Council is considering rescinding its decision to move the Narromine Cenotaph after members of the community felt they weren't properly consulted.
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Council decided to move the Cenotaph at its April meeting after a six to three vote amongst the councillors, following a community consultation period.
A key difference in the reoccurring issue is the Narromine RSL Sub-Branch saying it is on board with the decision to move the Cenotaph if the community agrees.
President of the Sub-Branch, Neil Richardson, said in a second "clarifying" letter sent last week to the Narromine Shire Council general manager, Greg Lamont, it is a community decision.
"The Sub-Branch is not the owner of the Cenotaph, the community built the Cenotaph with money raised by the community, the community is the owner," the letter stated.
Mr Richardson believes the community has not been properly consulted.
"The community found out about the consultation a week before council made the decision and then they had to go and find all the information and respond," he said.
Narromine Shire Council Mayor Bill McAnally said if the community wanted the decision rescinded, it would rescind it.
"We can always rescind the motion for it to be moved. In community consultations we don't always get everyone's opinions. We can get 100 complaints but the other 3500 people in the shire might not have a problem with it and don't say anything," he said.
The Sub-Branch is hoping for a public meeting to be called to let all community members be a part of the decision-making process.
"We wanted thecCouncil to call a public meeting. They didn't do it," Mr Richardson said.
In the second letter to the council, the Sub-Branch has outlined a course of action to decide the iconic monument's future.
These actions include getting the Cenotaph appraised by a variety of companies which deal with renovating and moving monuments, drawing up a computer- generated plan and placing it on display and advertising so people will see it, calling a public meeting, including a fence around the Cenotaph and considering the heavy rail traffic at Tom Perry Park in regards to the foundations.
Cr McAnally said council was intending on putting up its plans for the Cenotaph.
"We want to put up the designs for what we were planning. We'd have a special garden where you can see all the names. I know it's the centrepiece of the town, but we still need to do some maintenance before it falls over," he said.
Cr McAnally wants to ensure the monument stays for the next 100 years.
"We want to preserve it for as long as we can and right now it's in danger of being run over. We can't stop the semi-trailers down the main street," he said.
The mayor is encouraging the people in Narromine to write to the council to let them know what they think.
"I'm happy for people to put questions to me or any of the councillors, it would be great if it was in writing. Email or Facebook the council," he said.
"Obviously we won't move it if a big section of the community is against it.
"I'm quite happy if the community wants it to stand, we need to make it stand for the next 100 years," Cr McAnally said.
Do you think the Council should rescind their decision? Let us know by commenting below or emailing grace.ryan@fairfaxmedia.com.au
