Ward: Donation Based on Skibitsky's Performance

Developer James Ward said his donation to Republican Mayor Andy Skibitsky's reelection campaign was based on the mayor's job performance and not to influence future development decisions in town.

Ward, the owner of the James Ward Mansion and the Savannah downtown, donated $2,600 to Skibitsky's reelection campaign. According to campaign finance reports filed with the state, Ward is the single largest donor to the mayor's reelection campaign. Nancy and Jeffrey Zoraian, Mountainside residents who own a Rahway Avenue car wash, donated $3,000 to the mayor but donated as a couple, thus making Ward the largest individual donor.

"I think he has done a great job as mayor and I hope he continues to do a great job going forward," Ward said. "We never ask for anything and never will."

Ward, a Democrat, explained that he bases his donations on the individual and has donated to Republican and Democratic candidates. His sister, Nancy, is a Democratic county freeholder. He said he prefers the Republicans in town based on the work the town government has done in recent years, explaining the GOP has run the town like a business.

"No town is run as well as Westfield," he said. "I want to keep that."

The local Republican Party has had a close relationship with Ward over the years. The party has utilized the James Ward Mansion for multiple party fundraisers and election night parties. Ward donated to Republican Keith Loughlin's campaign in the fourth ward this year. Loughlin is challenging Democratic incumbent Tom Bigosinski. Tuesday's GOP election night party was originally scheduled for Ward's downtown catering hall but has been moved to the Echo Lake Country Club instead. GOP officials said the move was done to have the party at the same venue as the election night festivities of Assemblymembers Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) and Nancy Munoz (R-Summit).

Contributions from developers have been well scrutinized in New Jersey over the last decade, with accusations of developers using campaign money to influence land use decisions. There has been a statewide push on developer pay to play bans in local governments in recent years.

Ward reiterated that he did not donate to Skibitsky in order to influence development decisions. Skibitsky noted that Ward does not have any projects pending before the town government. While Ward has announced a desire to build a hotel in downtown Westfield in the future, he has said it is a long term goal and he has not assembled the land for the project.

Democratic mayoral nominee Bill Brennan has problems with Skibitsky accepting the donation from Ward. He said he made a decision early in his campaign not to accept donations from developers and he believes the mayor should have made the same pledge.

"I did not want to be put in the position where they expected to influence my vote on any issue in town," Brennan said. "I did not want to put myself in a position with a conflict of interest. I would not have accepted a donation from anyone who would need my vote on important issues in town."

Brennan cited Ward's proposed hotel as a potential conflict, if the project is voted on by the town government while Skibitsky is in office. A decision on zoning for the hotel would fall to the town planning board, of which the mayor is designated by law as a member. Skibitsky, in a practice used by other mayors, does not fill the mayoral seat on the board, instead appointing a board member to serve in his place. The mayoral designee does not have to vote in accordance with mayor's wishes. The Town Council does have certain powers in terms of redevelopment within the community.  There has been no indication from Ward that he has an intention to seek redevelopment status from the town for a project.

Skibitsky said that while he appoints the members of the planning board, he does not have control over the appointees during their term. Under state law, the planning board is an independent body with board members serving four year terms. A designee serving in the mayor's seat serves a one year term.

"I put the right people in there to make the decisions," Skibitsky said of his appointments to the land use board.