A Tortuous Process Unravelled

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Budget Quibbles":

Evelyn. I enjoy a food fight as much as the next person. In this instance it is going to be frightfully one sided. The electioneering has begun & councillors seem determined to purchase town votes with town money. I just don't think you can stop them. It is now all about what they want instead of about what Aurora really needs.

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It may look like that but it's not as cut and dried as one might think. 

Council is between a couple of big boulders and a slippery slope. 

In 2013, all systems were a-go for an addition and renovations to the town hall. 

I didn't see the need. We are approaching build-out. I think we should be  looking at the possibility of less staff  needing  less space rather than more. 

But Council did exercise their authority. They gave  the green light to proceed every step of the way.

Members  consult  extensively and privately with staff. They fail to  realize the influence they subject themselves to  .... how  much it tilts  their judgement .

Perhaps not unreasonably ,they depend  on staff  advice and  presume responsibility is shared 

It's not. 

Council alone is accountable. 

It's hard to criticize when  Councillors put everything they  feel they ought into making sound decisions. 

Nothing is that simple. 

Months of staff time, consultant studies , architect services ,estimates .

 $300,000 later, Council nixed the town  hall  renovation project.

I believe  that decision was unanimous. 

 It passed without much notice. 

Weeks later, the exercise  is being repeated with a second project three times as costly. 

Last Tuesday, Councillor Gallo, affirming his support for the project from the start, read from reports to indicate why he was re-thinking his position. 

Councillor Pirri appeared  to be expressing reluctance 

Councillor Abel  expressed complete confidence in expert advice  received. and suggested  anyone without his courage  doesn't belong  at the table. 

Councillor Thompson spoke of  need for forward planning and vision 

Next Tuesday, we will discover  the final vote.

Council is faced with a serious dilemma. 

A site has been purchased.  Staff now report "upward cost pressures" created by problems  the site presents .

Original estimates  of $12 million were for a buildable site.

It's hard to keep track of  the figures. 

The  second tab was $14 million.

Following calculations  for building a shelf  into the ravine sufficient  to support the project, estimates  for the complete project became 20  million. 

A  paring  exercise reduced  that to $19 million. 

Council is  currently contemplating that figure.

I am no more able to depend on it than I was the first.

I   now have the right to shout out with glee

 J'accuse !!!!!!!!

Did I not say....but oh no...you  did not listen....such foolishness.....you had to do it your way... make  like big shots you are not..... spending millions of their own money, every day of their lives..... now look at the mess you've got us into Stanley!!!!

But the situation is not  a joke.

The problem  is ours. 

We purchased that site.  

Negotiated to sell existing site. 

Banked on sale of other lands that didn't happen. 

No funding  plan  is in place .

Millions have  already been spent in the process.  The complete tally, we know not.

How can a Council change direction without acknowledging  serious and costly mis-calculation. 

Which way do they turn?

According to the  tone of  discussion  on Tuesday , the vote may be split with Mayor Dawe breaking the tie in favor of proceeding. 

My own advice:

First  ....be upfront  and acknowledge the problem.  It  was well-intentioneed but it can't be swept under the rug. 

Second,  the  whole Council  is  needed to engage in  the  resolution. 

It's no time for a pissing contest between  factions.

A split decision will do nothing to assure the taxpayers.