Mobile Command Center's Purchase, Location Questioned

One resident during the public portion of Tuesday evening’s council meeting expressed that much of what she heard during the evening was residents’ discontent with the Town Council.

Marci Bandelli said the theme throughout the meeting was that residents feel the council is not hearing them.

“They want to know why there isn’t being something done about the problems we face everyday,” she expressed. “I can’t imagine this is how you want to run your show.”

Resident Greg Kasko took the microphone to ask Mayor Andy Skibistky where the mobile command center was that evening.

Skibitsky did not directly answer Kasko’s question.

 “I’m sure you are going to tell us. Please continue,” Skibitsky said.

Kasko explained that he usually sees the mobile command center in front of or behind headquarters, but did not see it there on Tuesday night.

“It is in Westfield tonight?” Kasko asked. Skibitsky again, told him to continue.

Resident Tony Delduca also touched on the mobile command center purchase during his comments. Delduca questioned why Councilman Dave Haas said he felt the purchase was questionable during the last council meeting and if he spoke with the Town Attorney about the issues that concerned him.

Haas said he is not accusing anyone of doing anything illegal, however, based on the State’s ethics rules, state employees are not allowed to take trips to vendors and that is what he found questionable.
 
“I don’t believe that the evidence that was offered for the purchase of that command center would have stood up when I worked in the industry for what was required to be $50,000 in capital, much less $250,000 in capital,” he said.

Haas added that he has yet to hear an example of when the town would need the mobile command center.

“We said it is because we can’t county on the county or any of our neighbors for help,” he said.

So, he is looking for an example of something that keeps us out of the municipal building that does not happen all across the county.

Councilman James Foerst jumped in and asked, “How about a bomb threat?”

Haas added that would again, take out the whole county and that the predication was that we could not count on help from the county or any of Westfield’s surrounding towns.

Additionally, Haas said he did go to Attorney Finestein for further information and his letter in the Westfield Leader. Delduca said that Finestein’s letter outlined all of the facts and the process to purchase the center and the public should have no additional questions surrounding it.

“It is a good strategic investment if there were an emergency,” Delduca said.

Kasko, during his time at the microphone, said he thinks the town should have the center in Westfield in case an emergency was to occur and it was needed.


Additionally during the meeting there was banter and discontent over the Central Avenue crosswalk from several residents. As Delduca presented his facts, as he has in the past, several members of the public were yelling at him that he was wrong.

Resident Karen Egert, who resides on Cedar Street, also voiced her opinion on the HAWK light. She explained that when she moved into Westfield she signed a petition to move the light and she believes the most objectionable part of the whole thing was to put a light in front of someone’s driveway.

“Everyone of us here is no different than anyone else here,” she said. “How would you feel if it is in front of your driveway? (She directed this question to each councilmember and the Mayor).

“At least as angry and upset as this residents does,” she added.

Egert and Barbelli also questioned why Skibitsky would not join the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition. Skibitsky explained that he is against illegal guns and legal guns used illegally, but felt his resolution was broader and more global.

Skibitsky read a past letter to the editor by Egert praising Skibitsky’s stance on guns, but then would not allow her to address the podium when she asked if she could approach the microphone. He told her she could speak at the next council meeting. This led to some outcry by the public and Egert to yell what she wanted to say without approaching the microphone.