Staff are hoping Councillors will come prepared with items they would like to discuss ,plus a determination one way or another of what will be included and what not in the 2011 budget.
I have a clear idea of what I want out. Yet I am aware of all kinds of private meetings going on between organisations, directors and Council members which are no doubt having an influence.
It's the only reason to account for the change of direction after an initial spurious demand for $5K hand-out for the Jazz Festival. Questions at the table pointed to a hard sell. .It looked like the hand-out was not going to be handed out.
Then , another meeting, same delegation and same half-assed justification, despite contrary staff recommendation , all of a sudden,without warning, there it was; a resolution to hand over $5K hard earned tax dollars to a cause without merit with every reason to be denied.
Something happened behind the scenes to change the direction. Whatever else it was, it was neither open nor transparent.
Management Board of the Culture Centre is seeking an opportunity to meet with council to provide a tour of the facility and no doubt make their pitch for continuance of funding.Why not? $134K
maintenance , use of a multi-million dollar facility and $340K budget plus 3% interest at stake to provide high-minded culture and entertainment to the masses.
The Historical Society is seeking the same deal as the Culture Centre board . A budget to follow through with their plans and aspirations. Why should heritage awareness be less important than culture for the masses? Why not indeed?
I suspect a Faustian deal made to withdraw commitment to the museum in exchange for a budget from tax levies to pursue a different objective. All done out of the public eye, of course with the Master of Management Mormac Administration.
Sport Aurora has come twice to council in recent weeks to support using D.C. funds to purchase lands far in excess of realistic needs or ability to manage and a consultant study at considerable expense for a youth needs.analysis over and above all the sports and recreation facilities and programs already provided during this year of anticipating a devastating tax increase which we might be able to blame on unavoidable circumstances like the failure to tax people enough in recent years.
I kid you not. The statement has been made publicly.
While regular reference is made to the town's soon-to-be built out status; no more than fifteen thousand new residents are anticipated, yet Council is asked to approve $98K for a consultants to plan and design space for an $8million dollar public works and parks facility.We already have substantial facilities but they need to be bigger, 8 million dollars worth bigger for fifteen thousand people. So we need a $98K study which will not place a stone upon a stone towards that end.
The building department wants many thousands for a consultant to provide a customer service strategy. It has apparently escaped customers attention that we do not have a strategy. I would have heard about it otherwise.
This is after approving a re-organisation study the cost of which escapes me , of the administration and adding bodies for implementation of same with apparent objective of greater efficiency.
Which, as a person charged with responsibility for oversight, I have not yet sighted.
I leave you now with the objective of poring over figures looking for places to cut . Mindful of the realisation that on Monday night , I may once more very well be spitting into the wind and certain at least three Councillors, Gaertner, Gallo and Ballard will remain with feet securely cemented in the rut of past passage.
I hate to say it and I am completely astounded that it has come to this but I don’t think our new Mayor is listening to the right people, I don’t want to cast blame on him for not digging deeper but I really think it’s time he stopped listening to the Town Hall dreamers and start acting on what this community overwhelmingly asked for "CHANGE" Fiscal responsibility has not and will never be, first and foremost with the bureaucrats , but you politicians must see to it that the money isn’t getting pissed away as it was the last four years. Certainly you cant be the only one who sees this
ReplyDeleteMaybe the strings of our new Mayor are attached to an old Mayor.
ReplyDeleteWe need to keep up with the "Jones".
Sorry, I have to disagree with B.S. Budget.
ReplyDeleteThe Town has been negligent on putting away captital to fund future projects.
In the meantime, the use of many resources in the Town has increased to the point where staff have gone beyond "finding efficiences" and have moved to "stretched".
Based on current service levels, we Aurorans should expect tax increases.
The idea that we can increase our budget to include new items that are being funded on whimsy rather than on good policy or prior planning is a problem.
As I see it, at very best, Aurorans should expect a hefty tax increased based on the services that Aurorans use and expect to get.
At worst, the tax increase will include things you never knew you wanted.
Unless you tell your Councillors.
Tax increases are assured, not just because of service levels, the fire service item itself locked that in.
ReplyDeleteWhimsy was in abundance at the Feb 14th meeting that I attended with several groups rushing to the troughs. They weren't rushing to keep up with the Jones but to expect what they received over the past 4 years.
The way I see it, none of these groups are entitled to our tax money. The town has to pay itself first, and there seems to be little money available to do even that.
I will be attending tonight to tell my councilors via a presentation that.
Will either B.S. or Elizabeth?
Sorry I have to disagree with Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteI don’t recall stating that I opposed a tax increase , What I do oppose is the blatant waste and meaningless nonsense with no value to the community , things like millions to renovate the Town Hall and rebuild it to hold more administrators, millions more to build a new public works centre when we have a perfectly good asset in the Hydro property ,yet gave it away to the army for a few war games ,but not before spending more money to fix it up for them , 100s of thousands for customer services without the slightest notion as to whether or not there is a need for it ,$500,000 a year to a Culture Club with no accountability and I’m sure there s more Elizabeth , Perhaps the good Councilor Buck can post a list on this blog for all to see, Putting funds away for capital works is not at issue. provided the works are actually needed, so far we have yet to see the need, Councilor Buck is correct ,this is a time for caution and for new Councilors to learn what actually happened over the past four years, What’s the rush ???
"I will be attending tonight to tell my councilors via a presentation that."
ReplyDeleteYou mean to tell me you're bringing your ideas to council the night it's scheduled to vote on the budget?
There have already been several public meetings.
Someone close the barn door.
To anonymous 7 March, 2011 8:59 PM
ReplyDeleteYou obviously do not understand the budget process and the request made for public input.
I followed the instructions and received a delegation status after checking to see if it was appropriate with staff. It was.
It is unfortunate you don't feel the same way, closing barn doors seems like a difficult way to achieve openness, but you are entitled to your opinion which I guess differs from the Gaertner & Ballard protest that changes to the procedural bylaw are undermining our democracy.
A call was made for public input. It was well received, and I expect the same opportunity to be available next year.
Perhaps you yourself would consider departing some of your abundant wealth of knowledge. Of course it would require you to stop from shoveling muck and leave the barn. Perhaps that is too much to ask of you, and why you chose to remain anonymous.