CAN TWO NEW MEMBERS TIP THE BALANCE TOWARDS INTELLIGENCE ON WOOLWICH COUNCIL?

For the last few years I've made it pretty plain that I felt that Patrick Merlihan was the only Woolwich Councillor with any sense. While to date I haven't seen it, I have heard positive references in regards to Larry Shantz. The rest of the bunch range from hopeless to pathetic to worse. In the last election I supported Mr. Merlihan during the election campaign with a lawn sign.

The last Council truly displayed their pettiness and stupidity in March 2016 when they got into a crisis, once again, of their own making. It is one thing fooling the public with the province (MOE), Chemtura, co-opted citizens and a consulting firm all backing your play in a decades old environmental dispute that most citizens have given up on, long ago. It's something entirely different when it is a black and white, in your face issue, of both democracy and free speech.

Woolwich Council in their absolutely dumbest moment chose to publicly and in front of the media, deny Dr. Dan Holt his right to address Woolwich Council via Delegation. Even though Council already push the envelope with their rules around Delegations; Dr. Holt complied with all of them. He booked in advance, he advised beforehand the topic of his Delegation, he was put on the Council Agenda and he was present on time and ready to go.

Council simply made up a rule out of thin air. Perhaps they had privately discussed it, perhaps not. Regardless Dr. Holt calmly, politely and surgically took them to task for their attempt to shut him down before he got started. He talked to them slowly and carefully as if trying to calm down an agitated child on the verge of throwing a tantrum. When he was finished, Council did not have a leg to stand on. Sure they muttered, they mumbled, they made excuses but it was obvious that Council had pre-decided to refuse to allow Dr. Holt to speak most likely because he had had the nerve to drag one of their own (Councillor Hahn) before the Municipal Elections Compliance Audit Committee (MECAC), which is his and every citizen's absolute right. MECAC actually supported Dr. Holt's actions when they ordered an Forensic Audit of Mr. Hahn's Financial Statement.

Council and mayor Shantz also attempted to link their refusal to allow Dr. Holt's Delegation with myself. Mayor Shantz had the absolute nerve (and stupidity) to publicly state that Dr. Holt was acting on my behalf or directly for me. What poppycock! In fact when Dr. Holt finally was able to give his Delegation it was a thank you to Woolwich Council for having installed contaminated fish warning signs along the Canagagigue Creek.Dr. Holt made it clear that the Ministry of Environment had refused to do this upon request and therefore Woolwich Township stepped up. That deserved kudos. Council's attack upon Dr. Holt did not and all the local media battered them for the next few weeks. As I say just plain stupid on Council's part. Good luck new councillors Fred Redekop and Scott McMillan.