Move is booked in By Melissa Meehan

HEALESVILLE Library will move to the Swinburne TAFE building.
Currently hidden away on the lower floor of the Memorial Hall, the cramped library cannot be seen from Maroondah Highway.
Relocation to the TAFE building would see the library gain greater exposure to the local community and passersby.
The move was recommended at last week’s council meeting following of its master plan review of the Memorial Hall.
The council’s Community Link, currently based in leased offices in the main street, and other community services will also be moved to the TAFE.
The master plan review also recommended that the council seek external funding to further redevelop the hall and the inclusion of an office space in the hall.
The plan comes after the shire took up an offer of space from the TAFE late last year. But the decision to endorse the master plan did not come without debate.
Councillor Ken Smith offered an alternative recommendation to that presented by council officers.
He said he could not endorse the plan unless particular terms were met. “I have a letter from former councillor Di Moore,” Cr Smith said.
“She writes that there should be no office for the ward councillor in Memorial Hall, she later describes it as an ‘extravagant waste of space’ and I agree with that.”
Cr Smith put forward changes to the recommendation highlighting that an office should not be provided for the ward councillor as part of redevelopment works.
In reply, Ryrie Ward councillor Jeanette McRae argued that the office would not only be available for the ward councillor, but would be available to other groups who could “hop desks”.
“I commend Ms Moore for her letter, but there will be flexible use of the office by community groups, and the ward councillor,” Cr McRae said.
“My ward has quite a large demographic spread, and a rural ward is quite different to a suburban ward, to ask them to travel to Lilydale to meet with me ends up being an hour round- trip for some.”
Cr McRae asked Cr Smith to remove the changed terms of the recommendation but he refused.
Councillor Samantha Dunn said she could not support the alternative motion because she and councillor Noel Cliff shared a similar space at Upwey Link. “It is a great resource for our constituents,” Cr Dunn said.
Councillor Noel Cliff agreed.
“It’s not like it’s Noel’s little hole that no one else can use but it gives the community the chance to be able to meet with me,” Cr Cliff said.
A vote was cast, and tied forcing Mayor Tim Heenan to use his deciding vote to pass the alternative recommendation.