COMPLAINT PROCESS HAS NOW GONE FROM WEIRD TO RIDICULOUS?

To understand people's reactions you have to sometimes understand the context. Yesterday I received an e-mail from ADR Chambers. They are Woolwich Township's Integrity Commissioner. I guess when a corporation are lacking certain items they go out and try and buy them.

In yesterday's post I advised as to my having gone through the Township's internal complaint process. I believe it may have been fashioned after the internal complaints processes in either North Korea or even more likely, Syria. I then went to the Municipal Ombudsman who after another month directed me to the Integrity Commissioner, ADR Chambers. Keep in mind that it's now been a full six months since I sent my 40 questions to an already prepared Council and Staff in regards to the Bolender Park Landfill methane issues.

Following is the exact e-mail received from ADR Chambers:

"Good morning Mr. Marshall,

Thank you for your e-mail.

ADR Chambers' jurisdiction regarding complaints is only established upon receipt of a Formal Complaint conveyed to us by the Township Clerk. Accordingly you may wish to speak with the Clerk about this matter.

I regret that I can not be of more assistance.

Kind regards,

Jenn Rosen, B.A. LL.B./ ADR Professional
ADR Chambers "


Well O.K. that's a bit of a peculiar response albeit a very polite response. Keeping in mind the full circumstances here was my response back to her:


"Ms. Rosen: Are you actually advising me that if the Towmship Clerk, a paid employee of Woolwich Township, were to choose not to convey to you my complaint that you therefore would not proceed to do your job and investigate Woolwich Township's behaviour as requested? Please answer this question thoughtfully because I'm already in stitches with laughter and I'm really too old for that sort of thing.

Sincerely Alan Marshall".


Yes I am laughing at the ridiculousness of the initial response I have received from ADR Chambers. I have made it very clear in various correspondences to Woolwich Township, the Municipal Ombudsman (Agree Inc.) and now ADR Chambers that this is a very simple and straightforward complaint. Citizens are at risk according to professional (allegedly) reports produced by the Township's (& Uniroyal/Lanxess's) consultants Conestoga Rovers (now GHD Consulting). Proper and appropriate actions appear not to have been forthcoming and my questions were to further clarify the entire situation whether for better or worse. I might add that I have thirty years of first hand technical experience in regards to reading and understanding technical, environmental reports through my long association as well as membership in municipal citizens' committees dealing with Uniroyal Chemical, Varnicolor Chemical and much more..

Finally I might add that the Township Clerk's loyalties were made obvious three years ago when she thoughtfully chose to ignore provincial legislation in favour of Woolwich "tradition" in regards to not insisting that Councillor Mark Bauman file Election Financial Statements. That temporarily cost Mr. Bauman his municipal seat only after I complained although our judicial system rapidly restored his position. I now await a response from ADR Chambers.