Information I didn't just happen to come by

Notwithstanding  previous post. on Tuesday ,Anna Kroeplin provided additional information that might otherwise have been difficult to come by

A letter from the Richmond Hill M.P. provided his name.The Honourable member expressed wonder at the marvels of it all .and exuded praise for Anna Kroeplin , comfort and assurance of support in needed

This year's opening was his first visit.

The Honourable Lois Brown ,our riding M.P. also sent a letter extolling the virtues of  Ms Kroeplin and  extraordinary benefits of the Market to the community.

The Honourable Member takes a booth at the Aurora Chamber of Commerce Home Show, an entry in the July 1st  and Santa Under the Stars Parades.  And probably , during Federal elections,  a stall at the Famers Market.

The Federal Government  is not listed in the Ms Kroeplin' s 5 page presentation as"receiving contributions" from the Aurora  Farmers Market sponsorship program.

The item is at the bottom of page 3 of the presentation and  part of the public record on the Town's web site.

Fourteen business and organizations are listed as receiving "contributions"  from the Farmers Market by being actively promoted through Sponsorships they have provided .

It's convoluted . I've never seen income tabulated that way. And , there are no figures to indicate how much revenue is derived from  sponsors. There's nothing to indicate how the funds are used.

But no doubt the sponsors are aware they are  classified as recipients  and not  givers.

Ms Kroeplin notes  500  volunteer hours and each of 13 committee member clocks up 300 hours apiece.  As well. two people are employed by the Market.

The committee and staff work on promotions, sponsorships,special events, relocation, governance.
indoor and other events.

34 seasonal vendors set up in the Aurora Farmers Market.

For five months, they  vend for five hours on Saturdays or until produce or product is sold out.

The Town is listed as a sponsor receiving contributions from Aurora Farmers Market.

I found that intriguing.

During the last term, a grant  of $10,000 was made to the Market from  Council's budget.

The Mayor had authority over the fund.

The St Kitts woman was special-events co-ordinator on the Market executive. The family  business occupied a stall on the street. The member  demanded to  be paid for her efforts and quit when the market executive refused,

Sort of similar to the time she volunteered to organize "the best July 1st Parade the town had ever seen"

An event that  previously raised several thousand dollars annually  to help finance the parade,
suddenly went dry . A budget of $10,000 was provided, St Kitts  was paid and provided with an assistant in the last year she was involved with the July 1st Parade.

And feted by the Mayor and Council as the best volunteer ever.

From small acorns, giant oak trees grow. St Kitts Jazz Festival sprang from humble beginnings at the Market .

The Town provided sponsorship without  consultation with Council and  was not listed as such in the promotion materials.

The Festival was claimed to be most successful by an  Association of Festivals of which St Kitts Jazz Festival was a prominent member.

A $75,000 Trillium grant was obtained . But first, on the arguments of Councillor Ballard,  the town had to fork out  a Platinum sponsorship ( $7.500 )to give the application credibility.

But I digress.

The  Farmers Market grant disappeared from Council's  budget during this term.

I assumed it had terminated, the Market had become self-sufficient and
no longer required  any attention from me.

It appears not to have been so.

I called the finance department early to-day with several questions:

What amount  does the Town contribute to the Farmers Market?

How long has it been doing so?

What budget is it paid from?

It is 2p.m. I have not yet received the information.

Ms Kroeplin's additional information  provided on Tuesday, now part of the public record, is a treasure trove.

If I  stop for lunch , I may have the amount we pay out of taxes to
receive the vast benefits we derive from the Farmers Market through the efforts of Anna Kroeplin.non -vendor Chair of the Market executive.