Saturday, July 4, 2009

Accountability Rests Exclusively with Council

Sher St Kitts has resigned. Some comments in this blog suggest that this resignation somehow skirts accountability. However, we disagree, accountability lies exclusively with Council for any and all activities associated with a Town Committee and any members on that committee.

When Council creates any committee in Town, they must accept responsibility for the activities of that committee and all its members. That is their role on behalf of the citizens of Aurora. The people of Aurora did not elect committee members and resultant those members have not accountability to the citizens. Council appointed them and the accountability is to Council -- which in turn is accountable to the voters.

If we have questions of the committee or members, it is Council’s role to ask those questions and report to the citizens. If Council chooses not to ask -- well that is their decision and they are accountable. So if you have questions for any committee member -- take it up with your Council. That’s their job. Having a member resign does not remove the responsibility from Council. It does not make the issue go away.

The issue here was never the issue of wrong doing -- no accusations have been made. Questions have simply been asked for clarity because of a seeming co-mingling of activities that is unclear on what is a Town committee versus a private citizen committee. Transparency has been requested because Town resources are being used and citizen want to understand how they are being used.

In fact, Council’s unwillingness to seek answers to questions has created the issue -- that together with the televised attack on a Councillor with the audacity to ask.

Agree? Disagree? Share your thoughts.

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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

It did come before council, at which time it was clearly established that all was accounted for.

Anonymous said...

To the last response. It did? When?
Direct me to the public record.

Anonymous said...

When was that account established?

Anonymous said...

Regardless of what people think of Sher St Kitts that only thing that should count is a proper accountability of town money spent. The parade was good and got $10,000.00 of town money. Where was it spent. What abount the other money raised at Jonathans? How much was raised and where did it go?
St Kitts states that she is not there to promote her husband's music yet as head of the Farmer's Market entertainment committee I see that George St Kitts is headlining the Farmres Market Jazz day. Does that only seem self serving to me??

Anonymous said...

I think it's great that George St. Kitts gives of his talent for free.

Anonymous said...

fOR FREE??????

i THINK YOU SHOULD CHECK THE BOOKS

mAYBE THIS ONE IS BUT I GUARENTEE THE REST WERN'T

Anonymous said...

Why do you think that George St Kitts does things free.
At the Legion events his group I think got $6,000.00 whereas the others got $2,500.00
Good promoter?
This is a rumour only but I think the numbers are accurate.

Anonymous said...

If anonymous 8:42 is correct, that
goes a long way in explaining the break even of the legion held event.

Anonymous said...

Talk about promoting! Yesterday I saw a pamphlet for the August 1st Jazz Day at the Farmers Market and there on the front page was produced by St Kitts music. Preety good since Sher St Kitts is head of the Farmers Market Social committee. All of the other sponsors names are on the back.
So much for Sher's long winded reason she is resigning and the fact that she says she does not promote her husband.

Anonymous said...

Sher expects to be back by "popular demand".

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness that we have people who are willing to share their talents with our community.
I appreciate the energy and efforts of Sher and George St. Kitts. I do hope they get some pay.
We need a lot more music and positive energy in Aurora.
Money spent for good vibes is money well spent, from my point of view.

Anonymous said...

I do not mind money being spent well but not money being spent where the promotion is the biggest cost