By Dominique Tassell
Southern Downs Regional Council left motions regarding funding for Stanthorpe Art Gallery and Library to lay on the table at the recent Ordinary Council Meeting.
The motion concerned funding for continuing operations during construction on the facilities.
Work will start in July, and staff confirmed a decision does need to be made as soon as possible.
Cr Stephen Tancred raised during the meeting that the art gallery has a “nest egg”, and requested to know if they would use this.
A staff member confirmed that the gallery is contributing $170,000 of their own money.
Cr Tancred asked whether they could contribute more to the relocation of their premises.
He said he has been told the money is for a “rainy day”, but believes this may be that such occasion.
Cr Tancred said it was not really clear what public activities would continue during the construction period.
“Is there a need to deliver “gold-plated” service?”
He stated that galleries closed in Covid “and the world went on”.
Multiple councillors stated they would have liked a presentation from the gallery or an information session on this topic.
Cr Tancred foreshadowed an alternative motion for the gallery to use their own money.
Cr Ross Bartley asked for clarification about the funding and what may miss out in order to fund this project.
Cr Cynthia McDonald stated the gallery has received substantial grants and should run at a reduced capacity or support themselves during the construction period.
Cr Jo McNally stated that the gallery has sourced a place to put their collection and that both the Mayor and CEO had attended a meeting regarding this.
She stated that galleries are part of Council’s core business and she was a little perplexed why councillors have a “bee in their bonnet” over this.
“Arts and culture is important to the community,” she said. “It’s just as important as sport.”
She then moved to have the motion lay on the table, with all councillors in favour of this.
Councillors then moved on to discussing the library’s funding for this same period of time, with Mayor Pennisi asking if they would like to have this lay on the table too.
Cr Tancred stated he did not believe this need to lay on the table, other councillors voiced that they believed it should lay on the table.
Cr Tancred moved the motion as stated in the recommendation, with Cr Marco Gliori seconding. The motion was lost.
Cr Tancred stated the library is a Council business and it was “naive” to think they would not contribute to it.
Cr Bartley spoke against this, stating he would still like to know where the money is coming from and who misses out.
He stated the motion was being done “a bit on the run”.
A procedural motion, moved by Cr Gale, was carried, and the motion lay on the table.
The funding for Stanthorpe Art Gallery will reportedly be discussed at the Connecting with Council meeting in Killarney on March 2.
As this is after our print deadline, any news from that meeting will be covered in next week’s paper.
