Mosaic Place Financials On Council's Agenda For Monday

Will it be there? And if it is there what will the figures show?

These are the two questions proposed when it comes to the long awaited 2019 audited financial statements from Mosaic Place. Statements which are months overdue.

The issue of the late annual audited statements, usually presented in May as part of Mosaic Place’s AGM, came up once again at the September 8th regular Council meeting as Councillor Brian Swanson asked when the financials will be made publicly available.

The issue came up as part of the discussion surrounding awarding the ticket agent contract to Pacolian to replace the former ticketing agent Ticket Rocket.

Administration said they would be available at this Monday evening’s Council meeting.

Councillor Swanson has inferred for months that the Mosaic Place books are going to be a stream of bleeding red ink and on Monday evening the records are, according to the agenda, scheduled to be presented to Council.

Although they are on the agenda for Monday night the records themselves are not part of the agenda package released on Thursday afternoon.

At the September 8th regular Council meeting, while discussing signing Pacolian as Mosaic Place’s new ticketing provider, Councillor Swanson questioned whether it was up to Administration to tell residents what they wanted.

In their report, prepared for Council, Administration wrote “the community was clear in 2018 that they wanted concerts and events.”

It is a statement that did not sit well with the councillor.

“I think the last time I read this I think I pointed out it is really not the position of Administration to be making judgements like that what the community wants. I don’t think there was a survey done or anything and the community’s opinion on that might be affected by a review of the (2019) audited statements which I believe are overdue,” Counclllor Swanson said.

City manager Jim Puffalt said he did not believe the comments were out of line.

“What we are hearing at the City is what the community is asking us to do. I know that is not the community as a whole but again it depends us to provide the information we do receive and that is what we have done,” Puffalt responded.

The 2019 audited statement is on Monday evening’s agenda and they may prove who is right or wrong on the issue.