YEARS OF ABUSE OF AUTHORITY

WELL! Today's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story "Ombud suggests jail for secret meeting abuse". Boy do I have a candidate for the first Canadian politician to visit the inside of a jail for this particular offence. She is a long time Woolwich municipal Councillor and an unsucessful mayoralty candidate in the last election. Yup that would be our very own Pat McLean. I truly have never met a hypocrite of her magnitude. Pat was always very honest and clear that she had little or no scientific/technical talents or background; but boy did she understand policy and procedures. She was the penultimate expert on municipal rules, regulations, ethics and democratic procedure. ABSOLUTE HORSEFEATHERS!

I have been observing and participating in one of the Committees of Council namely CPAC (Chemtura Public Advisory Committee) since its' inception after the October 2010 election. While its' start was both very slow and very rocky, including the eventual loss of four CPAC members including myself; nevertheless I have been constantly pleased but surprised at the insistence of openess and transparency of this Committee of Council. This specifically includes making all CPAC meetings open to the public. I will give credit for this primarily to CAO David Brenneman. I will also give honourable mention to Christine Broughton (Clerk) although I am less sure of her role in this capacity.

It has been occasionally awkward and difficult when discussing strategy etc. to have meetings open to the public and the media; above and beyond those advertised generally on the last Thursday of each month. Nevertheless David Brenneman has advised that provincial law is very clear on the subject. Committees of Council must behave and follow the same laws as Council. Therefore there are only three recognized exceptions where Council (or committees) may go in camera. Those are 1) legal matters 2) land sales or acquisitions 3) personnel (employee) matters .

I am pleased to say that this Council and CPAC are to the best of my knowledge following the letter and spirit of the law. Past committees (CPAC) have not. Some of these violations are perhaps minor such as many private breakfast meetings at local restaurants. Mind you this is the very same thing that currently has the City of London in major hot water with the province.

Other violations by the past CPAC Chair, who allegedly knew better, have been egregious. They include by invitation only technical DNAPL meetings held at Conestoga Rovers offices on Colby Drive in Waterloo not to mention private meetings held between CPAC members and Chemtura staff at the plant in Elmira. Further violations might even include inviting some CPAC voting members to a private business meeting while excluding others. Yours truly was the excluded one.

Currently we have a breath of fresh air in Woolwich Township matters. Kudos to all responsible.