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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Tis' The Season Of Giving; Westfield Invests In The Future......Who's Future?

In last weeks Westfield Leader newspaper, Lauren Barr reported the following: The council approved the police department’s purchase of a 2012 Dodge Durango for $24,161; a 2013 police interceptor for $26,795 and a 2012 GMC Sierra pickup truck for $25,483.  Town Administrator Jim Gildea told The Westfield Leader that the prices are state contract pricing and that the models are stripped down.  He said that the Durango will be used as an unmarked vehicle for the detective bureau and that an unmarked car had not been purchased in the last seven or eight years. During the recent severe storms, Mr. Gildea said it became apparent that a second pickup truck was needed by the police in order to cover both sides of town for the delivery of roadblocks and other items.
           
     The police department obtained a 5-series BMW from the Union County Prosecutor's Office through forfeiture from a crime.  Through one of his detectives, Captain Dave Wayman had badgered the U.C.P.O. in an effort to obtain the BMW.  Many thought the vehicle would be used for undercover detective work within the police department.  Not so.  Once in the possession of the police department, Captain Wayman authorized the vehicles overhaul including state of the art electronics, lights and other taxpayer funded upgrades.  Thousands of dollars later, Wayman claimed the vehicle for himself and used it for personal transportation to softball games, gym workouts, and for transportation to and from watering holes all the while filling up the tank with taxpayer funded fuel. 
     After TFoTM profiled the misuse of Town owned vehicles, such as those being used to commute to work and to run personal errands, the Town's administration took away "take home" vehicles from several employees.  
     However, the police department was immune from this cutback.  The need for a police captain to respond to an emergency from anywhere, anytime, was reason for Wayman to be able to use the Town owned BMW 24/7.  TFoTM asks: how many emergency calls did the good Captain respond to while off-duty?  How many emergency calls should the good Captain respond to, in the Town owned vehicle, after consuming alcohol? 
     The Town of Westfield has a no tolerance policy regarding alcohol on Town property......exception......DPW.  See related story: http://07090.blogspot.com/2011/01/shaffer-is-one-host-to-have-when-your.html
     Should the use of a Town owned vehicle, after the consumption of alcohol, be tolerated?  The potential liability puts the taxpayer in a position to fund the Town's defense in the event of a mishap.
     After Wayman's misuse of the Town owned BMW was profiled here at The Fact of The Matter, it later went on to the auction block.  But the Captain would not be without a vehicle.

     The elimination of the D.A.R.E. program due to funding cutbacks, provided a vehicle that Wayman set his sights on.  Go to the following link to read related story: http://07090.blogspot.com/2011/04/mtvs-got-pimp-my-ride-wpds-got-de-pimp.html
     Only time will tell if the vehicles to be purchased for the police department are destined for the intended recipients as claimed by Town Administrator Jim Gildea.
     A "shell game" of sorts could be in the making.  Currently, Westfield Police Chief John Parizeau operates a Town owned late model Dodge Durango.  Will the new Durango really be going to the detective bureau, or will Chief Parizeau, who has been contemplating retirement for over a year, claim the vehicle for his own use, positioning himself to be "gifted" the vehicle for a paltry sum upon retirement.as has been done in the past with previous retiring department heads.
     Happy Holidays Taxpayers.       
      


11 comments:

  1. Legion Lesson LearnedFriday, December 23, 2011

    Word to the wise Chris Bat, don't make a fool of yourself by going any further with your overly dramatic reasoning. Traumatized by what?

    ReplyDelete
  2. To: NGTSGK (Nothing Good To Say Gregory Kasko)

    Your negativity is disrupting every town council meeting and the entire Internet & getting to be very annoying. No one wants to hear you drone on. If you are going to criticize, then balance it out with some positive comments. Otherwise, just go away.

    ReplyDelete
  3. To NGTSGK

    Me thinks your protest too much.....if I didnt know better I would think you were someone on the Council or even Mr. Mayor.....because Mr. Kasko does publish postive events when they occur and should the Powers in Place do something positive instead of all the faux pas they have accomplished in the past year since the blogsite hit the web I for one have full confidence in Mr. Kasko that he will publish the good deed........I also have full confidence in the Powers in Place that the chances of something good coming out is about the same an ice cube has in hell....

    Merry Christmas!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Fact of The MatterFriday, December 23, 2011

    To: Upstanding Westfield Resident,

    If shedding light on issues effecting the taxpayers of Westfield is disrupting to you, may I suggest you find something else to focus on. I hardly believe that this site consumes the "entire Internet" as you might suggest.

    TFoTM will continue providing facts that point out mismanagement, wasteful spending, and political patronage.

    We will take you up on the request to provide more positive blog stories. As far as the comments go, free speech will prevail unless the comments submitted by our readers contain profanity.

    Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

    ReplyDelete
  5. Allow me to correct a wrong....I addressed my previous comment to NGTAGK instead of Upstanding Westfield Resident ...... that's who theway post was meant for....sorry for the mixup Greg......

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  6. So what is the liability to the Westfield Taxpayers when" Im too saxy(phone) for my self" Davey crashes a Westfield owned vehicle intoxicated, or with a sub par looking female in the passenger seat or even traveling out of state attending autograpgh shows. Does the self insured town insurance cover those mishaps?

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  7. Plain and simple, give everyone that drives a municipal vehicle a gas card. Track the vehicles by GPS. Hold the users accountable. These handouts are a drain on the public. None of the users are paying tax on the use of a vehicle. With the cost of gas expected to soar to $4 a gallon by the summer, why should I be paying for a municipal workers personal use of a vehicle. Mayor, it's about time something is done instead of you coasting through another term thinking nobody is watching. You have lost your purpose and I'm tired of you reaching into my pocket to pay for these perks.

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  8. wow thats true his side pieces are extremely sub par......at best.

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  9. To Peter Griffin;

    E tu, Bluto? You thinks u be Shakespeare too much.

    You are about as contrarian as Kasko. If things go as you predict, Westfield will be a dump in our time. You probably should move to another country to spread your negativity. You would be very welcome in North Korea.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Negative or truthful .......

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  11. what a shock...my truth post was not posted. so much for being unbiased. right greg? your web site is the place that you hide. you and i both know that don't we?

    ReplyDelete