A hesitant step forward has been taken. Council has made a decision of sorts. It could evolve into a facility as identified as a need in the Recreation Master Plan approved in 2003 and as a priority in the budget of 2007. It may even be available for the entire Ball season of 2011A.D.
Financing has always been available without being a burden on property taxes.
Contortion and distortion have jointly been the substance of debate.
In 2007 budget, $2million for land purchase suitable to accommodate a baseball field was removed by this council. .
She who must be obeyed said " we should keep the money in the bank and let it earn interest?"
The funds derive from growth which drive the need. Using the money to make money is misappropriation.
In the 2008 budget, the funds were again removed. Desperate need was denied once more.
She said; " Why should we buy land when we have land available?"
We did not. The land referred to had no planning designation.It could not be used.
On budget night April 2008, AMBA delegated to council.Urgent need was suddenly discovered and acknowledged.
The Director was directed to retain a consultant($40k) to design a facility for the undesignated raw land and include the item in the budget of 2009.
In March 2009 , financial estimates for design and various works to build a baseball facility within the newly designated lands was finally on the table for discussion. The item had been listed in the budget since September 2008..
The Director was subjected to lengthy hostile interrogation from She. The impression was created that suggested cost of the facility had escalated to three times the original estimate.
The facts were deliberately distorted.
March 24th 2009 the approved budget included $1.6million for facility and the community park where it would be situated.
Still no approval of the project.
Chief Administrative Officer, Neil Garbe was directed to review all relevant documentation and make a recommendation.
May 26th C.A.O. reported with options and new estimates
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Approval was given for specifications to be prepared for the ball diamond alone. Not the work on the remaining land for sports needs in the immediate future.
Heavy duty equipment will be brought to the land to grade and service a site sufficient for a diamond. At a later date and duplicate cost, it will all be brought back to grade the rest of the property and remove a mound of soil currently being stored on the site. The work will be neccessary to prepare the land for additional sports fields.
In the meantime, numbers have not been refined. Figures are not hard and fast.
Approval has been given to prepare specifications and call for bids for a fraction of the work required on this land. A contract is unlikely to be awarded before mid July. .
On that schedule, expectation for completion is 2010A.D. In the eighth year from the need first being identified in the Master Recreation Plan. Four years from being tagged as first priority to fullfil the community's need.
May 2009: a false statement re-iterated by the Mayor that Council was unaware of the urgency of the need until April 2008 when input was received from AMBA.
As shown in the chronicle above that statement is not supported by the facts.
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Evelyn
ReplyDeleteYou wrote "Heavy duty equipment will be brought to the land to grade a site sufficient for a diamond. At a later date and duplicate cost, it will all be brought back to grade the rest of the property and remove a mound of soil currently being stored on the site. The work will be neccessary to prepare the land for additional sports fields."
You would think self professed tax fighter and protector of our wallets Al Wilson would have clued in to this excellent point. Wishful thinking I guess as this political lightweight takes his marching orders from an equally inept Mayor. Wendy Gaertner you ask, didn't they make a movie about her....Clueless. Steven Granger, he'll only tell us the issue is too complicated for the poor intellectually challenged taxpayer.Love his speeches in council though as they seem like endless drones of Blah,Blah,Blah.Lets me read the mail while waiting for the next speaker.McRoberts...snooze, snooze into retirement or suffering the after effects of drinking Lake Ontario water he faught so valiantly to prevent from coming to Aurora. The only victim of its horror movie like effects. McEachern ... she knows whats best for us so lets pay twice.Besides if she doesn't get her way will sulk and scowl at everyone. Who wants that.
To the taxpayers, I say remember these follies. They have become any increasingly embarassing nightmare.
OOH. My head hurts from the whiplash of all that spin.
ReplyDeleteWhat worries me is that they based the purchase of the construction on an estimate that was the lowest of two estimates for such construction. It was about 20% less than the original estimate, if I recall the figures I saw at the meeting.
ReplyDeleteThe amount they've budgeted seemed pretty much bare-bones, with the exception of the batting cages. What if the tender process turns up no bidders who can build the darned thing within budgeted amounts? Will the whole mess have to go back to Council for further review?
Also, it strikes me that the amount budgeted (something just less than $900K if you include the possible contingency fund) is less than the amount that was actually available ($1.6M)through the March 24 budget.
What will happen to the other $700K? It is from development charges, right? Will it have to be refunded?
That might turn out to be the surprise in all of this mess!