THE UPCOMING MUNICIPAL ELECTION - WE NEED TO SWEEP HOUSE IN GRAVENHURST
IN A YEAR AND A HALF, THE CITIZENS OF THE TOWN OF GRAVENHURST, WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO ELECT A NEW MUNICIPAL COUNCIL. THERE ARE ALREADY SOME COUNCIL HOPEFULS POPPING UP, AND AS I HAVE OFFERED PREVIOUSLY, I WILL GLADLY ASSIST ANY FLEDGLING OR SEASONED CANDIDATE, LOOKING TO ENTER THE ELECTION RACE. I WILL OFFER MY SERVICES FOR FREE, (WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO SEEK MY POLITICAL SLANT OR NOT) TO HELP IMPROVE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE, AND SEE THAT THEY DEVELOP A FULL UNCENSORED APPRECIATION, OF THE MAJOR ISSUES THEY NEED TO BONE-UP ON, PRIOR TO TOSSING THEIR HATS INTO THE PROVERBIAL RING, IN NOVEMBER 2014. SOME MAY FIND THAT MY INSIGHTS AND ADVISORIES ABOUT COUNCIL POLITICS ARE DIRE, JADED, AND A LITTLE RADICAL AT THE SAME TIME, AS HISTORICALLY BURDENSOME……BUT ALWAYS IN A WELL MEANING WAY. I WILL MAKE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE, TO TAKE WHAT THEY FIND USEFUL, AND IGNORE THE REST OF THE BLATHER.
I HAVE LOST FULL CONFIDENCE IN TOWN COUNCIL, AT PRESENT, AND WHILE IT MAY SEEM EARLY IN THE PROCESS TO REPLACE THEM, WELL SIR, I'D RATHER BE AHEAD OF THE CURVE ON THE KIND OF BUMPY ROAD, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF.
AS MANY READERS KNOW, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR A SINGLE SENTENCE OF EXPLANATION, I HAVE HAD A LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRESENT COUNCIL, SINCE THEIR FIRST FEW MONTHS IN OFFICE; AND ADMITTEDLY, AT OTHER TIMES, I'VE ACTUALLY SUPPORTED THEIR INITIATIVES, AND APPLAUDED COUNCILLORS FOR SOME OF THEIR NEW PROGRAMS AND PROVOCATIVE COUNTERPOINTS. I'VE TRIED TO BE FAIR, AND GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, WHERE I COULD, AND NOT, AS A RESULT, SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST DUE TO A SHORT-CIRCUITED CONSCIENCE. MANY TIMES I'VE JUST REFUSED TO ENTER THE FREY, BECAUSE THE ONLY REAL CHANGE WILL COME AT THE VERY NEXT MUNICIPAL ELECTION. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I FELT THAT MY CRITIQUES WERE TOO HARSH, AND MY DISMISSAL OF SOME OF THEIR IDEAS, OVERLY PREMATURE AND THUSLY UNFAIR. I'VE ADMITTED THIS, AND ANY OVER-REACTIONS, OR HEAT-OF-THE-MOMENT TIRADES, THAT MISSED THE POINT…..I HAVE RE-VISITED AND CORRECTED. AT OTHER TIMES, AS A CITIZEN, A RATEPAYER, AND AN UNYIELDING PROMOTER OF THIS TOWN (AND THEY KNOW IT), I'VE FELT THAT WE HAVE BEEN POORLY REPRESENTED. DURING THE PAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS, I'VE BEEN A SUPPORTER FIFTY PERCENT OF THE TIME, AND A CITIZEN ADVERSARY FOR THE OTHER FIFTY PERCENT. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY CITIZENS INTERESTED IN LOCAL POLITICS, IN THE PAST YEAR ESPECIALLY, AND I CAN'T FIND THE EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT, OUT THERE, THAT THEY OBVIOUSLY THINK THEY HAVE…….AS HAVING BEEN A SOLID PERFORMING AND STALWART COUNCIL, COME HELL OR HIGH WATER. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN SOLID PERFORMERS. THEY HAVE BEEN HIT AND MISS, AND IF THEY WERE AN ENGINE, THEY WOULD HAVE LEFT US AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WITHOUT A RIDE HOME, A LONG TIME AGO.
I AM NOT A CEASELESS COMPLAINER, AND I'M BY DEFINITION, A LONG WAY FROM AN ARMCHAIR CRITIC. WE ONLY HAVE ONE ARMCHAIR HERE AT BIRCH HOLLOW, AND I DON'T SIT IN IT! COUNCILLORS KNOW I OFFER SOLUTIONS WELL AHEAD OF PERCEIVED PROBLEMS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MAKES ME FEEL, BY SENSIBLE PROPORTION, LIKE A CARING, PRO-ACTIVE CITIZEN, WHO WANTS THE TOWN HE CALLS HOME, TO HAVE A BRIGHT, PROSPEROUS FUTURE. THEY KNOW I'M A WILLING HISTORIAN, WHO WOULD MAKE HIMSELF AVAILABLE TO ADVISE AND CONSULT COUNCIL OR COUNCILLORS AT ANY TIME, COSTING NARY A PENNY FROM THE TOWN COFFERS. THEY DON'T LIKE THE FACT I'M COCKY AND SELF-ASSURED, AND EVEN IF I HAD WORKABLE SOLUTIONS, AND USEFUL INFORMATION, I WOULD BE THE LAST PERSON ON EARTH, WHO WOULD BE CONSULTED. AS MUCH AS I DREAM OF ONE DAY BEING A PACIFIST, AND PLEASING EVERYBODY I COME IN CONTACT WITH, I'M REALISTIC ENOUGH TO ADMIT, THIS WILL ONLY BE POSSIBLE WHEN I HIT THE NURSING HOME, AND ENJOY THE NEVER-LAND OF SEDATION. OTHERWISE, PLEASE EXCUSE ME, BUT I FEEL COMPELLED TO SPEAK MY MIND…..BECAUSE I DO FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THIS TOWN BEING MISMANAGED. I'M JUST ONE OF A GROWING CROWD.
QUITE AWHILE BACK, I OFFERED THE TOWN OF GRAVENHURST A SOLUTION, TO WHAT I BELIEVED WAS A LACK OF DIRECTION REGARDING THE GRAVENHURST OPERA HOUSE. I SUGGESTED TO COUNCIL, THAT THEY SHOULD GIVE SERIOUS THOUGHT, TO THE CREATION OF A PROPER CITIZEN BOARD OF DIRECTORS, LIKE MANY OTHER SIMILAR VENUES, INCLUDING BRACEBRIDGE'S NEW THEATRE, TO LIAISON BETWEEN THE THEATRE MANAGER AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OF THIS TOWN. IT WASN'T A BRAINSTORM. IT WASN'T AN IDEA THAT AN ALIEN PROBE PLANTED IN MY MIND, FOR LATER FRUITION, OR WAS IT THE THOUGHTS OF A MADMAN WITH TOO MUCH TIME TO CONCOCT SUCH WILD PLANS. THE TOWN, IN MY OPINION, THEN AND NOW, SHOULD NOT BE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS AS SUCH. IN FACT, IF THEY HAD GIVEN THE MATTER SOME SERIOUS SCRUTINY, AND TALKED TO SOME OF THEIR OWN CITIZEN MENTORS, I THINK THE IDEA WOULD HAVE HAD SOME SERIOUS MERIT…..AND POSSIBLY, WITH A LITTLE TWEAKING, COULD HAVE BECOME A BETTER WAY OF MANAGING OUR HISTORIC OPERA HOUSE. THEY HAD A CHANCE TO TALK WITH AN OLD BUZZARD LIKE ME, BUT TO THEM, IT WAS JUST A CITIZEN WITH A BLOG, MEDDLING WHERE HE SHOULDN'T BE. HEY, IT'S THEIR TURN AT COUNCIL, FOR BETTER OR WORSE. IT'S UP TO THE CONSTITUENTS OF THIS TOWN TO DECIDE WHETHER IT WAS ONE OR THE OTHER.
THE OPERA HOUSE IS THE PLACE TO WATCH IN THE FUTURE
Whether you will read about it in the local press, or hear about it on the regional radio station, all is not well at the Gravenhurst Opera House. The town will spin the story to suit themselves, and their agenda. They will feel that citizens, at large, will support and appreciate their "moving forward" kind of management protocol. There will be lots of folks who aren't interested anyway, who don't go (and who never have) to the Opera House, and wouldn't attend even a free event…..if there were gifts being handed out to patrons. There are others however, who are going to go through a period of being disgruntled, and suspicious of how this new direction, with new bodies, has come about without a smidgeon of critical press. None. Promotion? Yes. Council debate? Not known! One of the biggest changes in the Opera House in recent memory, has escaped serious and critical public scrutiny. I clearly remember the hoopla and the criticism associated with a previous theatre project, several years ago, but that was then…..what about now? How has this substantial new theatre proposal, been spared the same exposure in the media? Why does the public know so little about it, and how it came to be, almost the total summer agenda? Was the media just missing council meetings, or not getting the relevant committee notes? You'd think this kind of turn-around in Opera House direction, would have drawn reporters into the message sharing. Maybe the reporters were sound asleep when this arrangement was being hammered out. How come the first theatre proposal stole all the ink? Why was the public generally avoided, in making comment, as to whether this was what the town actually wanted for their newly roofed Opera House? Well, I think it's pretty clear. They didn't want our opinions. They decided to exercise their authority as elected councillors, serving the fine constituents of Gravenhurst. They know what we want? Right?
This…..Friday, May, 31st, was the last day my two lads were employed as stage technicians at the Opera House. Son Robert has been with the town, in this capacity, for two years, and Andrew had been planning on reaching the first decade, of what he believed would be a long, long term relationship. This spring, even with their mentor, and friend, Fred Schulz, at the helm once again, they had to make a painful choice about their working relationship with the town, and the Opera House they both loved. They have a business across the road, and work as technical contractors for other venues, and only had ranking as occasional part time employees. They were being asked to work many more hours, this summer season, than they could possibly afford to give up, and still run their main street shop, as they have for the past eight years. Andrew has at times, balanced four entertainment venues, and still met all his time and service obligations at the Opera House. It meant a lot of driving, convenience grab and run dinners, and a huge number of late nights. Recently, we had to discuss the matter, as a business family, and the decision was clear, and without reservation……while at the same time, full to overflowing with regret. And while the Town of Gravenhurst, and the councillors, most who knew Andrew personally, would not bother to wish both lads the best in their future endeavors, or think it prudent and even politically correct, to at the very least, shake their hands on this, the last day of their relationship……each boy would have bent over backwards, to offer their hands of friendship regardless of the situation…..because that's how they were brought up……and how they have always handled situations of diplomacy, regardless of their feelings or sense of political right and wrong. I think the biggest disappointment of all, was for certain councillors, to have simply turned their backs…..because it seemed like the right protocol…..as the masters of this domain…..to not show any sense of remorse, at how their policy, has changed what Andrew and Robert had always known, and been able to work with, at a building they cherished as employees and frequent performers.
I'm a writer. Not a preacher. I'm not a therapist or a candlestick maker. I should be able to tell the boys that life's just like that……and fairness doesn't enter into it whatsoever. I keep thinking that they're little lads…..the ones who used to tug at my leg because they were hungry, and I was writing too long. I don't know what to say to them, really, as adult children…..other than to suggest they should run their business, and look after their private contracts, and consider the likelihood that one day, a new council, will have a new plan, for the Opera House; and a need for experienced technicians. I have told them not to think adversely of their home town, because this is not the handiwork of the citizens at large. While these guys are as tough as nails, and they know how to take a punch on the chin, it's awfully hard to deal with the separation, of what for Andrew, had become a second home…..where he knew everything about the old building, and cared for it as its steward. I can't tell you how many times, during major storm events, we would run Andrew up to the Opera House, so he could check on the building…..that was prone to leaking, especially over the stage. He wasn't on the clock. It was just something he believed was an unwritten but necessary part of his job. To look after the old girl.
No matter how I write this, I can, and will be accused, and rightfully so, of being an overly protective parent. It is full of nepotism, and sickly sweet family overtures, as if we consider ourselves the first family of Gravenhurst, deserving of special treatment. Once again, my trust, is that folks who know us, will appreciate this isn't an accurate portrayal, of citizens who have volunteered regularly, to help where it has been needed. Sentiments like mine, expressed in these humble lines, have no place in the agenda of council business. I know this, and I offer an apology for what must only seem as self serving, and a case of "family first." It isn't so, and those who know the boys' work ethic and record, will recognize this immediately. I might have left this alone entirely, if it wasn't for the reality, that history has been made by council….whether they know it or not, and it really doesn't have anything to do with our family; but this profound change of direction must be noted, and abided by, as it is council's desire. I believe it will keep making history as well, and this will either be a milestone in success, an adequate change of venue, or something else that will earn its own scrutiny later on.
The solution to this all, and burn me at the stake if it is viewed as heresy, was to have appointed a board of directors, to act as an advisory panel, as a representative voice of the public, to decide on the entertainment protocols at the Opera House, in conjunction with the manager and the town. Simple, basic democracy.
In a separate matter, it is with a profound, boisterous and heartfelt thank you, to the kind gentleman who mentored our lads from their earliest days, in the entertainment industry, and who has inspired us all, for so many years, about what it means to love your hometown…..and work diligently on its behalf. Thank you so much, Fred Schulz, for being an outstanding role model, always! So much good has grown from those early days at the Gravenhurst Opera House, with such enthusiasm to learn. Andrew and Robert send their best.
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