WEST Wimmera Shire Council could remove itself from managing a Harrow and District Recreation Reserve upgrade.
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The council has provided project management support since the inception of a project control group, which came after the upgrade received a $1-million cash windfall from the state government last year.
In a notice of motion submitted for council's March meeting on Wednesday, Cr Richard Hicks has recommended the council remove itself from the project management support position, but retain its position on the project control group.
In a preamble to his motion, Cr Hicks said it appeared "the probity of the (council) and its officers may have been challenged and efforts to advance the approved project designs may have been undermined by some community members".
"Consequently, (council) has been forced into re-evaluating its role in the overall project, cognisant of its statutory obligations and responsibilities and its need to support all communities within the shire," he wrote.
Cr Hicks said the council provided $50,000 to develop the project from concept stage to detailed designs.
His motion recommends an independent, external professional project manager be recruited for the project management support role, and expenses for the position extracted from the project's budget.
Cr Hicks said the council would have no further role in project management activities once documents were released to a project manager.
He said the council would no longer be responsible for any cash shortfalls or cost over-runs; this responsibility would rest with Harrow Recreation Reserve and its affiliated sporting bodies.
"Discussions have already been held between the shire and appropriate government bodies and sporting organisations and agreement in principal has been sought," he wrote.
In a separate notice of motion, Cr Trevor Domaschenz recommends $150,000 currently allocated to the reserve project be reallocated to Kaniva Shire Hall. A similar motion to redistribute the federal government money was defeated last year.
Councillors will vote on both motions on Wednesday.
The Mail-Times contacted Cr Hicks and council chief executive David Leahy, who choose not to comment further.