Posted with permission from the Hamilton Spectator
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City council backs appointment of environmental advocate to port authority board despite ban from agency’s property
Jim Howlett said he is “disappointed, but not too surprised” by the port’s position.
News Feb 28, 2018 by Matthew Van Dongen 
Hamilton Spectator
City council is backing the appointment of Jim Howlett to the Hamilton Port Authority board even though the agency says it has banned the environmental advocate from its property.
Council recently appointed Howlett to replace Sandy Shaw as the municipal delegate to the board of the federal arm's-length agency, which governs all shipping and port-related business in the industrial end of Hamilton harbour.
Howlett is a well-known environmental activist who has served on the Hamilton Conservation Authority board and as head of the Hamilton Beach Community Council. He is also known for reporting illegal fill-dumping in Sherman Inlet by the port authority's predecessor agency, the Hamilton Harbour Commissioners, prompting a federal cleanup order.
Some councillors were angered Wednesday to receive a confidential letter from the HPA Wednesday outlining concerns about Howlett and noting he can't attend board meetings because he is banned from port property over past "prohibited activities."
A clearly upset Coun. Sam Merulla called the letter "beyond comprehension" and insulting.
The letter was discussed in private and not made public by council. However, an image of the letter being waved around in the public session, captured by Joey Coleman's The Public Record camera and posted to Twitter, shows Howlett is "denied access" to port-controlled properties.
Reached by phone, Howlett said he is "disappointed, but not too surprised" by the port's position.
He acknowledged being periodically at loggerheads with port management over several decades of visits to Sherman Inlet and other areas of the industrial port to monitor and draw attention to environmental issues.
"I've probably challenged the port authority, and the harbour commissioners before them, more than anyone in the city," he said.
"But I'm a big boy. We're all adults … I would hope we can all work together in a collegial manner."
The visible portion of the port letter does not specify what "prohibited activities" Howlett was thought to have engaged in on port lands.
Howlett recalled Hamilton police had visited him in the past to relay HPA concerns about his visit to a particular harbour inlet controlled by the federal agency. Police suggested he not return to that spot, he said.
But Howlett expressed surprise at the idea he might be banned from all port lands, noting he did a Pier 21 walkabout on behalf of beach residents — and alongside senior port authority bureaucrats — last year to discuss windblown salt pile pollution.
"Nobody saw fit to bust me, or even mention anything to me," he said.
The Spectator asked to speak with a port authority official Wednesday night.
Spokesperson Larissa Fenn replied by email to say the HPA views the municipal appointment as "an opportunity for a collaborative relationship between our two organizations. We hope the position is filled with this mutual objective in mind."
Mayor Fred Eisenberger wouldn't discuss the contents of the confidential letter, but reiterated council stands by its appointment.
He said he would be contacting the port to reaffirm council's decision and he expects Howlett to be able to "fulfil his duties" and attend meetings.
mvandongen@thespec.com
905-526-3241 | [MENTION=650]matt[/MENTION]atthespec
mvandongen@thespec.com
905-526-3241 | [MENTION=650]matt[/MENTION]atthespec
https://www.thespec.com/news-story/...ity-board-despite-ban-from-agency-s-property/
_________________________________________________
City council backs appointment of environmental advocate to port authority board despite ban from agency’s property
Jim Howlett said he is “disappointed, but not too surprised” by the port’s position.
News Feb 28, 2018 by Matthew Van Dongen 
Hamilton Spectator
City council is backing the appointment of Jim Howlett to the Hamilton Port Authority board even though the agency says it has banned the environmental advocate from its property.
Council recently appointed Howlett to replace Sandy Shaw as the municipal delegate to the board of the federal arm's-length agency, which governs all shipping and port-related business in the industrial end of Hamilton harbour.
Howlett is a well-known environmental activist who has served on the Hamilton Conservation Authority board and as head of the Hamilton Beach Community Council. He is also known for reporting illegal fill-dumping in Sherman Inlet by the port authority's predecessor agency, the Hamilton Harbour Commissioners, prompting a federal cleanup order.
Some councillors were angered Wednesday to receive a confidential letter from the HPA Wednesday outlining concerns about Howlett and noting he can't attend board meetings because he is banned from port property over past "prohibited activities."
A clearly upset Coun. Sam Merulla called the letter "beyond comprehension" and insulting.
The letter was discussed in private and not made public by council. However, an image of the letter being waved around in the public session, captured by Joey Coleman's The Public Record camera and posted to Twitter, shows Howlett is "denied access" to port-controlled properties.
Reached by phone, Howlett said he is "disappointed, but not too surprised" by the port's position.
He acknowledged being periodically at loggerheads with port management over several decades of visits to Sherman Inlet and other areas of the industrial port to monitor and draw attention to environmental issues.
"I've probably challenged the port authority, and the harbour commissioners before them, more than anyone in the city," he said.
"But I'm a big boy. We're all adults … I would hope we can all work together in a collegial manner."
The visible portion of the port letter does not specify what "prohibited activities" Howlett was thought to have engaged in on port lands.
Howlett recalled Hamilton police had visited him in the past to relay HPA concerns about his visit to a particular harbour inlet controlled by the federal agency. Police suggested he not return to that spot, he said.
But Howlett expressed surprise at the idea he might be banned from all port lands, noting he did a Pier 21 walkabout on behalf of beach residents — and alongside senior port authority bureaucrats — last year to discuss windblown salt pile pollution.
"Nobody saw fit to bust me, or even mention anything to me," he said.
The Spectator asked to speak with a port authority official Wednesday night.
Spokesperson Larissa Fenn replied by email to say the HPA views the municipal appointment as "an opportunity for a collaborative relationship between our two organizations. We hope the position is filled with this mutual objective in mind."
Mayor Fred Eisenberger wouldn't discuss the contents of the confidential letter, but reiterated council stands by its appointment.
He said he would be contacting the port to reaffirm council's decision and he expects Howlett to be able to "fulfil his duties" and attend meetings.
mvandongen@thespec.com
905-526-3241 | [MENTION=650]matt[/MENTION]atthespec
mvandongen@thespec.com
905-526-3241 | [MENTION=650]matt[/MENTION]atthespec
https://www.thespec.com/news-story/...ity-board-despite-ban-from-agency-s-property/
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