Tauranga residents, there's no need to be wary - your rates won't be paying to polish Hairy Maclary.
Tauranga City councillors were assured yesterday that ratepayers would not be left with the bill to maintain a sculpture trail of Dame Lynley Dodd's beloved Hairy Maclary characters planned for the city.
The councilhas already refused to pay $60,000 to own and install the bronze sculptures, and councillors yesterday reaffirmed their view that rates should not pay for the statues' $3400 annual upkeep costs.
The arrangement preferred by the team driving the project was for the sculptures to be funded and installed by Creative Tauranga, with ownership to be vested in the council.
It was also proposed that the council took responsibility for the maintenance and insurance of the sculptures using funding from Creative Tauranga.
Dame Lynley, a Tauranga resident, and publisher Penguin Books wanted the sculptures maintained to strict standards throughout their life.
Yesterday, councillors voiced worries the council would be left to maintain the sculptures if Creative Tauranga ceased to exist.
Cr Larry Baldock said the council had seen similar situations before and asked whether funding for the sculptures' maintenance and insurance would be "locked away".
But honorary solicitor Marcus Wilkins, who addressed the meeting on behalf of the project team, said in the event that Creative Tauranga wound up, a separate trust could be formed in accordance with the Dodd family to handle the funds.
Creative Tauranga believed the trail would become an iconic attraction for Tauranga - installing a sense of pride in locals of all ages and backgrounds.
A memorandum of understanding has been signed with Dame Lynley to create the public art trail of Hairy Maclary and friends.
If the council agreed to the proposed arrangement, it would enter into a formal agreement with Dame Lynley.
As the copyright was the life of Dame Lynley plus 50 years, the sites would need to be available for at least that period of time.
Mayor Stuart Crosby told Mr Wilkins and Creative Tauranga representatives at the meeting that the trail posed an "amazing opportunity" for the city.
"It's a great project. We just want make sure, like you, the statues are protected."
