At times it seems I am losing whatever basic skills I have acquired. This post is a follow- on to the previous post. The post below filled the window and I couldn't move down further with the rest of what I had to say.
Council directed the solicitor a few weeks ago to review the Culture Centre Agreement, its pros and cons, and report back on how it serves the community's interest.
The Mayor had a bit of a problem with that. Said he was aware of the solicitor's heavy workload.
The solicitor said he understood the request and would be able to report in a month.
It happened in a public meeting so I am not telling tales out of school.
We haven't heard yet
I think it's a piss poor agreement. Subject to all kinds of interpretation. It should be an embarrassment to all.
The Historical Society's former curator informed me, the reason given for no space provided for a museum was because a museum doesn't bring in any revenue.
We regularly see events such as sing-alongs promoted admission free. Held on week-day afternoons, they were previously entertainment for the seniors in their own facility, designed for such events.
So ...what's up with that.
Seniors pay membership to belong to the club. The greater part of the fee is paid to the town.The service to seniors is not free.
In return, the town provides a beautiful facility plus maintenance and staff on hand to program events.
When events such as sing-alongs are held, the group providing the entertainment are compensated. Naturally. Seniors pay an admission fee to cover the cost. Seniors have an executive who manage the business affairs of the club.
At the Church Street School, the entertainment is free while costs are absorbed.
I don't know if that's why events,once held at the seniors' centre, are now held at the Church Street School.
Obviously, if sing-alongs were not being held at the school, nothing else would be at the time. Equally obvious, if they are not being held at the Seniors centre ,that facility is not being used for the purpose intended. And, if the expense of a sing-along is not met by revenue from admissions, it's met by funds provided by the town from tax revenues.
How does that represent sound financial management of town affairs?
I don't need a solicitor to advise the community's interest is not served by maintaining an agreement for a further three years with an expenditure of one and a half million dollars funded by the town's hard-pressed residential and business taxpayers with no accountability whatsoever.
I will move the item be removed from the town's budget. I will not vote to continue funnelling more than half a million dollars of tax revenues a year and free space to an organisation with no responsibility or accountability to the taxpayer.
Piss poor agreement or not.
Watch out for the resident Town Hall fox. He has
ReplyDeletemarked that agreement as his own.
I recall seeing a scotch tasting even that was far from free. In the $100 range per person.
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