In the Annual Report for the Culture Centre ,there's an explanation of a substantial reserve..
It provides for the Board to wind up Centre affairs if the town exercises it;s authority and give six months notice of the agreement's termination .
There's an itsy bitsy detail that prohibits a Council from tying the hands of a future Council.
It makes the argument about winning and losing and accepting defeat and being a bad loser
and all that organic matter a tad ridiculous.
The new agreement is something else accomplished by the current Council.
A great deal of work went into it. The town's interest is protected. To an extent.
This week a decision has been handed down from the court establishing Councillors serving on the board will not incur a Conflict of Interest by voting on a matter related to the Centre's finances.
That's a plus.
There is an outstanding question still. An elected member is bound to deal with town business in public, with few exceptions. The exceptions are not about covering political posteriors.
In the negotiations for the new contract , the board refused to agree to open meetings.
Council appointees to the Board will not only attend closed meetings, they will be bound by confidentiality of the board's deliberations.
There is little point in Council having representation on the Board if they can't keep Council informed. It's not like the Library Board whose meetings are also required to be public.
Like Thomas Mulchair I will keep hammering home the point.
If an arm's length board is not charged with operating the Centre like a business , on at least a break even basis, the board has no reason for being.
Simply as a matter of equity between users, Church Street School should be like any other facility the town owns and operates.
Programs are provided.
User Fees are charged.
Facility rentals produce revenue .
Sponsorships solicited by staff and generously supported by local business help to keep fees affordable.
The town's recreation has an annual budget of $5million and revenues of $5 million.Why do we need to mess with success?
Programs cited in the the Centre's Annual Report were previously held in the Aurora Seniors Centre; built for the purpose.
How many venues do we need to have a forties sing along and an annual Horticultural Exhibition
and Sale.??
How many glossy publications, web sites, promotions, etc etc ????
Town facilities and programs are available on Statutory holidays
The question is---what is the Culture Centre doing that could not be done as effectively, efficiently
and more economically under the jurisdiction of the town's administration?
If it;s a question of winners and losers, the taxpayers are clearly losers.
As a person elected to represent the taxpayers interest, I am not prepared to accept .
We are mad as hell and we are not going to take it any more.
At least not quietly.
Tuesday 29 October 2013
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3 comments:
I agree with you, Councillor Buck. But we have seen their tactics before in spades. They will stack the council chamber with loud out-of-towners and intimidate the councillors. Anything different would be atypical.
Another Production By Susan Walmer
Good grief, woman. This was supposed to be your night off !
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