MAKING A MOCKERY OF PUBLIC INPUT- JIGS HOLLOW PIT

Shocking and disappointing. The Delegate to last evening's Woolwich Committee of the Whole used the word "betrayal". Mr. Larke like all the presenters and Delegates over the last few years who have spoken at Woolwich Council regarding this proposed gravel pit located along the Grand River beside Winterbourne and in view of Conestogo; was hurt and upset, but nevertheless respectful. Last Saturday here in the Advocate I posted the news that Woolwich Council and the Region had agreed to Terms of Settlement thus avoiding a full OMB (Ontario Municipal Board) hearing on the matter. Mr. Larke requested the reasoning and specifics and Council to their credit did their best to respond to him.

The problem in my opinion is that their best simply wasn't good enough. A minor part of the problem is in regards to confidentiality that exists during a closed door Council meeting as well as during in camera discussions. The key messages and terms from the settlement were shared last night. I can understand a Council bending to recommendations all around them from possibly more experienced staff as well as from consultants and OMB personnel. I can understand but not agree however. This Council was elected on a number of environmental issues including Bio-En, gravel pits (3) and the Chemtura mess and coverup. Under pressure they are behaving much too much like their predecessors.

Yes the Settlement "mitigates" some of the most noxious effects of a gravel and recycling pit located in a bad environmental location and also too close to residents. There are a number of concessions made that may help somewhat. The problem is that local residents made an extremely cogent and powerful case against this pit being located there at all. They spent hundreds perhaps thousands of hours doing research and investigations into all aspects of this proposal. Their work reaped incredible clarification into issues and problems either overlooked or totally glossed over by the proponent. The citizens exposed blatant misinformation provided by other parties , their consultants and so called experts. The odds are always stacked against citizens in battles like this; yet they prevailed. They educated themselves, township staff and Township Council. They were in the right.

For all of this honest and informative effort, it appears as if Council sold them down the drain. Council have some legitimate reasons, including financial ones, but when push comes to shove; they were elected to FIGHT on behalf of all their citizens. Hiding behind OMB costs and disgusting provincial legislation favouring the aggregate industry and their token monitors the Ministry of Natural Resources is not good enough. Councillor Bonnie Bryant asked for and received a public expression of which Councillors voted in favour of settling and hence approving the Jigs Hollow Pit (Kuntz Pit). Councillors Herteis, Bowman and Mayor Cowan voted in favour, Councillor Bryant against. Councillor Poffenroth was not present.

This bodes very badly for the rest of the issues which mostly cleaned house politically two years ago. The West Montrose Pit (Capitol) and the Hunder Pit (Conestogo) are coming up. Of personal concern to me is the Elmira groundwater cleanup. To date Council have maintained their support for CPAC which includes confronting Chemtura; or as the late Esther Thur was fond of saying "We were formed to FIGHT Uniroyal, not make nice with them". Will Council continue to fight for both their citizens interests as well as is what is right or will they continue to roll over in the face of opposition?