Westfield is a town, not a township.

This is for friend, Greg Kasko:
http://archive.wmlnj.org/TheWestfieldLeader/2006/2006-07-20/pg_0001.pdf

The article describes Mr. Kasko as "a Westfield gadfly." Actually, there are MANY people in Westfield who think Mr. Kasko has played a valuable role for our town by challenging some of our politicians and by providing some thoughtful dialogue on various topics relevant to our town. See Mr. Kasko's website: http://07090.blogspot.com/ Use of the word "gadfly" is fine for the "editorial/opinion" pages but not for the "front page" or "news" pages. While it is clear the author of this particular article, if he is a resident of the 3rd ward, will not be voting for Mr. Kasko, his use of such a word to describe Mr. Kasko was inappropriate in this article about the town council meeting.

@Eric
Please let me know if I'm missing something in my understanding of the mess about Kasko from back in 2006. This is what I'm understanding from it… Mr. Kasko served our community as a police officer for 16 years. On January 29, 2006 at 1:24am, while parked on the side of the road waiting for someone to speed by so he can proceed to chase them down and issue a speeding ticket, he happened to have nodded off. He was then contacted by the police dispatcher to assist another police officer with a routine traffic stop. Since he had nodded off, he did not hear the call. This left the other police officer to handle the stop alone, which he or she did. I think we’ve all “nodded off” in our lives, particularly at a time like 1:24 in the morning while doing something like sitting in a parked car. Is that what this guy was fired for? Is that why he is the subject of ridicule by the mayor and town council? If there is something more to this, someone please let me know. From what I understand, something here just doesn’t make sense. Sure, nodding off for a few moments while on duty is not good. But, from what I understand, this should be grounds for him being yelled at by his supervisor when he returned to the station and that’s about it. Or, maybe he should have been ordered to drink more coffee? Is there more to the story? It seems to me like someone was looking for a minor screw up (like this one) to then just throw the book at him.

To Jason Cohen (Patch writer)
The pedestrian light in question is located mid-block on Central Ave. at the cul-de-sac'd intersection of Cambridge and not at the intersection of Grove and Central over a half mile away, as your reporting indicates.
Also, I have not been "thrown out" of any town council meetings to date contrary to your claim that ..... "Kasko - has been thrown out of previous meetings." I respect the process that takes place at each town council meeting. Although I may not agree with Mayor Skibitsky at times, I respect "Roberts Rules of Order" and so should he when he is in disagreement.

.....continued
NR9
Thank you for your support. You are correct in that there is more to the story.. There are those that will spin the story to their advantage, especially since I am a candidate for town council.
I have provided "power of attorney" to the Westfield Leader newspaper for them to obtain all of my personnel records on file with the Westfield Police Department in the name of transparency as I have nothing to hide.
Although some might like others to think I was fired, I retired from the Westfield Police Department, in good standing, in November 2007 after a very rewarding career serving the citizens of Westfield.
I hope to be able to continue that service through volunteer efforts and other community based activities.
I will continue assisting Adina Enculescu in her efforts to have the pedestrian light relocated to the intersection of Central and Clover. It is not a campaign promise; it is a promise I made long before I ever declared my candidacy.
I felt the need to respond on this forum/message board due to the inaccuracies reported in the above news article and in a comment made by a reader. I fully expect Westfield Patch to correct their facts in the near future.

R.A asked the following question: "Where else would you find an employee's boss and supervisor acting as the judge and as a prosecutor at his hearing on trumped up charges as is what took place?" Easy question. The answer is Hazzard County, Georgia. Past episodes available on Ebay. See link to photo: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=dukes+of+hazzard+boss+hogg+roscoe&um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1280&bih=568&tbm=isch&tbnid=9z48hHbXqbEV3M:&imgrefurl=http://cgi.ebay.com/DUKES-HAZZARD-photo-Q308C-BOSS-HOGG-ROSCO-CLETUS-/200427339782&docid=ZkMCWWbLkMqTGM&w=300&h=240&ei=XOhxTpDgJYjq0gHw3ZiSCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=821&vpy=206&dur=2500&hovh=192&hovw=240&tx=156&ty=78&page=1&tbnh=162&tbnw=215&start=0&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0

There is no longer a crossing guard at the busy Central Avenue-Grove Street intersection, which my daughter and her friends must cross on their way to Edison School. The town installed a "No turn on red" sign, and that's safer for the children than having cars make the turn when the light's red. But putting a guard back on duty would make it as safe as possible.

Some of the things I have read on the website listed in a comment by the person NR9 are quite disturbing to me as aresident and taxpayer. I doubt the information would have been made public without the efforts of those that maintain the site. It is truly remarkable some of the things that go on behind the backs of Westfielders that pay these peopleks salaries. I, for one, am aghast that a police officer got away with stealing time from the town. Someone needs to be held responsible and questions need to be answered. I don't know Mr. Kasko but from what I have heard and seen, he is on the right track and should continue to expose what we don't know about.

Edgewood, one person's taint is another person's truth. You still have a lot of maturing to do. My point is as valid as anyone else's here. You and others of your ilk on this blog believe that if someone disagrees with you it is she or he who is wrong - not you. You'll be in for a very big surprise one day.

The tax payers paid for this idiotic light.

Someone accidentally nodding off at one time, for a few moments, or even a few minutes, while on duty is not "stealing time"... it is human biology/chemistry at work sparked by doing something boring/uneventful like, um, maybe sitting on the side of a road in a car at 1:24 in the morning. "Stealing time" would be something of a much more pre-planned and on-going nature.

Many of us regular civilians behind you too Mr. Kasko!

To aclarke3...

Then if he "stole" 1 minute of time (or even as much as 5 or 10 minutes) by accidentally nodding off at 1:24 in the morning while sitting in a parked car by the side of a dark and quiet road, why not just translate his annual salary into a corresponding hourly rate, divide by 60 minutes per hour and have him cut a check back to the town for however many CENTS that calculates to Kasko having "stolen" from the town?

What was done to Kasko appears to be the equivalent of someone working in an office using the phone at his/her office desk to call home telling his/her spouse what time to pick him/her up at the train station and then firing that person for "stealing" from the company.

It seems to me that Kasko got a raw deal and some of our town officials want to keep him quiet rather than allowing him to challenge some of the questionable ways they run the town. I personally think Mr. Kasko provides refreshing dialogue for many aspects of how our town is governed and I think he would make a great 3rd ward councilperson (and maybe even mayor after that).

ANOTHER accident at MID-BLOCK! Westfield Police on the scene. For photos and details: http://www.07090.blogspot.com/

COMMENT 1 OF 2

Greg Kasko received Certificates of Merit for his police work in 1990, 1991, 1994 and 1999 (as a Westfield Police Officer). His personnel file showed evaluations of “good” and “very good” during his 16 years of service. His 2003 review stated that he “needs [only] little direct supervision.”

In 2004, looking to protect Westfield resident’s freedom of speech, he blew the whistle against what he believed to be illegal criminal history checks being run on residents who were speaking out publicly against proposed parking decks. For seeking to protect the citizens of Westfield, disciplinary hearings were held against Officer Kasko.

A few years later, on January 29, 2006 at 1:24am, he accidentally nodded off for a few moments/minutes while sitting in his parked police car waiting for speeding cars.

The information above comes from page 18 of today’s Westfield Leader and recent Patch articles.

After reading these articles closely, not only do I not see anything I’d deem to be “wrongdoing” by Mr. Kasko but, to the contrary, I see a former police officer who went above and beyond the call of duty in seeking to protect the citizens of Westfield.

COMMENT 2 OF 2

In the years since, Mr. Kasko, a resident of Westfield, has created a website to create dialogue amongst fellow Westfield residents on important issues facing the town. He seems like a very open-minded person. While one may not always agree with all of his personal views, it appears that he welcomes all to contribute dialogue on his website. It seems to me like he cares about his fellow citizens and about making Westfield a great place to live. See his website: http://07090.blogspot.com/

Thank you Mr. Kasko for 16 years of service to the community as a police officer (and for your website). I think you would be a refreshing addition to the town council if you prevail in the upcoming election for 3rd ward councilman.

Disclosure: I am not nor ever have been affiliated with the Westfield Police Dept. nor with any Westfield politicians. I have never met Mr. Kasko personally. I’m just a regular citizen following issues relevant to our town who thinks (1) Mr. Kasko may have gotten an undeserved raw deal as a police officer and (2) that what I’ve read about him in the media suggests to me that he’d be a great politician for our town.

Oh enough already. Tired of the drama...let's move on!

I agree, enough already. Just move the light and be done with the drama.

Mrs C, Mrs E and Mr Kasko. Is the mayor hidding from public council meetings so you can't ask to have the truth be told?

leave the light where it is and add another light where they want it so everyone is equally happy and unhappy.