Where were Councilors Storch and Reid during the Public
Comments time of the Council Meeting? I expect that they had valid reasons not to
be present during the closing moments of a long working session. They owe no
one an explanation.
However, unless they had a damn good reason to have
left I would consider their early (relatively speaking) departure to be an insult to those citizens who were
willing to stay until about 11pm in order to publicly use their opportunity to
address their comments to the Council.
I must compliment Council President Rivers for extending a
privilege to the public for comments after PMUA Executive Director Williamson had made
his presentation. Unfortunately that courtesy took longer than anticipated. Rivers despite an apparent objection from Reid honored a promise to permit
Citizen Alan Goldstein to make his presentation relating the history of the
financial relationships between the PMUA and the City.
Goldstein's remarks were convoluted and disturbing; but the public should
be aware of any implications. Since Reid was out of the room during most of
Goldstein’s talk; I will extend to Alan Goldstein the privilege to print a
concise copy on this blog.
Williamson answered some 17 questions which the Council
President had previously submitted to him. I should say that he addressed those
questions rather than answered them.
It was same old stuff once again. He noted that the Sewer
Charges were based on the Water Company’s billings. For the 2013 bills the
record period was the last quarter of 2011 and the first three quarters of
2012. He noted that it was impossible to allow for summer lawn watering which
did not result in any usage of the sewer system. Nor could allowances be made
for swimming pools unless a separate meter was installed for the PMUA’s use. He
noted that that would raise a question of legal liability to the PMUA for which
they had no answer.
He did note the contracts the PMUA has made with nearby communities relating to organic trash disposal and noted how Sandy had made an "unanticipated" strain on the authority's facilities. I believe all of us were in the same shoe as the PMUA in not anticipating Sandy. Shame!
No answer was given to a comparison of”solid waste charges
with those of private haulers or other communities with those of the PMUA. As
to the fact that the Monday/Thursday group have 5 more non-collection days or
about 2% of the total than the Tuesday/Friday collection; Williamson said that
it was immaterial. If I heard him right he stated:”When one part of the town is
not being serviced the other half is being taken care of.”
I was under the impression that on Municipal holidays
all except essential civic services were closed.
For more on the PMUA discussion perhaps the city site
will inform when the meeting tape will be shown on the City TV station.
In the meantime please read Brenice’s Plaintalker II blog for today. She has a more concise reporter’s factual report of that portion of the meeting.Plainfield Today (Dan Damon) has also posted a long blog about the PMUA portion of the meeting.
Other discussion includes the 4th of July
celebration; plans are under way for July 6 and should be formalized by the end
of April. This is covered in a separate blog on Plaintalker II. One should read
the comments.
There is still discussion ongoing under Public Works
Director Jackson between the QCBL people and representatives from Recreation.
By inference from his remarks at the end of the meeting that may be Roland Muhammad.
Subsequent postings will further cover the Council
meeting plus some personal remarks about the PMUA and the July 4th
weekend.
If Mr. Goldstein's commentary was apparently too lengthy and too complicated for small minds to absorb. I will take a shot at 2 of the items he covered:
ReplyDelete1. David Minchello, Corporation Counsel, agrees, as have several other attorneys who have been consulted, that the regulations governing the PMUA unambiguously limit the total compensation received by the Commissioners, form direct and indirect sources, to $4500. The only attorney who disagrees and has constructed a contrived opinion is Ms. Leslie London who is retained by the PMUA. The total compensation which the Commissioners receive is typically in the order of $18,000 to $20,000 per year. In addition to the $4500 in direct payment they receive a benefits package consisting of family health, dental, eye insurance, disability insurance,etc. Since these benefits commenced in 1998 they have aggregated to hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal payments. The Council in permitting this abuse to continue is complicit.
2. There is no provision in the enabling legislation that warrants the City paying the PMUA $1,200,000/year. To demonstrate this takes more than making the statement. If anyone cared to follow Mr. Goldstein's detailed explanation it would be evident. No one cares, no one understands, no one wants to understand even if they do understand.
The entire community should be grateful to Mr. Goldstein for his extensive efforts in their interest.
Bil Kruse
Yes David Minchello did publicly state in answer to a question that he disagreed with Ms London's opinion on what consists of compensation ;taxable or not. Anyone who has not drunk from that pot would also agree that 18 to 20k insurance benefits being money not spent is money earned. Many of a lower court judge's opinion has been wrong when tested in a higher court; thus it is not the ultimate word.
ReplyDeletePlease note: Roland Muhammad has no nickel in that dime regarding baseball. He just wants to seem important by involving himself in matters that have nothing to do with him. Why don't we ask the council if he has played any part in the talks regarding baseball. For once, they should all be in agreement with a resounding "NO" because he was/is the problem and definitely not part of the solution.
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