AGENDA SESSION #1

The wandering minstrel show aka Plainfield Common Council Agenda Setting meeting convened on time Monday eve at 7"30 PM in the spacious auditorium/gym of Cook School.

One Councilor was absent and another arrived about 20 minutes late. All Council members, Administrator Dashield, Corporation Counsel Williamson, our City Clerk and Assistant City Clerk sat along an extended table in front of the stage. Although all had microphones at times Corporation Counsel seemed to be carrying on a private conversation without the benefit of the microphone with either Councilor Storch or Mapp who were sitting at the other end of the table.

The session began with a report by Chairperson Carter regarding the conflict with the volunteer established Queen City Baseball league and the Recreations Department to establish a competing league in the same age group. It was the Council's position that all support should go to the established league and if there was an overflow of prospective participants then the Rec. Department should form its league.

The next item was a report by the Director of Administration and Finance, Health and Social Services Ms Bibi Taylor, on corrective measures of problems reported in the FY2008 audit. It was noted that Plainfield has not had a Qualified Purchasing Agent for years and much of expenditures were done by departmental individuals not through a central purchasing division. There has been dificlty track all the paperwork involved. She emphasised that corrective action was based on the FY 2008 Audit, The FY 2009 Audit has not been completed , so no new or ongoing problems have been identified.

Director of Public Works and Urban Development, Wenson-Mair, gave a report on the Flood Plains within the city. There was discussion on the premium rise in flood insurance and what possible methods an individual could use to have the property removed from the flood endangered list. It would be very expensive and would require proving the the property's elevation is above the flood level.

Some comments were made especially by Councilman Reid that there has been no flooding on his property since the hurricane in 1971. His premium has risen over 100% in the past few years. One seems to forget that insurance is to protect from the unexpected and the premium should be based on risk. Much of the First Ward, even though there is no visible water tract and even far from the Greenbrook falls into the flood plain. Similarly there is a large area in the Fourth Ward. The hidden, covered Cedar Brook through the 1st and 2nd Wards into the 3rd Ward under the High School remains a forgotten flood source.

End part #1; more later today.