ACCOUNTABILITY

If I were a manic depressive I am sure that the local newspaper articles and the blogs of the last few days would make the recent stock market activity look like a booming economy compared to my psychological status. Fortunately, I do not have to consult "my son the psychiatrist."

Where to begin? The Courier is a good place. The City will have to pay former Chief Santiago $275,000. Fortunately the present administration can not be accused responsibility for this suit resulted from action by the Public Safety Director in the previous administration and will be paid from the Municipal Excess Liability Joint Insurance Fund which will also absorb the legal cost involved in the suit's defense.

However the settlement must like all claims impact on the city's annual contribution, in lieu of a premium , to the fund. If the legal costs are born by the city that adds to Plainfield's diversion of expendable funds from municipal needs.

But this administration could have defused the suit. Rather then clearing the Chief's record it chose to take political action and with the help of a compliant Council eliminated the Chief's position. There has never been an explanation as to his operational deficiencies or incompetency that led to the need to put the department under civilian political control. The city's expert also named Santiago who testified before the rubber stamp council had been fired from more than one Director of Public Safety position within the last few years. The city had lost a highly qualified well liked Latino official.

This brings us to Santiago's exile place the narcotic's Bureau which is in rented space at $2000.00+ a month. Director Hellwig mentioned that there is consideration of moving into the Teppers Basement which the city apparently owns and on which in 2007 reportedly spent nearly a half a million dollars -. What was the money expended for? How was the contract issued and why has it not been used? How much more money is required for converting the space into usable property? Let us have the answers.

I also read in today's papers that there has been an allocation of "Stimulus money" to Essex County and some communities. There has been published a list of requests for money from various New Jersey Communities, but sadly Plainfield is missing. Where is Administration?
If towns can apply for millions to repave parking lots we certainly should have had in by now at least a preliminary request for millions to return our roads to a functionally safe for cars and humans condition.

In regards to establishing a Director of Data Processing or IT or whatever name given position with the intention of not funding until it is to be filled,I will continue to oppose the concept. If the Council approved the Ordinance it is in effect creating a potential time bomb. We have had Directorships filled in the past without Council approval sometimes on an acting basis sometimes on technicalities for a prolong period of time. Under the present administration this could be prolonged for up to 10 months.

Since creating a position following the Ordinance process under the present Council schedule could be accomplished in as few as 50 days, there is no emergency needed to create an unfulfilled position unless there are unannounced agendas. Let the Council and Administration not procrastinate, but for once investigate and then determine exactly what is required to best serve Plainfield's IT needs. We need hard fact at what is to be accomplished, what personnel and "hard materials" are needed and what is the most cost effective way to do the job. At present people are talking about "pie in the sky" and present nothing concrete.

Since I am posting twice this Saturday, I may reserve tomorrow for a few memory photographs and only "breaking news comments".