Politics & Government

Green Team Appointments Become Campaign Issue

Brennan questions Skibitsky's pending appointments.

A discussion about pending appointments to the town's new green team became a campaign issue Tuesday night, with Democrats questioning Republican Mayor Andy Skibitsky's decision making process.

Democratic mayoral nominee Bill Brennan, in what has become a familiar refrain of his campaign, questioned the Council about how Skibitsky is forming the green team. The green team is being formed to comply with the town's June enrollment in the Sustainable Jersey program and guide the town's environmental initiatives. Brennan said he is concerned that Skibitsky is stacking the panel with cronies. Skibitsky said he expects to settle on the appointees later this week, for the Council to confirm the list next Tuesday.

"This would be a tremendous opportunity for the mayor to put the money where his mouth is about being bipartisan," Brennan said in an interview after the meeting. "He only appoints his people."

Find out what's happening in Westfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Skibitsky denied Brennan's allegations, saying that he has not taken partisan politics into account on who he is naming to the panel. He said the panelists will includes representatives from several organizations in town concerned with environmental policy, including the Board of Education, Planning Board, Board of Adjustment, Board of Health and Recreation Commission. There will also be several citizens who are not on any of those boards serving on the panel.

Skibitsky said he has taken several recommendations into account in developing the finalist list, which includes recommendations from Third Ward Councilman Dave Haas, who is seeking reelection on Brennan's ticket. Brennan had questioned during the meeting about whether the mayor had taken Haas' choices into mind.

Find out what's happening in Westfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Skibitsky said following the meeting that he has decided to keep members of the Council off the green team for now, citing the November election. Haas, who has been advocating for the creation of an environmental commission, had been considered a potential candidate for a spot on the panel.

"The reason is I don't want this to be political," Skibitsky said. "After the first of the year, we can look at that. I'd rather keep Council off of it until after the election."

During and after the meeting, Brennan and First Ward running mate Janice Siegel brought up the issue of creating an environmental commission. Siegel, an environmental attorney who chaired a committee studying the creation of an environmental commission, continued to press for the creation of  the body, explaining it would be a better bet than the green team. Skibitsky and fellow Republicans on the Council have opposed creation of an environmental commission, questioning the role such a group would play in town government.

Brennan also asked Skibitsky during the meeting if the mayor was planning to take the Democratic nominee up on his suggestion that Brennan or Siegel be appointed to the green team. Skibitsky said he is still reviewing names and declined to reveal the names.

Councilwoman Vicki Kimmins, who worked with Haas on the environmental commission study, proposed to the mayor that Haas' names be kept on file in the event an environmental commission is formed at a later date. She noted her desire to have such a group formed in the future.

"I think in the future, if we go down the road of an environmental commission, we could possibly look at names from the green team list," she said.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here