ABOUT 2014 ADMINISTRATION

No matter who will be the incoming Mayor, and it would be a major disaster to the big Green Machine if it is not Mapp; there could be five new faces in City Hall come January 2014.

That is because the Directors of the three Departments, the City Administrator, and the Corporation Counsel terms are tied into the Mayor’s term in office.

One problem with municipal operations lies in the three (3) Department configuration mandated under our charter; Administration and Finance which includes Health and Social Services as well as the Municipal Court, Public Affairs & Safety, and Public Works and Urban Development.  It is hoped that the Charter Study Commission will recommend reconfiguration in the number and responsibilities of Departments who’s Directors are accountable to the City Administrator.

One of the great weaknesses of the present Administration has been with the exception of Public Affairs and Safety; the revolving door policy regarding Departments and Administrator. This lack of consistency has been compounded by frequent prolonged vacancies.

There are several recent appointees in the past year and half that could merit consideration of retention by the new administration.

Certainly Eric Jackson has demonstrated a degree of expertise in Public Works that was completely missing from the get go until his arrival on the scene. His impact has been most visible throughout the City.  There has been very little in the way of Urban Development activity in the past two years to make a judgment. However he has frequently pinch hit positively for Administrator Berry at the Council meetings.  Mapp should not lose him.

In fact if there is a change in the City Administrators post; Jackson would be an excellent appointee for that post.  He is an asset who should be held on to until he becomes Mayor of Trenton.

Eric Berry; the City Administrator is harder to evaluate since he is working for a Mayor who acts as if she were the “Czar”.  Given that experiences of other recent City Administrators his freedom of action may well be restricted. His biggest demerit is that he has missed too many Council sessions where he and the Corporation Counsel act as a resource.

Minchello’s term as corporation Counsel has been refreshing since he does not act as the alter-ego or messenger boy of the Mayor. He is not a Williamson and is not dependent on a full time position as Corporation Counsel. I believe that at the Charter Commission he stated that he represents both Administration and Counsel.

Whether he is reappointed will be depended upon the New Mayor. It seems to me that a review of that office’s structure could be in order. I would hope that if there is a change it would not be done in a spirit of “the spoils of war”.

There will be without question new directors of the remaining two Departments.

Administration and Finance has been one of the revolving doors often vacant. The present Director, Restaino, was appointed after a long period of vacancy in that office. He has been a long time Director of the Division of Community Development in the Department of Public Works and Urban Development and still holds that post.

It is an weird situation where Restaino as a Director is Jackson’s equal yet at the same time Jackson’s subordinate. Only in OZ do we weave tangled webs!

Public Affairs and Safety Director Hellwig has been in office from early in the Mayor’s first administration.  The Divisions in this department include Police, Fire, and Emergency Management.  

The Fire Division seems to be autonomous under its Chief. Not so with the Police where he has also acted as Civilian Director after what appeared to be a costly political elimination of the office of Police Chief.

There is one other position that has been conveniently vacant or filled by very part time individuals, that is the CFO. This is a priority if we are going to be fiscally responsible.

Who the incoming administration selects to fill these important jobs will impact on the City’s revival.

There is one given; Dec. 31, 2013 will mark the end of personal cult (mis)management of Plainfield’s Government. I anticipate that Mapp’s Administration will be noteworthy with a well structured organization. Hopefully there will be redemption of political debts.

What is to be hoped is that the Council will work as a unit to better the city rather than be involved in its petty factional voting.

There can and should be disagreements but they have to have reasoning and to be  productive. That will be the Council's charge in 2014..