A Battle Lost

 Not the only.one. The  ten year  rental of a  relatively new industrial building for $139,000. which had to be vacated by the parks department, which badly needed the space, was a battle I lost.

It could have been sold to realise the  asset of several million dollars to add to the hydro reserve.  Since  construction,it  had  accommodated twenty seven- employees and could have done so again.

Sold into the private sector,assessment revenue would have been upwards of $100.000 a year.

Power Stream  agreed to rent it for a year after they  bought our hydro corpooration. Then they  did a moonlight flit with a month's  notice .Because they were not required  to sign a lease, they were able to skip without penalty. 

The building became vacant prior to the 2006 election. Mayoralty candidate Nigel Kean immediately proposed it be used as a teen centre. Mayoralty candidate Tim Jones agreed..

I believed  it should be sold immediately. We had just lost twenty-seven jobs in the community. The property was several acres in size and set up perfectly for a move-in operation.  Instead it became a pingpong ball during the election which was won by neither candidate.  But  between them  they got  two thousand more votes than the one who did.

For four years after, no decision was made about disposition of the building. It was added to an  inventory of buildings, excess to our needs, of under-utilised space , in need of hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs  and  occupying  land of tremendous value.

Then in 2010, again prior to an election, an announcement was made about successful lease negotiation with the Department of National Defence. The Mayor announced "The Kiddies" would now have a place to be.

At or after the election, the announcement was made the lease had been signed by the Minister of National Defence.

Weeks went by. No sign of life in the building. A couple of hundred thousand  tax dollars were spent on "repairs" and installation of a sprinkler system.That pretty well wiped out the first year and a half  of rent.

No recommendation for the spending ,no authority given and no indication which budget was  charged with the expenditure.

A new council took over. Still no signs of occupation. In March during budget discussion,I asked where  the rental revenue would show up. We were informed there had been no rent  until February.

An item appeared in  2011 Capital budget of $200,000 for repairs and upkeep to the building. Because as landlords we are responsible.

Rent $139,000. Upkeep $200,000. Instead of millions in the bank and upwards of $100,000 in tax revenue and twenty seven jobs. The deal looked less attractive by the minute.

Terms of the lease were discovered  to be a matter of national security. Council could not have access.

Word went around, the agreement had been amended by the former Mayor after the election and her removal from office.

All town contracts must be signed by the Mayor and the Clerk. An amendment by one party would not have the force of law.

Several weeks ago, I requested the CAO provide a chronology of dates of signatures  relating to  the lease. The information was to be forthcoming. 

It has not.

On Tuesday , the commanding officer of Queen's York Rangers came to council during public forum and provided an update of circumstances. He brought greetings from the Rangers. Expressed sincere appreciation to Council for town support of the regiment and   especially for  members serving abroad.

He said they had not moved into "the armories" because of how long it takes to get permission from National Department of Public Works for changes to the building. Finally he noted the Armories at the corner of Mosely Park would soon be vacated and expressed confidence Larmont Street residents would no doubt be glad when that happened.

As noted above,I have asked for a chronology of signing dates related to  the ten year lease of a town property to the Department of National Defense. The information  has still  not been provided.

I guess when explanations might be difficult, it's a good thing to create a climate to make it palatable or not needed at all.

Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

It's the death of trust.

On Saturday night , I watched Michael Moore, the American film-maker and activist on CNN .  He is spokesperson for the Occupy movement in California.

Indicating  people behind him, he stated ; "we have all participated in the system. We have helped candidates get elected. Only to find they are no better than the ones they defeated. They are all   employees of capitalism"

"We are not doing that any more" he said.  "We have started our own movement"

On Sunday, I watched  Noam Chomsky an American Professor of Linguistics present a lecture  to the University of Toronto at Hart House, in April this year..

He  expounded  how  conservative governments, Democrats  not far behind Republicans, manipulate to  create consequences to serve their  capitalist agendas.Namely,privatization of public services and assets.

I never would have thought, I would have to deal with anything like that  in the Town of Aurora.