It was the opinion of the Corporation Counsel that it was
the date, May 16 that the notice for the special meeting was transmitted to the
newspapers, not the date of publication, May 20 the day of the meeting, which
gave legitimacy to the Council’s Special meeting.
The results were as anticipated; however, a slight wisp of
sanity did hit the Council Tuesday night when it did not eliminate funding for
the Economic Developer’s position and after Councilor William requested a reconsideration
so that she could change her vote, the Council provided for funds for
additional help in the City Clerk’s office.
Granted that the Council cannot eliminate or fill a specific
position it can alter or delete funding on a specific line, such as “media”. It
is then up to administration to allocate the available funding the best it can
so in actual effect the Council makes it impossible to retain those filling a
specific position.
Despite that restriction on the Council’s powers; former
MAYOR Sharon Robinson-Briggs after a scathing attack on Mayor Mapp for not
funding positions she wanted filled when he was a Councilman; then implored the
Council to find funds to rehire a former part time(?) employee of Recreation
Division as well as another unnamed clerical employee.
The length of the meeting was due to the large number of
citizens that spoke against the reductions as well as some that while politically
attacking Mayor Mapp praised the Council’s actions.
The gist of all of the remarks both before the Council vote
and in the General Public Comments portions of the agenda that were critical of
the cuts were that the Council was being very short sighted and by crippling the
filling of positions that they had previously approved were in effect destroying
any opportunity for Plainfield to re-develop itself into a viable community.
That was most vigorously emphasized before the Council voted
by Mario Camino of Arkad Group Investments LLC who is committing several million
dollars to redevelopment of the downtown area including the old Savings bank
corner and other properties in anticipation of the Transit Village and the
planned one seat ride into NYC.
He noted that the political atmosphere in Plainfield is
scaring other developers away.
Roland Crawford aka Roland Muhammad again warned about gentrification
taking Plainfield away from those who lived here. He did attack bloggers for
“disrespecting” him although he himself has never shown any respect for others,
especially Plainfield citizens who had created a successful baseball program;
than the former Mayor and her Council supporters.
It is the duty of both Administration and Council to
cooperate not either one to deliberately act antagonistic to the other.
Administration has definitive charges from the public and
must implement them. It is not the Councils prerogative to insist on their
choices of personnel; only assure that the individual selected by
administration is qualified and comes with no baggage.
The Council has a duty to be sure that there is no wasted
funding that will cause a rise in taxes. It must recognize that there is an
increasing loss of ratables in the city which is accelerated by increasing downward
revision of property assessments which results in increased individual property
taxes.
That is a trend that cannot be reversed if the city does not
take aggressive action to improve.
It is Council’s obligation to monitor how administration is
doing its job, not restrict it with self-serving personal agendas.
It is time that political difference be settled at the polls
not by
fighting between the two bodies of government.
I hope many voters read this, but alas not many do. We need to get out and let people know how many on the Council are voting the way their boss wants and not the way the people and city need. Let's vote these jokers out and do something positive. Taylor, Reid, Rivers, and Greaves need to go!. Let's do it!
ReplyDeleteWhy is gentrification bad. It will bring people into the city who pay taxes not like the four leaches.
ReplyDeleteIt is a threat to Jerry and those who support him.
DeleteAnd so does Jerry. There is a great ground swell starting. Many people who have been silent for whatever reason are now seeing how Jerry has done nothing for Plainfield. And worse - he is proud of it! Listen to him - I am proud of what I have done for Plainfield. Well, his standards are very low, and his respect is bought. Sad, and pathetic.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that the council and the public spent so much time on rather small budget categories and little to no time on the topic of the declining ratables in the city says it all. They have been declining for TEN years and this council, the former Mayor and Ass. Green have done nothing to stop the bleeding. Last night was purely political and had nothing to do with improving/advancing Plainfield. For those that support Ass. Green, they should realize that the only notable accomplishment from his tenure is to give state and county jobs to a handful of his pawns. With respect to the city as a whole he has done very little if anything that is meaningful. Even as the "head of housing" he has failed his constituents. For those on the Council that would give any credence to the budget comments from former Mayor SRB, they should consider themselves ill equipped to hold office. She was not only one of the worst Mayor's in Plainfield history, she was repeatedly a failure at the budgeting process. Her administration was always late with their budgets and then the numbers didn't quite add up. In addition, unlike Mayor Mapp's budget this year, Sharon's budgets were almost always higher than the prior year. The fact that she has the brass balls to say positions should be cut to save money and then end her comments by asking the city to rehire one employee and give a raise to another tells you something about her hypocrisy. In addition, the Mapp Administration had to deal with her expensive and last minute promotions at the police department.
ReplyDeleteThe CBAC was a joke (not just the "findings" and commentary but the style itself) and Richard Stewart seems to have had a healthy serving of Ass. Green Kool-Aid. I think he may have visions of a Council run going through his head. His suggestion that parks and rec fees be raised should garner quite a few votes for his opponent.
Lets hope the citizens of Plainfield are motivated on June 3rd to remove the obstacles on the council that are impeding progress. This city can't handle too many more years of Greaves/Rivers/Taylor (and sadly to date Brown). We are competing with other municipalities for development and jobs and unfortunately we have a self centered disaster of an Assemblyman and a Council that carries his water for him. With this group we will continue to lose and so will our citizens - rich, poor and in-between.
Let's hope that the ground swell you talk about will lead to people actually getting up, leaving their comfort zone (home) and going to the polls to VOTE FOR THE CHANGE THEY WANT! As part of that change, I am running for the First Ward Council Seat and can be found on your ballot at F-7. My positions can be read in detail on my web site at www.ElAmin4CityCouncil.com. Vote for Plainfield First . . . Plainfield Forward!
ReplyDeleteTime for Sharon to get a job--if there's a job for which she's qualified. She has too much time on her hands and spends too much time trying to run the city. SHE HAD HER CHANCE! 8 years, and one disaster after another. SHARON, PLEASE GO AWAY!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait until the primary is over so the Dems will start pretending there is nothing wrong and hold hands again for a few more months.. Jerry Green will be good again, the RDO's and New Dem's will giggle and laugh whilst they stab each other in the back instead of snarling and the unified effort of sinking the USS Plainfield will go so much smoother...
ReplyDeleteRob, you know politics and you know that is not true. I hope you will be rallying your friends and neighbors to get their vote out on June 3, and then to get Jerry out next year.
DeleteGo back through Storch and Mapp's blogs..... you'll see the endorsements for the DEMOCRATIC SLATE more than once.. .including couple ringing endorsements of Jerry Green and Sharon Robinson-Briggs... so the hypocrisy lays right where it belongs.. at their feet. So yes, wait and see if they do it again is in order... Personally, I believe they can't help themselves.
DeleteRob here are three quotes which would explain and justify their actions, if there is justification
DeleteA politician is a man who will double cross that bridge when he comes to it.
Oscar Levant
An election is coming. Universal peace is declared, and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry. ~George Eliot, Felix Holt
Some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others their principles for the sake of their party. ~Winston Churchill
thank you Doc... so true.. so true.. The New Dems on City Council and our new Mayor are choking on their actions of the past... and.. until they change, choke they shall... Eagerly waiting for the days after the primary... just to see if they continue their usual game of "Jerry's Good Now" !
DeleteMakes me glad I don't live in Plainfield.
ReplyDeleteYou should not be glad you do not live here. This is a great place filled with fun and caring people. Do not judge this city by council members who have their self interest at heart, and an assemblyman who rules by fear and preys on ignorance.
DeleteThe people of this city have had enough. You better jump into the housing market now - it will be unaffordable in a few years.
Rather pathetic and sad to hear Sharon always talk about how she was mayor and proud of her administration. Really proves that she had no clue now and no clue then.
ReplyDelete