While the mainstream media blindly regurgitated the warm and fuzzy MPI spin about doing good for the North End, and how it only amounts to a dollar per ratepayer, it appears only the Great Canadian Talk Show noticed that nowhere on the MPI press release was a value attached to the donation of the garage to Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, a native community service organization.
When asked an MPI spokesman said the location has a "book value" of $95,000. However we have learned it is actually assessed at $1.2 Million dollars, with property tax revenue of over $37,000 annually.
When the outmoded facility was replaced, MPI approached a group called CLOUT for recommendations on a suitable community use.
"CLOUT was approached because of its many affiliations within the aboriginal community... CLOUT members are:
Andrews Street Family Centre, Community Education Development Association, Native Women’s Transition Centre, North End Women’s Centre, Ndinawemaaganag Endaawak, Rossbrook House, Wahbung Abinoonjiiag, Wolseley Family Place and Ma Mawi."
A spokewoman for CLOUT told TGCTS today that despite the fact the building was awarded to one of their own members, "it may have an appearance of conflict of interest, but we don't look at it as one. "
CLOUT had hired consultants to evaluate groups that may be suitable for the donation, and a person affiliated with Ma Mawi was the contact person with them for the project.
When MPI resisted efforts to have the facility shared between smaller organizations, "when the other things weren't panning out, (Ma Mawi) was our last resort." The spokeswoman could not attribute a value to the donated building but said "some people are always going to complain."
The MPI spokesman insisted that the Board is empowered to make what he characterized as a "business" decision, although president Marilyn Mclaren told the Sun "“This is not a financial decision.” The spokeman challenged the notion that ratepayers would truly care about getting a dollar rebate from MPI had the building been sold for the assessed value on the open market.
Today, we will ask our listeners, it's your money, do you agree?
