SO SAYS... THE NEW DEPUTY MINISTER!
In a letter dated May 26, 2009 Mr. Ian Thompson the new Deputy Minister over at Economic and Rural Development (ERD)advises SWSDA and Municipal Members of SWSDA's Board that they must be incorporated under the Regional Communities Development Act passed into law twelve years ago in 1997 to receive future funding. Below is a copy of the three page letter that I understand most councils will be considering in the coming days and weeks.
Read his letter and let me know your views. Any idea what to expect? Click on each page to expand...
Do you think municipal councils should hold public meetings to consult with taxpayers before they make decisions about the future of RDA's in our communities.
Which communities should future RDA's represent?...
The same nine .... presently controlled by SWSDA?
Communities in Shelburne County alone?
Should we have an RDA for Eastern Shelburne County and one for Western Shelburne County? Who should decide this and how?
Should we have an RDA for Eastern Shelburne County and one for Western Shelburne County? Who should decide this and how?
LETS TALK ABOUT THIS PUBLICLY.... and make sure politicians understand what taxpayers want and where they see their future.
BTW... what happens to the more than $500,000 in guarantees provided to SWSDA by municipalities if SWSDA no longer exists?
Anyone know who ends up holding the money from the Boys School Consent Order? The $1.75 million mortgage on the base.... who owes the $475,000 mortgage to the Province for the Base..... and what about the money owed to SCBDC by SWSDA.... so many questions so few answers....
I think we should get a few .... (answers that is)
BEFORE.... FOLKS GO OFF DOING THEIR OWN THING WITHOUT TALKING TO THOSE OF US WHO SEEM TO KEEP PICKING UP THE PIECES!!
No more secret meetings and no more secret commitments made by unaccountable folks and bodies......
Here are key points to note from the letter.
1. In order to qualify for the performance based funding in the 2009-2010 fiscal year a new RDA will have to be incorporated under the Regional Communities Development Act.
2. In order to be incorporated under the Act, a municipality or group of municipalities must submit a formal written request to the Minister seeking incorporation of an RDA in our community or communities.
3. The request to the Minister must spell out:
(a) the name of the agency and it must be distinct and different from the present RDA's name;
(b) the regional community for which the agency may exercise powers;
(c) the municipalities that are to be represented on the agency;
(d) the number of members on the agencys board of directors to be appointed by the councils of the participating municipalities;
(e) the number of members of the agencys board of directors to be representatives of the regional communitys economic sectors and other relevant groups;
(f) the term of office of members of the board of directors of the agency and the conditions under which members of the board of directors cease to be members of the board;
(g) the proportions in which each of the participating municipalities shall contribute to and provide the funds required to meet the expenses of the agency, subject to the participating municipalities ability to approve its contribution on an annual basis;
(h) the date when the contribution of each participating municipality is to be paid to the agency;
(i) the officers and organization of an agency and how and when meetings of the agency are to be held and the business of the agency transacted;
(j) the fiscal year of the agency.
(b) the regional community for which the agency may exercise powers;
(c) the municipalities that are to be represented on the agency;
(d) the number of members on the agencys board of directors to be appointed by the councils of the participating municipalities;
(e) the number of members of the agencys board of directors to be representatives of the regional communitys economic sectors and other relevant groups;
(f) the term of office of members of the board of directors of the agency and the conditions under which members of the board of directors cease to be members of the board;
(g) the proportions in which each of the participating municipalities shall contribute to and provide the funds required to meet the expenses of the agency, subject to the participating municipalities ability to approve its contribution on an annual basis;
(h) the date when the contribution of each participating municipality is to be paid to the agency;
(i) the officers and organization of an agency and how and when meetings of the agency are to be held and the business of the agency transacted;
(j) the fiscal year of the agency.
4. Accompanying the letter should be a copy of the proposed bylaws of the new RDA.
5. Any RDA established under the Act will be a new corporate body and will require a new name to replace the existing SWSDA name.
6. Boards are to be drawn from the broader community and should be representative of the demographic mix in the community.
7. The new performance based funding model adopted by the Department of Economic and Rural Development is designed to bring more accountability and transparency to the operations of agencies funded by the Province.
8. Lack of performance may be grouns to dis-establish an RDA.
Remember, under the Act.... RDA's are not allowed to own land.....
15 comments:
I think it is to soon to make a public comment. I can't really say whay I think about that letter and what the link says. Not yet anyway, besides I am supposed to keep my opinion secret. I will have to go to an "in camera" meeting first.
Typical, as the Conservatives lose power in Nova Scotia, they hand Frank and the other bums, a way out. No, their are a fair number implicated in this and its millions of tax dollars. Where is the money?
Who is going to FOIPOP the Ombudsman, so the public will know the results of the investigation?
We hope the wardens, mayors and councillors of Shelburne Co. see through this ruse and continue to demand a forensic audit of this esteemed public body. Only then will we have answers on questionable expenses, etc. and be able to move on without the past misdeeds of SWSDA hanging over our heads. Seems to us SWSDA will be in a position to regain funds that otherwise will be lost in the shuffle. It is not going to be an easy feat sifting through thirteen years of books to see what went where to whom and why. The final act of this play hasn't been created yet.
From: The Morning Coffee Crew
Here we go folks. This will determine if we chose the right candidate for the job. As Anon ll:03 states, it appears this is Mr. Thompson's attempt to cover-up SWSDA's past and let bygones be bygones. Guess they do think we are rubes.
Surely the government union members don't want to see their party stumble so soon in the game. Time will tell if DD will honour his promise of calling for a full audit - if he doesn't we'll know for sure just what control the unions have over the NDippers. Prove us wrong Darrell and straighten this mess up - yesterday! We've lost enough in Shelb. Co. over the past thirteen years and we are waiting for answers which until now have been buried deep within the bureaucratic maze called Economic and Rural Development. - from'runningoutofpatience'
Interesting reading for sure but what else is it?Two things must be done and done properly or its the same ole same ole!First the present SWSDA must be held accountable for all the past crimes against tax payers and I do not for a moment just refer to Anderson!Anyone and everyone who has ever been on the SWSDA must be brought to task. Yes,in this this matter apathy is a crime. Second there must be open public consultation in setting up a proper RDA.Perhaps a non bias firm should be contracted to carry out this task.Obviously non of the present RDA staff should be a part of the new organization.
In reality: there will be yet another coverup!!
If the Barrington Warden does not know what prompted Mr Thompsons letter then where has she been all these years. I smell yet another rotten soup! Denial!!!!
OK,what about a PUBLIC meeting where Anderson and his staff plus board members have to answer the difficult questions. Any council members involved including the present Mayor of Shelburne should be forced to resign. It would appear that PG was not as bad as many thought. Is this why the Shelburne Chamber of Commerce wanted him gone?
Is the SWSDA a Communist backed organization? Is Stalin really dead?
I wonder if the all new swsda will collect the mortgage on the old base?
Is this the end to Ed Cayer's law suit ?
How long will council think about what to do next ?
Regarding Anonymous comment about Chamber of Commerce wanting PG Comeau gone... As a director for the past two years, I never heard anything about it, nor was it ever discussed.
What I do know is that at Wednesday's meeting when SWSDA - and Mr. Thompson's letter - was discussed, there seemed a near-unanimous appetite to have a open, civil disussion about the future of economic development in the County. This would include a discussion about whether the current SWSDA operation serves our interests.
Timothy Gillespie
It's good news to hear that The Chamber of Commerce is taking a good second look at SWSDA and its viability. It would be even better news if they came to their senses and realized just what has been going on behind SWSDA's smokescreen. GAWD!
Anon Jun 19th says: "It's good news to hear that The Chamber of Commerce is taking a good second look at SWSDA and its viability"..
I'm afraid my comments about the Chamber meeting and SWSDA might have been misleading. Though individuals there seemed keen on a robust public discussion, the Chamber took no action and will not meet again until September, so could not even consider a public position until then. Pity...
One would think that the Chamber would hold an earlier meeting to discuss what role its members might play now that the municipalities have major decisions to make. We don't need self-serving people on any future DA BofD but folks who have the well-being of Shelburne Co. at heart. They have to look outside the box and realize that new business and competition will create spin-offs and benefit the whole county in the grand scheme of things. We need optimists, but realists, in order to create a healthy business environment for the area, and hopefully we will shed the black coat SWSDA has wrapped us in for far too long.
Kudos to all the volunteers who are prepping for Founder's Day - this is such a positive yearly event for the area, and our local business community owes them all a big thank you. Cheers!
It is good to hear anytime that the Chamber is doing something that benefits more than just themselves. Maybe things are changing.WE'll see...........
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