INITIAL SWAT TEAM PUBLIC MEETING

Yes Woolwich Township are getting their own SWAT Team. So to speak. After a fashion. More or less. O.K. O.K. I didn't coin the phrase but I am having some fun with it. The Chair of this sub-committee of CPAC and CPAC member himself, Ron Campbell came up with the name. It stands for Soil Water Air Technical Team. An ad went out for volunteers in last week's Woolwich Observer and the inaugural meeting for applicants was held last night in Council Chambers. Yours truly jokingly asked Ron Campbell for a Kevlar jacket but was denied. To date there are three experienced and competent Elmira citizens who have come forward expressing an interest. Discussions involved Terms of Reference and the mechanics (when, where, how often) of this SWAT Team's assistance to CPAC. Essentially this group will analyse technical reports and give opinions and summations to the SWAT Chair Ron Campbell. He will then present findings to CPAC at public meetings. The SWAT Team are of course encouraged to attend public CPAC meetings as well and participate there.

This is an attempt to follow a slightly similar pattern set up by the old CPAC. There are both advantages and pitfalls but as long as we learn from history most of the pitfalls can be avoided. There was some reminiscing around how the Ministry of the Environment were brought to heel back in the very early 90's. Unfortunately hindsight has taught us that even when the M.O.E. were on their best behaviour with Elmira citizens; they were still deceiving and omitting vital information around major aspects of the Uniroyal/Chemtura cleanup. Woolwich's young CPAC are an experienced and talented group but they understand the magnitude and complexity of the task before them. That is why they are embracing additional experience and talent to assist them.