Friends of Wyckoff, Twp. Committee 'Clear the Air'

A Friends of Wyckoff fundraising letter may have drawn the ire of several Township Committee members, but elected officials and members of the civic group pledged to work together on common interests following a frank discussion Tuesday night.

While the exchange was a rapprochement of sorts for two entities that have often found themselves at odds, members of the Friends urged continued progress in an area they've found improved under the current governing body: transparency and civic engagement.

"I see a change in the atmosphere," said Linda Vreeland, chairperson of the Friends, which advocates for open space, historic preservation, sustainable building practices, among other initiatives. "It's a step in the right direction."

Mayor Rudy Boonstra said Tuesday that the governing body and Friends have been "building a level of trust" but cooperation "needs to be a two-way street."

While the Friends are encouraged by the work of the Township Committee, criticisms contained in the fundraising letter are still valid, Vreeland said. "They don't really open their arms to anyone else" when considering board appointments, Vreeland said.

The letter, dated April 1 and sent to most Wyckoff residences, finds fault with the formation of an ad hoc committee to consider Master Plan revisions as well as governing body appointments in January to various volunteer boards and commissions.

The "ad hoc committee... does not consist of a single 'ordinary' Wyckoff citizen; we must make our voices heard," reads the letter, signed by Vreeland. "In addition, the Township Committee and citizen volunteer boards... which should represent the interests of all citizens... continue to be dominated by a partisan point of view," the letter continued.

The ad hoc committee is composed of representatives of the township boards, such as zoning, planning, Shade Tree, etc. Members of the public were not invited to sit on the committee, as suggested by Committeeman Brian Scanlan, a former Friends member, but the public was invited to take part in two public meetings held to consider Master Plan revisions. However, the Township Committee was under no requirement to include the public at all; suggestions could have simply been sent to the Planning Board for review as it considers adopting the document.

"I was a little troubled" by the letter, said Committeeman Kevin Rooney, who helped advance the formation of the ad hoc committee. "I thought we were really trying to establish a good rapport," he said.

"I was flabbergasted and offended" by the letter, said Committeeman Chris DePhillips, who pointed out that the "public nature of the ad hoc committee is highly unusual."

Mike Brienza, a Friends co-chair and regular attendee of public meetings, praised the ad hoc process, saying the hours he spent attending the meetings was the most constructive experience he's had after seven years of attending local government sessions.

"It is a different vibe, it is a different feeling," he told the governing body. "I'm really glad that we all are at least starting to work together... I personally think we've achieved the most," in the few hours before the ad hoc committee in contrast to his years of attendance at Town Hall.

However, he emphasized that the letter was written before the ad hoc committee had convened before the public, although he didn't disavow its contents. 

Similarly, Vreeland, who was not in attendance Tuesday, said "the letter that we sent noted that the Township Committee didn't accept non-members to the ad hoc committee... that's still true."

The Friends chair finds the governing body "more open and receptive.. but it's still true that they appoint people to these boards who aren't 'ordinary' people. No one outside the (Republican) circle gets appointed."

Members of the Friends have been critical of the appointment process, whereby interested residents can submit applications to be interviewed for the volunteer boards. The full governing body confirms the appointments at its annual reorganization meeting on New Year's Day. Several Friends and unaffiliated residents applied for positions this year, but the majority did not go through the interview process.

Scanlan, who voted against appointments this year, has called for the creation of subcommittees to vet potential candidates in a nonpartisan fashion. Tuesday night, he said, "I would hope that when it comes time to appoint people to our boards... that some of this more inclusive spirit inculcates the committee.

"It would be nice to open it up. I only hope that as we roll into the next appointment cycle at the end of the year that... we have perhaps some other perspectives on there," Scanlan said. 

Friends member George Pitts also urged the committee to look beyond Republicans.

Rooney objected to the charge that party affiliation is considered when appointments are made.

"I don't want to look at people based on Republican, Independent or Democrat. It's based on their expertise and open-mindedness and their willingness to work and put the township before themselves," the deputy mayor said.

Scanlan agreed that party identification should not play a role in the process. However, "90-plus percent of them happen to be of a particular political party. It's not reflective of the general political party demographics in town," he said.

DePhillips suggested that the appointment process can be amended in the future: "I do want to agree with some of Brian's comments about going forward and making sure we get the best and the brightest on these boards. There are openings on the Environmental Commission; I'm sure we're going to handle those vacancies in a different way than perhaps they've been handled in the past," he said.

The first-year governing body member also urged Brienza to encourage other Friends members to attend more public meetings. "This is not the same governing body that it has been in the past. I think they (Friends) would be pleasantly surprised... they'd see an open-minded spirit," DePhillips said.

Despite the disagreements, both sides felt the discussion could lead to greater cooperation.

"Hopefully, we've cleared the air a little," Boonstra said.

Brienza told the committee, "I really appreciate all the work you're doing." Pitts agreed:  "It looks like we're moving together... I hope it continues."