Hello everyone. I hope you are enjoying the fine weather we are having lately and would like to send some good cheer to everyone especially to the self employed in town. They put in a lot of time and effort to be successful and I will always have their back no matter the circumstances. We are having our Annual General Meeting for the Bridgeburg Business Improvement Association to elect a new board of directors and I wish the NEW board all THE BEST in 2015 and beyond! This Thursday at 6pm at PenFinancial on Jarvis St. the membership of over 100 businesses and institutions and the public will have their say to direct a new vision for a very important and historic part of Greater Fort Erie. Here are some questions from a local merchant that still go unanswered and lets hope some light is shed by the board Chair that BTW, is not a business owner nor employee of any business in Bridgeburg. The towns criteria states that only 20% of the board of Directors can be from outside the district and the present board has over 50% leaving the district with little representation and far too many cancelled monthly meetings with a term budget of $160,000.00 levied on commercial property owners. Without further adieu, here is one of many emails that were sent to the membership ten months ago and still the questions go unanswered. Lesley North , Venus Jewellers 14 Jarvis Street, Fort Erie (905) 871-2713 LETTER TO THE BOARD OF THE BRIDGEBURG BIA Barb Horning and Members of the BBIA Board I have a number of concerns in regard to the recent actions of our board. In response to the February 24, 2014 letter you sent to the membership of the BBIA on behalf of the Board of Directors of the BBIA. 1. When and how did the “idea”, “decisions”, “closed door meetings” and “plans” to eliminate the position of Office Manager start? I recall closed door meetings started in September. 2. When we (myself included) voted at the AGM in December 2013, was the board aware and had discussions by the board taken place to eliminate the position of Office Manager’s, and allocate that salary as part (72% according to your letter) of the budget that was presented to the membership to vote on and approved? Presenting a budget that the board had no intention of following would seem more that a little misleading of the membership. 3. If this was a financial move then why is the board now asking for suggestions on how “We” would like to see the Office Manager’s salary re-allocated? 4. If we do not have a office manager, then why would our approved budget of over $40,000 still meet the approval of Town Hall? 5. Would this not require a general meeting and a new budget approved with a possible reduction of 72% of the current levy? 6. If we no longer have an office manager, there would be no need for an office to be maintained as board meeting can take place in the new Fire Hall or the Library at no cost? 7. When did we enter the lease on the Office and when will it expire? 8. What is the cost of buying out of the lease and have any of those arrangements or discussions taken place? 9. What moves are being made to sell the office furniture that we recently acquired? 10. Where all members of the board aware on February 13, 2014 the night they voted to eliminate the position of Office Manager aware that the Office Manager had filed a “harassment complaint” against a member of the Board in December 2013 and this was the second “harassment complaint” that had been filed against the same board member? 11. What was the result of these complaints and where they both investigated? 12. Was the Office Manager made aware in advance that her position was under review and being considered for elimination so she would have ample time to look for other employment? 13. Did the BBIA board seek any legal advice before they voted on this matter with regard to risk to the BBIA and its members as a result of the termination of the Office Manager without cause or notice? 14. Were any members of the BBIA consulted and asked for their opinion or thoughts on this matter and how they felt this discussion would affect their business relationship with the BBIA? 15. Was there any survey done of the businesses to obtain information on the frequency of calls for information and communication between their businesses and the Office Manager of the BBIA? 16. How does the board of directors feel that they can properly cover the duties of the Office Manager when meeting have been cancelled because of not having quorum because of some of the Board had other commitments and couldn’t put aside the two hours a month? 17. How can the Board justify stating that fund could be put to better use when as part of the 2014 budget included the cost of a fence being erected on private property? 18. Why when we are facing these financial challenges was money from our BBIA general fund used to re-decorate the post office after the “professional decorations” from the Santa Clause Parade where taken down the day after the Parade? Why after spending $900 of the “Friends of Bridgeburg Station” would we have to decorated the post office the second time? Is the Parade Committee going to submit a financial statement to the membership showing the cost of these decorations as they seemed rather lame for “professional decorations” 19. What is the cost for the BBIA to buy out of the contract with the Office Manager for early termination? When does the term of the current contract with the Office Manager end? 20. Did Councilor Passaro declare a Conflict of Interest with regard to any and all “Closed door meetings” and discussions involving the elimination of the Office Managers possession? 21. How does the board envision communication between the business and the BIA if there is no office or office manager? 22. If any legal action is taken with regard to the actions of the BBIA board, how will that impact the members? I have not been able to confirm that harassment complaints (two) were filed against a board member by our former Office Manager. When I asked her to confirm this she said that she could not discusses the matter. I would like to suggest that all these issues are addressed a quickly as possible. Thank you Lesley North
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 14:46:09 +0000
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