Saturday, October 31, 2015
MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 24/15 TAG MEETING
TAG stands for Technical Advisory Group. It does not stand for Truth Avoidance Group as is the intent of our local politicians (most not all) and world class polluters. There are I hope and believe a few good persons on TAG who will resist that. The problem is that they are grossly subservient to RAC which stands for Remediation Advisory Group which combined with TAG produces the Really Awful Chemtura Truth Avoidance Groups. RAC are the big problem. They are a bunch of political hacks appointed by other political hacks to the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) who view their purpose as putting a green spin on development in the watershed. Don't get me wrong here. Not all GRCA employees are ill intentioned. Many believe in what they are doing and planting trees, studying phragmites, emerald ash borer and purple loosestrife are all admirable and worthwhile activities. Regarding the voting members tell me how a bunch of self serving municipal politicians can possibly be transformed into doing the best for the citizens simply by being appointed to the GRCA? Former mayor Todd Cowan was a member as is current mayor Sandy Shantz. He lied to the GRCA stating that CPAC had no objections to Chemtura's alleged remediation of GP1 & 2 on their south-east corner in 2012. Mayor Shantz immediately upon becoming mayor jumped into bed with Chemtura and the Ontario M.O.E. and attacked CPAC's credibility, competence and integrity. She then replaced them with her curling buddies and much worse.
Page 2 of the Minutes states that "...TAG members indicated that they had no pecuniary interests to declare and therefore that no conflicts of interest exist.". This is false. Their lack of a declaration simply means that there are at least two liars on TAG.
Page 3 speaks to Chemtura's discredited by CPAC and MTE east side work plan. Allegedly the analytical data from the soil samples is available by now yet no sign of it being released publicly. The original plan called for Chemtura's usual horse manure sampling methods; namely avoid at all costs actually sampling where it needs to be done and if there is no other choice then collect composite samples from numerous locations and dilute the really bad ones with less contaminated areas.
The method of written public input to TAG stated on page 4 is unacceptable and frankly insulting. We are advised that a "technically sound" one page document to the Chair for his sole discretion as to pass it along or not is the only acceptable method. The former CPAC has extraordinarily qualified technical persons on it and yours truly as well has been submitting "technically sound" documents to the M.O.E., Uniroyal/Chemtura and local governments for 25 years plus.
Seriously Mr. Jackson if TAG is not allowed to accept in person Delegations then at least have a sensible and reasonable process by which the informed and honest public can submit written documentation.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No! You are WRONG! Forcing you to write a concise, well thought out document is IDEAL. He will absolutely pass it along to others - IF and only IF it is technically sound, and respectful. You think that "corruptness" would cause him to not pass it along but this is not the case.
ReplyDeletePutting things in writing prevents people like you from coming in with circus side shows like asking people to drink untreated creek water (and risk getting giardia), or standing up and calling people criminals without any tangible proof, or refusing to sit down when you are out of time. If you want to submit documents that suggest that the RAC and TAG folks are criminals, then I imagine that your one-pager will go right into the circular file (and rightfully so). It's time this drama stopped so that we can make some real progress. If your document gets through (or doesn't get through), it will be noted in the minutes. So, the ball is in YOUR court. Provide constructive, helpful input, and your submissions will be accepted with gratitude. Write hateful, obnoxious, accusatory documents and you will be ignored. BOOM! You did this, Alan.
I love this new system. You need to get your *&%$ together and produce valid, sound arguments that are well thought out. This eliminates the opportunity to just antagonize and harass people. Yahoo. I. LOVE. IT.
Clearly you have zero knowledge of the 25 years of technical documents I have submitted. Clearly you have zero knowledge of the technical dcocuments produced by the last CPAC specifically David Marks, Ron Campbell, Graham Chevreau, myself and others.
ReplyDeleteI have never accused Dick Jackson of being corrupt. Previous CPAC Chairs like Pat McLean absolutely. That is why filing technical documents through the Chair is ridiculous. I don't expect Mr. Jackson to last much past his one year contract not because he's not doing a good job, but precisely because he is. His replacement will be more amenable to Woolwich Township & Chemtura sensibilities.
I didn't ask anybody to drink creek water. Yes I had it with me. Unsurprisingly no one volunteered despite Jeff Merriman of Chemtura publicly stating that he would drink it.
I haven't called RAC & TAG criminals. Yes many are corrupt, professional liars with conflicts of interest. Not all. The bulk of them work for Chemtura and the M.O.E..
I have always sat down when out of time according to the ten minute Delegation rule. If you or anybody else say otherwise then you are liars. One meeting this year Council broke every imaginable rule possible by walking out of Council Chambers near the start of my Delegation, under false pretexts. When they came back and ordered me to sit down I appropriately told them off as did one other citizen present.
DeleteFurthermore comments like yours are simply the strategy of professional, corrupt politicians and polluters who desperately do not want to debate the facts. They attack me personally instead.