By George, He's Got It

Has the light finally turned on for Councillor Brister, chair of the Council Operating Budget Committee? Does he finally understand after 2 years?

In Gord Henderson's Saturday column supporting a local museum for Windsor, there is Councillor Budget. You remember him, he was the Councillor who suggested selling the Art Gallery paintings that were not hanging on the walls to reduce their need for money from the City and voted against giving Artcite a $3,004 budget increase. He and Councillor Gignac voted against approving the production and staging of the 2005 International Buskers Festival.

So frankly, I expected the Councillor to denounce the whole idea of a even looking at a community museum since it might cost a few pennies.

Imagine my surprise when he finally looked at a situation from a City-wide perspective, as a Councillor should, and not merely as a knee-jerk reaction against, as a budget analyst would. He is quoted as saying "But the time might be ripe he said to examine the potential pocketbook benefits of a new museum through increased tourism and how best to showcase the exisitng collection in city facilities."

Now the cynical amongst you will say that this is Councillor Budget's clever way of saying "NO" but not getting Henderson mad at him since Gord obviously liked the idea. We'll see if the cynics are right or wrong over the next few weeks. The Canada South Science City is coming back to Council shortly as is Buskers. Both projects can easily be justified as providng "pocketbook" benefits can't they?