Bill Twaddle – Chair
Mr. Twaddle has been a councillor for the City of Owen Sound for several years. He has served on various committees, such as the Owen Sound Police Services Board, Environment Committee and Operations Advisory Committee. As well, he has been Chair of the Health Unit and a Councillor on Grey County Council
Municipal Representatives (4)
Kathie Hughes – Municipal Representative (Group 1 – Northern Bruce Peninsula, Owen Sound, South Bruce Peninsula, Georgian Bluffs)
As an experienced municipal drinking water system operator, Ms. Hughes brings hands on knowledge of water treatment testing and distribution to the Committee table. She is a resident of Georgian Bluffs and an active volunteer in her community.
Mitch Twolan – Municipal Representative (Group 2 – Saugeen Shores, Kincardine, South Bruce, Huron-Kinloss, Howick, Morris-Turnberry)
Mitch Twolan has been Mayor of the Township of Huron-Kinloss since 2004. He serves on Bruce County Council and holds the position of Warden of Bruce County. As well, he was involved in the formation of the Pine River Watershed Initiative and formerly served as a director of the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority. During his time with Huron-Kinloss, Mr. Twolan has helped to implement water quality testing and septic re-inspection programs. Many people will also recognize him as a realtor in the Point Clark area.
Les Nichols – Municipal Representative (Group 3 – Arran-Elderslie, Brockton, Hanover, Minto, Southgate, Wellington North)
Les Nichols works in agri-business and is a resident of the Municipality of South Bruce. As well, he serves on the board of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association and is Vice-chair of the Bruce County Library Board.
Ken Furlong – Municipal Representative (Group 4 – Chatsworth, West Grey, Grey Highlands, Meaford, Blue Mountains)
Mr. Furlong has an extensive agricultural and municipal background, which will assist the Committee in future decision-making and policy development within this rural Region. He is a former councillor for the Township of Southgate, Director with Saugeen Conservation and a farmer.
Agricultural Representatives (3)
Dr. David Biesenthal – Agricultural Representative (Farmer – Brockton)
Dr. Biesenthal was a veterinarian for over three decades with an equine specialization for most of that time. He is involved in a cash crop enterprise on both owned and rented land. For the past few years, Dr .Biesenthal has been speaking to farm groups across the country about the Environmental Farm Plan and its importance in the protection of soil and water resources. He is a sitting member of the Provincial Nutrient Management Advisory Committee.
Robert Emerson – Agricultural Representative (Farmer – Huron-Kinloss)
Mr .Emerson is well-known in the agricultural community for his involvement as a director and former President of the Bruce County Federation of Agriculture and director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. He has always been a full-time farmer and runs a purebred Charolais cow-calf herd and cash crops on his farm. Mr. Emerson is also a committee member on the Pine River Watershed Initiative
Brent Lanktree – Agricultural Representative (Farmer – The Blue Mountains)
Brent Lanktree has been a beef/calf and cash crop grain farmer for more than thirty years. He was born and raised on the farm that he now operates. Mr. Lanktree has taken part in the Environmental Farm Plan and installed exclusion fencing and a solar-powered water pump for cattle on his farm. He is an active member of the Blue Mountain Watershed Trust serving on the board of directors for the past ten years, five of those as Chair.
Commercial/Industrial Representative (1)
Mark Kraemer – Commercial Representative (Business owner – Saugeen Shores)
Mr. Kraemer has considerable experience in the commercial sector. He has served on the board of numerous community groups, including the Rotary Club, agricultural society and Chamber of Commerce. For the past eleven years he has been the Chair of Westario Power and presently he sits as a director of Meridian Credit Union. During his long political career, Mark Kraemer spent eight years as Mayor of Saugeen Shores and a member of Bruce County Council, was Bruce County Warden for two years, served on the Grey Bruce Health Unit, and still sits as a member of the Police Services Board.
Other Interests (4)
Andrew Barton – Health Representative
Andrew Barton was a certified Environmental Health Officer in the United Kingdom before moving to Canada in 2003 and receiving his certification with the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors. In his capacity as Public Health Manager for the Grey Bruce Health Unit he manages the Emergency Preparedness and Safe Water portfolios, and also acts as a liaison with a variety of partners such as Provincial working groups, local Municipalities, residents groups and Family Health teams.
Bruce Davidson – Environment (Brockton resident)
Bruce Davidson is co-founder and vice-chair of the Concerned Walkerton Citizens, an organization which formed after the Walkerton water tragedy in 2000. Mr. Davidson was heavily involved during the Walkerton Inquiry and made presentations during the development of the Clean Water Act legislation. Presently, Mr. Davidson serves on the Canadian Environmental Law Association board, Brockton Environmental Committee, Hanover Brockton Landfill Committee and the Water Guardians Network.
Carolyn Day – Public Representative (Saugeen Shores resident)
Ms. Day is a member and past-president (Ontario) of the Canadian Federation of University Women. As well, she is the Special Appointee: Water Issues for the CFUW Ontario Council. In this capacity she has written numerous briefs and attended meetings on Drinking Water Source Protection. She currently serves on the Great Lakes Charter Annex Advisory Panel under the Ministry of Natural Resources