Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Who Will Buy ?":
Very discouraged by last night's meeting.
I thought that Mayor Dawe may have had his worst night yet. His comment about your Grandson's team replacing the leafs was NOT funny, but rather it was patronizing, demeaning and dismissive. I am sure he would say that he did not intend it to be so, but it was. His quip about stopping beating his wife was pathetic - "oh poor me, everyone's picking on me, how can I defend myself against these accusations". The guy is out of his depth.
I fail to see what leverage council thinks that the board has in these negotiations. In fact, I don't understand how they have a position from which to "negotiate" at all? It is OUR building! We don't NEED them. And that is NOT an indictment against Arts programming. IF we chose to allow them to manage the place, it should be ENTIRELY on our terms.
This whole thing is getting surreal. Completely disappointed by Abel, Thomson and Humfryes last night. At least Ballard is consistent.
***********
Councillor Ballard's comments were to the point. They didn't go far enough.
The entire concept of "negotiations" between the town and the board borders on the ridiculous.
Council has made it clear, if the talks do not achieve the town's objectives, the agreement will be terminated. Promptly.
Council has the authority and the responsibility.
How can there be negotiations in these circumstances'
The board has no footing..They do not own the building, They pay no rent. They have no investment to speak of..
The agreement is not sustainable. It does not reflect the interest of the town in any way. It cannot be allowed to stand.
Councillor Ballard, Gaertner and Gallo have indicated support for the current agreement.
A regular progress report is to be submitted to Council. The process is expected to take a year.
Each time progress is reported, coercion will be asserted. And rightfully so.
The entire exercise can be nothing but a time-consuming farce with everyone involved losing credibility in the process.
Last night's endless circuitous debate on the first report presented is but a foreword of what is to come.
In defence of the direction taken and accomplishment achieved, the Mayor stakes the high ground . There is a claim to professional
excellence.
A media release this morning by the Chairman of the Board is in accord with high level progress achieved.
I think in its entirety, its just colossal effrontery .
I am further assured that's how it will be seen by the common sense masses, whose feet rest securely on the ground. .
Absolutely disgustipating, the whole damn meeting!
ReplyDeleteThe Treaty of Versailles that followed World War I was an attempt at reconciling tremendous differences and obstacles. It dragged on for six months and in the end its main accomplishment was World War II that began 20 years later.
ReplyDeleteLast night's discussion/debate concerning the Culture Centre reminded me of Versailles. The participants got sillier the more tired they became and in the end absolutely nothing constructive was accomplished.
Council should take the existing agreement and amend it to include the several points raised by the Town Solicitor in his December, 2011, report and go from there on a joint monitoring basis with the Culture Centre Board. NOTHING IS BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM THE CENTRE.
By the way, how did the Centre come to accumulate $200,000, a figure mentioned recently?
For every major identifiable function, it should be possible for the Centre's management to calculate a simple form of "profit centre", tabulating direct costs, including staff time, and direct revenue, i.e. paid admission, advertising sales, so that management can come to a better grip on how costs and revenues can be balanced and directed to future activity that might eventually lead to a reduced cost to the town and potential/partial self-sustainability.
The way things were left last night, only chaos will follow.
Disgustipating?! That must describe the taste of 'sour grapes'.
ReplyDeleteCan't blame this disaster on a hostile crowd. The on-voters were not in attendance. The voters are very much involved. This is about the same time into a mandate when residents took notice of the last Council's behaviour. One again we are faced with a vote of 6-3. Whatever did Aurora do to deserve a repeat?
ReplyDelete"Last night's discussion/debate concerning the Culture Centre reminded me of Versailles."
ReplyDeleteI see that you have a keen sense of perspective.
I do not want to rain on an already soggy parade, but did anyone hear the word ' museum ' mentioned?
ReplyDelete" Accomplishment achieved " What accomplishment? How long can an individual pound his/her head into a wall without realizing it accomplishes nothing? More than a year and zip.
ReplyDeleteHaul out your dictionary, Capitulation is not listed as an alternative to negotiation. You are falling into Ballard's war terms and they simply do not apply here.
ReplyDeleteAnd a keen sense of many other things as well.
ReplyDelete"peace for our time".... Neville Chamberlain, Sept 30, 1938
ReplyDeleteA gentle reminder of the past.
Is the Aurora Cultural Centre debate still raging?
ReplyDeletewow.
Whichever 'anonymous' who posted that there is is in fact no need for negotiation since the Town holds all the cards is right on the money.
The ACC boosters also know that that's why they're doing what all special groups in Aurora do - shift the argument.
Now it's "who likes the ACC and who doesn't?" which in turn means "who likes Aurora and who doesn't?"
It's all completely juvenile of course but it worked for the Jazz Festival and it'll likely work for the ACC as councillors scramble to make sure they're seen to be on the "right" side of the issue.
The fact that this is all supposed to be about council's responsibility to the taxpayer will get lost in the wind.
Over $500,000 of cash and perks annually?
No reporting back to council other than vague testimonials about how wonderful everything is?
Puhleeeeese.
C'mon council - grow a pair and rip this deal up and start again.
If the private club, er, I mean ACC, doesn't like it they can pick up their toys and find themselves another sandbox to play in.
Aurora will survive without expensive scotch tastings and we'll have a building that can be used for town events, a museum or, better yet - sold for revenue.
6:00 PM
ReplyDeleteYes, Aurora holds all the cards but is fully prepared to lose the pot because it lacks the courage to deny the bullies. In the end they will really require some courage as this thing look like heading for the courts. Can you imagine some Judge looking down his/her nose and asking, " You gave them the building and funding for ever?"
Seriously, it is not going to fly.