Horsham Rural City Council decided at its meeting on Monday last week the final cash amount of $34,320 was to be returned to the community.

The council’s director of corporate services, Graeme Harrison, said in his report to council that the funds would be distributed in an open and transparent process. 

Mr Harrison said a special round of the community grants program would determine how the money was distributed. 

He said publicity and appropriate communications would be developed to ensure eligible groups within the Pimpinio community were aware of the opportunity. 

He said sufficient time would be given to allow people and community groups to provide submissions. 

Mr Harrison said should the full sum not be allocated through the community grant process, the remaining money would be utilised within existing council programs for the betterment of the broader Pimpinio community. 

Mayor Pam Clarke said she hoped the community would unite to decide on a project together.

“I hope the community gets together to look at what would be best rather than the small community groups breaking away,” Cr Clarke said. 

“It would be nice to see the amount do something significant.”

Cr David Grimble said despite the small cash amount available, the money could have significant value to the community in the way it was dispersed. 

“By giving the funds to the appropriate community groups and people to use in local projects, it will have a significant amount of leverage and value added to the dollar spent,” he said. 

Cr Mark Radford said it would be fair to allow the Pimpinio community to put forward suggestions as to how the money should be distributed.

“We are almost at the end of the process and this is a nice way to end the story,” he said.  

The former school site was advertised for sale in April 2017 and reached a final settlement of $40,000 on September 1.