beggars belief, in my view."
At the last meeting, the board decided it would identify if there was a more appropriate alternative site and plan for a new hall.
"In my view, to adopt these recommendations are in odds with the resolution we passed at the last meeting," Mr Gillespie said yesterday.
"It doesn’t make sense to spend community money to consider what might be in the future."
Robin Dicey said he did not want to keep the hall.
"I’ve heard it 100 times — bowl the thing," he said.
