Mayor Dawe has given me permission to publish an e-mail that answers questions asked on this blog
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Dear ... ... ......
I see that both Councillor Able & Pirri have responded to your email, so I will not duplicate what they have already said.
However, I do wish to point out one very significant (so I believe) fact, and that is to do with my attendance at the Cultural Centre Board meetings.
You are correct - I do have a standing invitation to attend these meetings, and I do attend them (with the exception of the last one due to a last minute conflict).
Unfortunately, the assumption that I attend therefore that should be sufficient to satisfy the needs of Council is incorrect. The invitation from the President of the Board clearly stated that "discussions at our meetings are confidential" and "you will not have voting privileges" In other words, I have no input on any decision at the Board and further, I am precluded from reporting back to Council on what happened at the Board meeting.
Indeed, when this invitation came to me I spoke with our Town Solicitor, and his advice was not to accept, as he felt that my attendance at the meeting would give the defacto appearance that I was supporting the Board and their actions. Obviously, he has just been proven correct. However, I made the decision that I would attend, because I felt it was important to start the communication. Further, I would like to point out that this invitation came 6 months after I initiated discussions.
My goal has been to negotiate and it still is. However, negotiation requires at least 2 willing partners.
I hope this helps explain some of your concerns. But, if not, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Best regards,
Geoff
Then he has to look carefully at conflict of interest as does Ballard who is in Public Relations and a former member of the board of directors. I have no idea how their votes would go but there is clear indication of conflict which is all that is required to make one leave the discussion and not vote.I believe the correct term is an 'appearance' of conflict..
ReplyDeleteWhat galls is the President of the Board defining the terms including reporting back to Council. The President was not elected by Auroran taxpayers. The Mayor was. He reports to us - he does not take orders from an unelected individual from a non-contributing group. The time for negotiation has passed and it appears the Mayor and the President have allowed that to happen.
OMG If Dawe has read the Mar report,there is nothing to negotiate. What was the man thinking?
ReplyDeleteFrom Mayor Dawe's website:
ReplyDelete"Aurora is a community with a rich cultural heritage and a strong history of support for the arts. We are a community that actively promotes artistic endeavour, and the Aurora Cultural Centre is an ideal venue to showcase these vibrant works of art for everyone to enjoy."
I have a question. Apart from the capital upkeep of the facilities they use, do Minor Hockey, or Aurora Baseball, or Aurora Soccer, or the Aurora Theater actually receive any payments from the town to deliver the services that they do? Like, do we write them a check every year for 100s of thousands of dollars? I don't think that we do, but I would like to be sure, and do understand just how much of an outlier this Cultural Centre deal is.
ReplyDeleteUgh! What an ugly scenario! Let's hope it isn't beyond redemption and that Warren Mar can put the pieces back together. First, cancel that damn contract and then take all the time needed to weed out problems on the Board and staff - should have been done long ago. Remember all the while just who was elected and who owns the building.
ReplyDelete8:37 AM
ReplyDelete" good faith " ? You mean secret meetings, no financial statements, threats against councillors, furious attacks on the Town Solicitor. hand-outs to 'friends', honoraria, $300 events for taxpayers, $1.00 a year rental, thousands of unaccounted dollars ? Surely you jest.
I have read through the growing pile of information very carefully and one point jumps out. Mayor Dawe and the CAO were attending Board meetings of the Cultural Centre and involved in negotiations that they were TOLD not to report to Council. We have no idea for long this situation persisted but it was time when the Center stalled all real intentions to change anything about their operations. Ergo, they were encouraged enough to mount this e-mail driven assault on the elected members of Aurora's Council.
ReplyDeleteLast time I looked, that Board was being very secretive about finances, activities, plans, just about everything while blowing steam and anger at anyone who questioned a single thing about their operations. Perhaps, when this blows over, we could hear what in blazes Dawe and Garbe thought they were doing.I do love a good mystery.
Another public relations gaffe from the Culture Center. If, as a growing number believe, Ballard is advising them, he should have made sure the connection with Dawe/Garbe was kept out. Landing them in the proverbial has done nothing to improve matters. People are so ticked off that those who actually voted the Council into office may sit Tuesday evening's meeting out at home. Who wants to see Ballard vote when he has a clear conflict ?
ReplyDeleteDear Mayor Dawe,
ReplyDeleteWhat part of 'no' is it that you do not understand?