"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

Tuesday 15 January 2013

Not Wrong

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "One Potato.Two Potato, Three Potato, Four":

To 7:40pm – I saw that letter too and was a bit surprised.

She states that “Some questions need to be answered!” and goes on to list and ask “Why…”, “Why…” and “Who..” and ends with “If this Council wants to provide those they serve with an open and transparent government, why was this lawsuit hidden from the public for over three month?”

Who is she asking to find out the answers - The Auroran readers? She’s a Councillor for ________ sake – isn’t she in the best position to find out? What’s she doing throwing up her arms in defeat and asking the public to do her job? If she’s so concerned, shouldn’t she be doing her job and getting to the bottom of things – what was she elected for – or does she want others to do her job? Shouldn’t she be answering her own questions and ending the letter with “on behalf of the citizens of Aurora I’m going to get the answers?” or “I’ve tried my best to get the answers but they are just not forthcoming.”

She seems to want to stir the pot (in the court of public opinion as to how the Council isn’t doing it’s job or potentially not doing their job) and yet take no responsibility for doing her own job?

Am I wrong in this? 

***************
No, you are not wrong.  Nobody has a better position to get answers than a Councillor. 
I've found it difficult on occasion but I've certainly never appealed to the public for help. 
In matters of litigation,Councillors have an obligation to protect the municipality. It means we often have to keep things to ourselves we would really, really like to talk about. 
For the same reason ,I am not going to talk about a lawsuit against the municipality by a cab owner who lost  licences to operate.
Except to say, the hearing took minutes and was dismsissed with costs against the appellant.
 
   

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are probably correct not to discuss that one yet as the taxi cab owner has vowed to pursue the matter further. As a mere by-stander, I think the thing is done & dusted but it is better to wait &make sure he doesn't have any more legal steps available.

Anonymous said...

Also read in this week’s The Auroran –Letter to the Editor page 4 – “Former board member stresses importance of Cultural vote” by T.C. Smith

While he once again tries to sway the reader to see the benefits of the Aurora Cultural Centre he generalizes his statements and IMHO fails to show the numbers. I know that everything can’t be measured in numbers but it’s got to start somewhere? (Something I’ve have never seen from any of the information about the ACC – How many are using it? How many are registered in programs, etc?)

Instead he states: “In three short years, it’s an overwhelming success because of the governance and the financial support of the Town! The people of Aurora and from afar have voted with their feet by breaking records for attendance with each quarter.” What records? How many people are using it? NOBODY ever seems to state this. Why? Perhaps if people knew the real numbers they could see it is under utilized. If the numbers are so record breaking – publish them and get the public support. Just stating “Breaking a record” is meaningless without it’s parameters. Why is it an “overwhelming success”?, not because of its governance and the financial support of the Town. He’s got it backwards - if there is a true argument here it is successful because people are using it. You could have the very best governance & financial support (although I doubt how that could happen in the skewed agreement the ACC has been operating on) and yet if you don’t get people out to the programs you won’t be successful. What are they measuring their success on? (Do I have tell them how to do this – how ironic!)

CONTINUE NEXT POST

Anonymous said...

CONTINUED LAST POST (T.C. Smith’s Letter to the Editor)

He (T.C. Smith) states that the ACC “has been a hub of activity” (again show us the numbers) and that it “has provided high quality programming in visual arts, music, lecture series, community events, etc” (which I won’t dispute). But he goes on to claim that the ACC “has become a facility that is the envy of other communities in S. (Southern) Ontario”. Who envies the ACC? And if so why wouldn’t they – the ACC is Town funded, essentially rent & maintenance free, no pressure to be self-sufficient, independent or really successful. It’s the envy because everyone else would love to operate under those same conditions, why wouldn’t they.

He later states: “It is well documented that a facility for arts and culture has spin off economic benefits for any community while enriching the lives of its citizens much like sport, natural heritage and recreation, etc.” While I agree with the “enriching the lives” portion, I tend to pass on the blanket statement of the “spin off economic benefits”. Yes the Town is paying for the facility and wages of the staff etc. (out of tax money). But in Aurora’s case, how many local businesses say they benefit from the ACC presence? If so show us the numbers to back up the argument not just a general statement. In fact, the ACC may take away certain revenue from others in the arts community – such are other music teachers or art instructors. I'm not arguing that the ACC needs to have spin-off economic benefits to be successful but if you are making this statement then back it up.

He tries to state that we shouldn’t let the ACC go the way of the Aurora Jazz Festival and ends with “The citizens of Aurora have been denied that event – let us not be denied our Cultural Centre political misstep and misinformation”. Well – it works both ways as to who’s providing the misstep and misinformation or lack of information. Everyone always thinks that failure to provide is one-sided – “It’s never the ACC’s fault – it’s the Town’s fault – they are the bad guys.” If the ACC could just show everyone the numbers of users, participants etc it would make their argument a lot more compelling – or not!

Sports groups and other groups (Senior Centre) around town who use Town facilities for example give the numbers we have xxxx children & adult members registered in our programs, we have xxx parent volunteers and coaches. Why doesn’t the ACC do the same?

It is far easier to generalize than to give the actual facts and numbers otherwise you have to live up to the truth.

(I'm feeling "kind of stupid" right now, since I've been telling the ACC how they should be operating their PR to the Town. Perhaps there's a job in for me with them.)

Anonymous said...

In the Auroran, you can also learn what use has been put to the buildings around the old Library - you know, the ones we were waiting to get a report on about their disposition. BUT there is no mention of any revenue going to Aurora for the various usages. Is there any and where is that report?

Anonymous said...

I thought that I read in the draft agreement that KPI's are required to be reported -- would that satisfy you? The numbers are available and I think have been published.

Other communities (Orangeville for eg) have done lots of work on spin offs from cultural programs -- the numbers speak for themselves -- perhaps York region or Aurora should do an economic study , local businesses give great support to events at Church Street -- I must assume its because they see benefits to their business -- one thing for sure there will be no spin off in Aurora from the Jazz fest except for gas stations as people drive away from town.

Anonymous said...

Attendance numbers were provided during the February foofaraw.

Anonymous said...

The numbers you are after are presented to the town each quarter and annually -- they do speak for themselves -- Abel got the place audited for performance -- received a perfect audit report -- available on the town web site I think

Anonymous said...

Isn't Gaertner the one who said that she was unaware that she had voted to commence legal action when Morris launcher her lawsuit with town funds ?

Anonymous said...

Correction to my earlier post: Isn't Gaertner the one who said that she was unaware that she had voted to commence legal action when Morris launched her lawsuit with town funds ?

Anonymous said...

With all consideration and with no intent to offend anyone:

To 12:19pm, Yes, I also thought I read in the draft agreement that KPI’s were required to be reported – but I don’t think anyone has even set what the KPI’s are so how can they report them. So please direct me (and be specific) about “the numbers are available” and not “I think have been published”. Also your statement of “the numbers speak for themselves” – really… what numbers? What are they speaking of?

To 12:33pm Yes, I remember something about numbers last February too - but why isn’t in any reports? (and if it is where – I want to read it and I don’t want it including everyone coming through for the winter Farmer’s market).

To 12:34pm Your statement “The numbers you are after are presented to the town each quarter and annually – they do speak for themselves… (the ACC) received a perfect audit report – available on the town web site I think”. Yes, I agree they may have received a perfect audit report that just confirms they are accounting for the money that they have been given. But it doesn’t mean they are successful. The quarterly & annual report is an accounting report – Where’s the money that we gave you, what money did you bring in, - it doesn’t tell the numbers using ACC.

Am I asking too much for someone to directly show me the numbers of users, participants, etc. It’s now 2013 – they should have their numbers for 2012 – who’s going through their doors.

Not to say but if it has been such a great benefit for local business why aren’t they knocking down the Town Council doors and telling all that will listen that it will hurt them where it counts – in their pocket books because of lost business due to the doors of the ACC closing.

Anonymous said...

. Wow ! Someone is backing and filling busily today. Could it be the resident snark is out out sorts?

Anonymous said...

To 1:10 and 4:52...

Nice try but it was Grainger.

But, spin this to slag a sitting councillor all you like.

Anonymous said...

The reports for the cultural centre are filed quarterly along with staff commentary (reporting on KPI's) I've seen them I think on the town web site? - you are not likely going to see those results here on this blog because they support the existence of the centre. If you want to see the audited statements, they are on the Centre web site

The centre has had KPI's since it opened! And has reported on them , read them -- I have, since the controversy began about 18 months ago on this blog

Have you seen an annual report from the Family leisure complex about their numbers etc -- try to get that information!

Why not include the numbers for the Farmers Market , are they not users of the centre? What criteria do you suggest for counting users ?

the Abel audit was not a financial one it was performance -- read some of this stuff and you can make informed comments

Anonymous said...

I’m confused 5:59pm who of the above “Anonymous” are you labelling as the “resident snark”?


I also now see at the ACC’s website under the history tab (see http://auroraculturalcentre.ca/about-us/history/ ) that they have another link to “Aurora Cultural Centre Documents & Reports” (http://auroraculturalcentre.ca/about-us/documents-reports/ ) from there you’ll see the links to Audited Financial Statements for 2009, 2010 & 2011. I looked through these and yes saw the financial numbers but of course the financials don’t carry any information as to the number using the place.


I wonder what the 2012 financials will show.

Anonymous said...

8:59 AM
I believe a question was asked about whether or not it was Councilor Gaertner. Understandable given her recent letter to the Auroran.