Who Calls The Tune????

In my previous post, I also viewed  hpuses on Irwin Ave down to Machell and behind the "jewels"

of HIllary. Spragg and McIntyre's property. 

I re-called Spragg's property did not have enough  frontage to provide access and egress from Yonge 

Street . John McIntyre  provided  information  of an agreement to share the Hillary House Driveway. 

To-night I learned the Historical Society actually sold an easement  to Spragg. 

So it seems  ownership by the Historical Society is firm. They can sell the property. 

It's verrry interrrresting how much  is learned when a conversation starts. 

Now,,,  before the  town agreed to use funds for Church Street renovation, AHS had raised 

$750,000 from the community to pay for the renovations. Part of that was the Brevik legacy. 

They had hired a retired director of  York County BofE to advise. 

They retained a specialist architecture team to design the state of the art museum. Paid them $300,000.

A fire suppressant  system  for  a museum was installed in the building. Not sure if that was paid for from Society funds. 

They  retained a solicitor to negotiate an agreement with the town to protect their financial investment and give them management rights over the building. 

Before  renovations were complete  they withdrew commitment to operate the museum and 

manage the building. 

After completion, when it  became evident  the building had been spirited out from under them, they 

surrendered the agreement and  protection of their financial investment and literally withdrew the scene. 

I could have used support  from the Society when I started  the fight to have the museum restored to its rightful home. But it came from the community. Not the Society.

I never understood why that was. 

I knew they wanted it. 

Last week , we learned from comments in the Auroran , the past president and the one before were 

bitterly disappointed  that it didn't happen. 

It took four years  for the public acknowledgement. 

When the agreement with the town was surrendered ,null and  void, I understand, the Society had $500.000 left of funds raised in the community for  Church Street school renovations. 

Last week  it was learned  $66,000 remain. 

To-night we learned no money had changed hands when the curator was in the Society's employ.  The salary was included in the town's payroll.

But since the curator retired, grant funds have been transferred. 

So half a million dollars ,plus  another quarter of a million in grant funds from the town ,plus  whatever  funds have been raised by the Society have all but , $66,000  been dissipated .

On the credit side of the ledger , many hundreds of volunteer hours have been contributed. 

With no pretense at auditing skills, I would argue, The Historical Society has been running at a loss for four years. 

In fact, without town funds, bankruptcy would have evolved before now. 

All the while, the town continues to funnel funds to them from taxpayer resources.

This year,  Council intend it to continue. 

While the town dips  figurative fingers into taxpayers' pockets for $70,000.,the Society  continues to dribble their provenance ,we know not where. 

Nor apparently do we care.

Because , to quote the Mayor..."this is not the time to have that conversation". the one about ending  the grant.

To quote  Councillor Humphreys..."They really  are having a hard time right now" 

I believe it was the outgoing President who indicated the  Society's objective  is for funding   to become a  "line item in the town's budget" rather than an annual grant. 

A question has been asked  which I think is valid;

If the Aurora Historical Society, as owners of Hillary House,become bankrupt, are  Directors personally liable ?