RSBA to apply for funds

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 414, 26 November 1991, Page 2

RSBA to apply for funds

The Ruapehu South Business Association is to apply for funding for the salary of one staff member at the Ruapehu Visitor Centre. At their meeting last week the RSBA heard that their was $40,000 allocated to the marketing manager's appointment which was available as it related to the first six months of the council' s financial year. 'The RSBA has been carrying out the promotion tasks that a marketing manager would be responsible for, so why shouldn't we apply for that funding?" said RSBA chairperson Sue Allomes. The meeting heard that the Ruapehu Visitor Centre was financially stretched, largely because of a drain on funds and resources from the New Zealand Winter Games. It was decided to stop assistance to the NZWG organisers until a budget for the next 12 months was presented by them, showing how they intended paying for the Visitor Centre services they used. "The Winter Games people have had carte

blanche in the visitor centre and we can't afford to carry them any more," said Mrs Allomes. After some discussion it became apparent that the Visitor Centre is in debt largely because of money spent on the New Zealand Winter Games by the RSBA. "If it weren't for the Winter Games the Ruapehu Visitor Centre would be flush," said one member. The group is looking at a new stracture for the games organisation, which hopefully will see a more transparent funding system so the community can see where funding is coming from and going to. It is hoped if this can be achieved more community support for the Games would be forthcoming. The stracture would be based around a community trust and the present organisers would contract to the trust to work for the event. Money raised for the event would then be seen to be going to the Games, and money made from the Games would be available to the community through the trust.