Who is Behind 'Why Wyckoff?'

A group calling itself "Why Wyckoff?" has been trying to help put the brakes on a ShopRite proposed for the township through mailers, lawn signs and a seemingly grassroots website.

But just who is behind this elusive advocacy group remains a mystery and continuous efforts to reach anyone behind "Why Wyckoff?" have turned up dead ends.

Residents displaying the group's signage on their lawns have been provided no contact info, multiple messages to the group's listed email address have gone unanswered, and the public relations firm that created the website refused to connect Wyckoff Patch with representatives.

The website was registered in February by Karen Kessler, who works with Evergreen Partners, a public relations firm that lists among its clients.

But Kessler, reached by phone last week, denied that she or Evergreen play an active role in the operation of "Why Wyckoff?" 

"I'm not involved," Kessler said. "We were asked by a few folks if we could help set up the website early on in the process."

Kessler refused to provide additional details regarding who had made the initial request and claimed she didn't know who was currently posting on the site.

"I don't know them, I don't know who they are," Kessler said. "We provided a forum for people who want to comment on the website." 

The blog-style site mostly provides details on upcoming Wyckoff Planning Board meetings as well as brief opinions on testimony. All posts on the site have been by an unnamed user "whywyckoff" — who last posted on Sept. 28. 

Anyone visiting the site can comment, provided they supply a name and email address. No comments have been logged since June 21. 

Beside this online forum and the lawn signs, the "Why Wyckoff?" name has been attached to a postcard mailed to residents earlier this month.

Kessler denied that Warren-based Evergreen Partners funded the WhyWyckoff.com mailer.

Despite disconnecting her firm from the "Why Wyckoff?" group, Kessler stressed that she remained concerned that the public hasn't been given a proper opportunity to voice their opinions at hearings.

Wyckoff Planning Board members on multiple occasions have told the public directly that they were be able to ask questions about the testimony given during a particular meeting, but that time was reserved at the end of the application hearing for public comments.

Evergreen Partners continues to work with Stop & Shop on "visibility building across the state," Kessler said.  

Wyckoff residents near the vacant lot where Inserra Supermarkets hopes to build the ShopRite have voiced concerns with the plan, but said they did not know who was behind the group "Why Wyckoff?"

Sarah Derico, a Wyckoff Avenue resident took down her "Size It Right" sign because its message was too vague, but still had concerns about increased traffic that the store could bring.

"I'm worried about the traffic study that was done, that it wasn't really comprehensive," Derico said.

Derico said someone from the group named "Brian" had contacted her periodically about the application, but did not leave any contact info with which to reach him.

Greenwood Avenue resident Nicole Moody said traffic was also her main concern with the plan.

"I have a hard enough time getting out of my driveway," Moody said. "People give me the finger all the time. They're honking at me as I'm trying to get out of the driveway."

Moody said she was also worried about a decrease in the value of her home and lights and noise from the store late at night and early in the morning.

Moody said she had originally requested one of the signs from the whywyckoff@gmail.com email address provided on the website. Someone dropped it off when she wasn't home.

Someone from the group also dropped off new signs, which currently stand in front of her house. Moody said nobody was home when the deliveries were made and that she did not know who was involved in the organization.

Outgoing Wyckoff Mayor Kevin Rooney, who has received more than 80 emails and 50 phone calls related to the Inserra project calls from residents  — mostly that appears to be directly unrelated to "Why Wyckoff?" — was unsure who was behind the group.

"I have a problem with anyone who does not take credit and misrepresents themselves," he added. 

contributed to this report.