IS DICK JACKSON SOMEHOW RELATED TO ELMIRA'S BELOVED DR. HENRY REGIER?

Let's see now. Both appear older, bearded, educated, informed and have a way with words. Henry has long impressed me with his ability to chastise wrongdoers, politicians and fellow travellers of same. I have seen Henry appropriately and factually criticize folks in authority but his choice of words and his willingness to understand and accept them back into the fold, before the end of his writing, is incrediblely inspiring. Dr. Jackson is a hydrogeologist and Dr. Regier a biologist. Very different fields yet certainly with overlap when discussing Chemtura contaminants in the Canagagigue Creek and their effects on both wildlife and humans.

Dick Jackson has written the "Draft Technical Advisory Group (TAG) Work Plan 2016" dated October 22, 2015. It will be discussed tomorrow evening at the public TAG meeting at 6:30 pm. in Council Chambers. I have read it carefully and can find no reasonable grounds for criticism. In fact I am a little astounded at how fast Mr. Jackson has gotten up to speed. Mind you I have often thought that if only Elmira citizens could afford to hire world class professionals to examine the Uniroyal/Chemtura situation; those professionals would be stunned by what has passed here for "cleanup".

While I can not speak on behalf of CPAC I can advise that the new Citizens Public Advisory Committee (CPAC) are aware of these developments and are paying close attention. In fact one of their members on a only slightly different note suggested that the title of Monday's K-W Record article could well have been "CPAC Vindicated - Chemtura Cleanup Fifty Years Behind Schedule". The saying is that the proof is in the pudding. Mr. Jackson is on the right track and as long as he is politically able, I can see him doing the job he was paid (modestly) to do. Whether he is able to get to even first base with the politicians and bureaucrats on RAC (Remediation Advisory Committee) is another matter. Vested interests, conflicts of interest and technical incompetence of the majority combined with political self interest are powerful factors to overcome.