Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Guest Post on Publicly Funded Legal Defense Costs":
9:48- There was a lot more to the story then was told. Remember....The papers/media will tell you what THEY want to tell you.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 5 January 2015 at 14:38
******************
That is true as far as it goes. To be taken seriously a newspaper is generally careful to present a balanced account.
Editorials and columns are opinion pieces.
If there is another side to this story,and there always is, it should also be told.
If politicians, accountable for public spending ,are not willing to tell then who?
A separate story in The Star indicates the Province does not fork out the dollars to defend judges against complaints. They have to pay their own defense costs.
Monday, 5 January 2015
Let's Call a Spade a Spade
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Slip of the finger":
Since you published 09:36's controversial comment, I'm wondering why all of mine don't see the light of day.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 5 January 2015 at 12:26
*****************************
The defensive rant about the Legion is not "controversial" Members probably all share the same view.
No doubt many non-members are also sympathetic.
That is almost certainly the reason the Province didn't make the decision to end tax free status when membership has obviously changed to social status.
That the Legion is a recipient of municipal largesse is not argued. It is defended.
It's argued the Legion does not compete with restaurants.
While at the same time acknowledged the beer is cheaper .
Of course it's cheaper. The Legion does not pay taxes.
Friday's business lunch is known in Newmarket and Aurora as an excellent meal at minimal cost.
The writer argues the Legion does not compete with Badali's or Edwards Street Bistro. That is true.
Both establishments have already failed and have been out of business for several months.
They had to pay taxes and meet a payroll every week.
Pubs and social clubs are respectable and familiar institutions. Membership fees may vary substantially but they are not controversial.
In all fairness , they should be paying the same taxes as people trying to make a living in the
hotel ,catering and restaurant business.
That's the discussion.
Of those who earned the Legion tax-free status few remain.
Their children are not entitled.
No matter how loudly they bang the drum.
Since you published 09:36's controversial comment, I'm wondering why all of mine don't see the light of day.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 5 January 2015 at 12:26
*****************************
The defensive rant about the Legion is not "controversial" Members probably all share the same view.
No doubt many non-members are also sympathetic.
That is almost certainly the reason the Province didn't make the decision to end tax free status when membership has obviously changed to social status.
That the Legion is a recipient of municipal largesse is not argued. It is defended.
It's argued the Legion does not compete with restaurants.
While at the same time acknowledged the beer is cheaper .
Of course it's cheaper. The Legion does not pay taxes.
Friday's business lunch is known in Newmarket and Aurora as an excellent meal at minimal cost.
The writer argues the Legion does not compete with Badali's or Edwards Street Bistro. That is true.
Both establishments have already failed and have been out of business for several months.
They had to pay taxes and meet a payroll every week.
Pubs and social clubs are respectable and familiar institutions. Membership fees may vary substantially but they are not controversial.
In all fairness , they should be paying the same taxes as people trying to make a living in the
hotel ,catering and restaurant business.
That's the discussion.
Of those who earned the Legion tax-free status few remain.
Their children are not entitled.
No matter how loudly they bang the drum.
Guest Post on Publicly Funded Legal Defense Costs
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "You were saying ....":
There is an extremely disturbing story in the Toronto Star dated January 3 headed
"Public pays millions for legal fees of federal judges under investigation"
"Taxpayers have been dishing out millions of dollars to cover the legal fees of federal judges under investigation who are fighting the disciplinary process.
Judges facing complaints from the public get unlimited access to financial and legal resources. Some draw out public inquiries for years, fighting all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada - at taxpayers' expense.....
Last week the Star highlighted the fact that more than 99 per cent of complaints against federal judges are dealt with in secret by the council, which is made up exclusively of judges.
Established to investigate complaints against the country's 1,200 federally appointed judges, the council conducts closed-door investigations into about 200 complaints per year, never revealing publicly the judge's name or province, details of the allegations, or the results of the investigation....
Judges remain on paid leave during the investigations. Even if they are stripped of office, they have the option of retiring or resigning to keep their pension - an option all those targeted for an inquiry so far have exercised....
Last month, the Star revealed that Ontario taxpayers are picking up the legal bills of justices of the
peace disciplined for offences including sexual harassment, falling asleep in court and demonstrating a "pervasive" lack of understanding of basic law."
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 4 January 2015 at 20:38
****************************
I removed the last two lines of this guest post. The Toronto Star has a related story.
There is an extremely disturbing story in the Toronto Star dated January 3 headed
"Public pays millions for legal fees of federal judges under investigation"
"Taxpayers have been dishing out millions of dollars to cover the legal fees of federal judges under investigation who are fighting the disciplinary process.
Judges facing complaints from the public get unlimited access to financial and legal resources. Some draw out public inquiries for years, fighting all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada - at taxpayers' expense.....
Last week the Star highlighted the fact that more than 99 per cent of complaints against federal judges are dealt with in secret by the council, which is made up exclusively of judges.
Established to investigate complaints against the country's 1,200 federally appointed judges, the council conducts closed-door investigations into about 200 complaints per year, never revealing publicly the judge's name or province, details of the allegations, or the results of the investigation....
Judges remain on paid leave during the investigations. Even if they are stripped of office, they have the option of retiring or resigning to keep their pension - an option all those targeted for an inquiry so far have exercised....
Last month, the Star revealed that Ontario taxpayers are picking up the legal bills of justices of the
peace disciplined for offences including sexual harassment, falling asleep in court and demonstrating a "pervasive" lack of understanding of basic law."
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 4 January 2015 at 20:38
****************************
I removed the last two lines of this guest post. The Toronto Star has a related story.
Sunday, 4 January 2015
You were saying ....
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "We all have our priorities":
I could be wrong but I don't believe the legion receives any funds from the
Town. And as far as councilors paying a membership to this center they can
do that from their own money and not more of taxpayers money.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 4 January 2015 at 14:16
*******************
You are wrong.
The Legion is beholden to the Town .They receive all municipal services. Police ,Fire Protection. Emergency Services, roads , snow clearing, street lighting and everything else that compiles a $53 million budget. Two buildings occupy the property and neither contributes a cent to cost of town
services .
The town pays the Legion's share of taxes to the Region of York and York Region Board of Education and forfeits it's own share of the levy.
In turn, the Legion competes with local hostelry business for available market.
It's all above board.
Some years ago, a higher level of government , lI'm not sure which, gave Region's authority to decide
whether Legion's should start paying property taxes. They were deemed no longer serving the original purpose of providing a place for ex-service men to meet .
The Region of York decided Legions should not pay the taxes. Towns should pay their taxes to Regions and B of E and forfeit the local share.
In terms of assessment revenue the Legion is not just a big fat zero, it is a substantial deficit.
It's not as extravagant but it is in the same category as the Culture Centre.
On the wrong side of the ledger.
I've mentioned the facts a few times before but it somehow seems to glide over most people's heads.
Not unlike the Men's Soccer Club at the south end of town. They. pay a $1 a year lease to the town for a property worth millions. They also have a club house that competes with local restaurants
The lease prohibits renting any part of the property but Benny Steenhorst parked his fleet of school buses there for years.
Now there's a trailer in the far corner.
When the buses disappeared, they showed up on the Legion's parking lot.
The Legion property used to be twice as big. The town bought what was the Legion soccer field. To help them financially I guess. Access was a requirement of the sale. That only made sense.
I hear on the vine the Legion makes regular difficulties about that.
All while renting out parking space required under the town's bylaw to Benny Steenhorst for his fleet of school buses. That's his business.
I think I heard Benny has been named to the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame. You know, the outfit that
has a Town Hall address and gets big fat Trillium grants.
In politics, all kinds of ways exist for looking after friends that pay off eventually.
The exact same number as pisses them off if a voice of concern is raised.
On your second point, Councillors do have an allowance to buy dinner tickets and raffle tickets . I don't think memberships. A Councillor can buy an "associate" membership in the Legion like anyone else out of their own pocket.
But you never know. a Councillor in Richmond Hill bought golf clubs to save the town expense of renting them when he played in the Mayor's Charity golf tournament. I
The Mayor is Honorary member of The Royal Canadian Legion. No membership fee required.
I could be wrong but I don't believe the legion receives any funds from the
Town. And as far as councilors paying a membership to this center they can
do that from their own money and not more of taxpayers money.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 4 January 2015 at 14:16
*******************
You are wrong.
The Legion is beholden to the Town .They receive all municipal services. Police ,Fire Protection. Emergency Services, roads , snow clearing, street lighting and everything else that compiles a $53 million budget. Two buildings occupy the property and neither contributes a cent to cost of town
services .
The town pays the Legion's share of taxes to the Region of York and York Region Board of Education and forfeits it's own share of the levy.
In turn, the Legion competes with local hostelry business for available market.
It's all above board.
Some years ago, a higher level of government , lI'm not sure which, gave Region's authority to decide
whether Legion's should start paying property taxes. They were deemed no longer serving the original purpose of providing a place for ex-service men to meet .
The Region of York decided Legions should not pay the taxes. Towns should pay their taxes to Regions and B of E and forfeit the local share.
In terms of assessment revenue the Legion is not just a big fat zero, it is a substantial deficit.
It's not as extravagant but it is in the same category as the Culture Centre.
On the wrong side of the ledger.
I've mentioned the facts a few times before but it somehow seems to glide over most people's heads.
Not unlike the Men's Soccer Club at the south end of town. They. pay a $1 a year lease to the town for a property worth millions. They also have a club house that competes with local restaurants
The lease prohibits renting any part of the property but Benny Steenhorst parked his fleet of school buses there for years.
Now there's a trailer in the far corner.
When the buses disappeared, they showed up on the Legion's parking lot.
The Legion property used to be twice as big. The town bought what was the Legion soccer field. To help them financially I guess. Access was a requirement of the sale. That only made sense.
I hear on the vine the Legion makes regular difficulties about that.
All while renting out parking space required under the town's bylaw to Benny Steenhorst for his fleet of school buses. That's his business.
I think I heard Benny has been named to the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame. You know, the outfit that
has a Town Hall address and gets big fat Trillium grants.
In politics, all kinds of ways exist for looking after friends that pay off eventually.
The exact same number as pisses them off if a voice of concern is raised.
On your second point, Councillors do have an allowance to buy dinner tickets and raffle tickets . I don't think memberships. A Councillor can buy an "associate" membership in the Legion like anyone else out of their own pocket.
But you never know. a Councillor in Richmond Hill bought golf clubs to save the town expense of renting them when he played in the Mayor's Charity golf tournament. I
The Mayor is Honorary member of The Royal Canadian Legion. No membership fee required.
Saturday, 3 January 2015
We all have our priorities
News headline this morning ...Police detonate suspicious package in Dundas Station.....subway service was shut down. ..streetcars diverted... Shortly after 1a.m. a muffled bang was heard when detonator was triggered.
Shortly after service returned to normal.
Nothing further.
An image presents.....police in protective gear...bomb squad on hand ...vehicles and equipment ....area evacuated ..emergency alert.
Then nothing .. Pop.. Then nothing
Was it a terrorist attempt?
Or just a package of cold cuts and stale buns left over from a party .....or an unappreciated Christmas gift.
Another headline yesterday alerted us that bad weather halted "rescue efforts? In the Airasia disaster...a plane was missing for two days...wreckage was found and identified . No mention of survivors. .. who was being rescued?
Why does it matter? because people pay attention ...and hope against hope.
A week ago....an advocate of child abuse was reported to have made the Canada Honours List.
Why was an advocate of child abuse be honoured ? Why not arrested and behind bars?
The headline was repeated for several days without correction.
If proficiency in the national language is not to be expected in the national airwaves .....then where?
Is not the power of words to inform.Do not children learn how to use words be learned by hearing them used ?
Yesterday I received a slightly salacious comment. It was ....well...startling.
My finger hovered between publish and delete.
It would of course stimulate interest.
Discretion became the better part of valour and it landed on delete.
The comment was from a contemporary of Dan Hill one of the performers billed at the Culture Centre in 2015. Made possible by a purchase of culture agreement by the municipality. An
expensive purchase paid for with taxes collected from people who were not asked and have expressed themselves unwilling to pay.
Entertainment provided by Dan Hill and Sylvia Tyson and Dala (who are they) to no degree qualify as a service to property.
The salacious tidbit received raised the question of facilities provided for artists to prepare for a performance.
There are none. Tickets are accepted at a card table at the door of the room.
A patron of the Culture Centre, thinks it's terribly progressive to be able to offer this calibre of art in Aurora and save officionados the trouble of travel to Toronto.
I'm just not sure why anyone would feel so compelled.
Shortly after service returned to normal.
Nothing further.
An image presents.....police in protective gear...bomb squad on hand ...vehicles and equipment ....area evacuated ..emergency alert.
Then nothing .. Pop.. Then nothing
Was it a terrorist attempt?
Or just a package of cold cuts and stale buns left over from a party .....or an unappreciated Christmas gift.
Another headline yesterday alerted us that bad weather halted "rescue efforts? In the Airasia disaster...a plane was missing for two days...wreckage was found and identified . No mention of survivors. .. who was being rescued?
Why does it matter? because people pay attention ...and hope against hope.
A week ago....an advocate of child abuse was reported to have made the Canada Honours List.
Why was an advocate of child abuse be honoured ? Why not arrested and behind bars?
The headline was repeated for several days without correction.
If proficiency in the national language is not to be expected in the national airwaves .....then where?
Is not the power of words to inform.Do not children learn how to use words be learned by hearing them used ?
Yesterday I received a slightly salacious comment. It was ....well...startling.
My finger hovered between publish and delete.
It would of course stimulate interest.
Discretion became the better part of valour and it landed on delete.
The comment was from a contemporary of Dan Hill one of the performers billed at the Culture Centre in 2015. Made possible by a purchase of culture agreement by the municipality. An
expensive purchase paid for with taxes collected from people who were not asked and have expressed themselves unwilling to pay.
Entertainment provided by Dan Hill and Sylvia Tyson and Dala (who are they) to no degree qualify as a service to property.
The salacious tidbit received raised the question of facilities provided for artists to prepare for a performance.
There are none. Tickets are accepted at a card table at the door of the room.
A patron of the Culture Centre, thinks it's terribly progressive to be able to offer this calibre of art in Aurora and save officionados the trouble of travel to Toronto.
I'm just not sure why anyone would feel so compelled.
Friday, 2 January 2015
Slip of the finger
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Price of Genius?":
An idle question
If the Centre is doing " contracted services ' for the town, how many Aurora residents are interested in an evening with Dan Hill ?
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 2 January 2015 at 21:24
*****************
Dunno. Maybe the Mayor and or Councillor Able can answer the idle question. If the information isn't 'a secret.
They are the town's representatives on the Board.
An idle question
If the Centre is doing " contracted services ' for the town, how many Aurora residents are interested in an evening with Dan Hill ?
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 2 January 2015 at 21:24
*****************
Dunno. Maybe the Mayor and or Councillor Able can answer the idle question. If the information isn't 'a secret.
They are the town's representatives on the Board.
The Price of Genius?
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Since You Asked ,I will tell"
19:02,
where else in Aurora can I go to see Sylvia Tyson, Dan Hill, or Dala in 2015?
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 31 December 2014 at 12:13
**************
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Since You Asked ,I will tell":
18:51, which part of "in Aurora" didn't you understand?
(FYI: Those artists aren't scheduled for the Richmond Hill venue)
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 31 December 2014 at 23:
*************************
During the holiday a thoughtful comment about culture concluded the old School on Church Stret is not where it's at.
Culture is in us, about us, around us and is the fabric of our being. If that's true and I think it is, what are we to make of the thought expressed in the comment above.
Enjoying performances by Sylvia Tyson,Dan Hill and Dala here in Aurora, in a venue with minimal seating capacity is offered as culture as in agreement for the purchase of.
Entertainment without a $75.00. parking fee as noted by the Mayor. No tedious drive in and out of the city. Intimate , if not cosy setting among friends right here on our doorstep.
Selected, negotiated and laid on. A table spread with a feast by the seekers of enlightenment and keepers of keys.
Whose infallibility can be trusted to know exactly what's required.
Entrepreneurs par excellence.
What are credentials for agents and promoters of entertainment ?
Do tickets prices relate to fees for artists of status ?
Is a room with seating capacity for 150, and space for a performance have potential for sufficient return to validate the enterprise?
Who takes a gig on the second floor of old school on a side street in a town within an hour's drive of Toronto? With such a plethora of choice.
And ten minutes drive of Richmond Hill Performing Arts Centre. Which I hear is often in the dark.
How many Performing Arts Centres can be supported by a specific population
How much genius promoters fit on the head of a pin?
19:02,
where else in Aurora can I go to see Sylvia Tyson, Dan Hill, or Dala in 2015?
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 31 December 2014 at 12:13
**************
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Since You Asked ,I will tell":
18:51, which part of "in Aurora" didn't you understand?
(FYI: Those artists aren't scheduled for the Richmond Hill venue)
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 31 December 2014 at 23:
*************************
During the holiday a thoughtful comment about culture concluded the old School on Church Stret is not where it's at.
Culture is in us, about us, around us and is the fabric of our being. If that's true and I think it is, what are we to make of the thought expressed in the comment above.
Enjoying performances by Sylvia Tyson,Dan Hill and Dala here in Aurora, in a venue with minimal seating capacity is offered as culture as in agreement for the purchase of.
Entertainment without a $75.00. parking fee as noted by the Mayor. No tedious drive in and out of the city. Intimate , if not cosy setting among friends right here on our doorstep.
Selected, negotiated and laid on. A table spread with a feast by the seekers of enlightenment and keepers of keys.
Whose infallibility can be trusted to know exactly what's required.
Entrepreneurs par excellence.
What are credentials for agents and promoters of entertainment ?
Do tickets prices relate to fees for artists of status ?
Is a room with seating capacity for 150, and space for a performance have potential for sufficient return to validate the enterprise?
Who takes a gig on the second floor of old school on a side street in a town within an hour's drive of Toronto? With such a plethora of choice.
And ten minutes drive of Richmond Hill Performing Arts Centre. Which I hear is often in the dark.
How many Performing Arts Centres can be supported by a specific population
How much genius promoters fit on the head of a pin?
Wednesday, 31 December 2014
What creates an indelible memory?
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "I trust everyone until they give me reason not to...":
It was early in the term when that whole performance happened. I remembered it clearly. It was at that meeting when I knew that there were people on that council that were weak and cowardly.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 30 December 2014 at 22:38
*****************************
It is a beautiful morning. Not special. A start of the day like any other.
A year, a month, a week, a life all are lived one day at a time. Each with a beginning and an end.
No dress rehearsal. Once played it's gone forever.
Chris Watts' blog has nuggets of logic to cogitate.
Comment ID does eliminate unpleasant parlance. Weakness and cowardice do not enter the picture Just the nasty nature of the beast that knows not to expose the depth of spite.
That being said it's not a lot of work to hit the delete button.
This blog may be the only opportunity to engage however brief and minuscule the sample, in conversation about many things. Some trivial. Some not so much.Everything does not have to be
riveting.
We are not shaping each other's opinion as much as reflecting facets.
I often wonder why a particular event creates a detailed flashback in memory.
My memory of the event referenced in the comment is probably the same. But weakness and cowardice were not to my mind the contributing factors.
Weakness and cowardice are only a betrayal of oneself.
It was early in the term when that whole performance happened. I remembered it clearly. It was at that meeting when I knew that there were people on that council that were weak and cowardly.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 30 December 2014 at 22:38
*****************************
It is a beautiful morning. Not special. A start of the day like any other.
A year, a month, a week, a life all are lived one day at a time. Each with a beginning and an end.
No dress rehearsal. Once played it's gone forever.
Chris Watts' blog has nuggets of logic to cogitate.
Comment ID does eliminate unpleasant parlance. Weakness and cowardice do not enter the picture Just the nasty nature of the beast that knows not to expose the depth of spite.
That being said it's not a lot of work to hit the delete button.
This blog may be the only opportunity to engage however brief and minuscule the sample, in conversation about many things. Some trivial. Some not so much.Everything does not have to be
riveting.
We are not shaping each other's opinion as much as reflecting facets.
I often wonder why a particular event creates a detailed flashback in memory.
My memory of the event referenced in the comment is probably the same. But weakness and cowardice were not to my mind the contributing factors.
Weakness and cowardice are only a betrayal of oneself.
Tuesday, 30 December 2014
I trust everyone until they give me reason not to
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Since You Asked ,I will tell":
It's a volunteer board, 12:42. What extra costs?
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 30 December 2014 at 15:00
*************************************
It is a board that holds meetings in private. How would it be known precisely how funds received from the town are used. They received a grant from the trillium Foundation. They tap local business for sponsorships.
They are required to submit quarterly statements to receive their quarterly pay-out from the town. in
How would that answer the question of specificity.
The question of employee privacy is pertinent. . Board employees are not town employees. The agreement states in the event of dissolution ,board employes do not have status as town employees.
Think about that. What do we know of conditions of employment that might not support that clause ? Are they members of municipal benefit plans?
What if, when the Ontario Ombudsman receives authority to investigate validity of confidential meetings, will he decide. where public resources are being spent, meetings should be investigated?
How would that all come out in the wash?
Did the board have legal counsel when the second agreement was negotiated ?
What is the staff complement ? What titles.? Salaries? Are they better or lesser than town employees? Where do they fit in the grid? What benefits?
Without knowing these answers how could it be known if costs are higher, lower, or equal to the town 's for similar service?
Is service provided at the Centre exclusive to Aurora tax-payers?
When the issue was first dealt with by the last council, Councillors received hundreds of critical
e-mails from patrons from a radius as far as Orillia .
The Mayor expressed exasperation when he spoke of centre staff involvement in the pressure campaign.
Only later we learned he was attending board meetings unbeknownst to the rest of us.
At the Council meeting when notice of termination of the agreement was debated. The majority debated in favour of termination. The Mayor spoke more strongly and firmly than on any other issue before or since.
Debate concluded.
The only thing left was to call the vote.
It never happened.
The pause was palpable. Then ,
what was clearly pre-planned , on a motion by Councillors Humfreys and Thompson the decision was reversed.
It was early in the term. I believe Council was intent on doing what the voters intended.
But it didn't happen. . Instead the Mayor was meeting with the board unbeknownst to at least some.
Trust is a treasured commodity.
It must be earned.
It can be squandered
Once tossed away lightly on the breeze
It can never be recovered.
It was then he opposed a review of the agreement by the town solicitor.He said the solicitor had enough to attend to.
The agreement was found to be seriously deficient in the town's interest. It was re-written .and then ignored.
Regrettably it was the experience in many other areas as well.
The story unfolded as it did.
It's a volunteer board, 12:42. What extra costs?
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 30 December 2014 at 15:00
*************************************
It is a board that holds meetings in private. How would it be known precisely how funds received from the town are used. They received a grant from the trillium Foundation. They tap local business for sponsorships.
They are required to submit quarterly statements to receive their quarterly pay-out from the town. in
How would that answer the question of specificity.
The question of employee privacy is pertinent. . Board employees are not town employees. The agreement states in the event of dissolution ,board employes do not have status as town employees.
Think about that. What do we know of conditions of employment that might not support that clause ? Are they members of municipal benefit plans?
What if, when the Ontario Ombudsman receives authority to investigate validity of confidential meetings, will he decide. where public resources are being spent, meetings should be investigated?
How would that all come out in the wash?
Did the board have legal counsel when the second agreement was negotiated ?
What is the staff complement ? What titles.? Salaries? Are they better or lesser than town employees? Where do they fit in the grid? What benefits?
Without knowing these answers how could it be known if costs are higher, lower, or equal to the town 's for similar service?
Is service provided at the Centre exclusive to Aurora tax-payers?
When the issue was first dealt with by the last council, Councillors received hundreds of critical
e-mails from patrons from a radius as far as Orillia .
The Mayor expressed exasperation when he spoke of centre staff involvement in the pressure campaign.
Only later we learned he was attending board meetings unbeknownst to the rest of us.
At the Council meeting when notice of termination of the agreement was debated. The majority debated in favour of termination. The Mayor spoke more strongly and firmly than on any other issue before or since.
Debate concluded.
The only thing left was to call the vote.
It never happened.
The pause was palpable. Then ,
what was clearly pre-planned , on a motion by Councillors Humfreys and Thompson the decision was reversed.
It was early in the term. I believe Council was intent on doing what the voters intended.
But it didn't happen. . Instead the Mayor was meeting with the board unbeknownst to at least some.
Trust is a treasured commodity.
It must be earned.
It can be squandered
Once tossed away lightly on the breeze
It can never be recovered.
It was then he opposed a review of the agreement by the town solicitor.He said the solicitor had enough to attend to.
The agreement was found to be seriously deficient in the town's interest. It was re-written .and then ignored.
Regrettably it was the experience in many other areas as well.
The story unfolded as it did.
Since You Asked ,I will tell
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Two wrongs don't make a right.":
09:44 I find it humourous that the discussion around the centre use war-like words.
"They occupy a building...." is just another in a long line of it.
The reality is, they are using a building that the elected officials of this Town have granted them access. Further, the Town has also decided to provide funding.
Short of ideas like storing a bunch of old garbage (under the guise of a museum), no one has a better use for the building. As well, no one can suggest anything that will not drain the treasury of the Town.
My point in this is to ask all of those so critical of the Centre - Ms Buck included - to provide a viable replacement?Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 29 December 2014 at 08:58
******************************************
I left this comment in draft to consider how to handle it. The language is abrasive. Yet the writer clearly wants to engage. I am always happy to oblige though usually in respectful terms.
Reference to the museum collection being a "bunch of old garbage " is scuttlebutt. The town treasurer made similar reference. He suggested the collection was a bunch of stuff collected from yard sales.
I thought it odd at the time. The collection had been stored when the museum was required to vacate the old school for renovations. Mr. Elliott was not in town service then. Nor domiciled in the area. It was easy to conclude the information was other than from personal experience..
It may be safe to assume contemptuous dismissal of collection value was part reason for the board decision to squeeze the museum out of the facility.
The board's first decision was to lease dedicated museum space to a York Region Arts organization.
Rent- free lease with the town, required permission to lease space to a third party.
Re-organization of town management team shifted responsibility for facilities from the Director
of Leisure Services to Director of Environmental and Infrastructure.(formerly public works) .Mr.
Simanovskis knew nothing of the matter and gave permission without a second thought. Didn't even ask
Truth is the facility was always intended to serve the dual purpose. Cultural events would obviously be compatible with heritage.
Only one objective validates separate management. Independence from tax support to ensure the program would not be an additional burden to taxpayers.
Annual increases in financial support, even when space and responsibility were reduced, establishes there is not even awareness of the imperative let alone intent.
The Culture Centre Board of Management is redundant.
Leisure programming under town management is self-sufficient.
Revenues more than offsets expenditures.
There is no rationalization under any formula that justifies continuance.
The community is ill-served.
The Board should resign.
09:44 I find it humourous that the discussion around the centre use war-like words.
"They occupy a building...." is just another in a long line of it.
The reality is, they are using a building that the elected officials of this Town have granted them access. Further, the Town has also decided to provide funding.
Short of ideas like storing a bunch of old garbage (under the guise of a museum), no one has a better use for the building. As well, no one can suggest anything that will not drain the treasury of the Town.
My point in this is to ask all of those so critical of the Centre - Ms Buck included - to provide a viable replacement?Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 29 December 2014 at 08:58
******************************************
I left this comment in draft to consider how to handle it. The language is abrasive. Yet the writer clearly wants to engage. I am always happy to oblige though usually in respectful terms.
Reference to the museum collection being a "bunch of old garbage " is scuttlebutt. The town treasurer made similar reference. He suggested the collection was a bunch of stuff collected from yard sales.
I thought it odd at the time. The collection had been stored when the museum was required to vacate the old school for renovations. Mr. Elliott was not in town service then. Nor domiciled in the area. It was easy to conclude the information was other than from personal experience..
It may be safe to assume contemptuous dismissal of collection value was part reason for the board decision to squeeze the museum out of the facility.
The board's first decision was to lease dedicated museum space to a York Region Arts organization.
Rent- free lease with the town, required permission to lease space to a third party.
Re-organization of town management team shifted responsibility for facilities from the Director
of Leisure Services to Director of Environmental and Infrastructure.(formerly public works) .Mr.
Simanovskis knew nothing of the matter and gave permission without a second thought. Didn't even ask
Truth is the facility was always intended to serve the dual purpose. Cultural events would obviously be compatible with heritage.
Only one objective validates separate management. Independence from tax support to ensure the program would not be an additional burden to taxpayers.
Annual increases in financial support, even when space and responsibility were reduced, establishes there is not even awareness of the imperative let alone intent.
The Culture Centre Board of Management is redundant.
Leisure programming under town management is self-sufficient.
Revenues more than offsets expenditures.
There is no rationalization under any formula that justifies continuance.
The community is ill-served.
The Board should resign.
Monday, 29 December 2014
Little Jack Horner Sat in a Corner
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Taxation for hand-outs is not O.K.":
Speaking of which, earlier this month the Cultural Centre held a Public Meeting ("The public is warmly invited to join us as we provide information on events and activities, and answer anyquestions you might have. Please join us. Everyone is welcome." - so much for a secret society.
How many of you supposedly outraged, anonymous keyboard warriors (including your ringleader) bothered to attend? How many of your allegedly 'ill-served' fellow Aurorans came demanding answers? How many disgruntled residents showed up expressing dissatisfaction with the facility and its function?
Answer: not a one. Nada. Zilch. Zero. No one showed up.
The only place "the place" is an issue is here. The trying to settle old scores is (still) here. The attempt to remanufacture controversy is here. The endeavour to re-animate a lost cause is here.
None was evident at the event created to address any potential disagreements - not one person deemed it necessary to attend the Public Meeting.
There wasn't a single pitchfork or torch in sight...
(If this comment isn't published, it won't be because it isn't germane to the conversation.)
Anonymous at Dec.29th 2014 18.08 p.m.
***********************************************
Ah yes the comment is indeed germaine for the information it provides. ...a Spokesperson is ready to do battle albeit anonymously .
A public meeting was planned with a warm welcome extended to all who wished to attend and discover what a cornucopia of culture awaits in a town-owned and financed facility.
But nobody came. No interest whatsoever. Nix, nil,nada ...Not a smidgeon.
Wasted resources. A program prepared. Man hours expended. No doubt refreshments available .
All for nought
It must have been disappointing to discover Aurora's Centre of Culture is not the epicentre
it was thought to be.
The fact is Aurora Council has complete authority to determine use of town resources.
A clause permits termination of the agreement without cause.
Another establishes Council authority to determine a level of tax resources for purchase of culture .
Either clause could be used to bring the arrangement to an end . In any calendar year.
The agreement was adopted by the last Council. Despite continued insistence on secret meetings by
the Board.
Failure to exercise authority in the taxpayers' interest is not an issue between the Board and Aurora taxpayers.
Nothing the Board has to say is of consequence.
The Board was not elected to manage town affairs.
Political accountability is the issue.
No municipal Council has ever been elected with a mandate to drive people from their homes with a tax burden weighted down with cost for Corporate Culture Welfare.
This fight is not with the Board.
The Board member should just cool out and like;
Little Jack Horner
Sit in your corner
Eating your Christmas pie
Put in your thumb and pull out a plum and
Say "What a good boy am I"
Speaking of which, earlier this month the Cultural Centre held a Public Meeting ("The public is warmly invited to join us as we provide information on events and activities, and answer anyquestions you might have. Please join us. Everyone is welcome." - so much for a secret society.
How many of you supposedly outraged, anonymous keyboard warriors (including your ringleader) bothered to attend? How many of your allegedly 'ill-served' fellow Aurorans came demanding answers? How many disgruntled residents showed up expressing dissatisfaction with the facility and its function?
Answer: not a one. Nada. Zilch. Zero. No one showed up.
The only place "the place" is an issue is here. The trying to settle old scores is (still) here. The attempt to remanufacture controversy is here. The endeavour to re-animate a lost cause is here.
None was evident at the event created to address any potential disagreements - not one person deemed it necessary to attend the Public Meeting.
There wasn't a single pitchfork or torch in sight...
(If this comment isn't published, it won't be because it isn't germane to the conversation.)
Anonymous at Dec.29th 2014 18.08 p.m.
***********************************************
Ah yes the comment is indeed germaine for the information it provides. ...a Spokesperson is ready to do battle albeit anonymously .
A public meeting was planned with a warm welcome extended to all who wished to attend and discover what a cornucopia of culture awaits in a town-owned and financed facility.
But nobody came. No interest whatsoever. Nix, nil,nada ...Not a smidgeon.
Wasted resources. A program prepared. Man hours expended. No doubt refreshments available .
All for nought
It must have been disappointing to discover Aurora's Centre of Culture is not the epicentre
it was thought to be.
The fact is Aurora Council has complete authority to determine use of town resources.
A clause permits termination of the agreement without cause.
Another establishes Council authority to determine a level of tax resources for purchase of culture .
Either clause could be used to bring the arrangement to an end . In any calendar year.
The agreement was adopted by the last Council. Despite continued insistence on secret meetings by
the Board.
Failure to exercise authority in the taxpayers' interest is not an issue between the Board and Aurora taxpayers.
Nothing the Board has to say is of consequence.
The Board was not elected to manage town affairs.
Political accountability is the issue.
No municipal Council has ever been elected with a mandate to drive people from their homes with a tax burden weighted down with cost for Corporate Culture Welfare.
This fight is not with the Board.
The Board member should just cool out and like;
Little Jack Horner
Sit in your corner
Eating your Christmas pie
Put in your thumb and pull out a plum and
Say "What a good boy am I"
Taxation for hand-outs is not O.K.
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Budgeting is Annual":
"Comments to this blog indicate opposition to the expenditure."
I think that this statement would be more accurate if it was:
"Comments to this blog that the moderator decided to publish indicate opposition to the expenditure
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 29 December 2014 at 08:44
****************************
The moderator publishes comments that contribute to conversation. Name-calling and gutter-sniping don't cut the mustard.
The strategy appears to have changed this morning. People are back to work. Comments attack the town's management record while Board management decisions are kept out of the public eye.
The comments are not without irony since the board is not responsible for any aspect of maintenance of the facility they occupy. The building was handed over without ado. No proclamation of an agreement that betrayed the town's interest. Most certainly public support could not be claimed while the perfidy was kept secret.
Perhaps the term squat rather than occupy better describes the circumstance.
Comments from centre supporters echo of the reaction of the St Kitts outfit when Council cut off the mega thousand hand-out of funds and facilities and required competition for the advantage.
May our August Council be respectfully reminded of the fickle finger of fame.
I awoke this morning thinking of frequent references to minuscule opposition to the centre expressed in this blog.
I thought of thirty people who showed up at the barbecue and open house to promote double digit millions being spent of the Joint works and parks facility.
The Mayor and staff thought a turn-out of thirty represented a successful event.Attendees did not avail themselves of the opportunity to comment.
I thought of all the consultant "studies " to support this decision and that. Not only are those numbers also minimal, they're the same people who show up all the time
This Blog does not apologize for being.
Who else writes a regular blog and invites conversation.
Why do Centre supporters feel compelled to hurl invective?
Certainly no shortage of resources are spent on no centre promotion.
But is there a blog telling people why they did this or wouldn't do that again?
Or revealing strategy previously successful, to talk to individualt Councillors to secure more money from town coffers while also soliciting funds from small business in town.
The same business that pays taxes that replenish the town treasury.
They also support organizations that depend on volunteers and fund-raising to keep programs going
While at the same time creating employment, struggling to meet a payroll and providing service to the community.
Sports organizations depend on small business for financial support to keep registration fees reasonable while also in turn pay user fees for facilities which in turn in theory at least, pay The cost of operating the facilities.
None of which can be claimed by Church Street School Management Board.
"Comments to this blog indicate opposition to the expenditure."
I think that this statement would be more accurate if it was:
"Comments to this blog that the moderator decided to publish indicate opposition to the expenditure
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 29 December 2014 at 08:44
****************************
The moderator publishes comments that contribute to conversation. Name-calling and gutter-sniping don't cut the mustard.
The strategy appears to have changed this morning. People are back to work. Comments attack the town's management record while Board management decisions are kept out of the public eye.
The comments are not without irony since the board is not responsible for any aspect of maintenance of the facility they occupy. The building was handed over without ado. No proclamation of an agreement that betrayed the town's interest. Most certainly public support could not be claimed while the perfidy was kept secret.
Perhaps the term squat rather than occupy better describes the circumstance.
Comments from centre supporters echo of the reaction of the St Kitts outfit when Council cut off the mega thousand hand-out of funds and facilities and required competition for the advantage.
May our August Council be respectfully reminded of the fickle finger of fame.
I awoke this morning thinking of frequent references to minuscule opposition to the centre expressed in this blog.
I thought of thirty people who showed up at the barbecue and open house to promote double digit millions being spent of the Joint works and parks facility.
The Mayor and staff thought a turn-out of thirty represented a successful event.Attendees did not avail themselves of the opportunity to comment.
I thought of all the consultant "studies " to support this decision and that. Not only are those numbers also minimal, they're the same people who show up all the time
This Blog does not apologize for being.
Who else writes a regular blog and invites conversation.
Why do Centre supporters feel compelled to hurl invective?
Certainly no shortage of resources are spent on no centre promotion.
But is there a blog telling people why they did this or wouldn't do that again?
Or revealing strategy previously successful, to talk to individualt Councillors to secure more money from town coffers while also soliciting funds from small business in town.
The same business that pays taxes that replenish the town treasury.
They also support organizations that depend on volunteers and fund-raising to keep programs going
While at the same time creating employment, struggling to meet a payroll and providing service to the community.
Sports organizations depend on small business for financial support to keep registration fees reasonable while also in turn pay user fees for facilities which in turn in theory at least, pay The cost of operating the facilities.
None of which can be claimed by Church Street School Management Board.
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
***********************
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?
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
***********************
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?
A Majority Is not necessarily right
I failed to mention a major factor about the management plan adopted by the town for Church Street School; the theory wealthy donors in this affluent community would contribute generously to bring much needed culture to the masses.
Within three years the facility would be up and running and completely self-sufficient which would of course entail paying all overheads like a commercial rent and maintenance.
An Arts and Culture Fund was started by David and Ephraim Merkur , owners of the Aurora Shopping Centre forty years previously in thel hope others would contribute and it would grow to be a viable entity.
After probably thirty years ,developer Joseph Liebovitz was the only additional donor.
The fund was swallowed up in town resources during the last term. No reason given. Grant applications are no longer invited and presented to organizations within the community..
But I digress.
If the theory of self-sufficiency of culture programming by a self-appointed,independent board had proved to be valid, the right to conduct business behind closed doors would be val
Public funds would not be under the control of a non-elected secretive body.
A Board which is less self-sufficient with each passing year.
Annual requests are for additional support.
Local business are tapped for hand-outs and Trillium grants received.
It 's not clear The Board or Council is aware of expectation of self-sufficiency.
The town sees the funds as an investment in Economic Development ; tourism for example.
That would be a reason for the place to be accessible on week-ends and statutory holidays.
But it's not.
When the consultant's plan for management was adopted, it was likely on an eight- to -one vote.
I felt I no compulsion to accept the theory. My experience indicated otherwise.
It seems hardly necessary to point out....I was right....again.
Within three years the facility would be up and running and completely self-sufficient which would of course entail paying all overheads like a commercial rent and maintenance.
An Arts and Culture Fund was started by David and Ephraim Merkur , owners of the Aurora Shopping Centre forty years previously in thel hope others would contribute and it would grow to be a viable entity.
After probably thirty years ,developer Joseph Liebovitz was the only additional donor.
The fund was swallowed up in town resources during the last term. No reason given. Grant applications are no longer invited and presented to organizations within the community..
But I digress.
If the theory of self-sufficiency of culture programming by a self-appointed,independent board had proved to be valid, the right to conduct business behind closed doors would be val
Public funds would not be under the control of a non-elected secretive body.
A Board which is less self-sufficient with each passing year.
Annual requests are for additional support.
Local business are tapped for hand-outs and Trillium grants received.
It 's not clear The Board or Council is aware of expectation of self-sufficiency.
The town sees the funds as an investment in Economic Development ; tourism for example.
That would be a reason for the place to be accessible on week-ends and statutory holidays.
But it's not.
When the consultant's plan for management was adopted, it was likely on an eight- to -one vote.
I felt I no compulsion to accept the theory. My experience indicated otherwise.
It seems hardly necessary to point out....I was right....again.
Saturday, 27 December 2014
Two wrongs don't make a right.
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Nothing is free":
It is only natural, and justly so, that "we the people" should question secret meetings when:
1. The mayor and deputy mayor are in attendance.
2. "We the people" are contributing cash and kind in excess of $500,000 per year.
Are (1.) above permitted to share the contents of these secret meetings with other members of council?
This is a case of smut and mould continuing to languish and no one appears to have the means to remove it.
At one time the deputy mayor led the motion to terminate the agreement but now he is embedded in it. Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 27 December 2014 at 19:56
********************************
The Municipal Act prohibits secret meetings except for specific items. Real estate negotiations ,
Protection of privacy, wage negotiations.
The idea a Council would publicly proclaim interest in real estate is utterly senseless.Direction to staff to inquire the asking price is a classic example of pitiful denigration of convention.
That a Council would closet itself with a lawyer retained at public expense to plot the political demise of a Councillor with different views is equally foreign.
The Act has not been much respected during the last two terms of Council.
A Board of Management was recommended to Council for the renovated Church Street School by a former Financial Adviser. It may have Ben the last advice Council received on financial affairs.
A consultant was appointed and a format provided
The objective was financial self-sufficiency. For three years seed money would be provided on a
reducing sale . By the fourth year, no further financial support would be available.
The Board of Management would succeed or not . If not, the Board would have no validity
and would be dissolved.
The legal agreement signed by the for rear Mayor was an abomination of the original concept.
During the last term the agreement was improved. On a motion by myself and objected to by the new Mayor, the new solicitor was directed to review the agreement a and reported on the appalling
inadequacy.
An improved agreement made no difference to practice. The Mayor had been clandestinely attending Board meetings. Funds have increased in each passing year.
.The town's interest is ill- served.
The Mayor and a Councillor participating in private meetings and maintaining secrecy exacerbates
a situation already morally and legally unsupportable.
The election did not change that.
It is only natural, and justly so, that "we the people" should question secret meetings when:
1. The mayor and deputy mayor are in attendance.
2. "We the people" are contributing cash and kind in excess of $500,000 per year.
Are (1.) above permitted to share the contents of these secret meetings with other members of council?
This is a case of smut and mould continuing to languish and no one appears to have the means to remove it.
At one time the deputy mayor led the motion to terminate the agreement but now he is embedded in it. Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 27 December 2014 at 19:56
********************************
The Municipal Act prohibits secret meetings except for specific items. Real estate negotiations ,
Protection of privacy, wage negotiations.
The idea a Council would publicly proclaim interest in real estate is utterly senseless.Direction to staff to inquire the asking price is a classic example of pitiful denigration of convention.
That a Council would closet itself with a lawyer retained at public expense to plot the political demise of a Councillor with different views is equally foreign.
The Act has not been much respected during the last two terms of Council.
A Board of Management was recommended to Council for the renovated Church Street School by a former Financial Adviser. It may have Ben the last advice Council received on financial affairs.
A consultant was appointed and a format provided
The objective was financial self-sufficiency. For three years seed money would be provided on a
reducing sale . By the fourth year, no further financial support would be available.
The Board of Management would succeed or not . If not, the Board would have no validity
and would be dissolved.
The legal agreement signed by the for rear Mayor was an abomination of the original concept.
During the last term the agreement was improved. On a motion by myself and objected to by the new Mayor, the new solicitor was directed to review the agreement a and reported on the appalling
inadequacy.
An improved agreement made no difference to practice. The Mayor had been clandestinely attending Board meetings. Funds have increased in each passing year.
.The town's interest is ill- served.
The Mayor and a Councillor participating in private meetings and maintaining secrecy exacerbates
a situation already morally and legally unsupportable.
The election did not change that.
Don't jump the gun
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Budgeting is Annual":
From what the various re-elected councillors have been saying, all the remains to set the budget are a few little bits and pieces. The dead-line to fill out that ridiculous questionnaire [ it could not be answered with " yes " or "no " ] put out by the town has passed. I do not believe the new councillors will be allowed to make a difference.Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 27 December 2014 at 09:43
********************
You are probably right.
We heard much about how positive everything is going to be . It's hard to see where any new Councillor might be inclined , let alone likely to make a difference.
And they do have that mandate.
But maybe we should not jump the gun just yet.
From what the various re-elected councillors have been saying, all the remains to set the budget are a few little bits and pieces. The dead-line to fill out that ridiculous questionnaire [ it could not be answered with " yes " or "no " ] put out by the town has passed. I do not believe the new councillors will be allowed to make a difference.Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 27 December 2014 at 09:43
********************
You are probably right.
We heard much about how positive everything is going to be . It's hard to see where any new Councillor might be inclined , let alone likely to make a difference.
And they do have that mandate.
But maybe we should not jump the gun just yet.
Nothing is free
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Love and Commitment Beats
All":
Can any one tell us how much Ms. Tyson is paid, and how much revenue the
gig will generate?Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 27 December 2014 at
08:29
*******************
The only two likely to know are the Mayor and Councillor Abel .The Culture Centre Board, in the negotiations for a new agreement allowed the town to appoint two members to the board.
Those two were it. The Mayor had been attending previously unbeknownst to anyone except the Board.
However the Board did not agree to meet in public. They were using and spending half a million tax dollars but the taxpayer was not allowed to know their secrets.
The town also has the right to terminate the contract.
Nothing changed after the Mayor and Councillor joined the Board. They kept the secrets as well.
Both would know the cost of the gig. Ticket costs have to be public to be sold.
They could tell us they had a full house. But we would not know how many tickets were given away tok fill the house. They have all those friends.
They also solicit support from local business.
Imagine what it's like to be in business in Aurora. Every week a new non-profit organisation tagging them for a hand-out .
The town does it too. That's how we are able to put on those special family events that are so well received and don't cost the taxpayers a cent.
All":
Can any one tell us how much Ms. Tyson is paid, and how much revenue the
gig will generate?Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 27 December 2014 at
08:29
*******************
The only two likely to know are the Mayor and Councillor Abel .The Culture Centre Board, in the negotiations for a new agreement allowed the town to appoint two members to the board.
Those two were it. The Mayor had been attending previously unbeknownst to anyone except the Board.
However the Board did not agree to meet in public. They were using and spending half a million tax dollars but the taxpayer was not allowed to know their secrets.
The town also has the right to terminate the contract.
Nothing changed after the Mayor and Councillor joined the Board. They kept the secrets as well.
Both would know the cost of the gig. Ticket costs have to be public to be sold.
They could tell us they had a full house. But we would not know how many tickets were given away tok fill the house. They have all those friends.
They also solicit support from local business.
Imagine what it's like to be in business in Aurora. Every week a new non-profit organisation tagging them for a hand-out .
The town does it too. That's how we are able to put on those special family events that are so well received and don't cost the taxpayers a cent.
Budgeting is Annual
In Scotland Hogmanay was the traditional holiday . Like Hallowe'en originally it was a Pagan Festival.
It was more than a partee.
It was spiritual. But like everything else Scottish even spiritual is practical.
Home had to be scoured clean. Everything that could be was polished to a gleam or sparkle. Every speck of dirt or dust remove
Knitting or sewing projects had to be finished. Any task uncomplete by New Year's Eve likely never would be.
A dark-haired man first across the threshold after midnight guaranteed good fortune in the New Year.
Merriment ensued.
War interfered considerably with tradition.
I moved to London before I was eighteen and lived the next several years in a Jewish household.
Jewish celebrations are not the same.
Merriment does not feature significantly.
Christmas became the focus afterwards but the imperative to complete tasks continues to be a driver.
The merit of turning over a publicly owned facility with financial support close to a million to a self-appointed group that meets in secret without accountability is neither accepted nor considered a fait accompli.
A town must strike an annual budget. . A million dollars represents 3 points increase in the tax rate.
A conscientious Council must assure the community, taxes are both reasonable and necessary
The community in turn must judge whether the assurance is acceptable.
As long as the town hands over Church Street School and hundreds of thousands of dollars to a non-
accountable body that makes decisions in secret no such assurance is possible.
There is no integrity in such a budget
Under the current agreement,Council must decide the level of financial support.
We have a new Council. Does community input mean anything?
Comments to this blog indicate opposition to the expenditure.
Support is mainly expressed in name-calling and accusation.
People can make a difference.
It was more than a partee.
It was spiritual. But like everything else Scottish even spiritual is practical.
Home had to be scoured clean. Everything that could be was polished to a gleam or sparkle. Every speck of dirt or dust remove
Knitting or sewing projects had to be finished. Any task uncomplete by New Year's Eve likely never would be.
A dark-haired man first across the threshold after midnight guaranteed good fortune in the New Year.
Merriment ensued.
War interfered considerably with tradition.
I moved to London before I was eighteen and lived the next several years in a Jewish household.
Jewish celebrations are not the same.
Merriment does not feature significantly.
Christmas became the focus afterwards but the imperative to complete tasks continues to be a driver.
The merit of turning over a publicly owned facility with financial support close to a million to a self-appointed group that meets in secret without accountability is neither accepted nor considered a fait accompli.
A town must strike an annual budget. . A million dollars represents 3 points increase in the tax rate.
A conscientious Council must assure the community, taxes are both reasonable and necessary
The community in turn must judge whether the assurance is acceptable.
As long as the town hands over Church Street School and hundreds of thousands of dollars to a non-
accountable body that makes decisions in secret no such assurance is possible.
There is no integrity in such a budget
Under the current agreement,Council must decide the level of financial support.
We have a new Council. Does community input mean anything?
Comments to this blog indicate opposition to the expenditure.
Support is mainly expressed in name-calling and accusation.
People can make a difference.
Friday, 26 December 2014
Credit withheld
I never knew the amount of Margaret Brevik's legacy to the Aurora Historical Society. It was added to the renovation fund for the museum.
I apologise for not acknowledging Margaret's contribution .
The funds were not used for the purpose intended but her name is attached to a room being used for a purpose not intended.
There's not a lot to be said to commend the practice.
Love and Commitment Beats All
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Best is Yet To Come":
The seating capacity of Brevik Hall for a concert is 150. That doesn't sound like a "ridiculous" number does it?
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 24 December 2014 at 21:35
*****************
Merry Christmas to you and thank you for the information on seating capacity of the space
referenced as Brevik Hall in Church Street School.
I am familiar with the building. Two of my children took drawing classes there many,many years ago.
The facility had been leased to Remington Rand as a training centre for some years.The lease was not renewed and the town provided the space to various community groups to offer their programs.
Mabel Pearson,a talented young housewife and mother who lived in Jasper Drive set up drawing classes. Mabel and Cathan Schonicker a neighbour in Sunray Place had started the Aurora Art Show.
Ernie Batson Arena Manager/Recreation Director provided advice, support and space to get the
Project going.
Aurora had a list of accomplished artists . The pottery group got going in 1971 with opportunity
for a kiln in what was the Old Waterworks building that became the police station that became the
town's first museum when a Regional Police Department was established in the early seventies.
It is now Park Place Manor.
The new Community Centre Auditorium lent itself admirably. to the function of an Art Show and so it became a top professional adjudicated Ontario Show in no time.
It never needed treasury funding. It went from strength to strength. Artists from Aurora and elsewhere are beholden to the community for encouragement and support long before advent of the free-loading Culture Centre Board.
I was also familiar with the old school when it housed York County Board of Education headquarters.
I reported board business for a couple of years. At the time when rural schools had to be closed and children bussed in the dark of early morning and brought home in the dark of early evening
Classroom space referred to as Brevik Hall was the board room.
Two classrooms were made versatile by a movable partition. Always a feature.
The board renovated to suit its purpose. False ceilings were installed to maintain a comfort level of heating,
After the Board vacated, the Historical Society took over the second floor and created a museum. The town provided a grant and a curator was appointed.
The building was shared with the Senior's Friendship Circle. Big Brothers and Scouts of Canada
rented office space also.
Later Historical Society board members devoted thousands of volunteer hours gutting renovations to bring rooms back to original walls and smoke- stained tin tile ceilings .
When the task was completed , I had an opportunity to see it empty and returned to the condition it was when the last student left. I joined a number of last students on that occasion.
I saw it again after $3 million dollars had been expended to create a state of the art heritage and culture centre.
I spent some time this morning trying to discover seating capacity of Aurora Factory Theatre.
I'm almost certain it exceeds 150. The facility has a stage, sound system, control room ,flys, lights and curtains.
Seats are comfortable theatre chairs properly graded for viewing pleasure.
A foyer provides a cheerful reception area for gathering during intermission.
Except for the cinder block building, Aurora theatre group of several generations, entirely volunteer, created ,by the fruits of their labour, love and commitment, a theatre for enjoyment and satisfaction of all without ever tapping the town treasury.
Thank you, yes, I am familiar with Church Street School and its environs.
Seating capacity for 150 on small,hard,folding or stacking chairs in an old classroom with ceilings far beyond normal height, is not my idea of an appropriate venue for enjoyment of a stellar concert performance.
We can do better.
We have been doing a hell of a lot better, for a lot less, during the past sixty years without any help from our free-loading friends of the Culture Centre Board.
The seating capacity of Brevik Hall for a concert is 150. That doesn't sound like a "ridiculous" number does it?
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 24 December 2014 at 21:35
*****************
Merry Christmas to you and thank you for the information on seating capacity of the space
referenced as Brevik Hall in Church Street School.
I am familiar with the building. Two of my children took drawing classes there many,many years ago.
The facility had been leased to Remington Rand as a training centre for some years.The lease was not renewed and the town provided the space to various community groups to offer their programs.
Mabel Pearson,a talented young housewife and mother who lived in Jasper Drive set up drawing classes. Mabel and Cathan Schonicker a neighbour in Sunray Place had started the Aurora Art Show.
Ernie Batson Arena Manager/Recreation Director provided advice, support and space to get the
Project going.
Aurora had a list of accomplished artists . The pottery group got going in 1971 with opportunity
for a kiln in what was the Old Waterworks building that became the police station that became the
town's first museum when a Regional Police Department was established in the early seventies.
It is now Park Place Manor.
The new Community Centre Auditorium lent itself admirably. to the function of an Art Show and so it became a top professional adjudicated Ontario Show in no time.
It never needed treasury funding. It went from strength to strength. Artists from Aurora and elsewhere are beholden to the community for encouragement and support long before advent of the free-loading Culture Centre Board.
I was also familiar with the old school when it housed York County Board of Education headquarters.
I reported board business for a couple of years. At the time when rural schools had to be closed and children bussed in the dark of early morning and brought home in the dark of early evening
Classroom space referred to as Brevik Hall was the board room.
Two classrooms were made versatile by a movable partition. Always a feature.
The board renovated to suit its purpose. False ceilings were installed to maintain a comfort level of heating,
After the Board vacated, the Historical Society took over the second floor and created a museum. The town provided a grant and a curator was appointed.
The building was shared with the Senior's Friendship Circle. Big Brothers and Scouts of Canada
rented office space also.
Later Historical Society board members devoted thousands of volunteer hours gutting renovations to bring rooms back to original walls and smoke- stained tin tile ceilings .
When the task was completed , I had an opportunity to see it empty and returned to the condition it was when the last student left. I joined a number of last students on that occasion.
I saw it again after $3 million dollars had been expended to create a state of the art heritage and culture centre.
I spent some time this morning trying to discover seating capacity of Aurora Factory Theatre.
I'm almost certain it exceeds 150. The facility has a stage, sound system, control room ,flys, lights and curtains.
Seats are comfortable theatre chairs properly graded for viewing pleasure.
A foyer provides a cheerful reception area for gathering during intermission.
Except for the cinder block building, Aurora theatre group of several generations, entirely volunteer, created ,by the fruits of their labour, love and commitment, a theatre for enjoyment and satisfaction of all without ever tapping the town treasury.
Thank you, yes, I am familiar with Church Street School and its environs.
Seating capacity for 150 on small,hard,folding or stacking chairs in an old classroom with ceilings far beyond normal height, is not my idea of an appropriate venue for enjoyment of a stellar concert performance.
We can do better.
We have been doing a hell of a lot better, for a lot less, during the past sixty years without any help from our free-loading friends of the Culture Centre Board.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
