BOTH THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL BOARD & THE WATERLOO REGION DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD (WRDSB) LOOKING STUPID AGAIN

 Maybe the title above is a little harsh regarding the Catholic Board. Generally they don't appear to screw up nearly as often as their non-Catholic educational colleagues. Recently one Catholic school trustee got a little carried away with her enthusiasm in supporting women and minorities and posted some rude or insulting comments about white Christian males in general. Certainly she had some valid points but lumping everybody together in a group as representative of a poorly behaved minority is not a great idea.

However the WRDSB are just continuing to shine as an example of Wokism, stupidism, biases, hostility and aggression. The title of the article dated April 24/23 by Jeff Outhit is "Waterloo Region may be a target as provincial government takes aim at underachieving school boards". While the province are focused on academics local WRDSB trustee Mike Ramsay is more specific as he states "I don't feel the board is fully focused on student learning and achievement" followed more sharply by stating that provincial control over the school board may reduce distractions on "side issues that have nothing to do with student learning and achievement" such as "vexatious challenges to parents who come to the board in good faith with their questions."

Wow! That not only refers to Caroline Burjowski (former long term teacher) and her contemptible treatment by the WRDSB, as well if I may but how I and my family were treated over twenty-five years ago by the swine  at the board. I went first to my principle (Romashyna) then trustee (Huschka) and finally to the board itself with concerns shared by my family and by numerous other families. Talk about the "blue wall" for the police. The school board behaved beyond awful including blatant lying and deceit rather than addressing the serious problem that they already knew existed.

O.K. so I'm no fan of the provincial government but good God I've long stated that when school boards are spending excessive amounts of taxpayers money on keeping lawyers on retainer as legal attack dogs against either parents or children then there is a gross problem. Yes there are some very good trustees. There were some despicable swine at the top of the board years ago. It at least appears that their possibly hand picked successors share their behaviors. Feel free Ontario to clean house. What has taken you so long? 

I SKIPPED LAST NIGHT'S TAG MEETING AFTER TAKING A SHOT AT THE POLLUTER, MECP, SUITS, BUREAUCRATS & POLITICIANS

 Late in the morning I sent an e-mail to all of Woolwich Council clarifying why I am so fed up including last month's incredibly petty and ignorant behaviour towards me at the TAG meeting. I did not blame the new Support Specialist who has replaced Lisa Schaefer, rather I laid it squarely on the Mayor.

I also pointed out that I and the public had alternatives to wasting our time being lied to by the suits and professional liars as well as our knowledgeable input being ignored by the Ministry of Environment, Woolwich Township and others. These alternatives included watching the Stanley Cup playoffs. Small wonder that Canadians are so disaffected and so unwilling to get involved in community affairs and issues. This contemptible Township have and continue to go out of their way to suppress citizen participation and most certainly consultation. That said let me add that there are good people on Council and employed by the Township. The problems are and always have been at the top. 

I further advised that while I had been contacted by the Support Specialist in order to attend last night's virtual TAG meeting I was refused any discussion about no further sanctions, repercussions etc against me at TAG meetings by the Mayor or her fellow travellors. Hence I made it clear that under those conditions I was unwilling to again waste more of my time. Other than Sebastian being allowed to sit as a TAG member all the other CPAC (Citizens Public Advisory Committee) members have stepped back as they are not prepared to have zero influence on the discussions/decisions while also being treated as second or third class citizens.

NHL PLAYOFFS TONITE OR THE TAG MEETING?

Well that decision has been a no brainer for me for the last thirty-one years. Whether named UPAC, CPAC RAC or TAG I've always put Elmira's drinking / groundwater first with the Canagagigue Creek rehabilitation high up there as well. Throw into the mix the need to clean up the worst parts of the former Uniroyal Chemical site and I would always miss the playoffs when they overlapped.

Now today we have a TAG that allegedly is hybrid. In other words some TAG members attend Council Chambers in person and others choose to do so remotely. Woolwich Council meetings are in the same location and they are both in person by councillors and the public post Covid are also back in person although bizarrely, weirdly and quite frankly disgustingly the public now in 2023 must PRE-REGISTER to attend a gd Council meeting. WTF is that all about? Really Sandy are you so paranoid and controlling that you can't, post Covid, return Council meetings to the format that has worked for decades? In other words citizens and taxpayers attend Council meetings as they see fit and when they see fit not when you say so.

At the last TAG meeting, Sandy as she is wont to do, played fast and loose with the rules for virtual attendance with myself, to her shame. This resulted in my not being brought into the meeting until AFTER it had started That combined with the gross failures of allowing the public to attend freely, speak freely (albeit with decorum), and even receive fair and honest membership opportunities versus the polluter (Lanxess) and their best friend (Min. of Environment) having blatant vetoes over certain citizens membership on TAG etc. makes me uncertain.

For the first time in three decades although I have long known how perverted and corrupt the system and process has been, I am hesitating in continuing to try to improve the final environmental outcomes  for Elmira and Woolwich residents. Congratulations to Lanxess, MECP, Mayor, consultants & bureaucrats and all the other self-serving fellow travellors. 

REGIONAL INITIATIVE COULD REALLY SHAKE THINGS UP

 Yesterday's K-W Record had an article by Liz Monteiro titled "Harassment rules should apply to local politicians".  Kudos to regional councillor Colleen James for pushing this matter forward. If I understand things correctly Bill 5 is a provincial initiative and it has been supported by up to 40 municipalities. Apparently municipal councillors who have committed sexual, emotional or psychological misconduct could be removed from office. Hoo boy on the one hand this certainly would be an eye opener for the hopefully rare few municipal councillors/mayors who behave in that manner but at the same time I worry about for example petty "weaponizing" of Codes of Conduct that has occurred at our Waterloo Region District School Board with accusations of misconduct flying in all directions. 

Ms. James claims that nasty behaviour "...keeps happening and people aren't speaking up about them...". If nothing else this Bill 5 would certainly take the glow off the rose that those people in positions of authority somehow are always of superior morals or ethics. They certainly aren't and never have been.

ANOTHER SMALL ADMISSION: I HAVEN'T FORGIVEN OR FORGOTTEN EITHER

 O.K. at least I'm not a hypocrite about it. I sure as heck don't flaunt any religious beliefs I may have while at the same time throwing stones (figuratively) at mayor Sandy Shantz. On the other hand...   So yes I have continued criticizing her sometimes harshly for her behaviour starting in 2015 when she orchestrated her personal and dishonest attack upon the CPAC Chair and members as well as the sub-committee SWAT which included myself and others. Her attacks were both private and public, verbal and in writing to her shame.

Going on eight years later she abused her authority at the last TAG meeting regarding my timely attendance (and more) and since last Friday I've been attempting to reach the new Support Specialist for RAC and TAG both by phone and e-mail to avoid this occurring again in two days at 6:30 pm. These virtual meetings have concerned me since they were implemented during Covid as I knew it was far too easy for someone with a grudge to abuse their authority by either shutting out or harassing me via control of both Video and Audio at these so called public meetings. I have followed the rules regarding virtual TAG & RAC meetings but that didn't stop misbehaviour at the last TAG meeting towards me. Either that stops or I take further steps that Woolwich politicians or staff will not appreciate. 

"THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW" ...BEFORE THE ELECTION!!!

 The quote above is from an excellent Opinion article in today's Waterloo Region Record by Luisa D'Amato. That is the part in quotes is Luisa's, the last three words are mine. Luisa is appropriately complaining that Region of Waterloo councillors have supported a Motion by councillor Jim Erb to ask the province to change their rules such that the addresses of donors over $100 no longer have to be made public. Now as Luisa suggests there are lots of families in K-W with the same last names as big shot developers who are neither related to them nor have any connection. The addresses can be matched with public addresses of well known local individuals and hence addresses confirm the identity of donors which after all is the whole idea of making them public in the first place.

There is a second issue however. Yes industrious and curious electors can read the financial statements posted by municipal candidates usually on the municipal website. These are to be posted sometime in early to mid March months AFTER the election. WOW! O.K. Luisa has a strong point that that is better than not at all. However I suspect that less than 5% of voters actually look these candidate Financial Statements up and read the. Hence only 5% ever learn that developers are buying...oops I mean donating to candidates en masse. What actually should be happening is that corporate (especially developers/planners etc.) donations should be available for each candidate BEFORE the election. If you favour more growth then vote for those people supported by our biggest developers and home builders etc. Otherwise vote for others. After the fact knowledge firstly will quickly be forgotten and is knowledge that voters needed in oreder to vote according to their wishes of our combined future.

ARE WE APPROACHING THE END OF THE LINE IN ELMIRA?

I need to confirm further but my hopes for a new active player on the Lanxess/Elmira scene may have been premature. I truly hope not because her initiative and enthusiasm are badly needed. Next I am seeing moves by Mayor Shantz that are simply negative, delaying moves that are most likely to taint whatever sunny, good news lies that Lanxess Canada are trying to sell the public. Lanxess and their partner in pollution, the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MECP) also desperately want to wrap up the Elmira Crisis in a tidy little bow and finish the charade of the Elmira "cleanup".  

That will be somewhat difficult to do as it has now gone beyond denial and reversal that the Elmira Aquifers will not achieve drinking water standards by 2028 unless the MECP arbitrarily raise that standard from 9 parts per trillion (.009 ppb.) to 15 or 20 parts per trillion (.020 ppb.). This is not out of the realm of deceit and deception for the MECP as I believe they did exactly that with trichloroethylene years ago as wells in Cambridge were exceeding the then 5 ppb. standard. Up went the standard only to be returned to the old standard not based so much on new science as on the groundwater concentrations falling in the drinking wells.

"When all was said and done, more was said than was done." This is a quote from Richard Clausi in describing the Elmira "cleanup". Lots of talk and lots of promises generously sprinkled with lots of lies. As far as costs Uniroyal Chemical saved hundreds of millions of dollars in toxic waste disposal costs by dumping both directly and indirectly into the ground and into the Canagagigue Creek while our municipal and provincial governments held their noses, closed their eyes and covered their ears all the while running interference up to and including today for Uniroyal and their corporate successors (Crompton, Chemtura, Lanxess ).

WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP TO BE DRAGGED KICKING & SCREAMING BACK TO IN PERSON PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR RAC & TAG?

 It sure seems that way. The most recent announcement in the Woolwich Observer for next Thursday's TAG meeting appears to be only offering a Zoom meeting or a toll free telephone participation. Considering that in-person Delegations plus citizens sitting at Woolwich Council meetings in person it begs the question as to why not for Committees of Council such as RAC and TAG. The obvious answer is that Lanxess and the Ministry of Environment (MECP) are still antsy about certain local citizens participating live in these environmental meetings. This of course happens when you lie like dogs and refuse to honestly answer serious and relevant questions from citizens. Of course Sandy and others will continue to disparage citizens who are better informed and more honest than they are. Plus Sandy and friends want to keep Lanxess and the provincial government (MECP) happy in order to share in grants and provincial money available to cooperative municipalities.

It's all about control. A nasty Chairperson can order a citizen out of a Council meeting but there is always the chance that the citizen will not take kindly to that suggestion. With virtual meetings Sandy and other anti-democratic individuals can simply pull the audio and visual plug and nobody really knows where you went or what happened. Liars and manipulators prefer not to be too public with their dirty work when at all possible.

A LITTLE TALK IS IN ORDER WITH THE NEW RAC/TAG SUPPORT PERSON

 Sandy again abused her authority and position in a petty fashion at the last TAG meeting. Interestingly she did not do it via her longtime loyalist, Lisa Schaefer. Lisa has moved on to bigger and better things and I was surprisingly impressed with her efforts and results at TAG/RAC over the years. She sincerely worked hard to bring everything together in a professional fashion which reflected very well upon herself. 

So Sandy got cute with the video button as well as by refusing me admittance to the last TAG meeting until after it had started. What a petty little *itch she is. This is despite all pre-registered participants including myself being specifically asked to check into the Zoom meeting fifteen minutes ahead of time in order to do video and audio checks. Indeed I've been doing that literally for years yet last month they didn't open the meeting to me until it had already started. This I do not blame on the new RAC/TAG Support Person. At least not for last month hence the little talk ahead of time so as to make it clear that any repeat will meet with repercussions. Sandy has tasted those in the past and if she wants more than I am still willing to go head to head with perverse, anti-democratic and corrupt systems and personnel.  

JUNE 20, 2015 WOOLWICH OBSERVER SPELLS OUT CREDIT OR BLAME LIES WITH MAYOR SHANTZ

The Woolwich Observer wrote a very blunt Editorial with the title being "CPAC shuffle all for naught until MOE takes action". The Observer also used words and phrases like "re-arrange the  deck chairs" and a "...bitter taste of appeasement". The Observer also noted that the new RAC and TAG meetings "...should run more smoothly, with a good chance of more leisurely noshing and coffee drinking among like minded folks." These comments are all pointing clearly to Mayor Sandy Shantz's decision to remove CPAC. The Observer also noted that the only player with any clout is the Ontario Ministry of Environment however according to the Observer they have failed to clean up the Uniroyal site "...perplexing given its mandate to protect the environment...".

Yours truly's name is mentioned a few times in this Editorial as I am referred to as "the very vocal thorn in many sides" along with Chemtura and the MOE desperately wanting "less angry public, more "respectful" bureaucracy." If there's anything that I have learned it is that our politicians and authority figures care much less for truth and honesty and much more for appearances, smoothness and even pretend cordiality. This is especially so when all the guilty parties concluded their sweetheart deals decades ago and simply want the public to fall in line with their essentially dishonest and not in the public interest backroom deals between the Ministry of Environment and corporate polluters without morals, ethics or respect for either the law or the public.  

 

IS INTENSE MEDIA COVERAGE THE ONLY PRACTICAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR POLITICIANS?

 Probably unless of course an individual has many thousands of dollars of idle funds that they don't mind spending on lawyers and legal fees. Politicians basically are at the mercy of monied interests. In any given situation the person or group with the largest amount of money to throw at the problem are going to get their way. Even very large interest groups will have much less influence than a corporation with a huge legal budget willing to spend money on lawyers and lawsuits to get their way. The niceties of laws and legislation is that most are not enforced unless there's an emergency or disaster either imminent or underway. Also money will and always has had an outsized influence on amending laws or passing new ones.

The only limited counterbalance is large numbers of people combined with positive media coverage. That said exactly how far have anti-pipeline, anti-new highways and anti-old growth logging actually gotten? Bad projects can sometimes be slowed down but rarely fully stopped. Very bad ideas environmentally may have to go through some form of environmental assessment yet the proponents simply buy the experts they need to "sell" the project to the relevant political body. This includes gravel pits, in town Biogas facilities and even in town tractor trailer parking lots on top of former landfills right beside residential subdivisions. Seriously who would have thought 35 years ago that Uniroyal Chemical could ruin our local drinking water aquifers and our Creek (Canagagigue) and essentially walk away unscathed with mere window dressing and inadequate pump and treat groundwater technology?

JUST TO BE CLEAR THE PROVINCE & THE OLT DO NOT REQUIRE TRUTHFULNESS

 Nope it's all about development and growth. Business rules everything and councillors please do not forget that. As per two weeks ago lies abounded whether from consultants or planners on behalf of the property owner. They all got blatantly caught and it meant absolutely nothing to Council's final decision. The two lies included the phony non-existent "clay cap" over the former landfill and the other was in advising councillors that there was no need to continue methane gas monitoring. Wow! The second one was particularly egregious in that Woolwich Staff did not even advise the five new Woolwich councillors that the former Council had endorsed recommendations from both their consultants GHD as well as from their Director Of Engineering & Planning, Dan Kennally, to build a new passive methane gas collection system. Apparently $75,000 was also budgeted towards the project.

So what is the takeaway here? Clearly councillors, especially new ones are intimidated both by the Ford provincial government as well as by the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) and new rules regarding its' operations. These new rules include municipalities being on the hook for the legal costs of winning developers at the OLT who a municipality have opposed. To me this is similar to environmental  hearings in which Intervenor Funding has long been removed. What a joke when individual taxpayers and residents are exposed to major financial costs simply for defending the environment from self-serving business demands . The system is rigges and has been for a long time.

P.S. The former Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) was bad and the OLT is no better. In other words a piece of crap by any other name smells just as disgusting.

LANXESS CONTINUE TO LEAK CONTAMINATION WHILE TAG POLITELY/RESPECTFULLY QUERY

 This is exactly what mayor Shantz wanted seven and a half years ago. No accountability based upon no transparency. Only ultra polite, nice people who won't rock the Lanxess boat, the Woolwich boat or the Ministry of Environment boat. These TAG members are generally smart and generally know what's going on and they are trying to have their cake and eat it too. In other words they appear satisfied to express "concerns" with the various "cleanups" while never being pushy or hard nosed. Exactly the environment that the suits and assorted professional liars want and thrive in. 

Speaking of the environment they continue to pump at relatively high levels off site while their on-site pumping slides. TAG I'm sure will ask them again and they will continue to bullsh.t and obfuscate because 1) it saves them money and 2) TAG let them away with it. Last month's on-site Municipal Aquifer pumping totaled 4.2 l/sec while their Target Rate remained at 4.8 litres/sec This shortfall has been going on for over a year now. Lanxess save money on both the pumping and treating and as well the total mass on their site decreases as long as off-site pumping continues to draw their dissolved contaminants off-site. It's a win-win for Lanxess and a lose-lose for the environment.

TRUTH BE TOLD, DOUG FORD & THE CONSERVATIVES ARE SIMPLY EMPOWERING LIKE MINDED COUNCILS TO IGNORE THEIR OWN CITIZENS

 The latest nonsense from the province is to open for development areas outside the cities and towns that the Region of Waterloo had hoped would not be made available for development so soon. It is also a clear indication that whether Liberal or Conservative, large amounts of money are available to be made by the already wealthy, at the expense of not only the environment but also the rest of us. Be honest. Do you think that the Grand River's capacity for assimilation of both industrial and human wastes magically increases with each and every additional 50,000 residents? Do you think that our air has an infinite capacity to absorb both industrial and automotive discharges to it no matter how much growth we sustain year after year? As far as infrastructure goes just look at Highway 7 (Victoria St.) from Kitchener to Guelph. It's been at capacity for over twenty years during incredible population growth with nothing but promises for expansion. And on and on. Our drinking water quality has suffered primarily from unremediated industrial pollution for the last one hundred years to the point that we are now treating at great expense Grand River water which is getting worse every year. The pipeline to Lake Erie is on the table and once again most of us will pay the higher price for more people accessing limited natural resources, while the wealthy and those in control reap all the financial rewards. 

The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) was so bad and biased that the province replaced it with a new, more progressive Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). Such horsecrap! A few token defeats of developers and even a local proposed gravel pit (Hunder Pit between Winterbourne & Conestogo) has been followed by business as usual with biased, self-serving decisions not in the public interest again being the norm.   

ANOTHER ELMIRA HISTORY LESSON

 K-W Record March 24, 2016- Prosecutor Fraser Kelly said that it was not in the public interest to pursue the ten privately laid charges and that some of the charges were improperly laid. I dare say that likely Mr. Kelly lied in the one instance ("public interest") and possibly lied in the second instance as well. If he didn't then he and the justice system should be ashamed of themselves for being obtuse, user unfriendly and non-transparent. This is because even privately laid charges have to go through a Justice of the Peace. That process is arduous enough with but one f....ing day of the week set aside for public appointments with the J.P. Secondly it is the J.P. who tells the citizen how to navigate the process and hence any errors are those of the J.P. not of the citizen laying the charges. Geez what a scam!

The Record article is titled "Woolwich mayor's charges tossed" and the story was written by Paige Desmond. Regarding the public interest it is always in the public interest to hold politicians accountable especially if they are experienced and if the issue concerning charges was due to multiple infractions as Mayor Shantz's was. Running citizens in circles over many months just to throw out black and white, readily convictable charges based on "not in the public interest" is simply bullsh.t. It is the system protecting itself and it's beneficiaries. The Municipal Elections Act is a provincial statute designed to promote accountability and honesty over election expenses. Passing laws like this and then refusing to enforce the law does nothing but promote contempt of both politicians and our justice system. One law for them and a different law for us. 

NO CLARIFICATION YET AS TO MAYOR SHANTZ'S BATTLE TO CONTINUE TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC FROM TAG & RAC FULL PARTICIPATION

 At the last TAG meeting there was a plan unveiled to allow the public to both present verbal Delegations to TAG as well as to be able to ask questions and make relevant comments regarding Lanxess, Elmira, and cleanup issues. This would be a long overdue overhaul of an incredibly bizarre and perverse scenario that's gone on for the last seven and a half years courtesy of two Woolwich councillors back in 2015. Being lovers of polluters is not politically correct but as we have seen much too often entrenched politicians are able and willing to lie their way around just about everything. Just look at Donald Trump in the U.S. to see that in action. The man has offended with both his actions and words, women, ethnic minorities, the LGBTQ community, Democrats, many Republicans etc. yet he just won't die a normal political death. Lying and exaggeration are his stock in trade and he has given hope and inspiration to far too many Trump light politicians. 

The next public TAG meeting is scheduled for April 27, 2023 at 6:30 pm. and the next RAC meeting is scheduled for May 11, 2023 at 7 pm. Many of these meetings are sad and pathetic but every now and then the truth bubbles to the surface when a TAG member in particular become a little impatient with the status quo.

REGARDING LAST WEDNESDAY'S POST & A NEW METHANE GAS COLLECTION SYSTEM

 Nope it was never installed. The excuse given was that there was a falling out between Woolwich Township and the owners of the Bolender Park Landfill site back in 2018 or so. In fact the falling out started before that and included Woolwich Twn. getting sued by the owner of the site at the time over the municipal water line running illegally through his property. That illegality was due to the township never having an easement or any other legal right to the use of the property that their water pipeline is on. Pretty cheeky when you think of it.

So here we are five years later with any and all methane readings as recently as 2021 still showing explosive levels of methane gas in the sub-surface yet no one tells the new Woolwich councillors that the previous council had endorsed a new gas collection system and indeed had budgeted $75,000 towards it. This is relevant particularly when the new owners and their consultants have been selling heavy duty bullsh*t  to the new councillors suggesting that there is no need for further monitoring or gas collection. Weird and hypocritical and self-serving. 

PRESIDENT OF THE REFORM GRAVEL MINING COALITION CALLS OUT THE AGGREGATE INDUSTRY

 The title of the article in the Waterloo Region Record on March 31, 2023 was "Gravel industry arguments don't hold water". The President of the Reform Gravel Mining Coalition is Mr. Doug Tripp. He takes no prisoners in his critique of the gravel industry's claims that gravel mining is safe for water. Mr. Tripp is confident that both ground and surface water suffer when the nearby overburden of sand and gravel are removed from aquifers. This reduces the amount of filtration of contaminants fom the surface. He also feels that the actual equipment being used by gravel operators often is not well handled and spills of fuel and lubricants occurs. Then there is the use of below water table extraction which leaves a lake  behind which is a direct conduit to the aquifer. Other issues include water being used as a dust suppressant on roads as well as for washing gravel. All in all Mr. Tripp is very skeptical of most of the claims of aggregate being a clean, pro environment industry.

NO SHAME MERELY MORE LIES AT LAST NIGHT'S WOOLWICH COUNCIL MEETING

 In fact the consultant on behalf of 39A Holdings somewhat attempted to double down again on his misinformation to Woolwich councillors about "clay caps". He was a little more subtle (and sneaky) as he kept saying look there's a cap there which wasn't the point. The point was his brazen nonsense in initially repeatedly having said that there was a "clay" cap over top of the Bolender Landfill when in fact it is topsoil on top of sand and gravel sitting above the municipal and industrial wastes. Further nonsense continued as he bragged about the lack of methane gas at surface yet he had zero measurements to back that up and all of one gas measurement that he referred to as shallow. In fact that one measurement at GP3S-21 was 1.4% methane by volume in air which exceeded the 20% LEL criteria.

Young and inexperienced councillors were snowed last night by both consultants for the proponent and by their own staff. It is my hope that this morning when they woke up they asked themselves why the hell it was a citizen rather than staff who provided them with the five year old Woolwich Observer article (March 8, 2018) about the previous Woolwich Council endorsing the new recommended methane collection system. recommended by both GHD consultants and by Woolwich's own Director of Engineering & Planning Dan Kennally.  I also hope that I noticed a little embarrassment by Woolwich staff as they answered councillor Nathan Cadeau's questions about whether this agreed upon methane collection system was constructed and if not, why not. 

All in all a victory for credentialism and obfuscation with as usual the public interest losing in favour of private interests., 

BACK INTO THE BREACH TONITE AT WOOLWICH COUNCIL CHAMBERS

 My optimism remains high that mayor Sandy's biases will be held in check by her fellow councillors. Overall my optimism remains high that her fellow councillors are on the right track. No, they are not perfect anymore than you or I are. Well you anyways (Ha!). That's my feeble, early in the morning attempt at humour. Early that is for a retired old fart. 

The only constraint on me as a Delegate this evening on the same topic as last week is that I present new data or information. That frankly is quite easy as really how much can you get into with all of a seven minute Delegation? The Bolender Park Landfill is a convoluted, confusing mess with a number of serious issues of which methane gas is but one. They however are all tied in together as construction or renovations to the property can affect much more than just the obvious. 

One of those issues may or may not be a potential conflict of interest that mayor Sandy has. She has advised me that she has sought advice from the Integrity Commissioner on the matter and been given the all clear. Unfortunately she also advised that she couldn't remember some of her husband's business dealings from the 1990s regarding the Bolender Landfill. Hmm that's interesting as I did jog her memory on the matter a few years years ago and she advised then that her husband was not the contractor or engineer responsible for the methane gas collection system construction. Hmm maybe a contradiction in there?

Anyhow I and others will be there at 7 pm. and we will see if councillors are sufficiently upset with being misled about the existence of an invisible, fictitious clay cap that the evidence clearly shows was never installed and in fact nobody should have ever expected it to be installed over half a century ago.  

CALLING VARIOUS PROFESSIONS, PEOPLE OR GROUPS LYING SO & SO's WOULD BE RUDE

 Hmm would it be O.K. to simply call them SO & SO's? It would make me feel better but I suppose the Code of Conduct Police would be all up in arms. I've always wondered why it's O.K. to lie like a dog everywhere but in court, with absolutely zero consequences. I am of course referring to the proposed Bolender Park Landfill. I and others have pushed back and now surprise, surprise the consultants are changing their tune. They have conceded (somewhat) by suggesting that O.K. "It is not a full "clay cap" as the actual amount of clay is low." Their very next sentence states "This has no real significance after 50 years."

Wow! Actually the significance is great. One it means that the landfill does not remotely meet current or even past thirty years standards and secondly and maybe more importantly the consultant has misled both the public and Woolwich Council members. Regarding the statement that "...the actual amount of clay is low." let me say this. It is not low it is tiny to non-existent. THERE IS NO CLAY CAP AND NEVER WAS ONE!!!!!!

There is a cover (or cap if you wish to use the word) consisting of sand and gravel. In either hydrogeology or stratigraphy this is a huge, night and day difference. Only a thick skinned, arrogant well protected individual would refuse to flatly admit that he was either dead wrong or a deceptive, misleading, bought and paid for client driven so & so. 

 

THE BATTLE CONTINUES - MONEY VERSUS TRUTH & THE BOLENDER LANDFILL

 Last Tuesday Woolwich councillors voted in favour of the proposed truck parking lot on top of the Bolender Landfill at the Committee of the Whole, public meeting. This Tuesday they again have it on the Agenda presumably to ratify the vote. What a bad idea all around. Myself, Dr, Dan Holt and a gentleman by the name of Ed Northcott spoke as Delegates to Council. Immediately after we were done, councillors voted in favour of the proposed truck parking lot. Yes clearly their minds were made up before the meeting. Geez!

I'll be back this Tuesday at 7 pm. with new information to provide councillors. It is clear that non-public behind the scenes lobbying etc. is going on and new councillors especially are feeling pressure from consultants, staff and developers. It really is a shameful way to run a municipality, albeit very common. The misinformation and red herrings about the former landfill are legion. So are the contradictions and inconsistencies between the verbal words spoken by developers and consultants versus what the technical reports actually say.