RSBA rejects Info plan

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 485, 11 May 1993, Page 1

RSBA rejects Info plan

Ruapehu South Business Association (RSBA) members have chosen to reject the council's proposal to take over the Ruapehu

Visitors Centre (RVC), having earlier agreed in principle to the idea. The sticking point is the amount of administration

support the council's Promotion and Development Subcommittee has recommended be offered to the Association. The sub-

committee recommended that administration services equal to 25 per cent of the annual chalet accommodation bookings be made available to the RSBA. Association members present at the meeting last Tuesday said this offer was not acceptable. They felt tying the amount of support to the chalet bookings was too loose and that if in future the council chose to quit the chalet booking service, there would be no guarantee that the support would continue. Also, the proposal would see administration support accounted for at the rate of $35 per hour, meaning the association could be given as little as two hours a week of support. Judging by past years, RVC staff have worked an average of 10 hours a week on RSBA business, said RSBA chairperson Sue Allomes. The members felt that while they could take the grant and buy services elsewhere for as little as ' $10 per hour, it was important to keep the link with the visitor centre as it was a focus for the association. They felt the amount of administration support offered (in terms of hours, not dollars on paper) was too little, taking into account the amount of voluntary work done by the association in setting up the centre. They felt costing support work at $35 per hour was not realistic. Council marketing manager Bruce Rollinson suggested in a letter to the as-

sociation that they request a grant to help with administration functions of the RSBA. "It must be noted that never before has Council provided funds for this particular activity and that such a grant would be a new commitment from Council," he stated in the letter. "It has always been Council's understanding that the funds provided to ... the RSBA have been used for Information Centre functions (only)." Mr Rollinson said they council would only take over the centre if it included the existing chalet booking service and the revenue it generated. The RSBA had considered retaining just this portion of the operation. During discussion on the matter, RSBA member Peter Berry expressed concern at the council taking over a commercial enterprise. "What other business activity is the council going to move into next?" he asked. FOOTNOTE: It has been stated earlier that the RSBA established the Ruapehu Visitor Centre. In fact the Bulletin (when it was the Waimarino Bulletin) and publisher John Sandford established an information centre in the present visitor centre premises, when the Bulletin was also housed in the Clyde Street building.