Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Let's Have The Facts":
simple! the Town just takes off what revenue they make in next year handout
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 27 February 2014 18:19
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Bingo!!!
I was afraid I hadn't explained properly.
The 2014 budget is not yet adopted.
Council decides how much the organization gets each year. So far ,they've received exactly what was requested.
From my perspective, a move toward independence from tax dollars would be positive.
My outlook is obviously not shared by other Council member.
I don't think the Board President knows its an objective.
The Executive Director came to Council last Tuesday to tell of almost receiving an award for excellence in report writing, in a competition with charitable organizations such as Covenant House and Hospice King.
The Board made it to the short list . The Mayor and Councillor Abel accompanied the executive
director to a luncheon in Toronto to be honored with a plaque.
A couple of things struck me as odd.
The first was the Board thinks of itself as a charitable organization
Second is the similarity to the story of the town almost being named top employer by an Institute of Excellence . We pay $10,000 , every year for a membership in that outfit.
They too had a list of a hundred runners-up receiving plaques.
It brought to mind the Prince of Wales Heritage Award
I'd read St. John's ,New Brunswick had received the award the year before we did.
I called the organization to find out who were the competition.
They wouldn't tell me. Didn't want "to embarrass " the also rans,
That made me think of an award the Aurora Banner won in the seventies for Best Editorial Page.
I had a column in the editorial page. I wanted to know which page won .
I nagged.
The editor finally exploded in exasperation and revealed the whole award thing is just a means of self-promotion.
The weeklies formed an association. Created awards for excellence in several areas.
Then they took turns awarding them to each other.
It makes sense I guess. there isn't likely a team of judges going about the province secretly peering at reports to discover which organization has the best.
OMG I remember the
ReplyDeletePrince of Wales award
someone I can;t mention took a photo of his/herself with the award & tried to leverage it for ages.
As if the award was for that individual instead of for a building in Aurora.................
It didn't work and that person was not allowed into the august presence but had to stay outside with the plebes.
ReplyDeleteThink about the difference made by a dozen days.
February 7 - 23
March 7 - 16
Sochi Olympics and Paralympics.
February 27 - Russia invades Ukraine.
Our "problems" seem trivial by comparison.
How much does anyone really care about an award, especially to this organization?
Who paid for the gas for the trip to Toronto, and no doubt also for parking?
Let's try and live in the real world occasionally!
So, the Queen's University School of Business and the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario are a couple of bogus organizations doling out vanity awards for fluff promo reasons like the top festivals one your friends at the Jazz+ boasted about?!
ReplyDeleteI'd say you're grasping at straws, but that would make a mockery of that cliché - and the only thing deserving of mockery is your risible contention.
23:29- It’s more than just “bogus organizations” and “fluffy promos” They Mayor is participating in these vanity awards. It’s actually quite embarrassing. I’m sure everyone that participated in the “competition” got something. Just like one of those little league sports competition….Everyone gets a medal/prize!
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the stars on Hollywood's walk of fame. They are not awarded to the individuals because they are deserving. The individuals initiate the process (or someone close to them), the individuals pay to make it, the individuals pay to maintain them. However a big deal is made when they get one.
ReplyDelete@00:36
ReplyDelete*facepalm*
The point is these AREN'T vanity awards. Look at the entities involved; Queen's University and the CPA of Ontario. This competition is conducted with academic and professional rigour. Something I'd like to see applied every now and then to this little corner of the interwebz.
It is truly embarrassing that we are paying staff to enter essay contests. Not to mention a waste of money.
ReplyDeletechristopher
ReplyDelete9:29
ReplyDeleteColumbus?
Why does Evelyn publish these little ads for Watts? Does he really need the traffic boost for his ego?
@10:15
ReplyDeleteNope. I think she puts them up for the same reason as your comment. I love them because of your predictable reaction.And generally there is something new to be learned from him. Amazing, isn't it ?
Chill everyone. 23:29 and 09:03 - same person I'd guess - is just "taking the piss". Trying to wind you up, is all.
ReplyDeletewell said 22:07!!!!
ReplyDelete22:07 comment does make a strong point. In the “real world” we do have bigger issues. Especially when you see on the news there’s a little 12yr old girl pleading with Wynne for her life. She needs a drug that’s readily available but costs an astronomical amount to buy, and the response was “we’ll do our best”! All these “issues” whether they’re “real world” or not… revolve around money. I want MY money to be spent on issues that matter in the “real world” not a Cultural Centre. I don’t have enough for both
ReplyDelete"Russia invades Ukraine"
ReplyDelete"Who paid for the gas for the trip to Toronto, and...also for parking?"
"...trivial by comparison."
15:49
ReplyDeleteThere isn't much Aurorans can do to help with the Ukraine. We can, however, do our best right here at home, in town and wherever else we can make a difference. There is no need for any further " enrichment of the quality of life " in Aurora. There never was in the first place.
14:12
ReplyDeleteWhat if I don't want my money spent on that? Am I wrong? Am I a fiend?
Your argument is apples / oranges. The drug issue is Provincial. I'd like OHIP to cover the PSA prostate test, but it doesn't. So I have to decide whether I want to pay for it or have a finger shoved up my arse. Everyone makes choices.
The "centre" is a somewhat minor (in total dollars and cents) issue for a Town of our size. I don't like to spend money where I don't need to either but as a tax payer, you cannot alays determine where you want you tax dollars to go.
16:06
ReplyDeleteYou can only speak for yourself.
I'd like some enrichment of my quality of life please. How dare you say that I don't need it!
16:34…..We have the federal, provincial and municipal gov’t all in our pockets. Apples, Oranges, Bananas all in the same fruit basket! We have facilities that provide everything the Center provides both public and private in this town, and some not even used for the purpose that they were designed and built for! Yet…we build more with more tax money. Council has to be accountable for this….Let’s see if Centre has a lot of friends in this town. They’re going to need every last one of them come October.
ReplyDelete19:33
ReplyDeleteThey thought they had a lot of friends during the last election and most were urged to support the administration which had 'given' them the building. It didn't happen quite that way.
Whoever said that wasn't a " vanity award " was wrong. You have to apply and most who do so feel that they are " entitled " to be considered. The Centre is not in the same ball-park. The other two might even have been placed in the running by third parties. I very much doubt that an impartial entity suggested the Centre.
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