As anticipated the Council meeting was short if not sweet.
With the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole Reid still
in South Carolina and an inability to establish a phone connection there was
only 6 Councilors present. Councilor Storch fulfilled the duties of the
Chairman.
The Communications from the Mayor offering a list of
nominees to the PMUA Commissioners Board failed to be considered because there
were only 3 “for” votes. The one exception the appointment of Jeffery Burke as
an alternate Commissioner only received 2 for votes when Greaves broke ranks.
The appointment of Carmine Louise, John Louise and Kim Montford
to the Shade tree Commission will be considered next week despite the fact that
the “legal?” address of the Louises is the City Yard/garage. Erratum: it too failed to get approval for consideration.
Appointments to the “Emergency Management Team”, despite
Councilor Williams questioning the appropriateness of nominations without (1)
no terms were noted, and (2) no opportunity for citizens to express interest
took place.
Councilor Greaves whose name was on the list withdrew it
because the City rules prohibit dual office holdings.
Mapp would have it on next week’s agenda if terms were
designated. No one has yet asked what are the qualifications needed to serve on
the team. Had the nominees been properly vetted?
Similarly appointments to the Plainfield African Caribbean
Commission met the same fate for the same reasons. One nominee: Charles Ugo Eke
who is a Commissioner of the PMUA should be ineligible as a violation of the
not holding two public offices
Mapp requested that Watchung Ave between 5th and
7th Streets be closed Jan.1,2014
for a “Peoples Inauguration” with speeches first on the City Hall Steps and
then a greeting line walk through the
lobby to exit in the back where there will be a heated tent to serve the masses.
All the resolutions including one reflecting Mapp’s requests
were approved for Monday night as were all 7 Ordinances for 2nd
reading.
During the Public Comment session Councilor Brown castigated
Alan Goldstein for his repeated comments that while she was serving the PMUA
and any Commissioners who had health insurance benefits were getting an illegal
compensation over the restricted $5000.00 honorarium.
Corporation Counsel Minchello had ruled that there was no
ethics violation for former PMUA Commissioners Brown (or Reid) voting for PMUA
Commissioners.
Before the next meeting I will comment on anything to be
voted upon that has not been covered this past week.
The voting by the three for the Mayor’s nominations despite
the defects in all once again suggests that members of this Council do not
understand their fiduciary responsibilities. Those members seem to be ruled by political
loyalty not legalities. I would add that a 4 vote political block bodes ill for Mapp's mayorship. These four in their blind devotion to the present Mayor can not represent the will of the people as expressed by votes.
The Charter's prohibition against dual office holding is not airtight, and permits the mayor to authorize someone to accept a second civil office provided there is no salary or other compensation.
ReplyDeleteAs for Councilor Brown's tirade, there is no doubt she received illegal compensation in the form of benefits totaling about $30,000, payments that violated a City ordinance, and PMUA's own bylaws and employee policies. Moreover, she is a defendant in a lawsuit brought against PMUA and each of its commissioners that is currently before Superior Court.
In the former instance she relies on a bogus legal opinion that is more an attempt at deception than it is opinion, provided for the cost of $300 by PMUA's legal counsel. In the latter, she is represented by the same counsel.
It is an obvious conflict of interest to vote or deliberate as a member of the City Council on matters directly pertaining to her co-defendants and by extension her legal counsel and personal financial interest. That is why the City's administrative code calls for her to disclose these interests and recuse herself. As a counterpoint, Councilors Mapp and Greaves removed themselves from taking any action on their church's application for a bingo/raffle license.
Mr. Minchello's disappointing remarks show again how city government often places itself outside the law and makes certain individuals' interests paramount to those of the populace.
Well said, Doc. Four members of the council think they are to do their will, not the people's. However, it is the people who voted for them.
ReplyDeleteThis is what you get when you have a group of people (voters/taxpayers) who complain, do nothing, and don't bother to educate themselves about the goings on in the city.
The only thing I can say about the replacement for Mapp is that if Jerry has anything to do with it, we will probably get someone with the lack of council experience and knowledge of Greaves. While it will not produce anything positive for Plainfield, it will be very entertaining.
Thank you, Doc. I could not have characterized the four stooges, Greaves, Brown, Reid, and Rivers. They show great loyalty to the worst mayor we've had in many years and little to the people of Plainfield. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous. if you want something get behind a candidate that will do something to change. It's not that hard to beat Jerry Green. Enough whining about the people not educating themselves. YOU go and help educate them. Get out there. These campaigns aren't THAT expensive. These are council races. Help them raise the money.
ReplyDeleteSick and f#^$^(* tired of the whoa is me attitude of people who complain about voters.