Electronic event signage has been in the works for Gunnedah since before 2016, and was about to be approved at the June council meeting however has been set back one month.
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Councillors were to vote to approve three signs on the Tamworth, Narrabri and Coonabarabran entrances to the town, at a cost of $166,000.
However Cr Owen Hasler put forward an amendment for an additional report, looking at the cost for just two signs, both single and double sided, with one located at the Eastern entrance and another in the CBD.
His sticking points were that signs only on the outskirts would miss community members not travelling outside of the town, as well as the cost.
"If it is missing half the population, is it achieving, particularly for $166,000, what the objective is?" he asked council.
If it is missing half the population, is it achieving, particularly for $166,000, what the objective is?
- Cr Owen Hasler
"Another thing I find difficult in supporting it, is we went from $35,000 budgeted to $166,000 budgeted. We are now going to the general fund.
"I don't support that general principal of doing that unless it is really really shown to me that it's needed."
Cr Murray O'Keefe, after moving the original motion voted against the amendment, saying the options Cr Hasler presented had already been discussed.
"Councilors were the beneficiary of quite a lengthy workshop on this subject a fortnight go where about nine options were put in front of us including and option that's almost exactly what Cr Hasler's amendment is asking for," he stated.
"And it was the clear view of the room not to pursue anything other than the option which has been recommended and is moved in the original motion."
Staff have spent a lot of time, effort and science in the recommendation that's up there for us. I'd like to see it dealt with, and endorsed as is.
- Murray O'Keefe
His other point was that of finance, where he called the original $35,000 a "zombie budget allocation" existing prior to his election in 2016.
"It's been rolled over every year since ... It's painfully obvious to myself and others that the $35,000 was never actually going to cut it.
"And to be blunt ... the expenditure of this project hasn't been tackled, and it's time it's tackled.
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"Staff have spent a lot of time, effort and science in the recommendation that's up there for us. I'd like to see it dealt with, and endorsed as is."
But it was not to be, with the amendment approved by a majority of five councillors to four.
The report is set to be presented at the next council meeting in July.
