!!! FLASH!!!FLASH!!!FLASH!!!

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NEW BROOM - LAUNCHES NEW RDA OPPORTUNITY

THREE CHEERS FOR THE NEW DEPUTY MINISTER.....

FINALLY SENSIBLE ACTIVITY, UNFILTERED BY FRANK ANDERSON AND HIS COHORTS AT SWSDA!

Ian Thompson the new Deputy Minister of the Department of Economic Development wrote to municipal members of SWSDA, Frank Anderson and Rod Rose on May 26, 2009 with an announcement about new rules for Provincial funding of RDAs. In his letter Mr. Thompson did what the Department has failed to do for twelve years.... terrific letter.... now lets see if municipal and provincial leaders do the right thing with it...

Municipal Councils have been secretive about the correspondence but in the last few days sources in Yarmouth, Halifax and Shelburne have become more forthcoming with copies.

Check out this site Saturday evening or Sunday morning for a copy of the letter and my blog on the issue

You may want to consider talking to your Councillor, Mayor or Warden about how to deal with this new opportunity.... and how folks here expect them to start doing the right thing by local taxpayers.

LETS GET THIS DISCUSSION INTO THE PUBLIC AND OUT OF BACKROOM SECRET MEETINGS!

A Dissenting Voice...Should be Heard...

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Dear Anonymous:

Thank you for your thoughtful note.

And, of course you are right. My comments about RDA's generally, SWSDA in particular and Mr. Anderson especially are laced with sarcasm, ridicule and more than a bit of outrage. However, I fear that my writing style has distracted you from assimilating the facts that my postings are all about. For that failure I am sorry.

You are within your rights to believe what you will about Mr. Anderson, SWSDA or RDAs in our Province, as I am within my rights to publish factual information and my views about their use or what I see as possible abuse of public funds and what I consider to be a failure to do the job they claim to do with our money. Then again, you are of course free not to read about the issues I think important or my concern about public bodies and officials who operate in secret, using our resources.

As for stumbling across my blog, I am not sure how to respond to that comment.... hard to imagine how one "stumbles" over an address like www.swsdaaccountablity.blogspot.com.

Oh, by the way, my vitriol has been saved for SWSDA alone .... so far. I have asked questions about another public organization using public monies that claims to operate under a public mandate (the Nova Scotia Association of Regional Development Authorities) but fails to file its financial statements when required. This from an organization that claims to be working to enhance the professionalism of RDAs and their staff.

So dear anonymous... there you have it... I've posted your unsigned note, taken your comments to heart as your view of the world and urge you not to read this blog again if it causes you pain.

Alternatively, if you feel strongly enough about the privacy of RDA staff and the need to make RDAs accountable, as you claim, I urge you to sit down and start your own blog that supports the fine work of RDAs and our Provincial agencies. You can be sure that should I stumble over it and should I disagree with your views that I might well comment and sign my name.

So, dear anonymous.... have you figured out why I posted your comments? You may be surprised to discover that I think it is germane to the topic and apropos that we discuss your views in public.....

REASONS FOR VOTING!!!!

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Today is Election Day in Nova Scotia.....

PLEASE VOTE........

Before I left for Montreal on Sunday ....

I told you dear reader that I would tell you a bit ....about the Boys School Finances..... Here it is...!!

I will summarize but all of this information is public domain so our municipal, provincial and federal officials either have this or can get it.

Over the past couple of years SWSDA has generated financial reports about the Boys School, maintenance costs and revenues from the sale of its 21 buildings, 200 some acres of land and twenty acres of serviced and paved facilities for $550,000 to Ralston MacDonnell.... you know.... the Digby Pier Guy.... watch the time line and diminishing amount of money left over according to SWSDA and Mr. Anderson.

Here is a summary of revenues and expenses (which equal the Team Shelburne Fund) attached to Mr. Anderson’s June 19, 2007 letter to Brian Holland entitled “Shelburne Youth Centre Project Income Summary April 1, 2005 to May 31, 2007” that shows:

Province of NS $625,000.00
Interest Income $ 12,343.60
Other Income $ 2,696.50
Total Income $640,040.10
Reported Expenses $361,401.73 (Before sale of property.)
Revenues Minus Expenses $278,638.37

Here is a summary financial statement provided by SWSDA entitled “Shelburne Youth Centre Project Income Summary April 1, 2005 to July 31, 2007” that shows:

Province of NS $625,000.00
Sale of Property $550,000.00
Interest Income $ 16,190.35
Other Income $ 2,696.50
Total Income $1,193,886.85
Reported Expenses $402,189.58 (At July 31, 2007.)
Revenues Minus Expenses $791,697.27

Here is a summary financial statement provided by SWSDA entitled “Shelburne Youth Centre Project Income Summary 04/01/2005 to 03/31/2006” that shows:

Province of Nova Scotia $79,603.00
Province of Nova Scotia O.E. D. $25,000.00
Other Income $ 825.00
Total Income $105,428.00
Expenses $105,427.00
Revenues Minus Expenses $ .12


Here is a copy of the summary financial statement provided by SWSDA entitled “Shelburne Youth Centre Project Income Summary 04/01/2006 to 09/30/2007” that shows:

Province of NS $520,397.00
Sale of Property $550,000.00
Interest Income $ 16,190.35
Office Expense Transfers $ 200.00
Other Income $ 1,671.50
Total Income $1,088,458.85
Reported Expenses $306,103.00 (At September 30, 2007.)
Revenues Minus Expenses $782,355.85

Here is a copy of the financial statement provided by SWSDA entitled “Shelburne Youth Centre Project Income Summary April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2008” that shows:

Province of NS $625,000
Sale of Property $550,000
Interest Income $ 16,190.35
Other Income $ 2,696.50
Total Income $1,193,886.85
Reported Expenses $477,028.55
Revenues Minus Expenses $716,858.30

1. Keep an eye at what happens to interest payments over time.... (you will note that they end...)
2. Keep an eye on what happens to maintenance expenses for the Boys School.... AFTER IT WAS SOLD!........ remember .... it was sold on June 27, 2007......Nuff Said!

Go and vote and let's get things changed......

BOYS SCHOOL BAMBOOZLE?!?

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YOU COULD WRITE A BOOK ......

BUT EVERYONE WOULD THINK IT WAS FICTION!!

Tomorrow I've got a cheap flight to to Montreal but as soon as I get settled I promise to fill you in on a tonne of stuff...

I'll be there a week but am bring hard copy and electronic files with me so I can keep this blog alive.

IN THE MEANTIME....

I really would like to get more people involved in the blogging experience.... and I'll tell you why.....

Because I think our local media has failed us...... radio, TV, newspapers ... all of them. The fifth estate has died in this country for intents and purposes... and luckily the internet provides the perfect tool.

SOOO starting in the latter part of June I will be launching a second blog......called ....

ABOUT DEVELOPMENT ... for serious discussions about what we can do in our communities to optimize the potential we have to create opportunities and benefits for ourselves and our neighbours.... When I launch ABOUT DEVELOPMENT I'll be looking to engage folks in a constructive dialogue... without all the BS and politics and ideological debate that normally surrounds this most vital of topics.

Soo... stay tuned....

Ed