I've just sent in three Notices of Motion for next week's agenda.
They may or may not be discussed. A motion must be seconded to be considered.
In any case ,they won't be dealt with until the Council meeting after .
Two of them have to do with museum and heritage programming.
Council directed staff to call for expressions of interest in operating a program.
Three proposals were received. One was from the Historical Society,another from the Culture Centre Board and the one that scored the highest in the competition was a consulting firm.
If awarded , it would of necessity be a business contract.
The community within the community with extensive knowledge and commitment to the town's heritage would be excluded .
I've always thought that would be a mistake.
Since 1976 until 2003 the town ,in partnership with the Historical Society , provided an excellent
program. There was the collection unique to Aurora within a facility which itself was an outstanding artifact.
Research services were provided on request.
Summer camps were organized. Teachers brought classes to the museum for enlightenment.
Christmas and other festival events were celebrated .
The service wasmuch appreciated,
Residents donated heirlooms to the collection.
The town funded meaningful purchases when brought to attention.
There was a cost ; the curator's salary. But overall that cost was defrayed by volunteer support.
I hope we can do it again. We don't have to re-invent the wheel.
It can't be the loosy-goosy arrangement it was before. There has to be a line of authority for accountability. We can't allow the program to be wiped out in a flash the way it was before.
It means something or it doesn't.
If it does, it needs to be woven in to the fabric .
It is an enrichment for sure. Some may think of it as bling. But it has its place
I agree- reluctantly.
ReplyDeleteBut, if we are going to try to make those two groups work together, it is going to take a strait-jacket. No loose threads that can get tugged by the mighty egos both have displayed,
And, the trust in dealing with bequests from residents will have to be earned the hard way. Those who donated before were dishonoured.
The Auroran is up.
ReplyDeleteI do consider it a “Bling”. That being said people have invested a whole lot of time and money for years to get this “bling” a permanent home. I wasn't one of those people but I would be pretty ticked off if I was. Sad and frustrating how the Town is has spent time and lots of money on this heritage park bling when the business of the museum is still not finished.
ReplyDeleteNot as long as genuinely interested individuals such as Mr Heard & Mr Watts are excluded.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you could do it, E, but you have to try and find out why the outside offer/bid was so much better. That gap has to be eliminated if council is going to consider the local talent. Tricky when you are not supposed to be able to look at the material.
ReplyDelete15:26
ReplyDeleteComplete with dear Nigel lecturing Matt M. on civility !!!
And a potential move backwards:
ReplyDelete" Mayors look to keep university hopes alive "
Auroran May
@17:02
ReplyDeleteRight. I would be most uneasy with the same people still in place. even the Centre realized that they had to change their board.
If I had material not going to family, Whitchurch/Stouffville or Waddingtons
18:33
ReplyDeleteI see Nigel standing in his garage looking at his old election signs. Trying very hard to decide which ones he wants to use this time around.
@17:08
ReplyDeleteWhat's happening with their Aurora Heritage Authority? Apart from having a name, have we seen anything about it?
9:23
ReplyDeleteOthers are turning up too. I noticed a first time candidate in the last election at the Public meeting & idly wondered where the time since had been spent. Later checked the twitter-feed - it has all been cleaned up & is ready to go.
@16:12
ReplyDeleteYou can't mean JA who has no web savvy. Would it be someone who would set Mr Watts off ?