A PETITION calling on Donnybrook-Balingup Shire Council to down tools and hold a Special Electors Meeting on the proposed Administration Centre upgrade has received 180 signatures.
The petition, which was authorised by Mullalyup resident Peter Gubler, requests the Shire to halt any further work on progressing the project and reconsider Agenda item 10.5.1 presented at the Ordinary Council Meeting on July 22, 2015.
The petition text requests the Shire explain “why they are ignoring the collective wisdom of their own consultants and the ratepayers after requesting submissions from them.”
It then details that 90 per cent of public submissions rejected Shire’s proposed office area renovation; the the proposed office area design is similar in nature and form to the existing offices; that a Building Audit Report by Tungsten Group in 2005 commissioned by the Shire suggested the cost of further upgrades to the existing building would be substantial and only effective in the short term; that approximately 50 per cent of the submissions suggested reviewing the possibilities to house the works and services staff and some other staff in extended facilities at Sandhill’s Rd engineering depot or other buildings owned by the Shire; and that 50 per cent of submissions suggested the Shire should provide a comparative study for a completely new stand alone facility which might be located adjacent to the existing office, or at another location.
Mr Gubler said he started the petition after attending a public meeting in June on the issue, because he thought it was the only way to bring the issue to a head.
“We should be looking forward,” he said.
“This is a 50 to 60 year old building, it needs a lot of work done – we don’t know how much asbestos is in there. Building costs could skyrocket.”
Mr Gubler said building costs were currently down as there was not much work around. “For a little bit of extra expense, we could have a whole new building,” he said.
“The Councillors have got to look at it and really make a change. We need to price a new building before going forward with this. We need to have something for the future of the town.”
The Special Electors Meeting will be held at 7pm on Wednesday September 16 in the Seniors Room at the Donnybrook Community Library.
Shire President Steve Dilley said he looked forward to the meeting as it would give Council an opportunity to present the history and facts about the Shire Administration Centre, and give ratepayers a chance to ask questions and put their point of view.
