Council Loan To Save Wetlands At A Cost Of `8? Per Ratepayer'
Newcastle Herald
Thursday June 15, 2000
THE Wetlands Centre at Shortland will receive a $200,000 loan for six months from Newcastle City Council to help it survive.
And in the end, the councillors' decision this week to approve the loan came down to a simple question: would each ratepayer be willing to sacrifice 8? for the cause?
The interest-free loan will be secured by a property title deed if necessary to ensure its repayment.
The loan was approved by the full council at Tuesday night's meeting after a brief discussion with councillors agreeing that it was a worthwhile idea.
Cr Bill Hanley (Citizens Group) reminded fellow councillors the council staff recommendation to approve the loan came with a proviso.
This was that the council would forgo about $6500 in interest.
Cr Hanley was anxious the loan arrangement `be transparent to ratepayers'.
Cr Barbara Gaudry (ALP) then asked what losing the normal interest on the money meant and was told by staff: `Eight cents'.
The same meeting was told that the council had given $328,000 to the Shortland centre since it was established in 1984.
But Cr Margaret Henry (Newcastle Greens) said council's donations had been gradually declining, unlike its financial support of Mattara and Surfest.
Cr Phil Jackson (ALP) said the Wetlands Centre was `one of the jewels of Newcastle'.
© 2000 Newcastle Herald
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