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Alpine Shire Council is assessing the need for potential further support for the army of volunteers who staff Myrtleford's new Visitor Information Centre.
Several volunteers raised concerns about the future running of the facility at the December council meeting, prompted by the end of a paid part-time team leader position council funded during the establishment of the Myrtleford VIC in its new location within the renovated Myrtleford Memorial Hall.
Volunteer Judy Fitzgerald told councillors the site was relying on the good will of its 17 volunteers to maintain operations.
"We are aware all other centres (in Bright and Mt Beauty) are coordinated by full-time, paid workers," she said.
"We're being asked to almost coordinate it ourselves, and yet we're only in voluntary positions.
"We believe we're entitled to at least one, full-time paid worker.
"We've got a beautiful new centre, but without that one fully-staffed position, we believe it's going to collapse."
Fellow volunteers Noel Thatcher and Elvira Casagrande said a reduction in volunteer numbers, which were once as high as 43, was placing extra pressure on resourcing and more support was needed from council.
Council director of corporate and community, Nathalie Cooke, said at the December meeting council would take the feedback on board and praised the volunteers for their ongoing efforts.
"I'm happy to meet with the manager of the area and the coordinator and work through plans going forward [for] how we can best manage Myrtleford's VIC," she said.
At the following council meeting on 27 January, council's acting director corporate and community, Ebony Buckley, confirmed council was currently assessing the ongoing operation of the Myrtleford VIC since it moved to its new location last October.
"We've taken on board this feedback from our Myrtleford VIC volunteers," she said.
"Our VIC volunteers are such a vital part of providing really high quality visitor servicing and they do a really wonderful job.
"Our VIC coordinator is doing a great job supporting the volunteers as they adjust into their new site and working through any teething issues, as we change location.
"Should we require further staffing support, we'll progress this through the usual resourcing process and we're always happy to hear from our volunteers and staff on how we can support them."





