Mataura prepares for spend-up
Mataura is in line for a windfall of almost half a million dollars courtesy of a bequest made 12 years ago. The initial $215,000 bequest, made by the late Claude Coster, has grown to $496,248.34 and, under the terms of the will, can now be spent.
Gore district chief executive Steve Parry says, in a memo to next week's Mataura community board, that half the funds and the accured interest have to be spent within a five-year period on substantial improvement or extension of an existing amenity in the town.
The first payment will be $150,000 for the town's new community centre, which covers a bridging loan made by the council in 2006.
The other half of the bequest and accrued interest can be spent in any manner that benefits the town, Mr Parry says.
A special sub-committee is being set up to oversee this. It will consist of the Mataura ward council representative Cr Steve Dixon; a community board member to be elected at Monday's meeting; a district councillor elected at large; Gore District Mayor Tracy Hicks and an independent person who lives in the Mataura ward.
