Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "MUM'S THE
WORD":
Aren't there hundreds and perhaps more examples of this at
all three levels of government, some provincial owned parks are operated non
government agencies, the fed are looking for private operations of the
experimental lakes, cultural operations in Toronto run by boards , what about
LHN's , The Rouge Park has been run by a board for the last 15 years and the
list is exhaustive -- it's a common model , the gov't owns and funds the
facility, land or whatever and has contract with a un paid board of directors to
provide governance of the operations. The old model of the government owning and
operating everything is decades old and not as efficient . Maybe the town should
run the music festival, the rib fest, the street sale the santa clause parade
and the 150 anniversary -- you would probably only have to hire another 20 or so
more staff
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The writer is correct. There are umpteen examples of boards governing the provision of various service.
With good reason for the process.
Financial self-sufficiency is deemed to be a worthwhile goal.
Removing decisions necessary for financial self-sufficiency from the political arena is deemed sensible.
Politicians are notorious for putting political expediency first.
The original recommendation was for creation of a board to meet those objectives.
To prevent the facility from becoming a sink hole for public funds.
But that was not the contract signed.
The contract calls for operating funds with built-in annual increases. No consideration as provided for eventual self-sufficiency.
The new contract makes no change in that respect.
The new contract creates an institution along the financial model of a library board.
Culture has become an entitlement. Taxpayers carry the burden without as much as a BY-YOUR-LEAVE.
The town does run the Santa Clause Parade and the Rib Festival.
The Chamber of Commerce runs the Street Sale.
The Sesqui-Centennial Celebration has been planned by an Ad Hoc Committee appointed by the town and funded from the treasury.
According to the new agreement., the town will be financially responsible for the Museum operation.
Funds provided to the Culture Centre Board are paying staff salaries.
You are not correct about increased cost to the taxpayer for operating the facility ourselves.
We are already paying all the costs.
And making none of the decisions .
We don't even know who is.
"We are already paying all the costs.
ReplyDeleteAnd making none of the decisions ."
What exactly are the decisions you want to make? Is it not the role of a Board to make decisions in running the place?
All this talk about the Centre and how it's out of control, I still don't know what The Town wants to do with it. If The Town knew what it wanted, why did it not put that into the agreement?
"You are not correct about increased cost to the taxpayer for operating the facility ourselves."
ReplyDeleteAsk the Parks & Rec Director for his thoughts on this.