TFoTM has learned that another Westfield DPW employee, Joe Handy (? correct spelling) is allegedly a possible victim of what sources are saying is an anonymous letter found in a DPW vehicle containing possible age and racial discrimination. Mayor Shelley Brindle addressed the Westfield Department of Public Works and vowed to exhaust all investigative resources to determine who left the anonymous letter in the DPW vehicle.
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In the wake of the Union County Prosecutors Office investigation into theft of time by employees at the Westfield Department of Public Works, town officials have been thrust into a volatile
employment matter that could have repercussions throughout town departments.
A source not authorized to speak on behalf of town officials has confirmed that the Westfield Police Department is investigating an incident involving the Westfield DPW that can be categorized as a racial bias crime.
Authorities are investigating an alleged incident involving DPW worker Frank Watkins, the same employee at the center of the theft of time investigation that exposed Watkins signing other DPW employees in/out of work that were not present.
Watkins allegedly found a racially charged note left in a DPW vehicle parked at the Westfield Department of Public Works on North Ave.
Multiple sources have confirmed that Westfield DPW vehicles are often left unlocked, in some cases with keys left in the vehicle, allowing easy access to anyone using the vehicles.
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| Frank Watkins |
Please have DPW go to Mindowaskin Park and attend to my planted flowers and feed the fishes please.
ReplyDeleteDoes the town ice rink really loose the amount of money recently suggested in local posts?
ReplyDeleteNot sure about “loose” but maybe “lose” is more appropriate.
DeleteReally? King
DeleteLooks like the Department of Public Works needs to practice the 9 PM routine.
ReplyDeleteROLMFAO
Just fix camera's...
DeleteLove Trumps Hate
ReplyDeleteIf the town wants to have control over the outcome of this investigation, just have Town Admin. Jim Gildea hire the Wilentz law firm to conduct an investigation and provide the investigator with evidence not pertinent to ever exposing the crime.
ReplyDeleteIt’s simple, theft of overtime at the DPW is similar to an HR issue at a company according one town official, but a bias incident warrants a police investigation.
DPW Supt. needs to go.
Town Admin. Jim Gildea needs to go.
The mayor and town council need to act swiftly.
This entire FOTM is so stupid. Let's put balls on the table and go with your name. Y'all got balls when it's anonymous. CLOSE IT DOWN, GET A LIFE AND STOP BEING A BUNCH OF ANONYMOUS IDIOTS, especially those who don't like their coworkers and want to start SHIT. That would be ALL the newbees who don't really want to do a days work cause it's too cold, I'm tired, it's too hot, it's Friday let's fuck off. I don't want to do garbage, I can't pick up a rake, I can't and don't want to drive that truck...etc etc....your all whiny wimp asses with BIG MOUTHS.
DeleteSo says the guy that posts a comment under the name Anonymous. Why don’t you lead by example.
DeleteLMFAO
I got balls.
DeleteI got a life.
I’m not an idiot.
I just wish I could get away with stealing as much overtime as Rob, aka Robbie, aka Rob the Robber, aka Robbing Rob.
No problem,go for it and I'll follow your lead since you started it. Put your name out there...i DON'T WORK THERE, SO NO WORRIES FOR ME. If u have issues with Robbie lol, Jim, Tony, Craig then why not go to them? Why do u post here? Gonads gone? MAN UP....I have nothing to lose, do YOU?
DeleteSo says the anonymous idiot.
DeleteLmao,that's all ya got? So once again YOUR opinions and rumors fall short or small should I say lol
DeleteThere have been several grievances filed by DPW workers against 2 other DPW workers regarding the FACT that these 2 employee's still have not received there CDL drivers license "AS PERTHE UNION CONTRACT". The matter was written up and presented to the Shopsteward and he presented it up as he should to the chain of command and he was told "We will look into it do not worry we will HANDLE it". Now i have been in UNIONS before and that is NOT how things get dealt with. A meeting should have been set, the rules of the contract need to be enforced. No meeting set, nothing done except that the matter is "BEING HANDLED" by Town officials!
ReplyDeleteIn the DPW workers contract it clearly states you have "X" amount of time to obtain your CDL license and if you do not you will be "LET GO" / "FIRED". These 2 workers have been on the job now for several years AFTER the time limit? WHY IS THIS? Seems like WESTFIELD and the Town Admin just do things the way they want. The UNION and the Shopsteward need to stand there ground. Union's were developed to PROTECT ALL of it's members. These 2 employee's are being paid what other employee's are getting paid but do not have the same responsibilities and are being treated SPECIAL.
TFOTM ----- Please look into this situation as it should help ADD more fuel to your case you are trying to build against the way the Town officials are running the Department.
DeleteThe statement “a fish rots from the head down” means that leadership is the root cause of an organizations failure and demise. With that in mind, DPW Supt. Greg O’Neil and Town Admin. Jim Gildea are to blame as they represent the paid employees of the town that supervise the DPW.
If a CDL is a condition of employment at the Westfield DPW and either Gildea or O’Neil are aware of any DPW employee that does not have a CDL, or has routinely failed testing for a CDL, then they are covering up for the employee.
Where is Mr.Contract? Isn't he the liaison between the Council and the DPW? Can he ask if ANY DPW worker doesn't hold a proper driving license? Could he find out if tests were taken and failed? What happened when that worker reported his failure? How many times did he/they take the test and fail? Who was his "Angel" keeping him employed in a job he couldn't handle?
DeleteWhere is the transparency and accountability previously touted by Mr. Contact?
We all must assume that fighting the crime of bias is much more politically proper than fighting the crime of theft of services. In the former, the politician need only point out the bigotry. He doesn't even have to arrest the bigot. In the latter, the politician has to actually declare that an employee is a thief and explain to the public how he had been allowed to steal and for how long. The latter might even require the reprimand of a superior.
Can't wait to hear from Mr. Contract.
DeleteThe following is from the DPW’s contract with the Town of Westfield, Article Thirty, Section 2:
“The town will cooperate with the Union to assist employees covered hereunder in training to take the test for Commercial Drivers License, and it is understood and agreed that employees who fail to obtain their Commercial Drivers License may be terminated for that reason.”
The word “may” in that statement is the town’s loophole. Continued employment at the DPW is not contingent on the employee passing the CDL test.
If the word was “shall,” then the employee would be terminated if they didn’t pass the CDL exam.
Thanks for having the correct knowledge...a bunch of idiots
DeleteCORRECT...... Why are these two employee's still working for the DPW and have been for over 5 years and neither of them have their CDL ?
ReplyDeleteI think TFOTM should be contacting Antonio Cuccaro (Shopsteward) of the DPW and ask him WHY, he has not handled this and WHY he is ALLOWING the Town Admin and DPW Supt. to handle a UNION Grievance? Do we have ANOTHER person involved in covering things up? Is the UNION Shopsteward also in on ALL of the wrong doings of the DPW with Greg AKA DPW Supt, Rob AKA Supervisor and Dan AKA Town Admin??
The town administrator’s name is Jim Gildea. He spells his last name differently then another Westfield graduate named Dan Gilday
DeleteEveryone should be fired that’s in charge!! Rob steals, Craig is a useless pretty boy, rich is a lazy asshole, Greg is the biggest cover up dick head alive, jim is the biggest lying son of a bitch. And tony doesn’t do his fucking job! And for the CDL them dumb ass’s should have been fired years ago!!!!
ReplyDeleteand for you... the kingdom?
DeleteSo take the mask off...reveal that you are the RAT to all your coworkers
DeleteSo you have worked there for over 5 years....not hard to figure out.....DUMB ASS
DeleteThe following is from the DPW’s contract with the Town of Westfield, Article Thirty, Section 2:
ReplyDelete“The town will cooperate with the Union to assist employees covered hereunder in training to take the test for Commercial Drivers License, and it is understood and agreed that employees who fail to obtain their Commercial Drivers License may be terminated for that reason.”
The word “may” in that statement is the town’s loophole. Continued employment at the DPW is not contingent on the employee passing the CDL test.
If the word was “shall,” then the employee would be terminated if they didn’t pass the CDL exam.
It would be politically incorrect to find racism and bigotry in the Westfield DPW. May one ask if anyone in the administration has made an appointment with the Wilentz Firm? They seem to know how to deliver absolution .
ReplyDeletePerhaps a phone call to Town Administrator Jim Gildea will answer that question. The theft of overtime from the DPW was handed over to the Wilentz firm by Gildea.
Delete908-798-4040
Oh look, Summit knows how to handle a theft investigation. They call the police and the prosecutor and not some private law firm.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/crime/2020/01/10/ex-summit-nj-assistant-director-charged-stealing-74-k-city/4430971002/
That’s the difference between having a Mayor and administration that does the right thing.. not cover things up. Having a westfield detective investigate this racist letter.. only proves more that they covered things up.. if they wanted to cover this letter up.. willentz would have been called..
ReplyDeleteIf the bigot has no CDL license, he can be fired for that. Then the Town doesn't have to "find" that it has employed a red neck bigot.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, if one or more workers don't have a CDL license, what happens when the Town needs him to drive? Do it put another worker on overtime and have the unlicensed employee ride shotgun? After all, he's being paid. The least he can do is put in the time. ( maybe he can get overtime if he gives his number to the right guy)
It's amazing how Councilman Contract is so silent on a topic about which he should be leading the conversation. If this had to do with "feel-good" topics like the "wall of love", the Councilman would be mouthing every platitude in the Progressive Thesaurus. When it comes to mundane issues that concern the administration of the Town Department to which he is liaison, the Councilman seems to need inspiration from a higher power. ( higher, not divine).
ReplyDeleteWhat is the official line?
I hope Robert, (Rob), (Robbie), whatever he calls himself is happy knowing that he started all of this crap. This is what happens when you're a greedy, no good thief. Nice work Robert, Rob, Robbie.
ReplyDeleteCouncilman Contract is not goin to say anything about any of this.. because he’s told to not get involved.. right Contract?
ReplyDeleteSee Something, Say Something
ReplyDeleteInstead of “See something, say something” while Jim Gildea is town administrator.........you should “See something, consult an attorney not affiliated with the town.
DeleteWhy risk your reputation being dragged through the mud with false accusations, why risk your employment, why risk your pension?
Someone should talk to Robbie about all his racist comments. instead of saying. It’s out back. He says. it’s out black. or black up. Yes he says this while on town time to the employees
ReplyDeleteHow do you know if he says this while working overtime? You don’t, because he’s never there when stealing overtime.
DeleteHow do you know this is true? You are there or thru third party?
DeleteYou know a lot, do you work there? Or hear say?
DeleteEveryone in this town is a lier. I can’t wait for all the shit to hit them in the face.
ReplyDeleteSmoke n Mirrors.. welcome to the sideshow
DeleteBuy a bag of Apple's....one is rotten...chuck the bag? Or just toss that one and enjoy the rest?
DeleteApple's and oranges
ReplyDeleteCurrent events
ReplyDeleteFake news.
ReplyDeleteI have lived and paid HIGH taxes in the Town of Westfield for 32 years now and i would LOVE to know why the Town hired a Tree Company to do tree work in Mindowaskin Park? Especially when it has been proven that the Tree Supervisor and the DPW tree department employee's have been stealing OT, now we are paying for outside contractors to do tree work?
ReplyDeleteThe Town owns every piece of tree equipment needed and i have seen Town employee's doing intricate tree work so i know they have the experience to do any work necessary that needs to be done, can TFOTM look into this as i have STEAM coming out of my collar writing this right now. This was NOT a Tree company that does work around Electrical wire's either it was just a run of the mill tree company doing run or the mill tree work..... DISGUSTING the WASTE that goes on in the Town, it is no surprise the turnover in homes is so high.
If the EXCUSE from the Town is that it was a job that the Town was unable to do because of the lack of experience then instead of the Tree Department Supervisor and his underlings wasting time doing nothing and STEALING OT how about we send them for TRAINING?
So there are Union 3 reps..... 2 of which are involved in the STEALING of the OT and the Shop Steward is a PUSHOVER and a Puppet for Jim Gildea. Jim was doing cartwheels when Tony C became the Shop Steward because he knew he could talk him into anything he needed too. So who in the UNION is going to stand up and say anything?
ReplyDelete