We Should Just Say NO and Do It Ourselves.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Another Airy-Fairy Notion":

What percent of the current budget is already being pissed away every year on Public Art at the ACC? Oh, I forgot. Public Art is for the public , and the ACC is priced well above the average family's abilities.

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With current assessment  1% of the tax rate is $325,000. give or take a hundred..

Funds to be transferred to the Culture Centre Board this year are $356,000 ,give or take a penny. Last year it was $347,000,the year before $343,000.

So, the second year the figure,increased by 3% was $4,000 higher.

This  year.increased by the same 3%., the figure  is $9,000.higher.

Rent for the hydro building is $131,000 a year. If  we took in location and class , $150,000  rent for the school would be  minimum.

Add Rent to cash  and that  figure is $506,000.

The first year, maintenance and utilities were $143,000. With an increase for wages, supplies and utilities, It would not be out of line to increase that item to $150,000.

Total  cost would be $656.000.

Based on assessment, that would be 2 full percentage points on the tax rate.Or off it, if the appalling agreement  was terminated.

We do not argue the building would operate without costs. Staff would be required.  Maintenance would be necessary. A reserve for ongoing improvements would be wise.

The difference would be ,under town management, there would be the imperative to treat the building's users equitably on the same basis of other town facilities.

There would be revenue .The bottom line would be open and accountable for all to see.

The building would not be a burden on taxpayers.

We would not see ourselves as a philanthropic organisation  on the backs of taxpayers, responsible for nurturing  every would- be   artists in Ontario and  obliged to cultivate a taste for art among all and sundry.

We would be offering the opportunity to improve  the lives of people in the community, just like the opportunity to enjoy sports

Those with  artistic inclination would  pay their share of indulging it, as they already have in providing the building.

Staff would be accountable  to town management, who in turn would be accountable to Council  who in turn are accountable  to the people who elected them and those who didn't.

AND.... we would have our state of the art museum up and running  and growing, in a style we never  have  seen  before.

It's all very simple really.

I jut thought of something. When I asked the Chairman why they decided to exclude the museum, he said.

"The board did not make the decision. It was in the Strategic Plan."

I immediately refused to accept that explanation.

Suppose it was true and the board did not make the decision.

What Strategic Plan was being referred to? There is only one. It is the town's strategic plan.

Who would have advised the  newly appointed board about the Town's Strategic Plan.?

That would have had to been an official from the town.

Remember how often I have spoken about the Mayor's shifty-eyed response to my question, when is the museum going to be up and running?  She referred the question the the Director of Finance to answer.

He did not.

All this time, I have held the  board responsible.

Now it seems, we  may have been sitting at a table with people who knew a different answer.!!!!!