Funding to CPAC that last year raised questions about additional contaminants on the Chemtura site in Elmira will be extended in 2015 to allow the watchdog group to follow up on its findings.
A $10,000 payout to the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee was part of more than $50,000 in grants approved last week as Woolwich council met for its second special budget session.
The CPAC grant is contingent on the group obtaining access to the chemical plant’s land to do sampling around a drainage ditch that flows into the Canagagigue Creek. Following a review of previous data, financed in part by a $10,000 grant in 2014, there are concerns DDT and other contaminants will be found on that part of the property, perhaps leaching into the drain and creek, and ultimately into the Grand River system, said CPAC chairman Dan Holt.
Given the extent of any possible impact, the group is also seeking financial support from the Region of Waterloo.
While the committee has stepped up its efforts to monitor the site – the source of contaminants in the aquifers under Elmira, among other environmental issues – its findings and concerns have gained no traction with either the company or the Ministry of the Environment. Both groups have recently pulled away from meetings.
Woolwich council has backed CPAC’s call for action, but there has been no response so far.
Coun. Larry Shantz, noting the lack of co-operation, suggested putting the access condition on the grant, pointing out Chemtura might refuse testing on its property.
Coun. Patrick Merlihan pointed out that the funding and resultant expert study last year that found a list of deficiencies has failed to produce action from either the chemical company or the government.
In that vein, Coun. Mark Bauman argued responsibility for funding the kind of studies CPAC wants to do really rests with Chemtura and the ministry, neither of which has been cooperative.
“The polluters should pay,” he said. “We have to admonish the MOE to give us some money.”
In the absence of action from those responsible, it falls to the township to do something, he added.
“We know under their property is a horrible mess,” said Bauman, noting it’s important to know what might be seeping off of Chemtura’s land.
Other grants approved January 15 included $10,000 to Woolwich Community Services and another $10,000 to support WCS’s youth drop-in centre at the Woolwich Memorial Centre. Community Care Concepts, which provides a range of services including Meals on Wheels and home-care programs, also received $10,000. The Woolwich Counselling Centre’s $8,000 request was granted, as was $1,637 for the Waterloo Regional Police school safety patrol program. The approval applies to each of the four years of this council’s term, providing for a two per cent annual increase.
“I would hope that you would see us an essential service,” said WCS’ Kelly Christie in a presentation to council prior to the budget deliberation.
“We are a very active part of the community,” she said in outlining the long list of services the group provides and its constant attempts to raise funds. “We struggle to meet people’s needs.”
Although a staff report recommended against a grant request from the Expressive Café, a support group for stroke survivors living with aphasia started by local resident Frank Austin, councillors eventually agreed to provide the group with $3,000 this year.
After receiving a grant of $5,000 in 2014, Austin had asked for $10,000 this time around, hoping to expand the group’s reach. Citing a lack of paperwork and financial information, staff had deemed his application incomplete.
In a presentation to councillors, Austin said the aphasia from his stroke make it difficult for him to stay on top of the paperwork.
Noting that the group still had about $1,100 remaining from last year’s grant, Bauman recommend the $3,000 figure. He also suggested Austin approach other municipalities for financial support, pointing out that members of the group come from a wider area than just Woolwich (about a dozen of the 35-40 participants are from the township).
Still in a giving mood, councillors approved a request for $1,200 from the Elmira Kiwanis Club to support its tree-planting activities.
Former councillor Allan Poffenroth said the group spends about $4,000 to $5,000 a year on tree planting, having planted about 300 since 2010.
This year, the club intends to concentrate on streets adjacent to Elmira District Secondary School.
Director of engineering and planning Dan Kennaley said the money could come from his tree-planting budget, as volunteers make the money go farther.
