TWO PROPERTIES.

Although it may be better to address each in separate blogs, today I am focusing on two "buildings". Actually one is a complex of several separate buildings known as the Muhlenberg Hospital campus.

About a year before the announcement that the hospital would be closed, Solaris as the successor owner of the Muhlenberg Campus quietly had the Zoning Board subdivide the property into if memory is correct five separate plots. The original large plot had been zoned I am told for Health Care related use. The new subdivisions now were individually zoned and could potentially be sold for non hospital related use.This premeditated action went unrecognized at the time by the Common Council members and the general public.

This Sunday the Courier published what we all knew was going to happen. Solaris is actively planning to sell the property to developers for non hospital use. The looting of the assets rightly belonging to the people of Plainfield and those who made the Hospital beneficiaries will now be complete. The loser again is the residents of Plainfield. The total of millions of dollars acquired by Solaris will never be known. What will be known is the loss of adequate health care in Plainfield.

What is now important is how the various parcels are zoned. Did the process years ago result in facilitating the dismemberment of the Campus? Can it now before sale be rezone to preserve the possibility of restoring a functioning hospital? The Mayor and I will add the Assemblyman owe us a complete honest evaluation.

The other building is the YWCA. There is a strong rumor that this facility's financial problems will cause it to cease operations within the next few months. This is probably the origin for the Mayor's trial balloon to purchase the building for $4 million.

Obviously the building will be up for sale. Is the property locally owned or does the national organization hold title? There can be no justification for a city purchase at such an inflated price. The property by being tax exempt has had the support of every taxpayer in the city and thus a de facto ownership interest in the property. If a local foundation or tax exempt charity is the title holder they could fulfill their moral obligation by transferring title to the City for $1.00 for transfer to my proposed "Recreation Authority".

In our fight against crime and gangs we are hampered by the lack of facilities for youth and recreational activities. This would go a long way of alleviating that need.

I propose that a Recreation Authority be established to oversee, coordinate and also independently operate recreation and youth activities in Plainfield. Abolish the Recreation Division of the City. Members of the Governing Board of the Authority should be drawn from present members of the Recreation Committee, various citizen groups and individuals deemed competent to give general direction to such a nonsectarian program. Church and ethnic sponsored groups would remain independent but their activities would supplement those of the Authority.

The above is only a broad incomplete plan, but I am convinced that it is doable if Plainfield wishes and would in a few years turn the city around. Talk is cheap but we must be willing to walk the walk.

The following two paragraphs excerpted from the "Violence Prevention Institute's " article is a professional statement in agreement with my repeated suggestions.

"Children often have unsupervised time. If this becomes excessive, children will search for something to do to prevent boredom. Gang activities can fill the excess time. Parents should be involved in coordinating and sponsoring activities for their children. More activities and parental involvement will decrease the strength a gang has in the neighborhood. Parents should form community groups that are willing to supervise children's activities. It is also important to know where your child is at all times. Make them accountable for their time and actions.

Gang activities appear exciting to children. Children, especially teens, like to take risks. Gangs provide many opportunities to take risks and find excitement. Make sure your children are involved in sports, clubs or other activities that provide healthy risk taking opportunities. Get children involved with community work to help make neighborhoods safe. "

This not gadgets is the true road to criminal activity prevention. $1,000,000.00 spent on these programs over five years will be more effective that "shotsound" gadgets.