CANDIDATES MEETING IN ST. JACOBS

Last evening with a turnout of perhaps fourty or fifty people we were treated to very short speeches plus a question and answer session. The three Mayoralty candidates as well as incumbent Mark Bauman and challenger Eric Schwindt were present. Yours truly over the evening was able to ask three questions, all of an environmental nature. The first question to Todd Cowan was whether there was a way for Woolwich Township to have their cake and eat it. In other words could we benefit from this green energy plan (Biogas) without the negative consequences to our citizens. Todd said yes but that it meant lobbying Queen's Park for an approval to relocate the plant further away from nearby homes. Surprisingly to me , Pat McLean jumped on the same answer as Todd whereas Mayor Bill Strauss answered yes that Woolwich could benefit and avoid negative consequences but I didn't hear him specifically say that he would lobby to have the proposed Biogas plant moved.

My second question initially to Councillor Mark Bauman related to the possible/probable O.M.B. hearing around the Safety- Kleen expansion in Breslau. Councillor Bauman was surprised that it could be going to the O.M.B., which in turn surprised me. Regardless Mark Bauman reiterated his statement at Woolwich Council that he would not support building on contaminated land. Challenger Eric Schwindt agreed as did the three Mayoralty candidates, Strauss, Mclean and Cowan.

My third question was in regards to the proposed Hawk Ridge Homes development in the old apple orchard on Union St. in Elmira, across from Sulco Chemical and Chemtura (Uniroyal). Here the professional politicians showed their expertise by deflecting my question as to whether the Council many years ago should have removed the residential zoning as per Provincial guidelines around industrial and chemical facilities. Starting with Mark Bauman, followed by Pat McLean they ignored confirming my assertion that indeed the province had provided this direction and instead deflected the blame onto both the Region of Waterloo and as well onto local citizens whom they claim should have spoken up at the time the Regional Official Plan was being updated. I give them full marks for brass at least. It is my opinion that for some strange reason the Council of the time , which would have included Bill Strauss and Pat McLean missed the boat on removing the residential zoning next to Chemtura, Sulco etc. Pat McLean's excuse that there were homes further west (Arthur St. direction) that wanted residential zoning to avoid industrial zoning and hence more industry seems suspect. A buffer could consist of commercial or agricultural zoning but not residential.