Mount Gambier City Council - The FARC Update

Howdy, howdy, and how bizarre, how bizarre, just as we were getting set to do a post about the Mt Gambier City Council's deceitful, duplicitous conduct regarding the Farcical Aquatic Recreation Centre (FARC), boing!, up pops this gem in The Border Watch...it was published Friday 22nd 2021, and this copy is from their Facebook page...(and for those unawares, the FARC is sometimes referred to as 'The Hub' and/or 'Wulanda'-Ed)...yeah, but it is literally and actually the FARC, a vastly bloated debasco (debacle/fiasco) that desperately tries to be everything to everyone and will ultimately achieve next-to-none of it...Mt Gambier really only needed 2 separate projects, an enclosed 5,000 seat pavillion/stadium on the Show Grounds, and an enclosed 50m pool...(and with the FARC we're gunna' get neither of these and with a whole lotta' superfluous nonsense, eg, another cafe and another gym, like Mt Gambier needs another bloody cafe or another bloody gym!-Ed)...exactly, and for many months now rumours/concerns have been swirling about Mt Gambier that the 'real cost' has already nudged $80m, not the $57.5m being reported here, which in itself is actually already proven not true...

MGCC has been wholly deceitful and manipulative in forcing this debasco onto the Ratepayers of Mt Gambier...because these deceits are so numerous and voluminous, we're gunna' do a two-parter post, starting from this article today, and then working back through just how maliciously manipulative MGCC has been...***

Hub commitment questioned

25/10/2021

COST CONCERN: First-term Mount Gambier City councillor Kate Amoroso says a number of aspects of the Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre build should have been brought out of confidence “a long time ago”.

By Raquel Mustillo

RATEPAYERS would not have supported the construction of the multi-million dollar Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre if the true cost was publicly released ahead of elected members voting to progress the project, according to a Mount Gambier City Councillor.

Following the release of confidential council minutes which show what members voted to support the project at almost $20m higher than the cost touted at the public consultation stage, councillor Paul Jenner has strongly criticised the decision to push ahead with the facility.

The now-publicly available minutes reveal Mount Gambier mayor Lynette Martin moved to enter a $57.5m contract with Badge Constructions, with former Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre committee chair Ben Hood seconding the motion.

According to the minutes, Cr’s Hood, Sonya Mezinec, Max Bruins, Christian Greco, Frank Morello and Steven Perryman voted to endorse the project – which at the time was widely believed to be costed at $39.1m, with two councillors – Cr Jenner and Kate Amoroso – voting against the motion.

Cr Jenner told The Border Watch he did not support the motion due to “serious” concerns with the increase in cost, the financial impact on council and widespread community belief the project would be $39.1m.

“I originally went onto council, not with a position of yes or no, I went on looking at the whole project and over a couple of years, I got to the point where money and pricing was the issue,” he said.

“I have no doubt if the hub was re-presented to the community at $57.5m, they would have said no.”

Cr Jenner said the cost of the facility build, as well as additional expenditure including $1.1m for depreciation and up to $600,000 for principal and interest on councils loan for the project would restrict councils ability to undertake any other major projects.

“We are not going to be able to loan any money at all for the next seven to eight years – that’s two periods of council,” he said.

“I feel that council is now in a position of what is called treading water.”

“It is now going to restrict, in my view, other goods and services – there’s no doubt that when something comes up and it’s a couple of million dollars, we won’t be able to do it.”

Cr Amoroso – who sought support to release the manner in which voting occurred for the procurement – echoed Cr Jenner’s sentiments, saying she believed the increase in cost “would compromise the councils ability to provide immediate services to the community in the years ahead”.

“The $39m cost, I was more prepared to support as I honestly believe this was a well-needed facility for our region and the community had been asking for many years for a roof over the pool,” she said.

“However, when the additional cost was added, I didn’t believe it was any longer justified.

“With such a significant spend, and with the project being so substantially over budget compared to the original price of $39m, the City of Mount Gambier ratepayers absolutely deserve full transparency not just with this, but at all times.

“All councillors need to be accountable on how they voted on this project.

“In my opinion, this and many other aspects of this build should have been brought out of confidence a long time ago.”

However, both councillors concerns were rejected by Ms Martin, who referred to the project as “life changing”.

“As mayor, I have regular interaction with the community and in conversation, now that people can see the size and scale of the facility, residents are not talking about the cost of the project and they cannot wait for the facility to be built,” she said.

“It is going to be life changing for our residents and a game changer for Mount Gambier as the second largest city in South Australia.

“Our residents deserve a facility that will provide year round indoor aquatic and recreational facilities catering for all ages and abilities.”

Council general manager city infrastructure Barbara Cernovskis said council made an informed decision to progress to a signed contact based on several reasons, including “the community consensus to progress the intermediate design to secure Federal and State funding contribution of $25m”.

She said council had a strong financial position and ability to afford the build and operation of the facility, and had maintained its commitment to not raising rates beyond 4.5 per cent.

“At the time of the community survey in late 2018, the $39.1 million figure for the facility was based on an intermediate design and estimated costs provided by independent quantity surveyors,” she said.

“In August 2020, the market response to the tender process determined the true build cost of $57.3 million based on the final design which has been refined to increase flexibility and functionality following community/user group feedback.

“Council is looking to the future to ensure our community has access to a multi-purpose modern facility for basketball, tennis, netball, aquatics, other sports and community activities for future generations.”

***...and it's all there isn't it, deceit upon lie upon manipulation, and not least of all when Council knew about the $20m blow-out...(even if they were not responsible for that blow-out, which they were/are, they have acted to deny Ratepayers that critical information-Ed)...and as identified, that will financially cripple at least the next 2 'Councils'...(and what about costs that are allegedly being hidden in other budget areas, like Council apparently did with the Main Corner and Library projects?-Ed)...yeah, all of that, along with the most current 'allegation' that Council has very quietly declared to the State government that MGCC has borrowed $45m relative to this FARC money pit...still trawling for where that admission is made, but it's there somewhere, and I will find it...and if this is true, then that adds-up to a minimum $70m...and so it bears repeating, albeit as a question...

Has MGCC officially but secretively declared a debt/borrowing of $45m for the FARC?...and so, where are we now? $70m? $80m?...

"Based On An Intermediate Design And Estimated Costs"...(bollocks! Council relentlessly promoted a very specific completed project with very specific features and a very, very specific cost, $39.1m is a very specific amount-Ed)...indeed it is, and this is the fundamental festering deceit and manipulation that lies at the heart of this entire lie...(MGCC, en masse, spent a great deal of time, effort, and Ratepayers' money pushing their glossy pamphlets and mail-outs and Main St shopfront promo booth, etc, etc, into Ratepayers' faces and down our throats, and they were very specific about what we were getting and for how much-Ed)...yep, which is why this statement, "based...and estimated" is the most fundamental deceit in a long series of deceits...(the next would be about Ratepayers actually voting to accept the $25m in Federal and State grants-Ed)...sort of, that in itself involves a series of deceits, from why we 'must' accept the grants 'right now', through 'no rate rises to pay for it', and then into the planning applications, etc, etc...and there's just so many deceits within those deceits, and that's why it requires a second full post...

(What I don't understand is why this journo, who in August 2020 was in The Advertiser/In Daily (Adelaide's daily Murdoch rag), exposing the real cost as having already jumped to $64million-Ed)...yep, and on 23rd October 2020 same journo was front page of The Border Watch, Council concedes hub cost variance, citing a "$4.2m construction phase contingency" and "$800,000 for consultants and design fees", etc...it also states that Council was aware that the project had already blown-out to $50m in October 2019, but voted to keep that secret from Ratepayers, etc, etc, what's your point...(yeah yeah, all that, well here the same journo is now writing "$57m" again, what's goin' on there?-Ed)...well spotted, but I've no idea...(is this possibly a case of the usually pro-Council complicit Mt Gambier media chucking buckets a' red herrings at Ratepayers, you know, avoiding the inexcusable realities by distracting with slightly less appalling realities?-Ed)...highly possible if not actually likely...I believe the term is "thick as thieves"...here's the link to that article...

 https://borderwatch.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2020-10-23_tbwt_764.pdf

...and imagine my surprise that first cab-off-the-rank to 'Comment' on last weeks article, literally as the article was posted, is our mate and former MGC Councillor li'l Joshy Lynagh...(have we heard anything from Joshy since our very detailed response to his latest round of abuse, what he done leave on this 'ere blog back in January 2021?-Ed)...no, no we haven't, and just for the record, here's the link to that post with li'l Joshy's gas-lighting whinge attached there-in...(even if we do say so ourselves, that post is an excellent study in how Joshy has'does run interference for MGCC, deliberately spreading misinformation, trying to undermine Council's critics, etc-Ed)...indeed, and so here's the link and then some of Joshy's commentary from The Border Watch's Facebook page...

https://themountgambierindependent.blogspot.com/2021/01/he-doth-protest-too-much-and-yet-not-at.html

Josh Lynagh

It's going to be a great investment for our region, absolutely no question about that. I've always supported the need for the facility, but where I struggle is with the way this has blown out and the lack of consultation involved.

Think back to the community survey (that cost council thousands to run) that funding for this project was reliant on. We were asked if given the information provided (a $39.1m project) do you support it. The community voted yes. But that information has drastically changed (almost $20m) with no further consultation.

And with those massive extra costs, we're meant to believe that it won't affect council's ability to provide future projects? I worry about what services or funding may also need to be cut to cover the ongoing costs here.

This was sold to council as being a $39m facility for just a $14m investment from council, and that's why I supported it. You don't turn down an offer like that. Now it's a $32m investment (at least) with council forking out the majority, and I can't see the next two terms of council being able to do much at all.

Plus this was meant to be open at the start of the year, and things were already really behind schedule well before COVID affected things. Now we're looking at what, 2023?

I can't wait for it. For myself and my children. I'm just disapointed by the process, and the way people have been shut down and insulted for asking questions.

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• Bronwyn Bald

  Aaarrggghh. Sensationalism. Sells. Let’s face it we all want it but everyone wants to blame someone else for it. Make up your mind Mt gambier

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  • Bronwyn Bald

    Josh Lynagh not you the whole story. 2 years from proposed cost of 37 to end possible of 57 But who knew prices would go up In 2 years. Certainly not the average person thinking prices would stay the same for sure. Lol

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  • Josh Lynagh

    Bronwyn Bald that proposed cost was the basis of the community vote though. A large amount of the funding was reliant on the outcome of the community vote, which was based on far outdated information.

    Don't get me wrong, this is going to be an amazing facility. I'm just concerned for future councils and what financial state we'll be in as a community going forward. Everyone should look at the whole picture, not just whatever side suits.

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  • Josh Lynagh

    Bronwyn Bald what's sensationalism got to do with my comment?

    I think my made my stance fairly clear. I want it. But I also want transparency and consultation when it comes to public spending.

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  • Bronwyn Bald

    And True cost cannot happen till it’s actually designed built and finished. Proposed cost is not actual.

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• Adam Creek

  Nathan Stratford isn’t it 2022?

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    Adam Creek “we don’t actually

    know what the completion date is going to be”. Initially it was Autumn 2022 but there's already delays there.

    

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Brad Coates

Other questions to be asked, was the tender process compliant? Were all builders who were part of the original tender process when the cost ceiling was $39.1 million, given an opportunity to re-tender taking into account the increase of about $20 million to $57.3 million. And if the cost blows out beyond this as is predicted, are councilors and architects going to held to account. The fact that imported timber and imported glass and other building products being widely used should also be condemned.

...***so there we go, whooohooo...(so who exactly is Joshy claiming 'deceived' Council? who "sold to Council...a $39m facility?" is he referring to Liberal Member for Barker Tony Pasin who instigated this whole shizzle-show back in early 2018?-Ed)...good question, 'cos it was 'Council' who organised the whole shizzle-show, as you so delicately put it, so exactly who is to blame? perhaps he means Mayor Lynette Martin and/or then CEO Mark 'Mighty Marky Mark McShenanigans' McShane...(well certainly not Joshy's fault, even though he was a Councillor from early 2018 right through until November 2018, for the entire period that Council was ramming this project down Ratepayers' throats-Ed)...indeed, no, Joshy is "disappointed by the process, and the way that people have been shut down and insulted for asking questions."...(wow, that is text-book gas-lighting, complaining about and/or accusing others of what you yourself are doing and/or have done!-Ed)...well indeed, as covered in the post referred to above, Joshy has spent plenty of his on-line time insulting myself and others and  trying to discredit and shut us down... 

This is starting to blow-out, so I'm gunna' pull-up here, and continue this tomorrow, meaning that the advertised post about serial Rapist Protector James Morrison will just have to wait...

Tomorrow: What's Happening With The James Morrison Jazz Academy

And just 'cos it's a hilariously depressing insight into just how stupid and/or easily manipulated and/or just straight-out delusional and/or unquestioningly biased people can be, here's how one prize stooge described French President Macron's interaction with some journos...Macron said "I don't think, I know" that Scott 'Scummo' Morrison lied to him about the Submarines Deal, a statement made in a context where the journos were standing there as Macron was just walking through, and they asked him those questions...(and where Australia's Main Stream Media is so definably, pathetically Right Wing  pro-Liberal/National Party biased, from everything Murdoch owns like The Australian and SKY News, etc, to Channels 7, 9 and 10, and most problematically the supposed 'Lefties' at the national broadcaster, the ABC-Ed)...yep, it takes a very special brand of blinkered, bigotted pro-LNP stooge to conjure this wholly incorrect shizzle-take on the reality of what everyone else watched happen..."left woke controlled", what an idiot...

John Gademski

@JGademski

Macron made a beeline to Australian journos to sledge Scomo. He knows that Australian media are left woke controlled

I am Nick Fletcher and this is my blog...cheers and laters...