The board had voted for a grant of $2423 to the club to upgrade Mosgiel’s illuminated sign, which was described by a board member as "iconic".
Mr Brown, who presented the club’s submission, explained that Rotary owned the sign, built in the 1980s, but the Mosgiel Borough Council — now the Dunedin City Council — owned the site.
In his submission, Mr Brown said funding was sought to strengthen the steel outriggers supporting the sign to meet safety standards, to replace the lights with LED ones and to rewire signage and the switchboard to meet current standards.
In answer to a question, he said it cost about $500 a year for the sign, which Rotary paid for.
"It’s the lighting that’s the main issue.
"There’s been a bit of vandalism up there as well," he said.
There was strong support from board members for upgrading, and chairwoman Joy Davis commented: "We all know the [negative] feedback we had when it went out".
Board members also felt the cost should not be borne by the Rotary club but by the council, arguing that funds should come from the city’s tourism budget.
In moving that the application be supported in full, board member Phillipa Bain said, "If the DCC won’t pick it [funding] up, we should."
The board voted in favour of the motion and passed a supplementary motion, "That the DCC take over the sign in consultation with the Mosgiel Rotary Club and this board".
After the meeting, Mr Brown said, "If the community board can get some action with the DCC regarding its long-term involvement with the sign, that would be welcome."
He would be "more than happy" to discuss it further, he said.
- By Gillian Vine
