A long, bitter dispute between Kiama Municipal Council and Kiama Tourism has reached a conclusion with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two organisations.
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However it is clear some deep wounds will take some time to heal after final shots were fired at this week's council meeting.
In 2014, Kiama Council halved its contribution to Kiama Tourism to about $160,000 after a review of how the council spent its tourism funds.
The review was sparked after the Kiama Tourism board appeared to be having problems.
The council has since used funds previously allocated to Kiama Tourism to appoint its own tourism manager.
In October, both organisations gave in-principle support for a draft memorandum, with further meetings to take place to finalise the details.
On Tuesday night the memorandum had yet to be signed, although Kiama Tourism subsequently met on Wednesday to consider the latest draft.
At Tuesday night's council meeting, Cr Dennis Seage successfully moved that if Kiama Tourism did not sign the memorandum by Friday, then all council funds would be pulled from the organisation.
"Throughout this whole business I feel certain that the Kiama Tourism board has treated us with contempt," Cr Seage said.
"I think the meetings have been difficult, the points raised I believe were very pedantic ... the time has come to draw a line in the sand."
Cr Andrew Sloan expressed concern that such wording would be "like a red rag to a bull" and the two organisations should be building bridges.
In response, Cr Seage said that "there are times to be a feather duster and times to be a hammer ... I'll leave it at that".
Cr Reilly said the wording was harsh, but "it needs to be".
"We have been talking about this for 18 months with no resolution ... all we have had is a series of insulting innuendo from the board."
Kiama Tourism chairman Brian Longbottom said Kiama Tourism had agreed to sign the memorandum on Wednesday night.
He said the rhetoric from some councillors was uncalled for.
The delay in signing the memorandum came down to wording, Mr Longbottom said.
He said criticism directed at his board about members meeting the council was "pretty ordinary".
"We are all volunteers on the board and all work and have businesses ... the meeting in January was obviously during a busy period for everyone," he said.
Mr Longbottom said with the memorandum now in place both organisations would work together. How well they worked together would be for others to judge.
"I hope all this silly stuff gets left behind - time will tell," he said.
Mr Longbottom said Kiama Tourism was "going OK" without the council funds.
"We previously employed a tourism manager, now the council employs a tourism person, so funds we were previously paying they are now paying," he said.
aarnold@fairfaxmedia.com.au
