The Yarrawonga Library and Multisport Stadium are two key components of the Moira Shire draft budget 2020/2021 with council to set aside a combined $6.91million for theprojects.
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An application for a low interest community infrastructure loan of $3.75 million towards construction of the Yarrawonga Library and Performance Precinct by Moira Shire Council has been approved by the Treasury Corporation Victoria (TCV).
Council will contribute $600,000 with the low interest loan of $3.75 making up the total amount required.
Moira Shire Mayor Libro Mustica said as the application for the loan was successful, the balance of funding required would be included in council budgets to ensure the project could get underway in 2021.
“Making use of a loan facility at a TCVdiscounted interest rate will spread the cost over a longer period of time rather than a single year and give us some financial flexibility to fund other projects across the shire,” he said.
“We are extremely appreciative of the Victorian Government’s financial support in arranging this low interest source of funds.”
The Multisport Stadium has a total cost of $2.56 million with $1.9million coming from grants.
Moira Shire Council will contribute $640,000.
The Yarrawonga Multisport Stadium Project is now at a detailed design phase and has also been assisted by community support of $500,000 which has been essential to getting the stadium off the ground.
Regional Victoria local Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy also advocated the ‘critical’ need of a multipurpose stadium to be built in the community when he met with Victorian Minister for Sport Martin Pakula earlier this year.
“This is critical infrastructure for the Yarrawonga community,” Mr McCurdy said following a meeting with members of the Yarrawonga Mulwala Basketball Association (YMBA) in February.
“The Yarrawonga Mulwala Basketball Association is a passionate advocate for the multi-purpose stadium that required state and federal funding.
“Yarrawonga is one of the fastest growing towns in regional Victoria. Basketball in Yarrawonga is experiencing a massive growth in participation rates for both boys and girls.”
Council is seeking community, business and stakeholder feedback following the release of its draft 2020/21 budget and four-year Strategic Resource Plan (SRP).
Mayor Libro Mustica said the draft budget and SRP was prepared prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and as such did not address the many and varied questions and concerns communities across the shire had in relation to this serious issue.
Cr Mustica said the draft budget “aimed to balance the many and often competing needs of the Moira community”.
“Now we are asking the community to tell us whether we have got the balance right,” he said.
“We have almost 30,000 residents spread across a large land area and this was a key consideration in developing council’s annual budget and SRP.
“We provide the same or similar services in multiple locations, so we have a large number of assets to maintain.
“For example, council maintains 28 recreation reserves, showgrounds and swimming pools, more than 150 parks, gardens, playgrounds and public toilets, four libraries, a mobile library service and nine waste transfer stations.
“It is vital, especially during times of crisis, council provides a solid framework from which our communities will not only survive but be able to rebuild quickly and efficiently and this budget will provide that framework.
“To fund the maintenance, renewal and upgrade of these assets our capital works are delivered across a multi-year cycle.
“This multi-year investment program is comprehensively reviewed each year as we develop our budgets and the four-year Strategic Resource Plan to reflect community demands, outside influences and natural disasters.”
Cr Mustica said the Victorian Government’s rate cap for 2020/21 had been set at 2%.
“Rates generate around 50% of council’s revenue with state and federal grants making up the majority of the balance, with many of those grants linked to specific services or projects,” he said.
“Council-set fees and charges have increased by 2% however some charges have increased by slightly more to recover the increase in the cost of delivering the service.”
The draft 2020/21 budget will be available for public inspection at Cobram Service centre and on council’s website by visiting www.moira.vic.gov.au from Wednesday, April 29.
Members of the community will be invited to view and make written submissions on the draft Budget by 5pm Wednesday, May 27.
All submissions must be written and can be submitted online to the website, via email info@moira.vic.gov.au or by mail PO Box 578 Cobram 3643.
A Committee of Council meeting will meet Wednesday, June 3 to hear any person who indicated in their written submissions that they would like to speak in support of their submission on the draft 2020/21 budget.
The draft 2020/21 budget and Strategic Resource Plan documents are available to view on the Moira Shire website.
Key Yarrawonga and district projects listed in Moira Shire Council’s 2019/20 draft budget include:
Total Cost Council funding
Yarrawonga Library $4,350,000 $600,000
Yarrawonga Multisports Stadium $2,560,000 $640,000
Yarrawonga to Burramine cycling/ walking tourism trail $750,000 $300,000
Yarrawonga splashpark upgrade $300,000 $150,000
Culvert upgrade under MVH at Botts Rd $200,000 $200,000
Acacia and Melalueca Sts Upgrade $200,000 $200,000
Twin BBQ at Lynch St playground $50,000 $50,000
Design for intersection upgrade of Woods Road and Gilmore St $40,000 $40,000
Botts Road drainage upgrade $30,000 $30,000
Pedestrian crossing Hume St adjacent to aged care facility $25,000 $25,000
Yarrawonga Pool – Renewal Program $14,000 $14,000