We used to have an Arena Management Board. A Town Planning BOard. A Recreation Commission.
The Library Board was made up of trustees appointed by the public and separate school Boards of Education.
There was always friction between Council and the various boards. The town had to collect taxes to fund the operations. They had no say in decisions they made but they had to answer for them anyway.
When the Region was created in 1971,except for the Library Board, most boards and commissions were wiped out.
Local Boards of Education had been amalgamated two years before.
It took a few more years for trustees to the library board to be wholly appointed by Council and the budget approved by Council.
The government gave municipalities the option of continuing to appoint arena management boards. We didn't.
A town Leisure Services department has been managing facilities ever since and facilities have grown in number.
Until Church Street school renovations were complete, the town never created another board.
We have had it now long enough to re-discover why a separate board managing a town facility does not serve the community's interest.
So why are so many people content to re-write an agreement which has since its inception,been the source of so many problems?
Why, when a town department, under the authority of Council,has been doing a competent job of meeting community needs for so many years,is the model no longer the norm?
I know why it was set up like that in the last term.
The question is, why does this council, two thirds a replacement for the last,continue to support a concept that has proven to be a disaster from every aspect?
Maybe to-night we will discover the truth of the matter.
Very discouraged by last night's meeting.
ReplyDeleteI 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.