YOUNG WOOLWICH OBSERVER GOT BLUFFED

Sometime shortly after the Woolwich Observer started in business (1995?) they received a rude awakening. Based upon my statement that Brian Beatty had been "consolidated" by Uniroyal Chemical, at least partly or perhaps mostly for his quoting Stan Feenstra out of context; Brian Beatty then threatened to sue the fledgling newspaper for libel. The Observer using me as their source had published David Ash's use of the word "consolidated" to describe Uniroyal's ending their decade plus long relationship with him and his firm. My interpretation which I felt was shared by others present at the Uniroyal Public Advisory Committee (UPAC) meeting at which Dr. Ash made his announcement, was that Mr. Beatty had been turfed, fired or maybe simply not had his contract renewed.

The Observer appropriately contacted me for confirmation. I gave it to them plus some written back-up. What that was I assume was the date and location of the UPAC meeting at which it had occurred. Possibly I even passed along the Minutes of the meeting. Whether I sent them the 1992 newspaper articles from the K-W Record (Bob Burtt) describing the seriousness of the Stan Feenstra incident I do not recall. Afterall it's been more than twenty years. Regardless since that time they have on too many occasions since suggested to me that my information either wasn't accurate or reliable.

You be the judge. September 22, 1992 K-W Record headline "Ministry misled, Elmira group says". This article is specifically about Brian Beatty taking Stan Feenstra's DNAPL work out of context. I am supported in this article by APTE members Darrol and Susan Bryant as well as by Wilf Ruland their consultant and finally even Jaimie Umpleby of the Region of Waterloo gives a less specific endorsement of my and APTE's position on DNAPLS.

October 15, 1992 K-W Record (Bob Burtt) headline "Uniroyal may face charges in cleanup". This article is about the same UPAC meeting and describes how both APTE and the Region of Waterloo are upset with the Dames & Moore (Brian Beatty) DNAPL report and how Dave Ireland of the M.O.E. is suggesting that charges may be filed against Uniroyal specifically because of this same DNAPL report being incomplete and misleading.

October 29, 1992 K-W Record Editorial titled "Elmira's toxic woes need faster action". The editorial states that "Ministry of Environment officials are threatening to press charges against Uniroyal for not resolving long-standing problems related to the cleanup.". Again these charges are the same ones threatened and written up in the Record two weeks earlier in regards to the Brian Beatty DNAPL report.

While I have long admired the vast majority of the writing and articles in the Woolwich Observer I have long been confused by the attitudes of Pat and Joe Merlihan. I believe that as newbies in 1995 they were fairly easily intimidated by Brian Beatty and his lawyer over what I believed at the time was their accurate and honest comments. For them to use that issue then and now as some kind of excuse not to give weight to my observations and knowledge base is simply bizarre and dishonest. They got bluffed by Mr. Beatty. That is hardly my fault for giving them accurate and honest information. If it is some other problem of which I'm not aware then tell me. Otherwise put a sock in it and or apologize for your misinterpretation of the facts and of my credibility.