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Thursday, July 12, 2012

Westfield Resident Pulls a Skibitsky at Town Council Meeting.


     At each town council meeting, Mayor Skibitsky allows the public to approach a microphone and comment on anything the town council has jurisdiction over.  Skibitsky reminds the public to keep their comments to a maximum of 10 minutes. Throughout 2011, Skibitsky was questioned and criticized by residents for the placement of the HAWK pedestrian crossing located mid-block on Central Ave.  Perhaps the Mayor, with his back up against a wall, felt that he needed reinforcements/allies, to attend meetings to bolster his unenviable position.  The Mayor was unable to refute many of the facts from his own expert's reports that did not support his position or opinion on many of the issues concerning the installation of the pedestrian crossing.     

     The Fact of The Matter has learned that Mayor Skibitsky was allegedly denied support from police officers when one was asked to rally support for the Mayor back in 2011.  Skibitsky didn't wait long to summon support from another source, local residents.....many of whom live nowhere near the HAWK pedestrian crossing.  One such supporter resides on E. Broad St. closer to the Mountainside border than to Central & Cambridge, the HAWK location.  

     At first, these residents expressed their appreciation for all the hard work put in by members of the town council, leading the Westfield community.  Like a well planned script, other residents began to attend meetings to advise the town council how wonderful the HAWK light was working and how safe it was to now cross Central Ave. without having to play a game of "Chicken" or "Frogger" with oncoming traffic.

     TFoTM has never denied that the HAWK light has made crossing Central Ave., safer.  What TFoTM has questioned is Mayor Skibitsky's non-expert claim that the current location of the HAWK light is the safest location.  After all, Skibitsky's own expert engineer had originally placed the pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Central & Clover as did expert engineers hired by Union County.  Mayor Skibitsky's well orchestrated political agenda got the light moved to it's current location.

      Among those that have spoken at town council meetings supporting Mayor Skibitsky, after allegedly being denied support from one of Westfield's Finest, are financial supporters of Mayor Skibitsky's political party, neighbors, barber-shop buddies, and even one person who allegedly spent time in jail for nonpayment of child support...... but TFoTM is sure the country club dues got paid.....fine upstanding citizen.
     Another resident, Tony Del Duca, has spoken in support of Mayor Skibitsky on numerous occasions but more recently has taken to the microphone to request that the Mayor stop the discussion on the HAWK pedestrian crossing.  Alternative Press reporter Jackie Lieberman reported the following after Tuesday evening's council meeting: 
"Resident Tony Del Duca then argued that the issue (HAWK) should be put to rest. “We have an ordinance that says we’re not moving this light, so why are we even talking about this?” he said.  Go to the following link to view Lieberman's news story: http://thealternativepress.com/towns/westfield/articles/westfield-parks-could-go-smoke-free-firefighters

     With all due respect Mr. Del Duca, it continues to be talked about because this is Westfield, New Jersey, The United States of America, which just happens to be governed by a democracy.  The First Amendment covers something called "freedom of speech."  It is a protected right that some are choosing to exercise despite your requests to silence those wishing to comment on the matter.  TFoTM respects your right to make your request.

     A couple months ago, Tony Del Duca left a town council meeting appearing disgusted.  As he walked past reporter Lauren Barr of  The Westfield Leader, he blurted out that maybe he would give Horace (Leader publisher) a call to complain about the coverage the local newspaper was giving the HAWK issue.
TFoTM asks Tony Del Duca, "Have you made that call yet?" "Are you aware of what Freedom of the Press is?"

     Del Duca also needs to get his facts straight.  The last time The Fact of The Matter checked, there was no such ordinance stipulating what Del Duca claims.....that “We have an ordinance that says we’re not moving this light, so why are we even talking about this?”

     Perhaps Del Duca is referring to a hastily passed Resolution on the HAWK pedestrian light by Mayor Skibitsky and his council after Union County's expert consulting engineers recommended a traffic light at the corner of Central & Clover.  TFoTM is not suprised at Tony Del Duca's tactic, if in fact he was aware that a resolution and an ordinance are two totally different things.  After all, Mayor Skibitsky has presented information to the public as fact when it has been proven to be false with the support of official town documents such as expert engineering reports, police reports, and other data that contradicts the Mayor's claims and/or opinions.

With that being said, an ordinance is a law, whereas a resolution is an opinion. 

TFoTM believes Mr. Del Duca knows what opinions are like.........they are like, well we won't repeat it here, but ..........everybody has one.  

Let's stick to facts Tony.   

 res·o·lu·tion  

[rez-uh-loo-shuhn] 
noun
1. a formal expression of opinion or intention made, usually after voting, by a formal organization, a legislature, a club, or other group. Compare concurrent resolution, joint resolution.
2. a resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.
3. the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc.
4. the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose.
5. the act or process of resolving or separating into constituent or elementary parts.

or·di·nance

[awr-dn-uhns] Show IPA
noun
1. an authoritative rule or law; a decree or command.
2. a public injunction or regulation: a city ordinance against excessive horn blowing.
3. something believed to have been ordained, as by a deity or destiny.
4. Ecclesiastical .
a. an established rite or ceremony.
b. a sacrament.
c. the communion. or·di·nance

12 comments:

  1. Well said. Keep up the great work!

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  2. When will the mayor ever admit the need of more firefighters in Westfield. Has anyone got a tax break for the 8 firefighters that this town is down and havent replaced? where is that money? Oh yea it went to gildea's big raise. What a joke the town council is.

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  3. want a bigger joke......years ago the PD negotiated a contract where longevity for new hires was eliminated.....to date the only people collecting longevity are Wayman, Auchter,Caulfield, Perotta, where did all that money go that the town was to save.....by the way what did the PD get in return a four day rotating day off work week......

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  4. Is this the same DelDuca who was a Gym Teacher at Edison Jr. High from Berkeley Heights ?

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  5. No new firefighters because the plan is ultimately to morph it into an all volunteer department.

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  6. Hey Greg, Now that Parizeau is gone, you need to scrape the bottom of the barrel for folks to malign, huh?

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    Replies
    1. I haven't scraped the bottom of the barrel just yet, as I've been informed there is still a lot of residue left.

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  7. What movie was it with the line "you can't handle the truth?" Sounds like the Mayor's friends can't handle it either!

    By the way - where is the broken ladder truck? Did the town get any $ from it? Also, where are the police motorcycles? Why are they only used for parades?

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    Replies
    1. The movie is "A Few Good Men". Actor Jack Nicholson spoke the words.

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  8. There are 35MPH and 25MPH zones on this road, neither is enforced, much to the detriment of the entire area. It's basically a highway from Park / Caciola to the Parkway. Clark PD seems to monitor it, but never Westfield. Town could make a small fortune. Usually there are a couple of cars hiding out behind the tennis club, just hang out in the liquor store lot at Grove and be a hero!

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  9. I haven't checked out TFOTM in a few weeks because my blood boils when I read about the corruption in this supposed "tony town". I'm disgusted with the mayor,the council, and the mayor's buddies that appear at council meetings. Let's face it people, anyone with half a brain can see that the light on Central is misplaced along with a crosswalk in the middle of a road, especially a road like Central. The Fire Dept. is undoubtedly under staffed. Westfield is beginning to look like the Lion King kingdom after Scar took over. I've never realized until now just how important it is to do our due diligence in vetting the people we elect. The power they have scares me.

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  10. I'm disgusted with the mayor, the council, and the mayor's buddies who appear at certain council meetings. It has never been more apparent to me that we must all do our due diligence when vetting our local town officials. The power they possess scares me.

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