CPAC SPEAKS, COUNCIL LISTENS; JIGS HOLLOW RESIDENTS YELL, COUNCIL LISTENS HARDER

I have to believe that after last night certain Woolwich Councillors are reconsidering their running for Council over two years ago. Dr. Dan Holt hammered Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, but four residents of the Winterbourne/Conestogo area hammered Woolwich Staff and Councillors (less Bonnie Bryant).

Dr. Dan reminded Council, the public and the media that the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee (CPAC) passed a Resolution last April condemning the alleged "cleanup"of the Elmira aquifers by Chemtura. He also reminded Council that they had unanimously endorsed that resolution. Just last week Woolwich reps and CPAC reps met with the Minister of the Environment for discussions on the matter.

Dr. Dan also advised that the M.O.E. have been unsupportive as far as any legal means to enforce the 2028 cleanup of the Aquifers. Finally Dan also indicated how ridiculous the M.O.E. are in regards to supervising and reviewing technical reports produced by Chemtura's consultants (Conestoga rovers). Dan used the words "rubber stamp" to indicate the level of oversight involved by the M.O.E..

Dan advised that the Region of Waterloo, for a myriad of reasons, will not have the Elmira Aquifers back into the Elmira distribution system before 2050, even in the unlikely scenario that they are pronounced clean in 2028.

Finally we heard that Chemtura have formally turned down a request for increased funding for peer reviews from CPAC. The good news we heard is that Chemtura have AGAIN been turned down by the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) for verification under their *Responsible Care program. This is very appropriate and they should NEVER have been verified with approval by past CPACs. Two Chemtura reps were present last night and it looked to me as if they were not enjoying the taste of a very sour pickle.

Gordon Haywood, Della Stroobosscher, Isabel Price and Lynne Hare took turns reaming Woolwich Council for selling their citizens down the river regarding the Jigs hollow Pit Settlement. While not 100% of the gallery enjoyed the spanking of Council and Staff, most of us did and felt it was well deserved. Mr. Haywood asked Council to reverse their Decision supporting the Settlement. I was not surprised to see Councillor Bryant make that Motion but was surprised to see Mayor Cowan second it. Things then got murky as Staff and CAO Brenneman asked Council to Defer their Motion until Council had received legal advice. This they did with Councillor Bryant voting against the Deferral. Many of the most contentious issues included silica dust from concrete recycling and diesel fumes not having been properly addressed by the proponent, Kuntz Sand & Gravel.

Della Stroobosscher laid into the perceived and fairly evident bias of the OMB Chair, Mary-Ann Sills at the Hearing. I had attended and was shocked by some of the regrettable and biased comments made by the Chair. Further Councillor Bryant also spoke up and indicated support for what Ms. Stroobosscher was saying.

Isabelle Price was absolutely priceless! She appearred to be an elderly lady but certainly her spirit and tenacity belied that. She took Council to task for their rabid support of Kuntz Sand & Gravel while ignoring the legitimate concerns and rights of their constituents.

Lynn Hare spoke last and cheerfully pointed out numerous factual errors in the Settlement, in Woolwich Staff's position and in Council's handling of the entire matter. She took aim at Staff reintroducing the recycling business back into negotiations privately, after Council had removed it at an open, public Council session. She also made her disdain clear for Council's weak-kneed excuse that they were looking out for the interests of all Woolwich residents by not spending Township dollars fighting this at the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). She stated that Council were afraid to spend "...our tax dollars to defend our rights.". Lynn is correct. She and other speakers pointed out that this Council was voted in to replace the old one who were too friendly with the aggregate industry.

Every once in a long while I see a glimmer of real democracy in this country. It is a shame that our provincial and federal politicians couldn't be on the direct receiving end of angry citizens at the provincial legislature and the federal parliament. It just might smarten them up a bit.