"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

Friday 22 July 2016

IT STILL DOESN'T WASH CLEAN

Mayor Dawe has taken advantage of his office. In an interview with Brock Weir, editor of The Auroran,
the Mayor got a second opportunity to press  his argument against spending $1.1 million dollars on a third park in Mavricland. Problem is, the vote is taken. The Mayor persuaded no-one.His influence is. Nil to Zero. 

There is no more substance to his argument than there is to the arguments of the seven who voted
In support of the park. 

The Mayor sent this project on its trajectory before the last election when he voted for legal action to compel the developer to surrender the 6 acre site to the town.The town had no legal justification 
to force that sale. No law that would have allowed expropriation for a park. 

That may have been the moment the former solicitor realised Aurora had no need for a legal department and he did not invest in a career in law to be employed by a town without respect for law or logic. 

Municipal decisions are  determined, in the main,  by various acts of Provincial law. 

The Planning Act requires a developer to dedicate  5% of a developable parcel for a park.The 
municipality cannot ask for more. 

School boards may requisition sites for schools but they must pay raw land price. 

Municipalities must calculate development charges covering needs in a five year period .

 Master Recreation Plans must be reviewed every five years for identified needs to justify Development Charges. 

It means home buyers pay for the park  in their neighbourhood. The town pays ten per cent to
Make it a community affair. 

Amenities in new home developments shall not increase the tax burden for existing residents. 

There is method in the madness.

Legal fees were incurred to compel the Mavrinac  developer to surrender a six acre site not required by the separate school board. 

Legal costs have not  been disclosed.

 $2.3 million was paid for the land. $1.1 million is estimated to build  a third park within a klick of two other fine facilities. 

Nothing supports the project. Neither law, logic nor equity between taxpayers. 

The decision was purely political. Votes from the Mavrinac neighbourhood were the prize. They still
are.

As I recall,Councillor Michael Thompson quietly witheld his support to acquire  the land. He now argues for the expenditure.

No-one asks about the source of funding. 

 

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

What's funny is that it was Gallo who started this shit show. But it was Dawe who benefitted.

Anonymous said...



It's only money.

OUR MONEY!

THESE IDIOTS HAVE GOT TO STOP SQUANDERING IT!

Anonymous said...

The Mayor cannot turn back the clock. Council have voted to fund Mavrinac from the very beginning.
It is a shame that the park-to-be will be such a localized affair but everyone has signed off on it except for Cllr
Pirri who wanted it to be more inclusive.
The Mayor truly illustrates that he has only the one vote - he sure isn't driving the bus.

Anonymous said...

Mavrinac will get their park & then they will start shouting about the traffic it generates. This despite the fact that the place will have few from other parts of the town. The public gardens could have easily fit in.
Oh, wait ! They are already complaining about the traffic and want their speed bumps.

Anonymous said...

I'm still waiting for the icecream store!

Anonymous said...

Smoke & Mirrors coming to the Town of Aurora !!
Council has " reluctantly " decided to examine the Centre's budget in order to hold them to the same standard as everyone else.
The gnashing of capped teeth and rending of expensive garments will begin.
I did not vote for Cllr Kim but he is kicking some butt there !

Anonymous said...

Round up some people, storm the chamber, make it sound like it's an abomination that we don't have one, and it will be done.

Anonymous said...

The Historical Society is going to have to tighten its budget this year. Given that the membership there are mostly the same as those helming that Cultural Group, the flak should be fun to watch.

Anonymous said...

The SCC must become the ASM =Aurora Sharing Museum
AUM =Aurora Unselfish Museum
AFM=Aurora Friendly Museum
AIM=Aurora Inclusive Museum

Please feel free to play along.
The winner gets to chainsaw the piano.....kidding.

Anonymous said...

More theatrical performances ahead. Examine their budget means finding that their underfunded and providing them more money for all the great work that they do in providing us a great quality of life. It's all BS.

Anonymous said...

They should just hand over this building to the Feds. It's clear that this Town is incapable of managing it. The feds dumped the armory on us. How we ended up paying for that piece of sh*t is mind boggling. Whoever was part of that thumbs up deal should have left the stage.