FAMILY NAME, INFLUENCE & ENTITLEMENT IN WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP

Todd Cowan beat out Pat Mclean and incumbent Bill Strauss to become mayor in 2010. Both Pat and Todd certainly did not have a recognizable family name that had been in Woolwich Township for decades to centuries. Names like Strauss, Shantz, Bauman, Martin, Hahn, Weber etc. have been involved in the community since the beginning. Are some (many) of our citizens so shallow that they vote primarily based upon last names and historical lineage? The answer is yes although to be fair do you think that electors in other jurisdictions don't vote based upon appearances, gender and other equally frivolous criteria? Of course they do.

I have noticed a brazeness, an arrogance and a sense of entitlement within our current Woolwich Council. These characteristics are not universal on Council nor are all three necessarily exhibited at all times. What I find disturbing is that these characteristics extend way beyond merely local matters and indeed there appears to be a parochial nature to them. In other words certain Councillors seem to believe that they are inherently above any outside powers, laws and authoritys. This really is bizarre when one understands that in the food chain, municipalities are rock bottom beneath regional government, provincial and then federal oversight.

One of the defining moments for me was when our local municipal Clerk advised me quite honestly and I believe without either deception or full understanding of the implications of what she was saying that it was a Woolwich "tradition" not to require councillor Mark Bauman to file a Financial Statement after being acclaimed. In other words Woolwich Township had usurped the authority of the province of Ontario in permitting Mark Bauman to brazenly flout the Municipal Elections Act. That took my breathe away.

Similarily Conflict of Interest rules regarding MECAC membership state that it is both the appearance as well as the reality of such Conflicts that must be avoided. Despite that at least two MECAC members had Conflicts of Interest in fulfilling their duties regarding hearings here in Woolwich Township. I believe that these Conflicts influenced MECAC's multiple poor decisions.

MECAC properly sent Councillor Hahn on for a Forensic Audit. That Forensic Audit was unable to confirm Mr. Hahn's revised and illegally accepted & commissioned, by Woolwich Township, Financial Statement. How we must ask ourselves does Woolwich with very highly paid Staff and CAO manage to keep breaking the law? Mr. Hahn after having his original Financial Statement which he signed under legal oath, challenged by Dr. Holt, then claimed that his family members, not two corporations, paid for his Brochures and Signs. The Auditor was completely unable to verify those claims via legally required documents, receipts, computer files, bank records etc.. The "proof" or "evidence" is all word of mouth and that totally is contrary to the spirit and law of the Municipal Elections Act 1996.

The entire process and intent of the MEA 1996 has been made a mockery of here in Woolwich Township. When will the appropriate authorities step up and say enough? Does the tail actually in effect wag the dog here? Is Woolwich Township sucessfully able to ignore, abuse and avoid the laws of the land which are supposed to apply to everyone equally? To date the answer is yes.