Betreff:
Serious Council
Dispute Over Cell Phone Antennas in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada. |
Von: Martin Weatherall |
Datum: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 22:56:00 -0400 |
|
----- Original Message -----
From: Magda
Havas Sent: Wednesday,
June 27, 2007 12:29 PM Subject: Cell Phone
Antennas in Simcoe Cell phone
antennas on a water tower in Simcoe Ontario has been a thorn in the side of
residences who believe their illlnesses are associated with the radio
frequencies from these antennas. Readings in the backyard of one
residence are well over 0.2 microW/cm2 and exceed the recommended Salzburg
guideline of 0.1 microW/cm2 but are within Health Canada's guideline of 1000
microW/cm2. Last year
citizens presented their case to Norfolk County Council who then voted to have
the antennas moved to a different location. The move never took
place, in part, because of the cost associated with the move. Since then
new Councillors have been elected and the citizens wanted to presented new
information but the meeting ended rather abruptly. Read the articles
below. The entire
session was televised live and when the Mayor left the Chambers the cameras
stopped rolling. Citizens stayed to discuss what had just happened and
the police were called in to clear the Chamber. Fortunately they were
smart enough to allow the emotions to subside naturally. Eventually
people began to leave. One Councillor, Charlie Luke, stayed behind to
talk with the people who remained and he was as stunned with what happened as
were the rest of us. What I
found most disturbing, in addition to the Mayor's emotional outbreak, his
desire to silence people about the health concerns, and his defamatory
remarks about specific individuals in the community, was his obvious lack of
understanding about science and the scientific process. So often we
have people in positions of authority who are unable to grasp the science
behind the decisions they need to make. This is a serious concern in this
case but it is also a serious concern at hearings with judges presiding
who can't understand the information scientists are providing them. Since
the information needs to be detailed and it comes from scientists who have
different perspectives how can judges, jurors and others make
"informed" decisions? It is analogous to presenting information
in a foreign language and expecting to have a fair hearing. The
articles below present a good overview of what happened. -magda Printed
from www.brantfordexpositor.ca
web site Wednesday, June 27, 2007 - © 2007 Brantford
Expositor Norfolk
mayor pulls plug on meeting ©
2007 , Osprey Media. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. http://www.simcoereformer.ca/News/319134.html Council erupts Kate Schwass SIMCOE REFORMER No need to
wait until Canada Day for fireworks - there were lots last night at Norfolk
County council. Emotions
regarding the cellphone antenna on the Union Street water tower boiled over,
prompting Mayor Dennis Travale to abruptly end the meeting as Norfolk OPP were
called into the council chambers. About 70
people were in the gallery and 20 of those ready to give deputations on the
cellphone tower issue when council came to that item on the agenda around 7:45
p.m. But before the public was allowed to speak, Travale took about 15 minutes
to lay some ground rules and explain what would and would not be admissible
information. It was an
emotional speech for the mayor, who had to stop part way through to compose
himself after addressing the issue of cancer and cellphone towers. "I know
how devastating and worrying such a diagnosis can be and the last thing anyone
wants is some rogue running through the neighbourhood" suggesting the
tower has caused cancer in local residents, he said. He said the
council wants scientific proof, "not some mumbo jumbo taken off the
Internet." People in the
gallery scoffed and began talking after that comment but Travale was quick to
regain order. "If you
can’t behave, you can leave," he warned, banging his gavel. "Running
around claiming the children are at risk, that it’s causing cancer . . . that
the sky is falling is fearmongering," he then continued. "Council
will not make an emotional decision on this or any other issue." As the
deputations were set to begin leading off with Geoff Saldanha, Elgin Avenue
resident Keith Simpson approached the podium. Travale banged his gavel and
asked Simpson to sit down as he had not yet been recognized by council (Simpson
was No. 17 on the list of delegations) but Simpson remained at the podium,
trying at times to speak over Travale. "I am
appalled by this council. We have just been given a lecture and dressing
down," Simpson said between gavel bangs. Travale
recessed the meeting and members of council left the chamber. Travale said the
meeting would reconvene once Simpson had returned to his seat. After about
five minutes of talking at the podium, Simpson did take his seat and
councillors and Norfolk County staff members began returning to the chamber. As Travale
approached his seat, Simpson again stood and took the podium. "You are
not recognized," Travale said, again banging the gavel. "Sit
down." Simpson again
refused to sit down, saying he wanted to address Travale’s speech prior to the
delegations and ask a procedural question. "Clear
the chamber or we will call the police," Travale said before banging the
gavel and again walking out of the chamber followed by some members of
council. A few minutes
later County Manager Bill Allcock told the group the meeting was over. Councillor
John Wells attempted to reason with angry citizens. "We were
quite prepared to listen," Wells said. "All the mayor asked was would
Mr. Simpson sit down . . . The procedure is simple. You cannot speak in this
chamber until you are recognized by the mayor." Wells added a
few minutes later, "Council is finished for this evening." Allcock told
the Reformer a decision will need to be made by the mayor and members of
council on how best to proceed. Last night’s
meeting was never officially closed. Those still
wanting to discuss the cellphone tower issue last night remained in the
chambers for well over an hour after Mayor Travale left the building with a
Norfolk OPP officer looking on. Dr. Magda
Havas was prepared to present new health information about cellphone towers to
council last night and was disappointed with how things turned out. "I was
stunned by his lack of professionalism. I’m in a bit of a state of shock,"
Havas said. "He does not have the emotional control." She said she
would consider coming back to a future meeting to discuss the issue, but
"I honestly don’t think (residents will) get a fair hearing." Resident
Danielle Pender lives 125 metres from the water tower and wanted to present an
e-mail she received from Travale when he was a candidate for mayor. The e-mail
from Travale, dated Oct. 25 at 8:10 a.m. said he had "great sympathy"
for their situation. "It is
my position that this situation is a prime example where the ‘precautionary principle’
could and should be used," he wrote. Pender said
she felt "disgust" over what happened in the council chambers and
wanted to know between that e-mail and now, "what’s changed?" Councillor
Charlie Luke chatted with concerned citizens, but said he couldn’t explain why
the mayor had walked out or what caused it. "In six
and a half months, I have not seem him operate that way," Luke said. "Somebody
got to him." Resident
George Furry said despite the meeting ending quickly, there are likely more
fireworks on the way because this issue isn’t going away. "Anyone
who thinks they’re affected should appear at town council," he said. A call and
e-mail to Mayor Travale last night by the Reformer were not returned. Kate Schwass (519) 426-3528 ext. 140
Cheryl Bauslaugh
Wednesday, June 27, 2007 - 07:00
Local News - Opponents
of the Simcoe cell tower were outraged Tuesday, after Norfolk County Mayor
Dennis Travale abruptly cancelled a council meeting before they had a chance to
speak.
"This is so disappointing, that it had to come to this," said Geoff
Saldanha, one of 20 scheduled speakers on the cell tower issue. "What
would have been an important meeting, with a lot of good information, was
stopped, because of procedure."
Travale started the meeting by warning presenters that he would only listen to
new information on the issue. Residents have raised concerns about possible
health risks since Rogers Wireless equipment was installed on the Simcoe water
tower last year.
The mayor also criticized the lack of scientific evidence provided to council
and said it was "fear mongering" to link neighbourhood cases of
cancer to the cell tower.
"It's an ill-advised attempt to incite panic, like yelling fire in a
darkened theatre," said Travale. "I know how devastating such a
diagnosis can be."
When Keith Simpson, one of the scheduled speakers, attempted to respond,
Travale ordered him to sit down. Simpson, a Simcoe lawyer, continued to press
his point and Travale left the council chamber.
The mayor returned minutes later and again ordered Simpson to sit down. When
Simpson continued to speak, Travale declared the meeting over and exited the
building.
A call to his home was answered by his wife, Barb, who said Travale would have
no comment to make that evening.
Simpson said he was "appalled" at Travale's behaviour. "We just
received a dressing down and then, we were not given an opportunity to
respond."
Kelly Currie, whose husband, Dan, has symptoms so severe that he is unable to
live in the family home - located just below the tower - was close to tears at
the sudden turn of events.
"It's extremely upsetting," she said. "We had new medical
information to present."
Dan Currie first raised a red flag about the cell equipment more than a year
ago, after he began suffering severe headaches, dizziness and loss of memory
whenever he was near his Union Street home. Doctors at Toronto's Sunnybrook
Hospital recently diagnosed him as being sensitive to electromagnetic fields.
Currie said he was offended by the mayor's comments and dismayed by the
meeting's cancellation.
"Democracy was denied tonight," he said. "The mayor took shots
at me liberally, without allowing anyone to respond."
Coun. Charlie Luke said he's never seen a meeting cancelled over procedure in
his almost 28 years as a municipal representative. He's hoping the session will
be rescheduled soon.
"I hope everything will cool down so that we can get back to
business."
Just when that will happen is up in the air.
County manager Bill Allcock said the clerk must provide 48 hours notice before
scheduling a meeting. That means it would be Friday morning, at the earliest,
before a makeup session could be held.
The cell tower issue wasn't the only one on council's agenda Tuesday night.
The final tax rates for this year were scheduled to be passed. Allcock said
that has to be done by the end of this week, so that tax bills can be sent out.
He also suggested that council may decide to hold a special council session to
deal with the cell tower issue.
ID-
587693
MEETING DISSOLVES as OPP called in
Wednesday June 27, 2007