COUNCILLOR MARK BAUMAN & WOOLWICH TOWNSHIPS STEEP LEARNING CURVE

O.K. last evening was a special Woolwich Council public budget meeting. Several Delegations spoke as to why their public service organizations required financial support. All of them were very worthy including the last delegate, Dr. Dan Holt. Dr. Dan spoke on behalf of the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee (CPAC) and he did an excellent job. That said I had the strong impression that Council were going to stiff CPAC. Comments, as honest as they were, to the effect that it should be the polluter (Chemtura) paying, rather than the Township had me concerned.

Councillor Murray Martin who has been on Council for at least a couple of earlier terms appeared to have missed Dr. Dan's major point that CPAC need the money to hire experts to test and study both soils and sediments off the east side of Chemtura's property. Dr. Dan stated that this area has been virtually ignored. In hindsight I realized that the other five Councillors (& Mayor) had attended either the October or November CPAC meetings and had heard about this and seen my two foot by four foot map showing the off-site east side area. Murray for whatever reason had been unable to attend.

Then Mark Bauman spoke. While many months ago he was skeptical about the east side, clearly he has both understood and embraced the MTE Consultants Report written by Peter Gray. While looking for occasional nods from the present CPAC & SWAT members that he was on track, he detailed the study results. I was very impressed with both his technical understanding and his obvious passion and belief that this issue and area needs to be addressed. Once again he managed through his time as a CPAC member to inform and turn Council around. Well done.

Here is where Council has a steep learning curve. Possibly/probably this still even includes Mark although he seems well up to speed on many CPAC issues. Our new Council while appropriately supporting their committee of Council (CPAC) last evening; nevertheless appear to want it both ways. This especially in my opinion includes our new Mayor, Sandy Shantz. She and at least some on Council want a better relationship between CPAC and Chemtura and the M.O.E.. Personally I would like a better relationship between Boko Haram, ISIS, President Assad of Syria and normal, decent human beings around the globe. I'm not going to get my wish and that is not the fault of the normal, decent human beings nor do I expect them to change.

While my example of course overstates the flaws and characteristics of Chemtura and the M.O.E; nevertheless the point is very valid. The Chemtura/M.O.E. leopard are not going to change their spots. They both are driven by self-interest not the public interest. I only hope that the Mayor and Council stop listening to Chemtura/M.O.E. rhetoric and start watching their actions and behaviour.