Sal Caruana: An Open Letter To A Former Councilman

     Mr. Caruana,

     During the time you served as a Westfield Town Councilman, there were many adjectives used to describe your character.  Some of the words used to describe you as you served the Town:: intelligent, wise, caring, fair, articulate.  What transpired at the Westfield Town Council meeting on Tuesday evening (May 24th) tarnished the tenure of a councilman that some may have considered a "shoe-in" had he run for the Mayor's office in 2013.  A "shoe-in" IF, Skibitsky vacates the office and IF, Ciarrocca leaves for Union County's Superior Court bench.  The Republican Party will now have to consider their chances of endorsing a candidate that appeared in a video berating a resident and losing his composure at a time when diplomacy and self-control would have been much more  beneficial.

     That's not to say you don't have a right to run for the Mayor's office.  Just as you have a right to run for elected office, Maria Carluccio had a right to her personal space of which appeared to have been violated during the heated debate captured by the Westfield Patch.  I use the word debate, and not argument, because I believe that everyone has a right to their opinion and your opinions were displayed in the political arena of a Town Council meeting.

     Perhaps if you had the opportunity to do it all over again, you may have chosen a more diplomatic approach to the way you handled Westfield resident Maria Carluccio.  Despite the fact that you called her a "fraud, a bully, and out of control," she can also be defined as "credible, compassionate, and articulate" when not confronted by a person who she might deem a "fraud, a bully, and out of control."

     Maria Carluccio's fears of retaliation as a result of her efforts in helping out a neighbor, a friend, another Westfield resident,are real.  She has been told by Mayor Skitbitsky, Councilman Ciarrocca, and Councilman Foerst that those fears are ridiculous and unfounded.  TFoTM strongly disagrees.

     Mr. Caruana, you served alongside each of these men during your time serving the citizens of Westfield.  There is no doubt in my mind that you know first hand "EXACTLY" what Mrs. Carluccio fears.  A blog posting yesterday on the Westfield Patch, by local resident John Blake, details what transpired during your tenure on the Westfield Town Council.  As a result of my attempts to report to Town Administrator Jim Gildea "EXACTLY" what was happening to local residents as described by J. Blake, I was retaliated against and targeted for termination by an administration that had run amok.

The following is the posting by John Blake at http://westfield.patch.com/blog_posts/mrcaruanas-attack-on-the-central-ave-ladies.  I have highlighted the text, in yellow, that addresses the issue of police computer checks on Westfield residents including yourself.

A. John Blake

Tuesday night the ladies who object to the new light on Central Ave were again the victims of the evasion by distraction so well done by the administration.There is never an answer to their objection that the light should have been placed at the corner of Clover and Central There is never an answer as to why these ladies were told they were in the wrong forum, that this was a County decision, and that they had lost the right to complain because they had not attended a badly announced public meeting. There is never an answer as to why two Westfield citizens were abused the way these ladies were when they first voiced their objection.
I was most surprised that Mr.Caruana attacked these ladies after they claimed they were reticent because of possible retaliation. My Surprise stems from an incident in the past where both Mr.Caruana, I, and others were the subjects of improper background checks claimed to be in the possession of a Town employee. These "checks" were supposed to show what unsavory characters we were. He was most upset when he was the possible subject of retaliation, especially since it was the second time around for him. A record check was done of him and, due to the typist's inability to spell, the record of someone else came up and was attributed incorrectly to Mr.Caruana. He was most upset.
Mr. Caruana is correct that, in a perfect world, the ladies from Central would be polite, calm and specific in their objection. This is not a perfect world. If it were, these ladies would not have been the subject of improper information,mis-direction,and abuse.T heir reaction, while not polite,calm,and direct, is understandable. For Mr.Caruana to jump on one of their arguments having to do with diminished value, and make them look mercenery, overlooks their real hurt at being treated so badly by elected officials who are there to be helpful not abusive.
Mr. Caruana was ,very correctly, avid in his opposition to the duplicity surrounding the parking decks, I am surprised he attacked these ladies as he did. While they are not as dignified as he was when he had a problem,they are as motivated as he was.
A.John Blake

     Mr. Caruana, the Town of Westfield decided to settle with me and allow me to retire after they weighed their options.  To continue my case would have opened up a "Pandora's Box" to the eyes of the public and quite possibly cost the town millions in settlements as a result of potential lawsuits filed by those who's civil rights were allegedly violated, including your own.  The Town decided to sacrifice the source of the information instead of the corruption that existed.  It was a matter of economics, a cost analysis.
Sacrificing the career of one to cover the corruption of another/others is understandable when you consider the economical ramifications that could have been inflicted on the Town, but it is inexcusable.

     Mr. Caruana, how dare anyone confront corruption and question the authority of which allows corruption to exist; what do you think?
      Two famous quotes describe what many believe exists within our town's government and administration.  Mr. Caruana, you had an orchestra seat at the show during the time you served as a councilman.  I was sitting front and center with you.

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

"Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it"

     Westfield town government and its officials should be held accountable for their actions.  Mr. Caruana, don't shoot the messenger, attack the message.  Until you and others do so, we will continue to present the facts and seek the truth, including Maria Carluccio, the person YOU called a "fraud, a bully, and out of control." 

     Might that be an example of the "pot calling the kettle black?"

     Mr. Caruana, as a Westfield Town Councilman you were in a position to seek the truth.  When it was suspected that the Westfield Police Department ran an alleged illegal background check on you, was there an investigation?  Did you allow Chief Tracy to retire without seeking the truth of whether or not Chief Tracy had run the alleged illegal access of your personal information via a CCH check.  Prior to having that information, you had my vote in any potential run for Mayor.  Did you back off any Town Council inquiry into Chief Tracy's alleged misconduct because of the possible ramifications it might have had on your political career.  Might the retaliation have been something you feared?

Maria Carluccio's fears are confirmed.

TFoTM

See related story at the following link: http://07090.blogspot.com/2010/12/arrest-of-out-spoken-citizen_20.html