CHEMTURA CANADA PROGRESS REPORT - MARCH 2016

There are concerns that Chemtura's hydraulic containment of the Upper Aquifer is not adequate in that the head differential between corresponding groundwater levels and surface water just isn't large enough at some points. For example at the 610/615 metre mark south of Church St. the head differential is a healthy .8 metre. In other words the surface water of the creek is .8 metre higher than the corresponding groundwater levels thus the creek discharges into the aquifer versus the other way around. Unfortunately the differential at 460/450 and 540/540 is a pathetic .04 metre. I do not believe this is remotely a large enough differential to assure hydraulic containment of the aquifer at these points. Similarily as admitted on page 5 there is an absolute loss of containment at 510/500 as the groundwater levels are actually slightly higher than the surface water in the creek.

Pages 8 & 9 in the report indicate that there will be a further delineation of groundwater contamination along the eastern site boundary. Unfortunately it appears as if GHD (CRA) will be focusing solely on well OW36-5 (R). While this particular well had horrific contamination as per the December 2015 East Side Surficial Soil and Groundwater Report nevertheless a wider investigation is necessary. This includes the area southwards along their eastern property line that was intentionally ignored in the December 2015 Report as well as in the area of the Stroh Drain.

Both page 5 and Figure D.1 in my opinion indicate the inherent dishonesty of Chemtura and their consultants. Despite the MTE Consultants Report of October 2014 which clearly showed that both ground and surface water flow eastwards onto the Stroh property, the text and GHD's Figure show otherwise. This north-east corner is the high ground with everything else falling downhill from there. GHD are still pretending that nothing flows off-site to the east.

Figure D.4 is also deceptive by my read of the data. It claims that there is a huge area of Chemtura's eastern half of their site which does not have the Upper Aquifer present. The problem is that they have extended this area further south past at least four monitoring wells (OW28-5, OW32-3, OW8s, OW8-4) that their own included table shows has Upper Aquifer groundwater present in them. Sometimes Chemtura's consultants are just too tricky for their own good.

Lastly Table F.1 gives us LNAPL thickness readings. LNAPLS or Light Non Aqueous Phase Liquids float on the surface of the water table. Think of oil and gas floating on the surface of the ocean and you'll sort of get the idea. The worst areas in Chemtura's south-west have this LNAPL (mostly Toluene) between .2 metre and .49 metre thick floating on their water table (ie. UA1). This is reprehensible that the Ontario Ministry of the Environment have not insisted that it be removed decades ago. As long as it remains, along with DNAPL, the longer the Chemtura site threatens both the Elmira Aquifers and the Canagagigue Creek. LNAPL being shallow is much easier to find and remove than the much deeper DNAPL (Dense Non Aqueous Phase Liquids).

This is Chemtura's "Progress" Report. With their friends on Woolwich Council protecting them I expect these "Progress" Reports will continue indefinitely.

MONDAY NIGHT'S RAC & TAG REPORTS

The first "Update to Council on RAC and TAG Activities" took place last Monday evening. In my Delegation I advised of a couple of errors in Sandy Shantz's two page introduction. Firstly she stated that "In late 2014...other main stakeholders (M.O.E. & Chemtura) had stopped attending meetings.". I clarified by stating the exact month the two stakeholders together did not attend CPAC. It was November 2014 and both of them sent their Regrets ahead of time with reasons. There was absolutely bo suggestion of a boycott or refusal to attend. Therefore it was not until early 2015 that there was any indication of a boycott and even then the two parties did not explicitly say so. Isn't it peculiar how Sandy Shantz in an e-mail advised Dr. Dan Holt, CPAC Chair, well prior to the second missed CPAC meeting that the two parties were no longer attending.

The second issue was in regards to Sandy's claim that "All stakeholders have returned to the table....". That was clearly untrue as Council essentially threw out the original November 2014 Applications that CPAC had all filled in. To my pleased surprise Council agreed to my first request and appeared tentatively to agree to the second.

In his Briefing Notes Dr. Dick Jackson criticized the lack of suspended sediment monitoring over the decades at the Chemtura site. He further advised that there are multiple reasons and issues why the Federal government should be involved with this site. They include Agent Orange production for the U.S. military, the federal Fisheries Act, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and federal assistance for Agent Orange cleanup in Vietnam. Dr. Jackson recommends a full assessment of streambed and suspended sediment contamination by Dioxins/furans and DDT as the M.O.E. sediment surveys to date have not been "spatially comprehensive". He also recommends removal of sediments , similar to Vietnam with concentrations of Dioxins in excess of 150 parts per trillion (ppt).

Dr. Jackson has predicted a confrontation with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment in the coming months. I expect that when push comes to shove Woolwich Council will effectively abandon him and side with the M.O.E.. Council will of course couch this in terms of economics, practicality, best science, keeping a major employer in town and any other Mom and apple pie terms they can dream up. Woolwich Council have over a half century of bed partner experience with Uniroyal/Crompton and Chemtura that they don't want to disrupt.

HOLDING WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP ACCOUNTABLE

This last year has been memorable. Woolwich Township Staff and Councillors have been held accountable like never before. Numerous citizens representing either themselves or various interests have stepped up, stuck their necks out and said enough. Whether OMB hearings, Ombudsman complaints, Municipal Election Act challenges, MECAC hearings, Council Delegations, hiring of lawyers, Freedom of Information requests, Letters to the Editors, public meetings or via Blogs; Woolwich citizens have taken it directly to local politicians who are not governing in citizens' best interests.

My personal efforts this past year may have been initially instigated by Woolwich Council's cowardly and disgraceful action towards CPAC & SWAT but those efforts while seriously due to the environmental fallout of bad governance are not solely because of the incestuous Chemtura/M.O.E./Woolwich relationship. Bad governance, not in the public interest, is going to impact our children and grandchildren even more than us. Whether these impacts are financial, social, environmental, physical or mental; citizens must stop these assaults upon society before a tipping point is reached. That tipping point may well be expected as police forces continue to expand both budgetarily and militarily as has been described by Steve Kannon of the Woolwich Observer. Every appropriate and legal pushback today may save future generations from civil/class war.

Currently I have two formal complaints against Woolwich Township and Council into the Ontario Ombudsman. Note carefully into the provincial Ombudsman not the hoped for and paid for by the Township (& Region) probably tame Regional Ombudsman in the process of being appointed. There are two others of a serious nature which I am considering carefully. Meanwhile yesterday, under the suggestion of the Ontario Ombudsman I filed a written complaint under Woolwich Township's Complaint Process regarding the April 9, 2015 "Environmental Planning Discussion" meeting aka "bitch session" or "pretend stakeholders' meeting".

This meeting which intentionally excluded seven of the eight CPAC and SWAT members who had carried the ball sucessfully for the previous four plus years and who (CPAC) had been appointed by the previous Council, was solely for the purpose of slandering and smearing the reputations of CPAC and SWAT. Four or five attendees of the seventeen present lied through their teeth about CPAC and SWAT. Only one of them had been consistently present at CPAC meetings for the previous four years although he was a longterm Chemtura employee. The purpose of this assault upon Woolwich volunteers who had done more environmentally by far than any other prior CPAC group, was to break their resolve and will. It did not succeed Sandy and Mark.

Lies about respected professionals in the environmental field, respected academics, senior citizens and other citizen volunteers perpetrated by this Council or by any senior staff stupid enough to jump on the bandwagon will not be tolerated. I explored legal options a year ago and determined that while we had a case, a minimum $100,000 up front would have been required to sue Woolwich. We have the best judicial system in the world that money can buy.

These lies even went so far as to claim that these above citizens including yours truly had been physically aggressive and hostile and had caused an unsafe workplace for the likes of M.O.E. bureaucrats and more. Keep in mind I'm currently 66 years old and the last couple of years of CPAC meetings had been recovering from a hip replacement. Also keep in mind these senior professionals, senior citizens, female retired nurse, Phd academics etc. have zero history of any kind of aggressive physical actions.

Woolwich you can continue on your course or you can make amends. The future is in your hands.

FORMER VARNICOLOR SITE TO BE REDEVELOPED

Twenty-five years later there are plans to redevelop the old Varnicolor Chemical site, formerly situated at 62 Union St. in Elmira, Ontario. For many years the site has been occupied by Elmira Pump, owned by Jim Germann. Mr. Germann has been active among other things on the Sulco CAP (Citizens Advisory Panel). It is my understanding from friends on the CAP that Sulco have unlike their neighbour Chemtura, long ago fully embraced the principles of *Responsible Care espoused by the CIAC (Chemical Industry Association of Canada).

I still have the colour photographs of the massive soil excavation and removal that occurred at Varnicolor Chemical back in the early 90s. Golder & Associates did an inadequate albeit fairly thorough Hydrogeological Report on the Union St. site. It was inadequate as the corrupt Ontario Ministry of the Environment (M.O.E.) pulled a bait and switch on the local citizens. The original Control Order ordered a full aerial and vertical examination of the site. The aerial ie. shallow examination took place whereas the vertical ie. deep one never did. In hindsight this was because the M.O.E. knew that Varnicolor had contributed to the destruction of the drinking water aquifers known as the Municipal Aquifers. They had Uniroyal Chemical on the hook to pay for that and did not want to muddy the waters. Even the Environmental Appeal Board hearing into Uniroyal did not accept the M.O.E.'s claims that Varnicolor chemical were a minor polluter. Drinking water standards are very low as in parts per billion and once groundwater concentrations exceed the standard the water is unsafe to drink whether at 6 parts per billion (ppb) for example for benzene or 60 ppb.

Golder's suggested that it would take a decade of hydraulic containment (pump & treat) to restore the Varnicolor site to drinking water standards. It appears as if they were wrong. The pump and treat system was installed after the soil excavations and removal. Both DNAPLS and LNAPLS were a problem on the site. The LNAPLS or Light Non Aqueous Phase Liquids included Benzene, Toluene, Xylenes and Ethylbenzene and were floating on top of the water table. On at least one occasion they were exposed to sight when small excavations took place while the site was still operating. The DNAPLS or Dense Non Aqueous Phase Liquids were a bigger problem as they sink below the water table. They included chlorinated solvents including trichloroethylene or TCE. TCE is the chemical that caused deaths and massive illnesses via vapour intrusion into basements in the Bishop St. community in Cambridge and wasn't discovered until 2004.

For many years both I and CPAC (Chemtura Public Advisory Committee) have been trying to get groundwater monitoring reports, Annual Reports and other technical information from the Ontario M.O.E. regarding this site unsucessfully. They have flat out obfuscated, stalled and refused. Keep clearly in mind this grossly contaminated site would never have been discovered and remediated without my efforts combined with Richard Clausi, Susan Rupert and Ted Oldfield. The M.O.E. did what they do best which was lie and coverup for local industry.

The public who have and continue to suffer from the corruption and secrecy of the M.O.E. have a right to this information. Is it possible after twenty-five years that this site has been reasonably well remediated? Yes it is possible at least in regards to shallow remediation. Do I trust the word of the Ontario M.O.E. on the matter? Absolutely not! Do I trust the word of Peritus Environmental who have been involved for many years on behalf of the current owner? I do not know them but am willing to give them my trust after I personally have read their reports and examined their data. Not before.

Development for industrial or commercial purposes may well be acceptable. Residentail ie. 24 hour occupation is something else again and requires considerably more stringent cleanup. To date absolutely zero information has been made public. That does not promote confidence.

WOOLWICH COUNCIL MENDING FENCES / LOOKING FOR ALLIES?

Firstly Council are pushing back at Terri Buhlman of the Ministry of the Environment in regards to warning signs along the Canagagigue Creek. Secondly they have approached (useless as a twit?) Member of Parliament Harold Albrecht. O.K. fair enough I too still have the ghost of consecutive Stephen Harper governments in my mind. Especially on their environmental portfolio. Thirdly is Dr. Dick Jackson pressuring them to step up? I've been worried that they would try to pressure or influence him to back off but maybe he's just way too much for them. That he is out of everybody's league environmentally and professionally is obvious to me. Are our Council & Sandy coming to the same conclusion?

The M.O.E.'s position is as anti environmental and plain stupid as I've come to expect. From the first relook at the creek in 2012 I've commented that their testing locations, parameters and timing have been incoherent and unscientific. It was almost as if the M.O.E. were doing their best to test for Dioxins/Furans and DDT but in such a manner as to be unable to come to any valid scientific conclusions. That followed with Terri Buhlman's (M.O.E.) idiotic and premature pronouncement of negligible human risk in the creek may be too much. Is it even possible that this Council have actually been listening to Dr. Jackson's professional criticism of Conestoga Rovers, Chemtura and the M.O.E. in regards to the Elmira cleanup?

Last evening Council said and did all the right things. They reached out a hand to CPAC publicly. They brought RAC & TAG (Remediation Advisory Group & Technical Advisory Committee) reports to Council publicly to update them and the public. Councillor Merlihan publicly thanked them (Sandy & Mark) for their efforts and expressed optimism that progress was being made. Both Mark Bauman and Larry Shantz went out of their way to be respectful and appreciative of my efforts and knowledge base. Last night was a different Council.

WOOLWICH COUNCIL MEETING THIS EVENING

Council meets this evening at 6 pm. in the usual location. Item 12.4.2.1 is titled "Memo: Update to Council on RAC and TAG". It appears as if this update will be a joint effort by Councillor Mark Bauman and mayor Sandy Shantz. While Council won't admit it, the cause for this update is twofold. First of all the Terms of Reference for these committeess indicate that they are to report to Council and to date they have not despite three RAC meetings and five TAG meetings. The second reason is that I have publicly at council repeatedly advised that RAC and TAG not only have stilted and unacceptable Delegation policies but that they are not even following their Terms of Reference by keeping Council and the public in the loop. Hell hath no fury like a politician hoisted on their own petard.

The writeup in the Council package is mostly as to be expected. It is long on supposed accomplishments and short on its' public consultation failures. The Ministry of the Environment comes off looking badly with Terri Buhlman's denials of human health threats in the Canagagigue both before full and proper testing has been done and prior to the risk assessment that they are promoting. In other words the M.O.E. are giving away the end of the story by telling us the Risk Assessment's conclusions.

Dr. Dick Jackson has a Background Report that was sent to our local M.P. Harold Albrecht. Dr. Jackson's report is excellent and makes a revealing comparison between Canada's efforts at remediation of Dioxin contamination in Vietnam versus here in Elmira.

To date or at least as of Saturday afternoon the fish consumption signs were not erected at the three bridges crossing the Canagagigue Creek between here and the Grand River. Saturday was the opening of the fishing season and we the public were promised that the signs would be up by the opening of fishing season. This is disappointing to say the least although it pales in comparison to the promises that have been made and broken by our authorities at all levels.

The biggest and best accomplishment of RAC and TAG is nowhere to be found in this update. RAC are useless as expected whereas TAG under Dr. Jackson have produced some memorable moments. Dick Jackson does not suffer fools gladly and while he is diplomatic nevertheless his comments regarding the competence, professionalism and credibility of Conestoga Rovers (now GHD), Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment have been classics.

TRIPLE FILTERED SHIELDING OF CITIZENS FROM CHEMTURA INFORMATION

This shielding of citizens has been set up intentionally in order to get Chemtura Canada out of the spotlight. The last CPAC & SWAT did a great job of publicly exposing Chemtura's lies and deception to the public both via the Elmira Independent as well as by Council Delegations. The Independent are no longer with us, the Woolwich Observer appear to be intimidated and Council did their best to outright ban any citizen Delegations dealing with Chemtura issues.

The "triple filter" shielding consists of TAG and RAC meetings with zero media present combined with Council contrary to the Terms of Reference not receiving public reports from RAC or TAG. This has been exposed through my Delegations to Council as well as remarks from the audience at the last TAG meeting. Sandy Shantz spoke out of turn twice at the April 14/16 TAG meeting claiming that RAC were "reporting" to Council via their Minutes. Turns out even that is suspect as Sandy in this Monday's council package now admits that a number of RAC and TAG Minutes have inadvertently missed being included in Council's past packages.

Wow this is indeed a "cringeworthy" process. Delegations are not allowed at TAG. They are allowed at RAC but only during business hours ie 3 or 4 pm.. No media present at either committee meeting. Written documents also can not be directly forwarded to TAG meetings as they must first be screened by TAG Chair Dr. Dick Jackson. Also they must have technical merit and be no more than one page in length. Finally they are even supposed to be submitted not directly to Dr. Jackson but indirectly through the CPAC secretary Lisa Schaefer.

All of this is for one purpose only and that is to discourage public participation and public information as much as humanly possible. This is basically the worst possible example of "public consultation" I've ever heard of. It's no wonder that there have been zero Delegations to RAC to date and minimal attempts at sending information to Dr. Jackson. That said, when asked by Council Chairman Pat Merlihan at the Council meeting last Tuesday I did advise him and the public that I had sent several pages of info to Dr. Jackson regarding Chemtura's unfortunate spending of $3 million in the wrong location for GP1.

MORE EMBARASSING OMBUDSMAN INVESTIGATIONS OF WOOLWICH COUNCIL

Many of us knew that the long proposed expansion of the Ontario Ombudsman's mandate to cover parts of the MUSH sector was lomg overdue. MUSH of course stands for Municipalities, Universities, Schools and Hospitals. Lord knows that three of those sectors namely Schools (school boards), Municipalities and Hospitals were anywhere from problematic to snake pits. It was actually a Cambridge friend and colleague who convinced me that the Ontario Ombudsman was the real deal hence I tried them last year and they certainly rapped Woolwich's knuckles appropriately for their contraventions of the Municipal Act regarding in camera meetings.

Well I'm back and they are investigating further allegations of Woolwich Township misbehaviour. Issues include more improper behaviour regarding in camera meetings, threatening and harassing behaviour by senior staff and orchestrated political attacks upon volunteers by Council members. Some members of this Council apparently believe that being elected means that they get to write the rules, change the rules, ignore the rules and generally carry on as if they were kings and queens of olden days.

These allegations not only include myself being on the receiving end but also many others. By the time this term of council is finished all Woolwich citizens and would-be candidates to council will have a much better idea as to what is ethical, legal and proper behaviour both for council members as well as for senior Woolwich staff. This is long overdue in Dogpatch.

WOOLWICH OBSERVER COMMENTS ON HAWK RIDGE PROPOSAL

Well Steve Kannon of the Observer certainly has it right when he states "Forget the prodigal son.". It seems that no one is pleased to see Hawk Ridge Homes taking a second kick at the can on Union St. across from Chemtura and Sulco Chemicals. As mentioned yesterday speakers against the project included Ron Koniuch, Pat Mclean, myself, and Susan Bryant in that order. Steve Kannon managed to avoid mentioning my presentation regarding Hawk Ridge as well as my Delegation and handouts of five pages of Maps and Figures dealing with Chemtura Canada doing a phony cleanup of Dioxins and DDT at the wrong location on their site.

All the speakers did an excellent job making it clear that noise from shunting trains is simply a red herring. Yes it will be annoying to the proposed new residents but is unlikely to kill anyone. That fate will be most likely due to fires and explosions producing toxic gases of which oleum and anhydrous ammonia are only the tip of the iceberg.

One other item of interest in today's Observer is the public meeting in Council Chambers on May 19/16 regarding the presentation of a completed risk assessment for the former Varnicolor Chemical site, literally across First St. from the proposed Hawk Ridge Homes. The current owner, Elmira Pump, are hoping to redevelop the property ie. sell parts of it.

MORE MUSIC TO MY EARS AT WOOLWICH COUNCIL

The cowards at Chemtura were no where to be found last evening. Their name and reputation of course were front and centre courtesy of many speakers including myself (twice) and Pat Mclean and Susan Bryant. Ron Koniuch of Sulco, unlike Pat & Susan, did not focus on Chemtura's myriad of sins. His presentation was more balanced as he explained the steps and costs that his company has undertaken to be a safe and good corporate citizen. He felt that this encroachment of more residential homes along their west side was exacerbating the inherent threats of chemical and industrial processes to nearby citizens health and safety.

I spoke initially regarding Chemtura's $3 million remediation that was done in the wrong place. I was fairly gentle on Chemtura suggesting that it might have been accidental. Frankly that's not really very likely. By doing a $3 million dollar remediation of the wrong GP1 area they were attempting to avoid a $30 million plus cleanup of a much larger and deeper more contaminated area.

Hawk Ridge Homes gave an incredibly self-serving and deceptive delegation to Council and the public as to the joys of living in this new community with only minor but mitigated noise issues from nearby industry. They suggested that the rules have changed regarding industrial noise in an attempt to allow more infilling and development near industrial sites. They absolutely did not raise a single issue in regards to the health and safety of these new potential residents next door to Sulco and Chemtura Canada.

The straight faced hypocrisy of Susan, Pat and Mark and Sandy was on full display last evening. A year ago Chemtura were a poor, misunderstood chemical company desperately trying to engage the community in meaningful dialogue while those nasty CPAC folk were hurting their tiny feelings. Last evening Chemtura's sins, spills, fugitive emissions, fires and explosions were on full display. Their inability to control their processes and their unwillingness to take the necessary steps until forced to do so were clearly outlined. Last evening the truth was spoken although some of those so doing have been speaking out of both sides of their mouth. It was a good evening. Let's see if Woolwich Council decide for once to do the right thing when it comes to protecting citizens within their jurisdiction.

WOOLWICH COUNCIL MEETING THIS EVENING AT 6 PM.

At the last Council meeting on April 5 our esteemed psuedo mayor spoke (as her own Delegation) prior to Dr. Dan Holt, Lynne Hare and myself. Her intent was to undermine the upcoming Delegations of three citizens. She did this by using incomplete truths, factual fictions and by gilding the lily. Fortunately for dmocracy, the environment and her re-election chances it backfired dramatically.

This evening I will be a Delegate and my topic is unremediated Chemtura Dioxin and DDT contamination. There are also two other topics of great importance this evening however. They are the appointment of a regional/municipal Ombudsman and the zone change and proposed plan of subdivision for Hawk Ridge Homes.

Firstly there is absolutely zero need for Waterloo Region to hire their own Ombudsman. It may be legal but all it is is a method to insulate our municipalities from real oversight by the provincial Ombudsman. While I admit that as of now I have not researched the specific company who have offerred their services, it seems obvious that he who pays the piper calls the tune. I fully expect that this "Ombudsman" will emulate the heinous performance of our MECAC (Compliance Audit Committee) during 2015. MECAC even had a forensic audit for Councillor Hahn calling into question the authenticity of his receipts/invoices and yet MECAC refused to send him onto the Crown for prosecution.

Hawk Ridge Homes are a testament to inadequate local planning. The former Taylor apple orchard at the corner of Union and First Ave. in Elmira should have had its' residential zoning removed a long time ago in order to fall in line with provincial policies around chemical companies. I wonder if this reapplication by the developers is simply a sideways method to receive compensation from Woolwich Township for their purchase of the land. If Woolwich Township has screwed up bigtime and this developer bought the land seriously believing they could build a residential subdivision on it, then perhaps the township are liable financially for their losses.

Come on out tonight and watch your local council do their thing.

PROFESSIONAL POLITICIANS OR PROFESSIONAL CRYBABIES?

Here is the bottom line. Either Mark and Sandy are crooks or they are incompetent. We entrust these people to spend our tax dollars wisely usually after reading staff reports recommending this project or that one. Now it turns out that neither one of them allegedly are capable enough to figure out the Form 4 Financial Statement. You'll notice that I didn't include Scott Hahn as being either a crook or incompetent. It was his very first time seeing a Form 4 plus he's working and has a young family. Mark and Sandy have each had multiple kicks at the election can and Mark's best defence is "It had never got caught that I was actually supposed to file a report that said I didn't have any expenses.". Gosh darn yes Mark that is actually what you were supposed to do. It took me all of five minutes to figure that out when I couldn't find your expenses on line and when the Clerk misled me and said that yes you had filed but it just wasn't on-line with all the rest.

The Form 4 itself specifically says that all candidates must file a Financial Statement. The 2014 Candidates Guide to Municipal Elections also says that all candidates must file, whether winning or losing and as well candidates who have no expenses or income must also file. It's all there in black and white. The Woolwich Township Clerk on her second attempt advised me that it was a "Woolwich tradition" not to require a Financial Statement from Mark Bauman when he was acclaimed to office. Apparently in her wee mind (and Mark's) Woolwich traditions trump provincial laws.

In last Thursday's Waterloo Region Record story Sandy Shantz claimed that the rules were vague and that her mistakes were inadvertent. Funny how every "mistake" both for income and expenses decreased her totals. Even more amazing how those "mistakes" magically reduced both her income and expenses each below $10,000 so that she could avoid filing an audit. She had never filed an audit before and therefore could be forgiven for not knowing that a regular self hired audit, unlike a forensic audit, would not potentially find undeclared expenses or look into her bank accounts looking for undeclared donations etc..

The rules are vague, claims Sandy. Hell yes they are. Afterall what could campaign expenses entail? Well how about every penny you spent on getting yourself elected. Income is such a vague concept. Does this include for example cash donations from admirers who prefer to remain anonymous. Hell yes it does! All donations and income raised to get yourself elected are donations or income. Things like victory parties, appreciation/thank you notices in newspapers and most especially live bands at your victory party are all specifically stated in the Municipal Election Act as expenses. Despite alleged incompetent advice from provincial bureaucrats all you had to do Sandy was read the Form 4 and or the 2014 Candidates Guide as I did. I didn't find it vague at all.

Finally Sandy says that the proposed changes to the Elections Act do not address what is considered a related company. They don't need to as it's already very clear as to what are related companies. Again it took me less than five minutes to figure out that you had a corporate overdonation. Your comment about "vexatious" claims by citizens is pure self entitlement and arrogance. You screwed up royally, broke the law and got caught. All the rest is just whining. The story in last Thursday's K-W Record was titled "Mixed feelings over changes to election act".

DR. DAN HOLT HAMMERS MURRAY MARTIN & ABUSIVE WOOLWICH COUNCIL

Thursday's Woolwich Observer carrys a Letter To The Editor with the title "Standing up for the environment shoiuldn't invite council's disdain". Dr. Holt is quick to thank all the players in this ongoing environmental saga. He refers to Councillor Murray Martin's comments at the April 5/16 Council meeting when he referred to "those people" and "that kind of people that council is dealing with". Now of course our very own "historical revisionist" on council and psuedo mayor Sandy Shantz may very well stand up at the next Council meeting this coming April 19 and deny it all. Sandy's greatest asset is her ability to weave factual fictions and turn manure into gold.

Murray Martin historically has been careful with his words in public. Something like Councillor Mark Bauman, the pair of them prefer to wield their influence in private although it is such a bother when they have to vote on issues in public. That said both of them have learned the politician's art of talking out of both sides of their mouth on any and all issues thus allowing themselves wiggle room if the winds of voter dissent start blowing in an unexpected direction.

Dr. Holt spoke at both the March 22 and April 5 Council meeting. At the March meeting he thanked Woolwich Council for stepping up and ordering that warning signs be placed along the Canagagigue Creek in three places. These signs were to advise fishermen that eating fish out of the creek is hazardous to their health. This is despite the M.O.E.'s refusal to do so and their latest outrage in which they claim that there is a negligible health risk for humans swimming or wading in the creek. How can they say that when the Ministry of Natural Resources has fish consumption advisories and when they the M.O.E. found both Dioxins and DDT concentrations in the creek sediments way above Human Health criteria?

At the April 5 Council meeting Dr. Holt advised mayor and council that his words and Delegation on March 22 were his and his alone, albeit as Chair of CPAC he was speaking on their behalf. How dare our disrespectful and ignorant mayor baldly state out loud that Dr. Holt was speaking for anyone else other than himself and CPAC. Dr. Holt also read the Editorial in the K-W Record which hammerred Woolwich Council for their extremely ignorant and disrespectful behaviour in banning all Delegations from citizens about Chemtura Canada.

Make no mistake this Council are firmly in bed with Chemtura Canada and their interests. Bauman, Martin and Shantz have been around long enough to know the score and to benefit from it. Councillors Shantz and Hahn are following them most probably on blind faith. I hope that they don't get burned albeit a minor singe could wake them up quickly. Thank you Dr. Dan Holt for once again standing up to the cowards, liars and bullies on Woolwich Council.

COUNCIL & TAG HYPOCRITES CRYING FOUL - M.O.E. REPEATEDLY PORTRAYED AS LIARS

Last evening's TAG (Technical Advisory Group) meeting was held in Woolwich Council Chambers at 6:30 pm. There was the usual amount of media present, ie. zero. How long are the Woolwich Observer going to neglect their responsibility to the community on Chemtura news? Or in the alternative have Chemtura got you over a barrel? Have you signed your own Settlement with them in order to avoid a lawsuit? It's way past time to tell us why you refuse to report Chemtura news outside of Council Chambers.

I am more and more beginning to appreciate the individuals on TAG. From Linda Dickson, Bill Barr, David Hofbauer, Sebastian (of course), and the very quiet Joe Kelly I am seeing some good questions and serious attempts to understand what's going on. The Chair Dick Jackson is of course incredible. Pat & Susan I'll get to.

In your face Pat and Susan! Dr. Jackson (Dick) made it clear to all and sundry that there are free phase DNAPLS on the east side border. Jeff Merriman of Chemtura demured but Dick spelled it out. DNAPLS are the reason Pat & Susan got me kicked off CPAC back in 2008. In league with Chemtura and the M.O.E. that pair of mental midgits decided that there was not free phase DNAPL on site and that I was rocking the DNAPL boat. DNAPLS are present on both sides of the creek as well as the north-west corner.

Jeff M. again misrepresented the facts by claiming that Chemtura need Mr. Stroh's permission for soil and groundwater sampling on his site. The M.O.E. have the legal authority to order those samples be taken.

The earlier SSRA (site specific risk assessment) done in 2003 was discussed at length. The M.O.E. want to do another one, whether an Ecological or Human Health Risk Assessment. The last one was a totally bogus crock of mathemeatical and logical nonsense. Dick, Susan , Sebastian all expressed opposition to doing it again. Dick's opposition was qualified in greater detail later on. David H. suggested that it was moot to do one with lower criteria as required off-site in the creek than the last one done on an industrial site (Chemtura). We already know that the creek exceeds the former criteria of 36.6 ppt Dioxins in the sediments and the new criteria would be anywhere from 7 to 21 ppt..

Terri Buhlman of the Ministry of Environment is a slug. She is a professional liar of immense deceit and minimal ethics. Without any technical backup she has categorically claimed that there is negligible human health risk for swimmers or waders in the creek. Her letter states that surface sediments are simply not a health risk. Dick Jackson's response is that Ms. Buhlman's opinion "is a debateble point".

Pat Mclean stated that a discussion with the M.O.E. is necessary now as to the rationale for doing another SSRA. She wants the M.O.E. to justify the time and expense of this proposed study. Further indications of the removal from the public eye of all these issues is the so called Qualified Persons meeting to be held at the Guelph office of the M.O.E.. It is to discuss the five year computer checkup to determine if the off-site groundwater cleanup is on schedule. It is not even close which is precisely why this is a private meeting and very well qualified citizens such as myself and other CPAC memebers or members of the public are not invited.

Dr. Dick Jackson repeatedly respectfully named Dr. Henry Regier and his efforts over the years to get the federal government involved here in Elmira. Dr. Jackson would like the same and there has been a meeting with our local useless M.P. Harold Albrecht on this matter. Perhaps our Tory friend will be more effective in opposition than he ever was environmentally as part of the Conservative Party. Harold is taking a letter on Township letterhead to the new federal Liberal government. Dick would like Hadfield Consultants to do a Risk Assessment in the Canagagigue due to their extensive experience with Dioxin Risk Assessments.

Pat Mclean did a considerable amount of crying about the M.O.E.'s bad and disrespectful attitude towards TAG. Oh boo hoo! You and your lying buddies, Susan, Mark and Sandy heaped the blame for Chemtura's and the M.O.E.'s boycott of CPAC meetings on the CPAC members. You all knew what filth CPAC & SWAT were dealing with and now you're getting the exact same kind of treatment that UPAC and CPAC have always gotten from bigger and badder liars than yourselves. Suck it up you wimps.

Considerable TAG time was spent on the Hawkridge Homes proposed subdivision again courtesy of Pat McLean.

Dr. Jackson had a couple of priceless moments last evening. He stated that there will be "a confrontation with the M.O.E. in the next few months regarding the downstream Canagagigue Creek.". Well done Dick. He also advised Jeff Merriman (Chemtura) that if Jeff had guaranteed that Chemtura could sucessfully achieve the 2028 cleanup deadline that he Dick would not have believed him. Wow I like this straight shooter currently chairing TAG.

Sandy Shantz spoke without going through the Chair and contrary to her own rules. What a surprise that is. She claimed that RAC have reported to Council regarding their progress. I then interrupted that no RAC have not appeared at any Council meetings with any updates. Sandy in her inimitable style then said oh well they've been sending their "minutes" to Council members. Sorry Sandy but "reporting to Council" implies in person, verbal and written updates in the public forum thank you very much.

Pat again continued on her hypocritical tirade that the M.O.E. have been holding private meetings with downstream Canagagigue residents without the courtesy or respect of advising Council or TAG. Boo hoo again! You and Susan lied at the April 9/15 meeting heaping coals upon the current CPAC that you pair were excluded from by Council of the day. You've always known exactly what the M.O.E. and Chemtura were made of and now you're whining that they aren't being nice to you.

Finally Dick Jackson emphasized that he wanted Hadfield Consultants doing a creek risk assessment because they were completely independent of both Chemtura and the Ontario M.O.E.. He stated that he would believe their report but implied not so much anything from the M.O.E.. WOW!

In a nutshell I've died and gone to heaven. The M.O.E. are being publicly called liars here in Elmira by professionals in the environmental field as well as being called nasty and disrespectful by other TAG members. This is exactly what the last CPAC and SWAT did based upon the non stop lying and misrepresentation of Chemtura and the M.O.E..

REVERSE ENGINEERING NECESSARY WHEN DEALING WITH CHEMTURA COVERUP

7) Woolwich Council are publicly humilated at Council on April 5/16 lying about their ban on Delegates

6) Woolwich Council are publicly humiliated at Council on March 22/16 attempting to stop Dr. Holt's Delegation (the "Gig")

5) Woolwich Council attempt to deny me my Delegation about Chemtura on February 2/16

4) CPAC (Citizens Public Advisory Committee) issue a Press Release regarding Chemtura's East Side Investigation Jan.26/16

3) GHD (CRA) release their East Side Soil & Groundwater Investigation on Decemeber 30, 2015

2) MTE Consultants on behalf of CPAC issue their report on East Side off-site contamination from Chemtura in October 2014

1) CPAC & SWAT members discover Stroh Drain in May 2014




Like the justice system, the wheels of corruption move slowly but inexorably. The Ontario Ministry of the Environment (M.O.E.) have been co-opted for decades. Our local Council has had members co-opted for decades as well. The above facts and time frame speak volumes about our current Woolwich Council. Larry and Scott, abandon ship or you're going down with the other three. The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) meets tonite at 6:30 pm. in Woolwich Council Chambers. Citizens are welcome to observe but not allowed to ask questions or present oral Delegations. This is Sandy's, Mark's and Chemtura/M.O.E.'s idea of public consultation.

WHAT IS WOOLWICH COUNCIL'S NEXT STEP OR ...SANDY'S CONSPIRACY THEORY?

The goal is to isolate the Chemtura Canada issues from the public view. This has been well assisted by the loss of the Elmira Independent last summer. They were the only media which regularily attended and covered CPAC meetings. Council's first step was to disband CPAC and hopefully in the dirty process to alienate and anger them. Sandy and Mark went out of their way to do so including the April 9/15 pretend stakeholders meeting "Minutes". These were written by Devon and Lisa although obviously approved by David Brenneman and Sandy Shantz. All attendees had their hands dirtied in the process although Pat and Susan (in league with Sandy) probably spoke most of the lies. Both the GRCA and the Region were present and hence they too share some of the blame for the ridiculous slander and lies in that document. The proof of that is CPAC's behaviour and professionalism throughout a difficult 2015 including numerous Delegations to Council by Dr. Dan Holt, Graham Chevreau, Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach and myself. We have always been calm, cool and collected whereas Sandy and Council have walked out on a Delegate, repeatedly interrupted Delegates (Dr. Dan & I) and finally imploded publicly recently with their attempts to ban all Delegates dealing with Chemtura.

That is the only redeeming feature of our current Council. Most of them are a nasty piece of business but fortunately they aren't very smart. Mark, Sandy and Murray have a low political cunning. They have for years presented themselves reasonably well publicly but that has fallen aside over the last year. Whether the newbies on Council (Larry, Scott & Patrick) will eventually realize in time that they too are going to go down with the ship, I do not know.

Sandy went on a rant last October 26/15 at the MECAC hearing. Her rant was about me and she falsely stated among other things that I made up a story about a teacher. As my wife and I were the fourth (and last ?) set of parents that school year to remove our child from the classroom; I was hardly the instigator of anything. Rudely, inappropriately and stupidly Sandy also carried on about conspiracy theories at the MECAC (Compliance Audit Committee) meeting. She compared me to the author Dan Brown and claimed that I held to conspiracy theories. Caught me there Sandy. I've got news for everybody; O.K. news for the majority who are naive. All politics are conspiracies. A small minority rule the municipalities, provinces and country and they conspire privately on a constant basis. Most of their conspiracies are in regards as to how they are going to fashion their latest, not in the public interest, by-laws and legislation. How are they going to sell to an increasingly skeptical public that their latest giveaways of public assets to the well off are actually good for all of us?

I am a Delegate at the upcoming Council meeting next Tuesday at 6 pm.. My topic when asked was "Chemtura". Obviously a right unexercised will be lost hence two weeks after Woolwich Council were publicly humiliated throughout Waterloo Region (and further) I'm exercising my and every other citizen's right to publicly speak to Council on matters that are of public importance. Of course a little face saving was in order for the petty Council members. They through staff are insisting on a fuller discription of my topic. "Chemtura Canada" didn't satisfy them so we ended up with Chemtura Canada contamination. Now I advised staff that it could be both on and off site contamination but let's see what ends up on the Agenda. More importantly let's see if Council have their brass back. Will they, as they have in the past, get all nitpicky on me? Will they whine about multiple topics (on AND off site contamination) as they have in the past or will they wisely shut their mouths and allow my Delegation to proceed undisturbed? This is our Council but they are capable of anything and but for one Council member, the rest have followed along like sheep. Will this be the Council meeting where Larry and Scott stand up to Mark, Murray and Sandy? I'm not holding my breath on that one.

HAWKRIDGE HOMES - A BAD IDEA REVISITED

Next Tuesday April 19 we have a Zone Change Application and Plan of Subdivision returning to Woolwich Council after a four year hiatus. The Applicant is Hawk Ridge Homes Inc. and the proposed new subdivision location is 36-38 Union St. Elmira, Ontario. This is the former apple orchard previously owned by Regional Chairman Ken Seiling's mother-in-law. Oops Kenny publicly advised me never to mention this property again or else I'd be hearing from his lawyer. Apparently something about this property has him embarassed or upset somehow. I'm just guessing but I've long wondered why the zoning had stayed residential, a decade or two after the province allegedly were advising local councils to change their zoning around chemical companies in order to provide buffer zones for them.

The Woolwich Observer published a very good article on July 6, 2012 about the Ontario Municiapl Board decision regarding Hawk Ridge Homes. Noise from nearby railway cars shunting in the overnight hours was the sticking point. Apparently the Region of Waterloo's noise experts did not agree with the noise standards proposed by Hawk Ridge.

Personally both I and others were far more concerned with the Kill Zone which encompassed most if not all of this proposed subdivision. This Kill Zone is in regards to the modelled Worst Case Scenario for Chemtura Canada. This Worst Case Scenario is possible if there is a major leak of Anhydrous Ammonia which is acutely toxic to human beings. Chemtura have many very nasty chemicals on their property and I was always surprised that Anhydrous Ammonia was considered the worst of the worst.

The other industrial neighbour is Sulco Chemicals otherwise known as CCC. They produce Sulphuric Acid and while their record over the last ten to fifteen years has been much improved nevertheless they too are a threat to nearby residents. Again the provincial idea of having a buffer zone around chemical companies is a good one and long past Woolwich Councils' failure to comply with this provincial directive seems to be the cause of the current problem.

It must be stated on behalf of both Chemtura Canada and Sulco that they both opposed this proposed new residential subdivision last time around. That is the responsible corporate action to take.

For the record I was opposed to this proposed subdivision four years ago and still am. I find it reprehensible to build homes and lure unsuspecting citizens to live beside hazardous chemical companies with one of them having a very long record of spills, fugitive emissions, fires and explosions. Sulco at least has an active and involved Citizens Advisory Panel (CAP) whereas Chemtura Canada through the efforts of Councillor Bauman and mayor Shantz inappropriately disbanded the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee (CPAC) last year replacing it with two far less open and transparent committees. These cringeworthy committees, one co-chaired by Shantz and Bauman, severely restrict public input and consultation.

TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP MEETING THIS THURSDAY APRIL 14/16

An alternate title for today's posting could be: DISHONEST POLITICIANS ROUTINELY CORRUPT DEMOCRACY .
This is the history of our new Woolwich Council. As long as their accolytes were running CPAC they could afford to permit citizen delegations, comments from the public and operate in at least an ostensibly democratic fashion. Old CPAC's (Chemtura Public Advisory Committee) had a Delegation section at the beginning followed by a Public Forum section at the end. Everybody who attended the meeting could have their say. The last CPAC from 2011-2015, chaired by Dr. Dan Holt, also allowed questions and clarifications from the floor during the CPAC meeting. Yes all questions went through the Chair but if the CPAC members or other formal attendees asked a question it very well could be one of the better informed members of the public who could supply the answer. Also CPAC members were given first response to questions or questionable claims by Chemtura and the M.O.E. but then Dr. Dan opened it up to the public.

The public TAG meeting will be held in Woolwich Council Chambers this Thursday at 6:30 pm.. The Agenda items include the East Side Soil & Groundwater Investigation, the 2003 Site Specific Risk Assessment, Documents received since the last TAG meeting as well as the Creek contamination issue. Very importantly will be Recommendations to RAC. RAC is co-chaired by Sandy and Mark or in other words by Chemtura. Even jaded citizens in Cambridge operating under the mayor Craig regieme are appalled that two municipal Councillors are in total charge of a so called independent advisory committee to Woolwich Council. What a sham and a farce.

Councillor Mark Bauman was quoted in the Waterloo Region Record claiming that there was a power struggle underway between a number of citizens and Council. I found Mark's statements to be in line with his usual forked tongue, self-serving, factual fictions. Upon second thought I realized that there is a form of power struggle underway with Chemtura Canada and the local citizens. Chemtura wish to lie, misrepresent the truth and to look caring and responsible all the while avoiding their legal and moral responsibilities to clean up their toxic mess in Elmira. The Citizens Public Advisory Committee (CPAC), risen from the ashes of Council abuse of authority, are opposed to Chemtura's wishes. Chemtura's fellow travellors include the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (M.O.E.), certain members of Woolwich Council (Mark, Murray & Sandy) as well as a pair of co-opted citizens appointed to TAG by Sandy. Let us not forget the words of Councillor Merlihan a year ago when he was examining the makeup and protocols for RAC & TAG. He referred to them as "cringeworthy".

So in a nutshell the new CPAC oppose Chemtura's neverending deceit. The only way CPAC opposes Council are if and when Council abuse their authority in support of Chemtura Canada. Unfortunately as we have seen time and time again, this Council are all about illegal and improper abuse of their authority, mostly in support of Chemtura. Whether illegal in camera meetings, illegal campaign financing, illegal banning of Delegations and improper and untruthful attacks upon citizen volunteers; this Council are beyond the pale. Is citizen opposition to Council abuses a "power struggle"? Mark Bauman seems to think so.

PRIVATE AUDIO RECORDINGS OF WOOLWICH COUNCIL MEETINGS

Council and senior Woolwich Staff are in charge of tape recording all Council meetings and all public meetings held in Council Chambers. I do not know if there is some legal requirement for them to do so but would not waste my time asking them and expecting an honest answer.

Besides the in house recording system, the media also routinely record all meetings which they attend. I had originally thought the purpose was to assist them in the preparation of their written stories. Now I know it is for more than that. It is to enable them to defend themselves against either litigation or knowingly false allegations of media inaccuracy arising from councillors or staff who are portrayed in a perfectly accurate but unflattering light in their stories.

Last Tuesday's Council meeting was audio recorded by the Woolwich Observer, the K-W Record and both audio and visually recorded by Rogers Cable TV Channel #20. Oh and by at least one other. Apparently somewhere in the ether (ie. a website) the recordings of both the March 22, 2016 Council meeting and the April 5, 2016 Council meeting are available for your listening pleasure. Imagine that! One stop shopping in order to verify that her ladyship, the pretend mayor of Woolwich Township, lied to the media, the public present in Chambers, and in fact all of Waterloo Region.

You might ask yourself as to why tape recordings (O.K. audio recordings) are so significant when the written Minutes are posted on the Township's website sometimes within days and other times within months. Well that's part of the reason right there, the delay factor. More importantly is the intentional deception factor. Woolwich Staff presumably under orders from the CAO Dave Brenneman fudge the Minutes when necessary. One would have to believe that this intentional fudging is at the direction of the only one or ones who could fire Mr. Brenneman and that would be Woolich Council.

Have they ever done such a thing? Am I looking at snow on the ground as I write this? Yes on April 9th we still have snow and yes Woolwich knowingly lie in their Minutes. I posted here in some detail the lengthy arguments and discussions I had with senior staff most especially including CAO Dave Brenneman in regards to the October 26, 2015 MECAC (Compliance Audit Committee) meeting. The Minutes intentionally put the psuedo mayor in a better light than the audio recordings indicated and me in a poorer light. Dave Brenneman was advised of specific instances where our psuedo mayor said one incriminating thing (ie. more expenses paid out of her pocket rather than through her campaign account) and the Minutes sanitized her statements.

Is any of the Township's behaviour illegal? Darned if I know, I'm not a lawyer and again no I'm not going to ask the Township's lawyer and expect a truthful answer. When the Ontario Ombudsman gets back to me you're darn tootin I'll be passing all of this along. Do I believe that certain bureaucrats or councillors deserve a short time to reflect on their sins, from say inside a jail cell? That's a tough one. Let's just say that they and the public deserve a very long time with those individuals on the outside of Woolwich Township, looking in.

CHEMTURA : YOU DESERVE A REFUND ON YOUR INVESTMENT

Or: CERTAIN COUNCILLORS' WORDS SHOULD NEVER BE TRUSTED AGAIN


Woolwich Council have been exposed these last couple of weeks and it's not a pretty picture. Meaness, pettiness, stupidity, arrogance, grandiose ego and dishonesty it's all been there on display. What can you say about the blatant lying to the public? Councilor Bauman went on about sending "mixed messages" to the public, staff and the media. Mixed messages your fat butt, Mark. Councillor Murray Martin refers to "those people" and the "type of people we're dealing with.". Mayor Shantz "took a revisionist slant" according to the Woolwich Observer. In Marshall speak she lied like a dog. And for those politically correct hypocrites on Council, the fact is I like dogs and have owned dogs for most of the last twenty-four years.

Did you see any of the Councillors squirming with the exception of Councillor Merlihan when Sandy Shantz was castigating the media for getting it all wrong? Had any of them tried to dissuade her prior to her attempt to deflect criticism by revising (lying) what had occurred two weeks prior in Council Chambers? How dare she attempt to undermine the three upcoming citizen Delegations that were registered to speak against Council's undemocratic, discriminatory, improper and abusive Motion. This is not truly a woman with a soft voice and gentle demeanour. She is a damaged and dangerous personality who truly believes that lying, disinformation and character smearing are all acceptable behaviour for a politician in general and her in particular.

Murray Martin is simply a little shit. I'm going to let you in on a little secret Murray. "Those people" and the "type of people " you've been dealing with are longtime Woolwich citizens who pay your goddamn salary. They also pay inflated taxes
due to your stupidity. They have worked hard to inform themselves regarding severe local pollution issues while you've been hiding under the radar allowing Mark Bauman and Sandy Shantz to lead the attack against those same citizens who are demanding that the Ministry of the Environment do their job and force Chemtura to clean up their property as well as their off-site pollution. Any one of those citizens is worth a hundred of you or any other longtime local politicians who've done nothing but suck up to money and power.

Councillor Bauman is the sneakiest of the three. Councillor Martin the most egotistical and Sandy Shantz the dumbest. To our shame (and mine) we voted for these three twits.

Whatever Chemtura have invested legally in this community or otherwise, this Council, bless them for their stupidity in following Bauman's and Shantz's lead on the Chemtura file, have squandered their money. The last Council sincerely tried to do the right thing environmentally by Woolwich citizens, this one the opposite. When the smoke clears it may turn out that this Council, unintentionally and unwillingly, may have done as much good for the environment as the last one.

WOOLWICH MAYOR'S "REVISIONIST SLANT" ON THE PRIOR COUNCIL MEETING

Boy you have to give the Woolwich Observer credit. In their Editorial of two weeks ago they advised Woolwich Council to just drop the Delegate bashing Motion they passed. Council to their discredit did not do so. They are truly receiving some awful advice (CAO?) or they are just too dogmatic and pigheaded to listen.

Today's Woolwich Observer article is titled "Woolwich backs away, but not all the way down, from divisive delegate policy". I have not seen the Observer go quite so far in their comments regarding mayor Shantz. They suggest she is a liar albeit using more diplomatic language. Phrases include "...revisionist slant on what happened in council chambers two weeks prior." and "She said council did not try to prevent Holt from speaking, when that was clearly the case.".

Tuesday evening's second Council debacle in a row is the direct result of Councillor Mark Bauman and mayor Shantz being in bed with Chemtura. I know mayor Shantz has received untruthful and dishonest advice from former Councillor Pat Mclean for many years concerning Chemtura Canada. That said she has also received good advice from CPAC and ignored it. Bauman's and Sandy Shantz's preoccupation with protecting Chemtura Canada at all costs have led this Council into disrepute and disharmony. Councillor Merlihan trys very hard to be diplomatic with his Council colleagues but perhaps he's reaching the end of his patience. That would be understandable.

How much more obvious that Bauman and S. Shantz are on a mission to destroy and discredit the Citizens Public Advisory Committee (CPAC) can it become? CPAC's local, educated, experienced and informed citizens have taken the lead in holding both Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment accountable. There is and has been a coverup of the environmental damage, both past and present, going on here in Woolwich Township aided and abetted by our local Councils specifically including Mark Bauman, Sandy Shantz, Murray Martin, Pat Mclean and former multiple polluter in his own right, Bill Strauss. Thank You mayor Shantz for your ongoing, public attempts to discredit the first and only CPAC (2010-2015) who have turned this coverup on its' head. Thank You Dr. Gail Krantzberg, David Marks hydrogeologist, MTE Consultants, MBN Environmental, three Phds on CPAC as well as a registered nurse, an environmental management company owner, a still active health & safety consultant and finally a retired high school mathematics department head for your professionalism and forebearance in the face of this unprecedented and cowardly attack by mayor Shantz and most of her Council colleagues.

They blatantly and publicly lied about CPAC all through last year in order to justify the unjustifiable. They dismissed CPAC because Chemtura and the M.O.E. boycotted public CPAC meetings the instant AFTER the new Council were elected in October 2014. When this combined with refusing any questions from the public attending RAC & TAG meetings failed to stop CPAC members, Council then broke their own Procedural By-laws in lying to CPAC Delegates by telling them they did not have the right to address Council.

CPAC continues and will fight all Chemtura/M.O.E. attempts at misrepresenting the truth. Woolwich Council either get on board or get the hell out of the way.

SHAMELESS LIARS

There are many euphimisms that can be used to avoid the word liar. "Gild the lily", "truth challenged", "factual fictions" and many more. All of them were applicable to Woolwich Council's tall tales last evening in Council Chambers. Mayor Shantz hit a personal best in truth manipulation. She claimed the media got it all wrong. She was away for a week and when she got back the headlines were all falsely proclaiming (says her) that Woolwich Council were banning Delegations on any matters pertaining to Chemtura Canada. It was all a big misunderstanding. Council never meant to do that at all and see this new Motion will set everything straight.

The mayor also told a whopper regarding Dr. Dan Holt's Delegation two weeks ago in Council. Dr. Holt is the Chairman of the Citizens Public Advisory Committee (CPAC) and his Delegation was to advise Council and the public that Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (M.O.E.) were yet again planning on avoiding their responsibilities to clean up the downstream Canagagigue Creek. Mayor Shantz claimed that Dr. Holt was speaking on my behalf. WTF! Where does she come up with this crap? That's just pathetic and both Dr. Holt and myself made that very clear in our Delegations last evening. Oh and by the way, the world's most ignorant Council kept their mouths shut throughout our Delegations. Not a single interruption or frivolous excuse to stop us in mid stream.

What is the scariest to me is the lack of shame when Councillors Martin, Bauman and the mayor were speaking while blatantly disengaged from reality. Yes in my opinion the mayor was the worst by far but that is of very small relief to Councillor Bauman and Martin's credibility. It is almost as if she truly believes that it doesn't matter what lies she tells as long as she's the mayor all will be believed. I'm not a psychiatrist but isn't that getting close to sociopathic behaviour?

Councillor Murray Martin should also be ashamed of his lies and misrepresentations as he was mumbling into the microphone about not supporting Councillor Bauman's Amended Motion. He referred to CPAC as "those people" and inferred that we as victims of Council bullying and intimidation were somehow the gulty parties. Murray you are truly an asshole in so many ways.

Woolwich Staff were present two weeks ago as well as last night. The Woolwich Observer (Steve Kannon) were present both times. Dr. Holt, Richard Clausi, Vivienne Delaney and myself were present on both occasions. Also present on both occasions was the only honourable Councillor, Pat Merlihan. How stupid are Council that they would actually lie so blatantly with all those witnesses? Yes the meeting two weeks ago is recorded on tape but of course Council will never allow the paying public to hear it. The trouble is their own Motion from two weeks ago tells part of the tale. It states "That Council request staff to direct delegations with topics specific to Township of Woolwich sub-committees to go to the sub-committees first.". That's pretty clear even though it is watered down from their initial verbal demands to Dr. Holt.

Then it gets worse for Council. Their own published Minutes from the March 22/16 meeting state "Councillor Martin advised that as a result of TAG being the appropriate body, he would not let the delegation speak." The K-W Record did their due diligence in interviewing witnesses and in reading Council's Motion from March 22/16 prior to their publishing their story, their Opinion piece (Luisa D'Amato) and their own Editorial. And still Council and mayor put on their disgusting display last evening in Council Chambers.

All these obfuscations and manipulations are on behalf of Chemtura Canada. They are on behalf of a truly prolific and grandiose corporation who have never told anything but self-serving lies for the last thirty years. Council's protection and insulation of Chemtura from the truth, told by honest and informed Woolwich citizens, is now understood and apparent to the public.

MAYBE DEMOCRACY IN WOOLWICH STILL HAS A PULSE

Perhaps the lying and stickhandling actually means that Woolwich Councillors still believe that they have to be careful. They tried their best to promote a poor trade of land for better facilities in Breslau and got told off properly for so doing. They gussied it up with a so called representative committee who were to look carefully at all options and opinions. Unremarkably no one on the committee changed their position and at best the committee proved that the community were not enthralled with the Council proposed sale of their parkland.

Now Council in attempting to follow Councillor Bauman and mayor Shantz's protection of Chemtura Canada are in the crap again. Make no mistake this is all about Woolwich Council running interference on behalf of Chemtura. The Ontario Ministry of the Environment also have been doing it since at least the 1980s. I truly can not remember anytime in the past when Council have been so blatant. True they booted me off CPAC early in 2008 when I got too pushy on Chemtura's DNAPL (Dense Non aqueous Phase Liquids) coverup. Even then however they disguised their real agenda by having Pat McLean and Susan Bryant sell a red herring to CPAC regarding the new Ammonia Treatment System.

The CPAC appointed in early 2011 simply did not have enough Chemtura sympathizers on it to suit our favourite polluter. This was because the new Council really were new with the exception of Mark Bauman. This new Council followed the lead of then mayor Todd Cowan. Like most human beings and politicians, while fatally flawed, nevertheless he did try to correct the obvious biases and flaws that had been a part of CPAC for far too long. The alliance of Susan Bryant with Pat Mclean in 2000 should have sent off warning bells to everyone long before it finally did. They led CPAC into a self-serving (for Pat & Susan) happy co-existence with Chemtura & the M.O.E..

We will know that democracy is but a far distant memory when the time comes that our local politicians stop lying to us. When they just flat out say yes we are discriminating against a citizens group (Citizens Public Advisory Committee) because we don't like them. CPACs honest position opposing Chemtura and the M.O.E.'s non-cleanup plans are interfering with our carefully hidden support for them. Therefore we Council will continue to insulate Chemtura from informed criticism and furthermore we will actively use our offices as Councillors and mayor to undermine any and all citizens working towards environmental cleanup of our township; that we as Councillors have only given lip service to for decades.

ONLY A QUARTER OF THE FACTS ON THE WEST MONTROSE STORY

Saturday's Waterloo Region Record carried a very good story titled "Region to build $8.6 M water line to West Montrose". We are advised that between 2006 and 2011 close to 25,000 cubic metres of water has been trucked into the community's reservoir annually. This we are told equates to ten Olympic sized swimming pools per month. That's a lot of water. Strange that the Annual (Drinking Water) Reports for West Montrose don't say a thing about trucked in water. Also strange that there apparently are no numbers for the quantity of water being trucked into the community over the last five years. Local residents advise me that currently it is usually four tanker trucks of water per day unload into the West Montrose reservoir. Meanwhile each and every year the Region go to great lengths to describe both the nasty raw water quality from their four wells as well as the treated water quality and upgrades to the treatment system.

Something else strange is that this article talks about a pipeline from Conestogo over to West Montrose. No mention of the further pipeline from Conestogo over to St. Jacobs to hook into the Integrated Urban System (IUS) water supply. Recall that both St. Jacobs and Elmira are now supplied with water from a pipeline linking Waterloo to them. Also while the Conestogo Plains System has been looking good over the last recent years there was a time when they appeared to also be having raw water bacteria problems. I'm not sure how they stickhandled around that. Afterall simply look where their wells are located in regards to their residential subdivision. A subdivision on septic systems of course. This is the same problem as in West Montrose.

This article claims that the Conestogo Plains System has enough water for both communitys. Considering that the Conestogo Plains System is one of two separate systems in Conestogo, that may be so. I wonder however if increased pumping would be likely to draw more bacteria however into the wells. I also wonder about the statement that there is a quantity problem regarding West Montrose water. If that were true then an additional well added to their current four would certainly solve that alleged problem. Afterall these are river infiltration wells and the Grand flows throughout even dry summers courtesy of the upstream Shand Dam.

The Environmental Assessment back in 2012 had a typical preordained outcome. The Region clearly want to hook these communitys into the Integrated Urban System (IUS). Among other reasons this avoids separate treatment systems in each community that require local supervision and maintenance. There is ample clean groundwater in deeper aquifers all around the West Montrose area that could have had a couple of extra wells drilled into ithem. Local farms and businesses seem to have no problems with either quantity or quality of water.

This is similar with Elmira. The Region of Waterloo have long ago given up on using restored Elmira aquifers anytime before 2050. Even then they will only go that route out of dire need. This article also mentions Chemtura Canada and the growing skepticism that Elmira's Aquifers will be restored by the 2028 deadline.

POLITICIANS ARE COWARDLY WORDSMITHS

That is what politicians do. They haven't even got the courage to pass a Motion that aligns with their verbal statements. They gussy up their blunt actions in trying to censor and ban Delegates from speaking at Council on Chemtura matters. Mayor Shantz at the last Council meeting (Comm. of the Whole) on March 22; blurted out that it wasn't only "technical" discussions that were banned but ALL discussions dealing with Chemtura, contaminated groundwater and the Canagagigue Creek. Do they put that ridiculous and asinine statement into their Motion? Oh no, then it becomes "Delegations that are specific to any of our sub-committees go to the sub-committee first". They totally change it and broaden it to include all "sub-committees" so as to camoflage their bias against criticism of Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.

Firstly RAC and TAG are not "sub-committees" of Council. Similarily all the other committees of council are just that: committees not sub-committees. I don't know if this is simply an error or yet another backdoor attempt by Council to have their undemocratic way.

Then there is the issue of Councillor Mark Bauman's Memo included under the Delegation section of Tuesday's Agenda. Mark is a slimy snake in the grass who constantly speaks out of both sides of his mouth. Witness his multiple turnarounds on the Breslau parkland issue. I view Mark's amended Motion as being a red herring at best and a backdoor change to the Procedural By-Laws at worst. All Council have to do is refuse to ratify Committee of the Whole's March 22/16 Motion/Recommendation. They have absolutely no need to amend their Proccedural By-Laws.

So is Mark's red herring amendment simply to make himself look good? Delegates already have the option of going to Committees of Council, no matter how Byzantine and awkward their Delegation process may be, and then going to Council directly. His amendment is meaningless.

Or is Mark really being sneaky? There are two physically separate paragraphs in his amendment. The first says that Delegates should be encouraged firstly "to contact the sub-committee or department where the concern can be best addressed ...". Then the second paragraph states that if "the delegate still wish to address Council, that staff is directed to list them on the next appropriate Council agenda.". So if Mark's amendment passed how difficult would it be for Council at a later date to simply drop the second paragraph from Mark's amendment? Could they bury this minor change in the middle of a three hundred page Council package with no one noticing? Most likely.

Council's Motion has been severely criticized in the Woolwich Observer, the K-W Record and on 570 Talk Radio. It is censorship and nothing more than a veiled attempt to insulate and hide Chemtura/M.O.E. from being in the public eye. Woolwich Council are shameless.

BACK TO THE OMBUDSMAN

The devil made me do it? Or better the devils, plural, made me do it. I'm not referring to Lucifer or Satan, I'm referring to a group of Councillors who just don't care about either rules or laws. They break their own rules with breathless abandon but that's not good enough for them. Then there is the Municipal Act as well as the Municipal Elections Act (MEA). Half of this Council have admitted to numerous contraventions of the MEA, only of course after being caught redhanded. Last summer this Council were on the carpet for breaking the Municipal Act. The Ontario Ombudsman investigated after my complaint about improper, closed (in camera) meetings. My complaints were confirmed and Woolwich Township were again advised that their practices were illegal. This matter has been discussed both in a Council meeting and in our local newspapers.

Has Woolwich Council learned? Apparently not. They continue to bend, manipulte and break both rules and laws with apparent impunity. Witness their behaviour in Council a week ago Tuesday. To date three media outlets of which I am aware have commented negatively upon Council's actions. Firstly they are interrupting and hassling registered Delegates to Council. They are forcing Delegates into spurious debates in order to exercise their rights common to all Woolwich citizens, namely addressing Council. Woolwich Council are firmly in bed with Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and this is their method of discouraging criticism. First they lie about CPAC in order to disband them and now they are attempting to muzzle them. These Councillors (less one) do not care about democracy or decency.

Hence this Council by their law breaking have once again forced me into filing a complaint against them with the Ontario Ombudsman. Lord knows I wouldn't waste my time with any regional Ombudsman dreamed up by Regional Council, with or without input from the municipalities. MECAC (Municipal Elections Compliance Audit Committee) are a creature of that lineage and we've all seen their actions. Everything is excusable and nothing goes on to the courts including a Forensic Audit which did everything but use the F word (fraud) in describing Councillor Hahn's late in the day, magically appearing receipts and invoices.

Council have Codes of Conduct which they routinely break with citizens. They have a Procedural By-Law mandated by the Ontario Municipal Act which apparently they can and do amend at will in order to serve their own purposes. It covers Delegations in detail and at the moment does not have grounds for denying Delegations solely based upon their subject matter. This has not deterred Council from harassing honest citizens whom they simply do not like. Hence Council are now in a heavy handed manoever banning all citizens from speaking about anything Chemtura related unless they've already spoken to the RAC or TAG committees. Of course the minute citizens follow these about to be new rules, Council will again block Delegations with yet another trumped up excuse followed by yet another new rule.

Democracy and Freedom of Speech are much bigger than these petty individuals. The Chemtura environmental disaster continues despite a pipeline bringing water into Elmira. Dioxins and DDT downstream in the Canagagigue Creek as well as off the Chemtura site on the east side are the responsibility to clean up of both Chemtura and the M.O.E.. So sorry Council that informed and educated citizens are not willing to join you in burying our heads in the sand.