As Usual, Mayor Skibitsky Remains Silent. Reneges on Answering Questions

     Mayor Skibitsky refused to answer questions tonight, questions posed to him in December 2013, that he said he would have answers to regarding the operational costs associated with sending the police department's mobile command center "out of town" for non-emergencies.
     In addition to those questions, Mayor Skibitsky remained silent when asked if the presence of the mobile command center in Philadelphia, at an international police chief's convention, or in Hoboken during the week leading up to the Super Bowl, was a deal brokered during negotiations between Chief Wayman and the mobile command centers manufacturer Robert Mount of Utah.

Westfield Police Chief Wayman
in Hoboken on Saturday evening.

     Skibitsky remained silent when asked if the "showcasing" of the mobile command center at these various out of town events was listed in the bid specs during the contract bidding process.
     Previously, Councilman Sam Della Fera had praised Chief Wayman for his negotiating skills with the manufacturer of the mobile command center, so that Westfield could obtain a cheaper purchase price.     Perhaps Mr. Della Fera should educate himself in the area of municipal contract bidding.
     It should also be noted that Chief Dave Wayman and Captain Chris Battiloro received a free trip to Utah in 2012, by the manufacturer of the mobile command center, months before the Town Council ever passed a resolution appropriating municipal tax dollars towards the purchase.  
     TFoTM asks Mayor Skibitsky....Is negotiating between Police Chief Wayman and any manufacturer legal during the bidding process?  Never mind Mayor, we know the answer to that question.  Your silence is noted.

Once again, Skibitsky diverted from answering the following questions.

1.  Who, in government, agreed to supply the vehicles and manpower? (To Hoboken)
2.  What price was sought?
3.  What price was paid?
4.  What was the cost to maintain the men (police) in Hoboken?
5.  How many men were assigned to protect a very costly machine while it sat in a distant city?
6.  What arrangement was made to insure that Westfield was able to receive the instantaneous protection it paid $300,00 for? (Cost of the mobile command center and accessories)
7.  Why was Westfield PD left "light handed" during the absence of its chief and up to eight other men?

Skibitsky's answers.............silence.

     The following text was transcribed from video taken at last night's Westfield Town Council meeting.  Mayor Skibitsky requested his police chief, Dave Wayman, to approach the microphone and address the town council regarding the mobile command centers use.  Wayman read from a prepared statement.
     The video begins shortly after Wayman began to speak.  TFoTM will post the video when it is available on TV 36.

Wayman addresses Town Council

".....um so when when we do need it we know that it works.  Additionally you have our officers that continually train and learn the capabilities of our equipment.  We have assisted Hoboken in the past, by assisting Hoboken that allows our our administrators such as myself my captains to take part in the creation of operational tactical planning before planning large scale events attended by people by by attendance of 50,000 to 100,000 people or emergencies.  It allows us to see the implementation of these plans and their effectiveness.  It allows us to gain experience in emergency planning so we can bring this experience back to Westfield and have the ability to modify these plans to meet the needs of Westfield when the need arises.  Participating in Hoboken for the Super Bowl event was a unique oportunity and maybe the oportunity of a lifetime to take part in from a law enforcement or safe or public safety perspective.  It encompassed an unlimited number of concerns that had to be addressed in the implementation of preventative measures.  We developed working relationship of the municipal, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Ah just just to name a few we ah homeland security, federal bureau of investigation, department of defense, the state police, New Jersey Transit.  In short, opportunities such as this provide the Westfield Police Department with the invaluable training and practical real life experience that can not be achieved in any other way and this training and experience is achieved while no additional expenses are incurred by the Town of Westfield.  What Westfield does get are more highly trained experienced officers".......(a pause by Wayman and Skibitsky thanks the police chief)  Wayman returns to his seat on cue.