THE RISE & FALL OF MAYOR TODD COWAN?

Two or three years ago I might have been forgiven for gloating just a little bit over Woolwich Mayor Todd Cowan's latest troubles. He kicked me off CPAC either in a fit of pique over my response to his disrespectful and rude behaviour or he did it to avoid losing his one ally on Council, Julie Ann Herteis, who was threatening to quit. She was threatening to quit also in an apparent fit of pique. She was the appointed Chair of CPAC and had adamantly refused to convene a meeting literally for weeks and months and was thus under pressure from also duly appointed CPAC members to get the show on the road. Todd and Julie Ann had attended the first formal meeting of CPAC members and while both behaved badly Julie Ann was a complete piece of work including walking out of the meeting early in a major huff that she had also walked into the meeting with.

However that was then and this is now. I do not know Todd Cowan's intent when he was collecting legitimate expenses twice. I will not comment now on whether I believe him or not. I will say this: he has fully cooperated with the investigation to date including voting with Woolwich Council to refer the matter to the Waterloo Regional Police. Secondly as stated in today's Waterloo Region Record he was distracted on the home front which is true. Whether that clouded his abilities to do his job including expenses I do not know.

Honestly my concern at this point has to do with what if any effect these proceedings will have on Mayor Cowan's support of and initiatives dealing with the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee. While there is no doubt that he is a seriously flawed character nevertheless under his watch the whole dynamic at CPAC meetings has greatly changed for the better. No longer does the tail wag the dog as in Chemtura and the M.O.E. ruling the roost. They are on the defensive and that's exactly where those buggers need to be. Todd was briefly CPAC Chair after Julie Ann hit the road and after Todd we have had the best CPAC Chair we've ever had, namely Dr. Dan Holt. Today's Record article is titled "Region backs Woolwich plan to call in police over expenses".