The “Band of Three” now has finally done it. They have somehow contrived to get together with a plan to fire [Village Manager] Paul Schofield, our village manager. Out of the blue, a late-minute change to the agenda was added to last Tuesday night’s scorecard. The ring leader, Councilman Matt Willhite, wants to get rid of Mr. Schofield; but despite numerous attempts by Vice Mayor Howard Coates and Councilwoman Anne Gerwig, Mr. Willhite would not give a reason for his action.
When the council’s pontificating ended, the citizens of Wellington rose up in response, and gave the perpetrators their best shots. It was a night to behold! With neither a defense nor an offense, the councilmen just sat back and took it; as they should have.
Mr. Schofield was the brightest man in the room, despite the fact that he did not utter a word. Time after time, the residents of Wellington took the floor and lauded Mr. Schofield’s credentials and his achievements, which included reducing Wellington’s expenditures from $129 million to $75 million without hurting services.
The No. 1 comment from the floor was “this council is broken,” and it definitely is. Through incompetence or just pettiness, this gang of three councilmen has time after time insisted on moving us on the path of dysfunction, which has led us to million-dollar lawsuits.
I voted for all three of these men — Mayor Bob Margolis, Willhite and Councilman John Greene — and it is the most regrettable vote I’ve ever made.
Morley Alperstein, Wellington
