Vice Mayor
Incumbent Vice Mayor William Weitz’ angry behavior at a November commission meeting should make it easy for residents to vote him off the board.
Weitz on Nov. 7 directed an over-the-top lecture at fellow Commissioner Elyse Riesa, saying that he’s “had enough” of her micromanaging town staff. Weitz, 72, at one point likened her questioning of town staffers and contractors to “interrogators from Nuremberg.”
Weitz told Riesa to change her “bullying” behavior or resign.
But Weitz was the only bully at the meeting that day. His intimidating approach and difficulty controlling his temper have no place on the commission.
The campaign sales pitch Weitz gives — that his public service experience makes him the best choice for voters — is overshadowed by the troubling temperament he put on public display.
His opponent, Alysen Africano-Nila, is a capable and much more even-keeled alternative candidate for voters to choose.
Africano-Nila, 53, has a background working in finance that would help the town with budgeting and investment decisions. And her pledge to “restore civility to our town” is the kind of change Highland Beach needs.
“He just berates people,” Africano-Nila said about Weitz. “He has a very condescending attitude.”
Weitz acknowledges that he spoke too harshly at the Nov. 7 commission meeting, but says that was just “one day in three years” on the commission. And Weitz maintains he was right to speak out against a commissioner who he contends had been unfairly criticizing town employees and others.
“I do believe I spoke too intensely and I apologize for that, but the content was true,” he said.
Yet the “content” of Weitz’ criticism that day — the notion that seemed to set him off — is as troubling as the harsh tone he used.
When other commissioners question the actions of town staffers, Weitz calls it “micromanaging.” He bristles at suggestions that an advisory board should have more involvement with town finances and investment decisions.
Africano-Nila says she would take a different approach, bringing more oversight to town operations and projects.
She has concerns about how the town administration has handled public coffers, saying too much taxpayer money was left in accounts gaining too little interest.
Africano-Nila said the town needs to focus on fixing flooding problems before proceeding with the $2.1 million “streetscape” project that voters are also