Cornwall Ontario – The Agape is about to get over $57,000 in loans and grants from the City of Cornwall in spite of a shortfall in this years revenue thanks to the Province playing Grinch with the city.
The deal, smelling of Conflicted Councilor Elaine MacDonald who sits on the board of the Agape and very conflicted Mayor Bob Kilger playing snuggle toes together is bizarre as it’s the end result of multiple flip flopping by city management and council.
Refused agency funding this year it reeks of simply finding a back door entry to the taxpayers pockets.
The Agape Centre which has cut over 20% of its services according to their CRS tax returns, and bloating their staff with friends and family of exec director Alyssa Blais while refusing to open up their books to the community.
“The Agape Centre was delighted to hear that our application was approved!” said Alyssa Blais, Agape executive director.
Unfortunately, the delay getting the approval could have consequences on jumpstarting the project before winter.
“Highly unlikely,” Blais said, on the possibility of a late fall construction.
Ms. Blais was quoted in the Standard Freeholder, before the actual deal is approved at tonight’s council. Is Ms Blais psychic or is this the result of some back door dealing?
The troubled food bank has had several instances of having to pay out as much as $5,000 to former staff for wrongful termination settlements and other employee issues has no issue creating an orchard, but can’t put in a wheel chair ramp.
CFN phoned CAO Norm Levac, Clerk Helen Finn, and signatories to the recommended report Stephen Alexander and Ken Bedford for comment. None answered their phones. Likewise we emailed all of council, the CAO and Clerk, but none had replied as of press time to explain this odd reversal and raping of the public purse.
What do you think CFN viewers? Should City Hall have allowed Agape Board member Elaine MacDonald to lobby and win tax dollars for her organization? Is this the best use of tax dollars? And why won’t Ms Blais confirm if a Trillium grant was used to hire her now husband John Earle?
You can post your comment below.
Please tell me it isn’t true! That agape is going to hire Aylssa Blais’s husband! Whatever for!
the trillium grant foundation should be ashamed of itself for giving money to the Agape center for things like an orchard, which they certainly do not know how to deal with in any sense of the word, they could not even operate a small garden properly on the property they have designated for the orchard. And as for the movie night that they sponsor, well it is apparently a 500 trillium grant that pays for that too.
They do not seem to realize that they are supposed to be feeding people who are needy.
What a sham the Agape center is!
Personally, I never fully understood on what authority the City of Cornwall could legally collect taxes from us and then redirect it to a charitable (?) organization. Particularly when Agape turns around and redirects dollars specifically for its own needs to another organization (as a donation) and then goes back to the taxpayer again for, you guessed it, more money !
This is something I would like to see rectified.
I do believe that Elaine MacDonald should not be lobbying and acting as a councilor at the same time. I personally feel that there is a conflict in play.
Again, something that needs to rectified and made crystal clear to the next slate of councilors.
As for Ms. Blais and her refusal to be honest and open with this community, I would sincerely hope that we do not let her off the hook regarding transparency and accountability.
Once again another item on a growing list of issues that need to be addressed and resolved to be able to move forward to firmer ground.
Ready for an election, regards David Oldham
The community needs to band together and let the Agape center know that this kind of sneeky deals and hiring family,is not acceptable.Our community is amazing and we need to stick together so people like the ones at the Agape don’t ruin an already tarnished name.That amount doesn’t even cover Alyssa’s paycheck.Go figure.They have been aloud to do what they please with community money so why should they stop now when they have had this kind of freedom.Buying re-useable bags to sell for 20 bucks a pop is more important i guess.
Btw, contrary to the headline in the Freeholder council reversed their reversal of their reversal and the Agape is not getting HOC $$
Admin! So glad to hear they are not getting the money. But does her husband still have a job there? Doing what?
One item off the list. Glad to hear that council had a moment of clarity !
Isn’t here husband a famous film maker?
famous? I think not – a shammer and scammer just like Alyssa – maybe!