POLITICS OR OTHERWISE?

I'm often torn between thinking that our local Council are either idiots or scheming masterminds. First off with six Council members perhaps a more likely scenario is both. Perhaps even individual members can be woefully uninformed on some matters but incredibly dumb like a fox on political survival strategies. Last evenings Woolwich Council meeting was an example of different behavior by the Councillors.

My Delegation was in opposition to the Staff report to Woolwich Council recommending the Boundary expansion on the east side onto contaminated lands namely the Stroh and Martin farms. There is evidence to date as well as two different professional reports stating the "probability" of contamination on the Stroh farm. The Martin farm in my opinion is also likely to be somewhat contaminated although the evidence to date is much thinner.

I criticized Chemtura/Lanxess , Conestoga Rovers and the Ontario Ministry of Environment (M.O.E.) and also took a couple of shots at Woolwich Councils' past and present. I did end with a compliment to our current Council praising them for their placing of Fish Consumption Warning signs along the Canagagigue Creek a while back despite serious opposition from the M.O.E.. To my surprise while there was a little pushback from Woolwich staff, three Council members actually spoke to the issue after I was seated and they were essentially on the same page as I was. What the heck? A skeptic, which I am after 30 years of political fun and games (skullduggery?), might think that 1) there was a crowd of citizens present and 2) there's an election coming up in ten months.

Regardless there are very few of us who don't like to be agreed with. Three Council members said the right things and in fact the fourth Murray Martin during the two minute break even agreed with me regarding the historical lack of total cleanup along Uniroyal/Chemtura's east side (pits etc.). Councillor Hahn was absent so by the time the issue was completed the only Councillor present who hadn't spoken up endorsing my concerns was Sandy Shantz.

Councillor Merlihan referred to a local environmental professional citizen who had contacted him on the matter as well expressing shock at the possible covering up of the area with employment lands and a highway ie. the Elmira By-Pass. I'm pretty sure I know who that is so I will send him an e-mail this morning.