Three Questions And Answers

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Draft Agreement is On Hand":

How do you arrive at that million dollar cost? You usually quote a half million, but isn't the actual tab in the $300 thousand range?

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Draft Agreement is On Hand":

"The one we had was not acceptable to the majority of Council and the community."

The community? I don't recall any poll or vote involving all the residents seeking a majority of opinion.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Draft Agreement is On Hand":

And just how is His Mayorship doing with that promise to have streaming by early fall? We had hail today - time's running out on his assertion. I keep hearing and reading about the need to involve Aurorans. Could we just do this one little thing? I still have a bet that the cheque for the ' trial run ' has been cashed. Tuesday is also a Presidential Debate. Attention is not just waiting for Council to collect. If there is a conflict, we should be able to get both. Please.
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First; The  annual grant started at  $340,000.
The agreement called for the town to match any donations received by the Culture Centre Board
A donation was made by,  I want to say the Toronto Dominion Bank but I'm not sure they were still under  that name. 
The town matched it.
Maintenance of the facility was $147,000. the first year. 
Allocation for renovating and furnishing the facility for a museum still had $261,000 remaining in the budget.  It was intended for display cases. The Board got that. 
No  rent  was charged for the building. No reserve fund created to provide for ongoing structure maintenance. 
That first year, funds and space provided for the board's use was certainly in the million dollar range. 
$261,000 was not repeated. Nor matching funds for a $50,000 donation.
Still the grant was increased by 3%. to $347,000.
Donations  received by the Centre were $12,000 one year and $15,000 another. Both would be matched by the town according  to the terms of the agreement.
Maintenance of the building would  rise by  increases in the union  contract;  probably 2,5 %. No doubt supplies  saw an equal increase. 
Rent was still; not charged.
Still no  fund  was created to pay for potential repairs. 
Exhibitions and displays were advertised as free .
Had there been return on capital investment in the building calculated , no doubt the annual  cost to the town was  close  if not over  a million. 
 $2.5 million was taken from the Hydro fund . Interest  as  return on capital  is the least that could be charged as cost of occupation. 
Had I known of  plans  to steal the building out from under  the museum,  and spend a million dollars a year on a contract to  purchase  art and culture services, there would certainly have been no support from this Councillor to rob the Hydro Asset Fund for that purpose.
Damn Right the contract needs to be tossed.
Despite all resources on the payroll to ensure the community's interest was served. 
The community's interest was betrayed. .
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Second; The majority of  Council  has indicated dis-satisfaction with  the contract  and direction has been given to change it. .
I believe  it should be tossed.
It's reasonable therefore  to take that to mean strong sentiment within the community.
Representative of  both  parties have worked  together for  six months to come up with a draft  new agreement. 
It  can be acknowledged  the intent is to change the agreement to better serve the community's interest.
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Third: The pilot study for streaming meetings  is for six months. That's what we are paying for.
Whatever date it starts, I hope will be Tuesday. it will be six months from then when it ends.
The leaves are still on my maple tree. 
I am in no hurry to herald the winter.