I have in my hand he 2012 Annul Repoirt of the Aurora Cultural Centre.
I have read the audited statement at Dec 31 2012 and alongside it the unaudited statement up to June 30th 2013.
Italics in the previous sentence mean nothing. I don't know how they got there so I don't know how to remove them. I pressed everything saw. Put it in save . Checked comments .Came back to start again.
Italics are still there.
It's kind of like reading an audited statement. I would not ordinarily depend on my own reading .
For understanding I would lean on clarification or confirmation from professional advice.
There is information in the document however I can rely upon and pass along.
As an elected representative, responsible for the interest of the taxpayers, the nature of analysis must be a critique.
It's easy to criticize Unless there is a valid point to be made ,it's not useful.
Cash flow from the town to the Centre last year was $370,000.
The pie chart shows town grant representing 61.9% of revenue.
Programs produced 21.8%. in revenue.
Donations and fundraising produced 6 %
Grants ( other) 10.3 %
Revenue is shown as $576,612.
Expenditures are shown at $597,789.
Elsewhere in the report, volunteer hours contributed are noted and the statement made the Centre
could not provide the service without the unpaid assistance of volunteers.
No reference is made to the value of the one dollar a year for rent.
Nor the $140,000 plus cost of maintenance and utilities.
17,500 square feet of space recently renovated at a cost in excess of $3 million capital .
is not beyond evaluation.
I am not the one to do that either.
Cost of utilities and maintenance are precisely accounted .
Hard costs are relevant,
They make the deficit closer to $230.000 than $23,000.
A statement in the report notes the Centre would not be able to operate without the contribution
of volunteer hours of service.
It follows they would not be operate without free rent and cost of maintenance and utilities borne by the municipalities.
The Nokida Report is referenced in the introduction to the Annual Report .
I was there when the presentation was made.
The town treasurer of the day, warned the facility would become a sink hole for tax dollars .
In his view .an arm's length board, charged with operating the facility as a business was the
answer to the problem.
The consultant recommended seed money to allow the program to get up and running.. Fund raising in the community was presented as essential for self-sufficiency.
It was pie in the sky and I said so at the time.
Nonetheless the, financial plan presented by the Consultant was adopted by Council and conveyed to in turn for public consumption.
The contract signed with the new board in 2009 gave scant recognition to the financial plan adopted by Council and conveyed to the public.
I believe the interim board understood the concept. They were in place until the official opening.
The new operating board had the written contract and possibly other guidance for direction.
The contract signed by the current Council effects no change in understanding.
The Board is in the third year of operation
The Annual Report indicates more staff will be needed to operate in 2014.
A Message from the President starts the Annual Report, The last sentence of the first paragraph notes the following.:
i am pleased to report that our centre is poised for a bright future of continued growth and contribution to the Town of Aurora ad its surrounding communities.
Yep ! It's a sink hole .
Tuesday, 29 October 2013
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38 comments:
Once an albatross, always an albatross.
Like kids who never grow up & leave home. Why should they when it's so safe & free at home?
Yes it is - a large one that can never be filled.
It is a grand delusion to think that this facility will ever be self-supporting.
Ask the questions - how many events have taken place during the past fiscal year, what was the attendance per event and the total attendance, what was the price of admission per person per event and the total revenue that was generated?
That might provide a guide to the future.
It's a contracted service.
Services cost money.
Its value is greater than its cost.
I wonder what Councillor Thompson will think of those numbers. He was quite clear that he expected to see the Centre moving towards self-sufficiency. I see no evidence of that in these figures. He is not going to be pleased as he was reassured by the new chairman.
@13:55
A contracted service can always be given to a better contractor. Especially when the services it provides can be duplicated elsewhere or using the same facilities.
It's a shame we have to go through all this again. But the arguments made every year was still valid. The Centre still receives the building and core financing from the town. It still shows no sign of weaning itself from the largesse I'm surprised they haven't demanded even more ' due to inflation '.
"It's a shame we have to go through all this again."
We don't have to, which is the point. It's a shame that certain people can't accept a decision made and a long-term service agreement in place.
Okay, 14:25, let's meet back here when the term of the agreement is complete - it may be extended in the meantime - and we'll assess the situation. (Do you think Blog will still be around in 15 years?)
13:55
Contracts are generally awarded through competitive bids. The Centre is simply a sitting tenant which could be replaced if the building were needed for other purposes.
16:47
Strident & tacky
Now I see why Christopher was targeted earlier. There is nothing he likes better than to sink his teeth into a document like that one.
We're so unaccustomed to stridency on this blog, aren't we, 18:45?
19:40, a baby with a teether is a more imposing circumstance.
16:45
"Do you think Blog will still be around in 15 years?"
Yes, and we will still be talking about the Hydro building, chicanes, the Culture Centre and empty lots that some want as parks.
In addition, the street the Town Hall sits on will be renamed 4 more times and the library square will be deemed surplus.
If I may...
"No reference is made to the value of the one dollar a year for rent."
What purpose does that serve other than note it. It will increase expenses by $1.
"Nor the $140,000 plus cost of maintenance and utilities."
I would not expect this to be listed on the Centre's books because they did not pay for it. The Town pays this expense and let's be honest, no matter who the facility was leased to, the Town would still be paying this expense.
"They make the deficit closer to $230.000 than $23,000."
No it does not. For the reasons above.
7:41
The town would not have to pay maintenance and utilities if the building were leased by a group or groups who contributed towards the costs. They might actually derive some revenue if the organizations were working as partners with the town.
Instead we have the Centre which does pretty well what it pleases with taxpayer money.
Don't hold your breath waiting for the presentation of a cheque to Aurora from them.
7:41...Is that right? "The Town pays for it"...You’re funny.
10:17
That is the point. It the lease was structured to recoup those costs, then those costs would be on the statements. Those costs were not included in the lease deal, so to cry foul now is like spitting into the wind. They get it for free. So sad that the council of today and previous with their team of legal eagles did not include it. You had an opportunity to review but let it fall through the cracks.
Score 1 point for the Centre.
I love how “creative accounting” is used nowadays for analyzing and defending, deficits and values of services. What ever happened to the analyses of a negative number or deficit as not a good thing!
07:41, you're in danger of making too much sense.
Thank You
The argument continues in ever decreasing circles. Various expectations, philosophies, and biases are at cross purposes to each other - and, from the opposing faction's standpoint, to the present realities.
A new, long-term agreement is in place, negotiated during this term - so no need to keep invoking the names of old enemies or fomenting conspiracy theories.
The deal is done. The time for argument is over.
11:31. A deal is never done. Changes, amendments and cancellations happen everyday in business and politics.
11:16
Perchance you forgot about the ' reserve fund ' they have- which they got from the town - in case they ever decide to leave ? That is about $10,000, I believe
Wow ! Someone rattled that cage ! There might even be two of them taking turns on the Blog. Certain words do set them off.
How about turning the building into a Fab Lab?
That'll be next door, 18:36. The place with thick concrete floors, not 1880s timber floors.
20:33
If Petch can be relocated, Centre's wooden floors can be re-enforced.
"...Centre's wooden floors can be re-enforced (sic)"
Thank you, 22:17, I appreciate the input from a structural engineer.
23:07
Why should amatuer engineers not have a say? Amatuer politians, journalists, accountants, lawyers, etc. all get a chance to spout off here.
The Town's hired consultants, architects, planners, prepare wondrous reports full of recommendations that, besides being costly, are usually impractical.
In the end delays occur, what is really needed is seldom ever built.
Just like the best laid plans of mice and men they gang aft agley.
Surely we are entitled to better.
So far, no one has asked the neighbours if they want the Fab Lab stuck in their midst. I sure don't want the thing which is still very much a concept that gives Aurora zip. It could even be dangerous. Stick them out at the armoury. They have great floors.
10:13
Do you really want to involve the public? That is how we got chicanes.
The Armoury is not viable as that belongs to DND.
10:13, the old library and the old armoury are in the same neighbourhood.
Yes, 07:58...and even amateur spellers.
11:32
Great comeback... I guess you are the great editor of the internet. Clearly the transposing of two letters was still enough for you to get the intent of the message.
What a maroon.
Enough nonsense. Go set up your Hallowe'en table unless you disapprove of Hallowe'en too.
12:14, doing it once could be transposition, twice demonstrates otherwise.
No biggie - just the thrust and parry of pedantry.
15:24
Well done, you have secured yourself a job for life. You would have a heyday at Watt's blog. Spellcheck is not an option there.
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