By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. March 1, 2013 Mayor Goldring has done something Burlington hasn’t seen for some time and that is the Inspire Series he has sponsored for the past two years.
This city has had an opportunity to listen to nationally respected speakers who have talked to residents about health issues (Andre Picard) and what hospitals of the future will need to do; planning (Ken Greenberg) and how developers can work with communities to plan the kind of growth everyone wants.
The most recent speaker, Pamela Blais filled the Studio Theatre at the Performing Arts Centre last night. These events were part of the platform the Mayor got himself elected on and he has certainly delivered.
Focused and direct is probably the best description one could apply to Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman.
Then some questions were raised by other council members as to how all this was being paid for. It’s not quite sure where this issue was raised, it certainly didn’t come up at a council committee meeting. It was done behind closed doors somewhere. We do know that it was raised by Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman.
Burlington’s Mayor thinks through what he does and chooses to err on the side of caution. Polite and as straight as they come – he will seek direction when he feels he needs it. On his sponsorship he needs and should expect some comment from his council members.
The Mayor, quite correctly, decided to get in front of this parade, and tell the public how the events were paid for, He produced an exceptionally detailed report setting out his “level of participation, the funds raised and their intended purpose.” This is exactly what a public official is supposed to do.
Here is part of what he released in the way of information and data.
The Burlington Economic Development Corporation (BEDC ) has developed a number of events as part of their program to generate net revenue that is used exclusively by BEDC to cover the costs of their operating and marketing activities as well as provide networking, educational and industry resources to the business community. These activities align with the Strategic Plan direction of Prosperity.
Included are a four – part luncheon series and a golf tournament. These latter two events have been operating for several years, with the use of the title “Mayor” in the description of the events, and have had participation from the two past mayors as well as myself.
The summary of revenue and expenses for the noted activities are shown below, along with a summary of the use of funds. The 2011 figures are taken from BEDC’s audited financial statements that are submitted to the City each year.
The 2012 figures are based on their preliminary year-end statements that will be audited in March 2013
BEDC Luncheon Series (Four events annually)
In additional to operating and marketing activities, funds were used for the “Cost of Doing Business Downtown Study” , Waterdown – Plains Development Concept .-2012
2012 Revenue Raised: $74,630
2012 Activity Costs:$39,372
Net revenue: $35,258
In additional to operating and marketing activities, funds were used for redesigning the
Website.
2011 Revenue Raised: $107,350
2011 Activity Costs:$57,958
Net revenue: $49,392
BEDC Golf Tournament The Mayor’s Annual Golf Classic was initiated by a former Mayor in 2005 to support funding for BEDC’s economic development programs and scholarship funds.
These scholarships are presented in partnership with the Burlington Community Foundation, McMaster University, Mohawk College, The Centre for Skills Development & Training and CIBC, to Burlington post – secondary students for academic excellence and to assist with continuing their academic studies.
For both 2011 and 2012, eleven students received scholarships.
2011 Revenue $103,455
2011 Activity Expense $47,093
2011 Net Revenue $ 56,361
2012 Revenue Raised: $102,030
2012 Activity Costs: $42,081
2012 Net revenue: $59,949
The Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) Masquerade Ball
Purpose: This fundraising event, formally known as The Mayor’s Gala, is used to raise money for BCF operations and special projects. The BCF Board of Directors assumed total responsibility for this fundraising gala in 2010 and ran the first Masquerade Ball in October 2010 with no input from the Mayor at the time.
The sponsorship funds raised were sought by a sponsorship sub-committee at the Burlington Community Foundation. In 2011 and 2012, I supported the events as the Honourary Chair, signing sponsorship request letters and providing minimal sponsorship assistance through phone calls.
A portion of the net proceeds were allocated as follows:-
2011: $25,000 to assist in the launch of a graduate internship program which became innovateBurlington, facilitated through the Burlington Economic Development Corporation.
2012: $25,000 to create an opportunity fund administered by the Burlington Community Foundation to support graduating secondary school students in their career – focused endeavours, providing successful applicants with opportunities that otherwise may not be made available to them. The fund has an initial focus on youth from lower income backgrounds who may be receiving social assistance and/or living in subsidized housing.
The Mayor’s Inspire Burlington Speakers Series
Purpose: Provide opportunities for Burlington residents to attend, free of charge, educational speaking engagements that feature guest speakers presenting on a variety of subjects that are of interest and relevant to residents and to the City’s Strategic Plan directions: Vibrant Neighbourhoods, Prosperity and Excellence in Governance.
Funding: Corporate sponsorship has been sought to cover the costs associated with running these events: speakers’ fees , transportation and travel, venue rentals, AV requirements. Additional in-kind sponsorship is provided by local media for advertising and promotion of events; estimated at $7,500 per year.
All events are cost-recovery and no revenue income is generated. Any net loss is covered through the Mayor’s discretionary budget for Special Projects. These are not charitable events. Thank yous and corporate logo recognition is provided to the sponsors and no charitable receipts were issued.
One Dream Workshop
Purpose: To bring a group of community leaders together that represent a broad spectrum of the community with the goal of defining an over-arching dream for the community that aligns with the existing Strategic Plan – Burlington Our Future. An outside consultant was engaged to facilitate this workshop which was held at the Royal Botanical Gardens over a three – day period in November 2012.
Sponsorship funds were raised to cover the costs of the facilitator, venue and workshop expenses.
Funds were provided by 11 local corporations. These sponsors will be acknowledged as supporters of the Inspire Burlington Speakers Series for 2013.
Any net loss is covered through the Mayor’s discretionary budget for Special Projects. These are not charitable events. Thank you letters and corporate logo recognition is provided with Inspire Burlington to the sponsors and no charitable receipts were issued.
Inspire Burlington One Dream Workshop
Venue rental: RBG $5,169.01
Consultants’ Fees: The Secretan Centre* $50,880.00
Consultants travel expenses $555.73
Workshop materials $61.06
Pre-meeting with facilitator $280.81
Post-meeting with participants $660.58
Total $57,607.19
Editors note: $5000 to use RBG facilities sounds a little steep.
Sponsorship
Burlington Electricity Services Inc. $2,500.00; Union Gas $5,000.00; Pioneer Petroleum $5,000; Molinaro Group $5,000; Emshih Developments; $5,000; Brady Benefits, $5,000; SB Partners, $5,000; AXYZ Automation, $5,000; StressCrete, $5,000; KPMG, $5,000; L3 Wescam, $5,000 and Cogeco, $5,000 for a sponsorship total $57,5000
The loss on the event was $107.19
The problem in the mind of at least one council membership was the appropriateness of asking for sponsorship funds from a corporation that is owned by the city – Burlington Electricity Services. Less problematic is the $5000 given by AXYZ Automation. The president of that organization is the President of the Economic Development Corporation that is currently being reviewed by city council and asked to take a significantly different approach to the way they do business.
While Burlington is in love with how polite it is there are times when a strong point of view has to be put forward and that’s a little difficult to do when the guy you’re frowning at put up five big ones for your pet project.
What the Mayor did with his report to Council is exactly what he should have done. It is now up to Council to have a debate on what a Mayor should do. Burlington doesn’t want the mess Toronto has dealt with in the past three months.
While still a little wooden in his public performances the city’s Mayor preps himself and looks to his staff for support. Is he getting what he needs?
Unfortunately your city Council voted to file and receive the Mayor’s report and you wouldn’t’ have heard a word about it had we not published the details. Ward 2 Councillor Meed Ward did comment on the Mayor’s report in her Newsletter.
This is an important issue. Influence is sometimes more valuable than cash and the Mayor, by xx of his office, is in influential guy.
Rick Goldring never wants to tarnish that reputation. Council needs to openly discuss his report and provide him with some guidance.
Councillor Craven put it very well when he said: “we don’t want a return to a period of time when a Mayor used his fund-raising ability to do so for purely political purposes.
Rick Goldring sponsors the Inspire Series because he thinks it is good for the city. If showing what kind of a Mayor you are is political – we say – bring on more of this kind of stuff.
This item will get all of two seconds at Council on March 19th – still time for someone to delegate and suggest this issue be given more air.
