MONDAY'S CHOICE-BAD

  I picked the worst of the three choices. If I had stayed and watched the Mets I would have seen Flores hit a walk off homerun in the 10^th.

  I did get home in time to watch PONTUS announce his nomination for SCOTUS Justice. More about this in a follow up blog.

  My choice of the Council meeting was as bad as I thought it would be. A little late getting there I was delayed further by a police desk officer who despite my dependence on the walker informed me that the entrance to the Council was up the Watchung Ave Court House steps. How he thought I could manipulate them I will never know.

  I arrived just in time for the Mayor’s discussion on the State mandated charter changes. Perhaps he has studied Trump since he first spoke how over the past fifty years needed changes have been made on the Holland Tunnel, the NJ Turnpike and as the Charter Study Commission had recommended were needed to the City Charter.

  I as member of that Commission’s recommended change from the weird three department lineups from the Fury era to five Departments had been the legislative request sent from the Council to the State Legislature which had to enact such changes.

 The Jerry Green house never considered the Council’s request however suddenly with Linda Carter as a new Assemblywoman a changed was mandated for a complete charter restructuring .which included 7 departments, and 10 Confidential Aids.

 Mapp passed out a flow sheet which among changes had eliminated Public Safety in favor of separate Police Departments headed by the present Public Safety Director in his former dual role as Police Director; and new Fire Department which would be created headed by a Fire Department Director and the position of Fire Chief would be eliminated. No explanation why no Chief.

  Most of the other suggested new Departments seemed logical but I fail to understand why “Communications and Technology which included IT and Media Communication needs to have Department Status.

  Mapp gave no explanation that I could understand  either in his discussion or after the meeting concluding Public comment was closed  except that there was a “mistake”  in the Sate’s information so what  always existed in principle would  be permitted but there were no plans to fill those positions.

  He also stated that these changes were “Budget Neutral” since everyone except the “Fire Department Director” was already an employee disregarding a fact that a level promotion invariable is accompanied by a salary raise and that a vacancy to be filled would be at the present position.

  As expected public discussion on this item could only take place at session ending Public Comments. At this time two members of the Commission including Mary Burgwinkle  Jeanette Criscone  and citizen Greg Haworth  spoke critically against the  exercising the new charter changes. Burwinkle implying that there was an odor of patronage gains.

  I anticipate that at the August Combined (i.e.: no Council agenda setting session) this Council will adopt the Mayor’s legislative changes.