Staff relocated during redevelopment works

Twenty eight staff and services currently accommodated at Warragul’s Civic Place will be relocated during redevelopment of the West Gippsland Arts Centre.

Works are expected to begin next month and will continue until July 2018.

While works are undertaken, Baw Baw Shire staff will be relocated from Civic Place to a number of locations including council’s Smith St annex (the old cinema building) and Drouin Civic Place.

Council meetings will be held at Trafalgar. A permanent location for the council chambers post-redevelopment will be subject to a separate report to be presented to council at a later date.

The officer’s report said the upgrade works would directly impact staff and services.

Staff to be relocated include arts centre staff and staff in customer service, business information and information technology departments.

“The Smith St annex and Drouin Civic Offices were considered as being the most suitable temporary office sites to accommodate the functions which need to be relocated. The sites are also owned and controlled by council.

“The temporary office at the Smith St annex will not pose any inconvenience to the community as it is still in the civic precinct adjacent to the Warragul cbd,” the report said.

The $13.4 million arts centre budget includes costs involved with temporary office staff and the council chambers relocation amount of $40,000.

Cr Mikaela Power said this was part of the domino effect of the arts centre redevelopment.

She said a lot of work had been done to work out options available for staff and services who will be relocated to a number of locations to maintain access for the community.

Cr Jessica O’Donnell said it was fantastic that some of council’s unused office spaces were being utilised.

Cr Darren Wallace said being able to utilise existing facilities meant there would be minimal disruption to customers.