Monday, August 31, 2009

ACCOUNTABILITY ... IN CAPITAL LETTERS!

-------- Your tax dollars at work ---------

THREE MONTHS LATER
In the Minutes of the May 27 meeting ow SWSDA a number of questions were asked.... some reportedly answered and/or discussed by the Board with others to be answered later. Below is a list of those reportedly clarified, answered and/or discussed with Board members.
1. "Status of operating funds from ACOA and Economic Development Requirement to register under the RDA act to receive operational funding (in progress) "
Question: Can any of those in attendance tell the great unwashed public what they were told and what discussion if any ensued respecting operational funding and the requirement for SWSDA to register under the RDA Act?
2. "... status provided for several projects ..."
Question: Can any of those in attendance tell the public what they were told and what discussion if any ensued respecting the status of any and all projects currently being managed by SWSDA and in particular what was the Status of Shelburne County projects?
3. "... $716,858 invested from the sale of the Shelburne Youth Centre ..."
Question: Can any of those in attendance tell the us what they were told and what discussion if any ensued respecting the status of the funds invested from the sale of the Shelburne Youth Centre and in particular where has the money been invested, what interest rates are being paid and what interest has accrued to the investment since it was made, when was it made, and how was the amount to be invested determined?
4. "Process for hiring consultants explained... "
Question: Can any of those in attendance tell us what they were told and what discussion if any ensued respecting the process for hiring consultants and where a written copy of that process can be found?
5. "Clarification provided on mortgage outstanding for sale of Shelburne Park and repayment terms ..."
Question: Can any of those in attendance tell us what they were told and what discussion if any ensued respecting the mortgage outstanding for the sale of Shelburne Park and repayment terms?
6. " Discussion of travel expense process... "
Question: Can any of those in attendance tell us what they were told and what discussion if any ensued respecting SWSDA's travel expense process and where a written copy describing this process can be found, as well as a description of the process for attribution of travel expenses to various core and project budgets?
BTW: At the May meeting it was reported that the "Request for financial info on Shelburne Park will require clearance from solicitors as a court case is pending."
If that information has been provided to Board members would one of those in attendance please provide a copy. On the other hand, if it has not been provided, Board members should insist on this information before they accept the new financial statements at the September meeting of the Board and the AGM.
** (In attendance at the meeting were the following people....
Voting... Rod Rose, Phil LeBlanc, Phil Mooney, Heather MacDonald (alternate for Municipality of Yarmouth) Rachel Pictou (representing the Acadia First Nation), Sherman Embree, Elizabeth Acker, Cecil Brannon, Alonzo Townsend (alternate for Town of Lockeport), Louise Halliday
Non-voting... Doris Swaine (alternate for Municipality of Shelburne), Elizabeth Rhuland (alternate for Town of Shelburne), Donna LeBlanc-Messenger (alternate for Municipality of Barrington), Robert Maillet, Calvin Butler, Bryan Smith ( special assistant to Richard Hurlburt), Stéphane Cyr, Pat Melanson, Clyde DeViller, Michelle Blinn, Frank Anderson and David Warner.)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Before approval of the financial statement in mid Sept, I see three possibly four voting board members who would speak up in regards to the information if it hasn't been answered to their complete satisfaction. Why all the secrecy folks - it's going to be revealed one way or another so do the right thing. If the information has been received record it and release the facts to the public. The days of neglecting your fiduciary duties are long gone!