SOME SMALL HEADWAY MADE AT COUNCIL LAST EVENING

My Delegation last evening was strong and forceful. While delivered calmly, politely and respectfully, nevertheless it delivered a punch. I made it clear to the Woolwich Councillors that my statements of fact were exactly that. They were not simply uninformed opinions. I included the list of technical documents written by experts in the field from which I compiled my list of advice and direction for managers of old, methane producing landfill sites. I advised that my "opinions" were based upon reading both ten Conestoga Rovers reports as well as the many others that I listed. Despite that Sandy Shantz via her question afterwards rather bluntly attempted to suggest that it was simply my opinion contrary to Conestoga Rovers (CRA/GHD). She had objected to my final sentence in which I referred to "...inadequate landfill monitoring and supervision". Regardless I thanked her for her question and hopefully did not exude the same animosity that she did.

Patrick Merlihan was much more polished and diplomatic with his questions. When staff were asked by Chair Murray Martin for questions to me they wisely deferred. Either they know that my comments and criticisms of CRA's ten reports are dead on or else they realize that my knowledge and understanding of the facts exceeds theirs.

I believe that the real bombshell last evening was a part of my response to one of Councillor Merlihan's questions regarding why when local residents apparently weren't concerned and as I didn't live there, why was I pursuing this. Part of my response included pointing out that Woolwich managed to lurch into the Elmira water crisis in 1989 with eyes firmly closed and that there was no need to lurch into a methane crisis now when solutions such as indoor methane warning devices were so simple and inexpensive. The real kicker was when I publicly informed Council that I had read the Geotechnical Report produced for the new splashpad. I further gave them the terminology used in the report describing sand, gravel, clay, fill and ORGANICS found in the sub-surface. You could have heard a pin drop. Organics of course refer to organic wastes or foodstuffs. Foodstuffs as in municipal garbage.

I then advised them that clearly CRA's "approximate" locations for the boundaries of the Bolender Park Landfill are understated. Garbage is behind the George St. homes putting them at risk of methane intrusion and explosions especially as zero methane testing has been done on the south side of the landfill.

I was also asked by Councillor Merlihan if staff had cooperated with me on my concerns. I said no they had not as I had asked twice for a sit down meeting with them in order to go over the CRA reports in detail.

Of course Patrick gave me a huge opening with his comments about citizens being unconcerned. I should have advised that that may well be a result of the misinformation in his newspaper (Observer) telling local residents that there were no methane concerns. I did not unfortunately. Now lets see what the Woolwich Observer have to say in this Thursday edition about my Delegation last evening.