The Amazing Gift

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Dream Came True":

To Anonymous 22 February, 2012 10:57 AM

"The time for dealing properly with this mess came and went without notice as the ordinary Aurorans were considered beneath notice."

Where were you and the others that are endorsing the voiding of a contract when this deal was made in the first place? It was not made in a vacuum or inside a closet. If you have a problem with how it is run, I think the proper place is at the Board level of the Centre

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No..the proper place is at the Council table. 

I was  there  when  approval of the contract was voted.

Questions were raised .

 An amendment was made to the  motion to refer the contract to the  town solicitor, to report back if any modifications to the contract were  necessary.

That  never happened.

There was no follow through. 

The new board interpreted the contract to mean they had authority to exclude the museum from the building.

The decision was not immediately apparent.

I have told the story several times  of  when it did become apparent.

I asked the Mayor  in a Council meeting, when the museum was going to be up and running in the place provided for it by the town.

I well recall  the  response. The Mayor's eyes shifted rapidly from side to side like a trapped animal  before  she referred the question to the Director of Finance to provide a report.

That never happened.

It was the  curator hired by the historical society who informed me when I inquired, of the board's refusal to accommodate the museum in the building.

Reason given .... a museum doesn't make money.

Mayor Morris had  friends and campaign workers posted in all kinds of  positions of influence. 

Ken Whitehurst was appointed, at $60.00 an hour, to replace  the curator who resigned, as  resource person advising the Ad Hoc Heritage  and Culture  Committee of which he was a member.  Chris Ballard was involved prior to being a Councillor
.
Councillors Gaertner and Granger  represented Council on the committee.

The curator who resigned was  the person who processed a successful application to  Federal Heritage which brought $750,000,
grant  revenue to be spent on a  heritage project..

Deputy Mayor Bob Mc Roberts  a life- long  resident and  town history buff asked to be involved in the committee. 

That didn't happen.

The only requirement of the board to obtain release of the funds  provided  by the town was a quarterly financial statement submitted to the Treasurer. Who had no obligation to report anything at all  to Council.

In other words, no accountability to Council.   Only  to the  Director of Finance. Funds flowed unimpeded and that's how it was arranged.

No wonder they think they own the building

It was wrapped up, tied in a bow and handed to them.

If the deal wasn't made in a vacuum, it certainly was in a closet  with only a few people who knew.what was intended.