Haas Cites No-Bid Status for No Vote on Appointments

Third Ward Councilman Dave Haas continued his annual opposition to certain professional services appointments in town government Tuesday night, citing the fact that the appointments were not put out to bid.

Haas dissented on four resolutions during the Town Council's annual reorganization meeting. The resolutions officially reappointed Town Attorney Bob Cockren and Frederick Danser III as the town labor attorney, along with designating the town auditor. He said that he has no problem with the individuals who were being appointed, but had concerns with the process used to make the appointments.

"It should be taken as no reflection on the individuals involved," Haas said. "This town has gotten good representation from our labor attorney, our town attorney and our auditor."

Haas, the Council's only Democrat who started his second term on the Council Tuesday night, has been calling for the professional posts to be put out to bid for several years, traditionally at the reorganization meeting. For the past four years, he was joined by former Councilman Tom Bigosinski in this opposition. Bigosinski, a Democrat, left the Council after being defeated by Councilman Keith Loughlin last November.

Haas' push for putting the posts out to bid has been rejected by the Council's Republican majority in past years. There was no debate on the motion Tuesday night, except for Haas' brief statement before his vote.

Westfield's situation is the opposite of Cranford, where the Republican controlled Township Committee installed a process to bid out professional services contracts annually. Democrats in Cranford opposed that process.