Attorney Shlomo Elbaum, a member of the Bnei Brak City Council from the 'Good of the City' faction, claims that following a severe crisis of trust between Mayor Hanoch Seibert and the Rebbe of Gur, a 'call committee' of five members was appointed to oversee the city.
In a letter sent today (Monday) by Elbaum under the title "Subject: Question to Mayor Mr. Hanoch Seibert regarding the 'Called Committee'" - the council member writes: "From information that has reached me, it appears that a severe crisis of trust has arisen between the Mayor, Mr. Hanoch Seibert, and his patron, the Rebbe of Gur. Following this crisis of trust, a 'Called Committee' was appointed on behalf of the Rebbe of Gur, whose role is to supervise the Mayor, his conduct, and the manner in which he makes decisions.".
Elboim writes that "according to the information I have, the members of the committee are Yaakov David Rosenbaum, Matti Roth, Avraham Gottesman, Mordechai Lev and Moti Bruiner.".
The council member added and wrote: "If this is indeed how things are going, then this is an extremely serious incident, which shows that the mayor is not acting as an independent administrative authority, but rather under the supervision and direction of external parties, who are not elected officials, are not officeholders in the municipality, and are not authorized by law to intervene in the management of the city's affairs.".
""This is, ostensibly, a prohibited separation of authority, the subordination of the local authority to the authority of foreign entities, and the transfer of decision-making centers outside the binding legal framework.".
In the question, Albaum wants to know:
• Was a 'call committee' indeed appointed on behalf of the Rebbe of Gur for the purpose of supervising the mayor, his judgment and his actions? What are the powers given to that committee? Is there an official letter of appointment from the Rebbe of Gur for the members of the committee?
• If there is no such appointment letter, is this a move made "under the table" that amounts to "nicht in main naamen"?
• Did the mayor report to the municipality's legal advisor about the appointment of the committee and its actual involvement in municipal affairs?
• Were the committee members asked to sign a conflict of interest agreement? Has the mayor updated the conflict of interest agreement that applies to him, so that it also includes the interests of the committee members and their possible affiliations? Have the committee members signed a confidentiality agreement?
• Were committee members provided with city information, documents, data, internal materials, or any other confidential information?
• According to the mayor, do these entities have any status that allows them to engage, directly or indirectly, in municipal affairs?
• Does the mayor believe that the mere existence of an external oversight committee on behalf of the Rebbe of Gur is consistent with his duty to exercise his administrative powers himself, independently, objectively, and without dependence on foreign entities?
• Has the legal significance of a situation in which the mayor, in practice, does not act as an independent administrative authority but rather as someone who is subordinate to an external committee appointed by a party that has no legal standing in the management of the municipality been examined?
• Does this state of affairs not constitute an unlawful separation of authority, a violation of the principle of independence of the administrative authority, and a transfer of decision-making centers to external and unauthorized entities?
In addition, the council member asks: "Is there a connection between the appointment of Yaakov David Rosenbaum as a member of that oversight committee on behalf of the Rebbe of Gur, and his joint trip with the mayor to the United States, as part of the failed attempt to prevent the establishment of the Gerash Alter community in the United States, while exerting pressure and threats on Rebbes in the United States who would not dare to meet with Gerash Alter, lest he harm their interests in Bnei Brak?""
Elbaum demands: "In light of the seriousness of the matter, I would like to receive a full, detailed and accurate answer to each of the questions, including the attachment of any relevant documents, to the extent that they exist.".
The Bnei Brak municipality did not respond.
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