Jim Gildea Distorts The Facts/Truth

     The Fact of The Matter awards Westfield Town Administrator  Jim Gildea the "Flip-Flop" Award for his remarks at last night's town council meeting.
     With the absence of Mayor Andy Skibitsky, it appeared Gildea needed to clean up the town's position on issues brought forth to the town council by residents concerning the mid-block HAWK pedestrian crossing on Central Ave.  
     Gildea is well known for tailoring his remarks to mislead the public away from facts presented that refute the town's reasoning as to where the original proposed location of the pedestrian crossing was to be located.

     According to Mayor Skibitsky, who has gone on the record at council meetings, the town council relied on the experts, consulting engineer Gordon Meth, to recommend the location of the pedestrian crossing.  Official reports obtained by TFoTM revealed that that location was the intersection of Central Ave. & Clover St.
     At last night's town council meeting Gildea stated that public outreach meetings that he attended revealed that residents didn't want a traffic light, and that the original plan was for a full traffic signal mid-block.
     Jim Gildea needs to read the official reports by the professionals again.  He also needs to get his story straight with Mayor Skibitsky.  Skibitsky says he relied on the experts and now Gildea suggests that the town relied on residents (non-experts) to place the pedestrian crossing where it stands today.
     This is not the first time Gildea has been caught in a lie to protect the town's interests.  The only difference this time is taxpayers won't have to pay legal fees to cover for Gildea's lies.  
     Indirectly, taxpayers have paid for Westfield's ill-advised request to have the pedestrian crossing located mid-block after County experts and Westfield's own consulting engineer recommended the crossing to be located at the intersection.  The portion of Westfield taxpayer's tax-bill that goes to Union County helped pay for this debacle.
     So once and for all, which one is it Mayor Skibitsky...Jim Gildea, experts or residents that you relied on? Hopefully the two of you will get your story straight in the future.  Of all people, Jim, you should know it takes two more lies to cover up one told.  When the truth is told, the story always remains the same.
     Unfortunately for you Jim, your story has changed numerous times and for that you are the recipient of TFoTM's "Flip-Flop" Award.