"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Sunday 28 December 2014

Non-Participatory Democracy

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Majority Is not necessarily right":

I believe residents are well aware of the aim of self-sustainability. The head of the board, or at lease one of them, acknowledged that he had never heard of such a thing. Perhaps this is why the board membership is constantly in a state of flux. Keeping minutes might be useful to pass along their history to those who follow.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 28 December 2014 at 14:14

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If that is true and residents are well aware of the I of self-sustainability. How so you account for Cojncils consistent failure over a four year term to reference the on jectjveWhy do they keep increasing the operating budget 

And yes the Board Chair did acknowledge he was not aware of the self-sustaining objective  when I asked the question. 

If  residents were generally aware of the expectation ,where did he come from that he had no such understanding.?

If residents were aware  as I  was, and the commenter, why was o the last Council membership, so abysmally ignorant  of the objective?

Why was there no reminder from staff at the time of formulating each of four budgets during the term?

Did any of the residents take advantage of the opportunity to indicate to Council , they expect the Centre to stop swallowing three points in the tax rate?

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nope - I think we were all asleep at the switch.
Maybe we'll be more watchful and intrusive this term.

Anonymous said...

During the election, BOTH sides lacked the bravery to tackle the Centre. It simply was not on anyone's platform when it should have been.
Your suporters, Evelyn, were in the middle of it and there were not enough others informed about the hefty cost or even willing to discuss it.
It was not a pretty election at all.

Anonymous said...

It doesn't take bravery to spend taxpayers money. You can constantly see the approvals of spending in all levels of gov't. What I find infuriating is how they justify it. It takes bravery to stop it. Council will be the only side that can stop it. The Center will continue to hold out their hands for more.... no bravery required when entitlement is their justification.

Anonymous said...

Someone commented about the money for the Centre running out. That might have been right. I don't think Council can access the hydro funds for an organization that is self-directed. Any money that they receive is going to have to be in each budget where everyone can see it.

Anonymous said...

Council will have to make the decision. Last term was not an example of courage from the majority.

Anonymous said...

Wouldn't it be neat if Dear Nigel wrote one of his letters about the cost of the centre ? But he won't & that is part of the problem.

Anonymous said...

A Trillium Grant is very specific. It does not provide for electricity, snow removal or any of those basic maintenance items.
Taxpayers do.........

Anonymous said...

17:03- The comment wasn't that the money is running out. The moneywell will eventually run out. And the only way it will run out is only when the Town stops filling it. And the only way they fill it is with our money.

Anonymous said...



Has there ever been a survey to determine what percentage of the town's population has visited the ACC once?

I know there are a lot who have visited often, but my question is to find out how broadly this facility reaches the population that funds it, secret or otherwise.

Anonymous said...

21:06
I don't think so. But I believe the center provides a number that comes through the doors. How reliable is that number?... Well isn't that a half a million $ question.

Anonymous said...

Has there ever been a survey to determine what percentage of the town's population has visited this blog even once?

Anonymous said...

22:16 - Is this blog funded by the Town?

Anonymous said...

22:16
Crawl back underneath that bridge.

David said...

I think they should change the name of the ACC to SCC. Self Centered Center

Anonymous said...

The Town does such a wonderful job of running their own facilities, I think it's a good thing the School is someone else's problem.

We have one swimming pool facilty in the second year of a 1 year renovation and now the other pool has sprung a leak and is closed.

How many points on the tax bill is thrown downt he drain for these leisure facilities?

Speaking of surveys, how many residents of Aurora have been in the Stronach building?

Anonymous said...

23:35
I think it is the Phantom of the Centre. Doesn't get out much & is terrified of losing its anonymity. We could probably find it by checking the membership lists of the Historical Society and those connecting with Hillary. Gravitates in those circle, grovelling like mad.

Anonymous said...

09:07- the stronach building was packed this past weekend, and that was without the pool.

Anonymous said...

Self centered center! Love it!