The future of Ray Walsh House is still undecided more than a year and a half since it was vacated due to a problem with asbestos.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Now the council is asking the state government for financial assistance as it "weighs up" its options for the building, which has served as council headquarters since it was purchased in the 1990s.
Council is remediating the site in stages.
Last year council spent about $1 million on stage one, which included removing all materials from below ceiling height so that asbestos in the ceiling cavity remained intact.
Stage two will involve removing the ceiling, stripping out of the asbestos-containing vermiculite insulation and then reinsulating the building.
The preliminary estimate from NSW Public Works for this work is $10 million.
Tamworth Region mayor Russell Webb said because Ray Walsh House was bought from the State Government with no disclosure of the asbestos issue, council has taken the position that the State should assist with funding to complete the second stage of works.
"I spoke with Premier Chris Minns about this when he was in Tamworth for the Bush Summit last year and he told Council to write to the Government with our request," Cr Webb said.
On Wednesday last week, council met with Minister for Lands and Property, Stephen Kamper.
"When asbestos was discovered in the building we knew it would not be a quick fix," Cr Webb said.
"Both Council and our community would like to see this resolved sooner rather than later but we also know we need do it right."
Council is not expecting a response from the minister with regard to financial assistance for "a couple of months", but council "will not be sitting on its hands in the meantime", he said.
"While we await a decision, council will continue to investigate a number of options for the future of the site once the asbestos has been removed."
These include "everything from demolishing the building and rebuilding on the current site to retaining and refurbishing the existing building or selling the building and relocating the Council into new offices at some point in the future," the mayor said.
"I would like to make it clear that the council has not made any formal decision about the future of the building and has certainly not resolved to sell the building to any other entity.
"All of the options being considered will come at a considerable cost and will be fully disclosed in an open council report once these costs are more accurately determined."
