"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

Wednesday 2 January 2013

Read It Again

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "How Do You Describe Culture ?": 
I notice that they make no mention of another possible full-time member who might be paid under the table. Our very own delightful Nasty who pounces first thing every morning and clocks in at the end of the day. There is no need to mention such little items - no one is accountable. I believe the original plan was for it to become a Councillor but that got derailed at the polls
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 I love the Blog. 
Every time conversation  re-ignites, another piece of the puzzle flies out  like a spark and casts  more light on the subject. 
Let us retrace steps that led to  current circumstance.   
An ad hoc committee  of "Arts Heritage and Culture"  was created by the former Mayor..  
Councillors interested in participating were excluded Particularly Bob McRoberts, Aurora-born, devotee of town history. 
Councillors Gaertner and Granger were named; Gaertner as chair.
The new curator, appointed by the Historical Society to make ready for the museum, was  resource person  to the committee.
While on the job, a successful application was  approved for $750,000 from Heritage Canada for a museum. 
The eminently competent curator, looking forward to organising and managing a state of the art museum facility, designs paid for by the Historical Society, resigned soon after. 
With the benefit of  hindsight, I  must assume the curator knew what was in the wind, when she applied for and accepted  a position in the neighbouring Town of Markham. 
No museum in Aurora, no job for a curator.
The former Mayor's ,former election campaign manager, was appointed to take the curator's place as resource person to the committee. while still serving as  member of the committee.
The job paid $60 an hour.  No conflict was argued.
The agreement to purchase cultural services at $343,000 a year rising by 3%  each   year. Donations to be matched dollar for dollar by the town.  Plus free rent of a facility  renovated at a cost of $3 million; Plus maintenance and utilities  provided at no cost to the board was signed by the interim chair and interim secretary of an interim board.
Susan Morton Leonard was interim secretary.  
All  before the facility opened.
Not immediately apparent was the fact the museum would  not take its rightful place
Never, in fact, publicly acknowledged. Despite questions in Council. There was a conspiracy of silence. 
Other plans for the facility proceeded. Cheques were handed over with no measures for accountability. 
As in all things Mormac, it soon became clear, the deadly duo were in full.control .
Flash forward to a new election.
Two incumbents not seeking re-election.
A third presumably severely damaged by  repeated Codes of Conduct complaints  contrived at considerable expense to the municipality. 
Sher St Kitts attempted registration as a candidate.Non- resident. Non- eligible.  
Christopher Ballard, non-elected appointee by  former Mayor to advantageous position of Chair  to  Economic Development Committee, joins the candidate slate. 
Ms Humfreys,  associate of  various  proclaimed favourite charities of former Mayor, also joins the slate.
Once more into the fray, a complete slate of candidates to take over the town. the administration and Church Street School.
Discounting  public awareness entirely. 
What a shock was in store for more than the candidates.  
In a few days, we shall see what else  has been salvaged from Mormac's defeat at the polls.
Whether  a Council  elected to replace a council that was less than forthright, will  vote to  reject an agreement varying little in substance  from the former agreement , a  lease of property with no advantage to the municipality, and funding  for a program  approved  by sleight of hand
To presume the vote is a foregone conclusion, is to suggest the people of Aurora have had no say in the matter.
Like the election never happened. 
We shall see.      

        
    

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Certain Ayes - Gaertner, Ballard
Probable Ayes - Gallo, Humfryes

Certain Nays - Buck, Abel
Probable/Hopefully Nays - Thomson, Pirri

Possible Deciding Vote - Dawe.

You know, the one who had been secretly attending Cultural Board meetings.