The decision did not come easily and Wanaka Community Board chairwoman Rachel Brown had to use her casting vote for the first time to get it across the line last Thursday.
The recommendation came from Queenstown Lakes District Council finance and regulatory general manager Stewart Burns, who said the possible effect of the Wanaka pool project on rates had been a concern since the project was approved.
He said the advantage of recommending council approve the $6million allocation from the Wanaka asset sale reserve to the Wanaka pool project in the draft 2018-28 long-term plan would mean a reduction in the annual rate of $43 to $178 per annum.
The annual rate for the Wanaka Swimming Pool had been set at $220 per annum.
Mr Burns said interest rates were very low at present but likely to rise soon, which was another reason why now was a good time to pay down debt.
Cr Calum McLeod suggested investigating whether reducing the debt by $4million and
using the remaining $2million to add revenue-raising facilities to the swimming pool project, such as a gym, would make better
use of the money.
``This smacks of a missed opportunity,'' he said.
Ms Brown said she used her casting vote to approve the recommendation as board member Ed Taylor (who was absent on sick leave) would have supported the motion and the onus was on the board to reduce the burden of debt on the ratepayers.
The Wanaka asset sale reserve was set up by the council to fund major capital projects or acquisitions in Wanaka, such as a new swimming pool.
It was funded by the sale of the ratepayer-owned land bank Scurr Heights in 2016 which was rated at more $4million at the time but raised more than $15million.
