Contretemps

Small things occur that indicate  remnants of gang mentality  survive still.
Last week, the solicitor sought an opportunity to advise in closed session on a previously discussed issue/ Gallo. Gaertner and Ballard  decided the issue should not be  behind closed doors.
They stayed out and waited for council to report out.
Their plans were never discovered.
 Council returned and waived solicitor/client privilege and spilled the beans. 
To cut a long story short: first reaction to the problem with the agreement with the Culture Board was to have Council representation on the board. Time went by and the full complexity of the agreement was revealed. Disadvantages of the plan became apparent. 
I speak for myself now and my understanding of the difficulty. 
Articles of incorporation  detach  this board from the authority of Council.
The theory was to remove the board from political interference which  would, in theory, prevent the operation from becoming financially self-sufficient.
Politicians are inclined to give away services to peole with voting clout, or not charge enough to cover costs of operation.
Politicians  love to be loved. 
You have to acknowledge the irony.
Anyway, a potential problem with  Councillors on this  board is, a Councillor  cannot serve two masters.
Since the board receives  funding,  ad infinitum,  from the Town, and are not legally  accountable to the town , a Councillor serving on the board  might find him/herself in a conflict in a Council meeting. A solicitor might have to be consulted at the Councillor's expense or a conflict of interest  declared and be unable to participate in board-related  business.
An option would be for two  councillors to be appointed to attend board meetings to observe  but not  participate.
Y'all know I have not agreed with the agreement since it was created. I didn't even know then the agreement  had been written by the former Mayor.
I do not believe the instrument  is redeemable.
Difficulties in negotiations are no surprise.
Apart from the amazing arrogance displayed by the current  Board, to my mind, there is only one solution to the problem.The Town must withhold funding ,take back Church Street School and start afresh.
The library board is not the same. Town funding  provides  library service.The board decides how  funding is used. 
The entire Board  is  appointed by Council ; three  are council members.The town is  accountable for service and cost of same.
Another irony comes to mind.Every year of the last term the library  budget was challenged. In the last year, Councillor Wilson and Rebecca Beaton were appointed to the board, no doubt  to bring the board  to heel
In the last board meeting of the term, the gang of five filed in, one by one. Purpose of the invasion was never discovered..
Even this year, Councillor Gaertner voted against the town's budget because the library board did not  reduce theirs
The same group  within Council, Gaertner Gallo and Ballard ,are bound and determined ,extravagant support to a board with no accountability whatsoever  is justufied.