10:24 am. VERY STRANGE THIS THING THEY CALL DEMOCRACY

I've just returned from the Regional Council Chambers in Kitchener, after stopping for a fillup at the former Becker's in downtown Elmira. I was in the Council Chambers at approximately 9:50 am. and talked briefly with a Regional employee at the Audio Visual booth. She advised me that the Committee had already approved O.P.A. # 15 which is a Woolwich Township zoning amendment for the purpose of changing extractive (aggregate) to industrial. This O.P.A. # 15 I had discussed here in the Elmira Advocate back on June 28 /10.

Although I was advised verbally of some committee meeting for today I was not advised either that it was open to the public or the time of the meeting. As I am most probably the sole objector to this Amendment and have attended and spoken both at Woolwich Council as well as spoken to Mr. Eby of the Regionnal Planning Department, at a formal meeting, I thought that I would be formally advised of all necessary details regarding these meetings. Apparently not. The next public meeting is on August 19 at 3 pm. in Regional Council Chambers. This I confirmed today, including putting my name on the list as a delegate. The issue here is a 40 + year old , grossly contaminated site known as Safety- Kleen. By the way the "grossly contaminated" term is quoted from a M.O.E. employee in a written report.

I fully expect to be criticized next Thursday for missing the committee meeting (by approx. 3/4 hour) at which time I will accept full blame if the Region are willing to accept full blame for missing the cleanup of the Safety-Kleen site by 3 1/2 decades .


11:36 am. and I've just gotten off the phone after receiving a call from Mr. Kevin Eby of the Region of Waterloo. Mr. Eby offerred his sincerest apologies for my not only not receiving formal notice of the meeting but also for not receiving a copy of the Staff Report to the Regional Committee. He has promised to immediately fax a copy to me. Also Mr. Eby advises me that what the committee actually approved was staff's recommendation to refer O.P.A. # 15 to the Ontario Municipal Board. Clearly I either misunderstood the answer this morning from the Regional employee or she misunderstood my question or all of the above. I believe that that was an honest misunderstanding. Mr. Eby also made it clear that he does not forsee any issue with Regional Council turning down their own committee's recommendation, nevertheless I will be attending as a delegate.