CABOT TRAIL 1948

This old photo of the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. was taken in 1949.

We had been married while I was in Medical School one month before Pearl Harbour. One war and three daughters later we were able to take a slightly belated honeymoon. Off we went in our new "fishbowl" Studebaker to tour eastern Canada. Many of the roads in Quebec, the Gaspe, Prince Edward and Cape Breton were gravel only. The design of the car itself was an item of great interest to the "natives".

The pristine beauty of this gravel highway has changed greatly since then. Not only have the roads been paved, but Cape Breton is now easily accessible via a causeway/bridge instead of a ferry.

We did revisit the Maritime Provinces ,skipping Cape Breton, with another couple in the late 60s. Along the way we found time to play several interesting golf courses including the one at the site of "Anne of the Green Gables" on Prince Edward Island. Since then Prince Edward Island has also been connected to the mainland by a bridge eliminating the large car ferry that also served as a railroad train transport.

NEEDED- COUNCIL ACTION

The City Council Agenda is never set in stone. It is true that the Agenda Setting Session's purpose is to decide what matters should be presented for action or discussion at the business meeting. One reason for this format is to prevent any member of the council or more importantly the public from being blindsided by unexpected Council action. However Parliamentarian procedure and the Council's own rules provide for any new urgent resolution to be introduced by unanimous vote of the members present for action at that meeting.

To be prepared for an injunction and appeal of the issuance of a CoN giving Solaris the legal right to do what it has been doing can not, should not be delayed beyond July 21, 2008. If it is already too late to prepare then the Council as the legislative body must authorize immediate action by the Corporation Counsel. There can be no other alternative.

It is a fact that the City Charter delegates the power to initiate resolutions to the Council and not the Mayor. There is no requirement for such a resolution to be submitted after passage for the Mayor's approval.The ball is in the Council's court.


Yes there are legal matters (considerations) involved. That is why the city charter provides for a Corporation Counsel who acts in accordance with the city's Administrative Code.

If the long haul and costs are unacceptable to the city, then Plainfield has no future much less than a present. Yes costs means an increase tax burden, but like big business in today's economic crisis for the community to survive as a desirable place to live, there may have to to be budget tightening, sharing of benefits , even temporary salary and position readjustments.

Council members in their reluctance to be proactive in preserving quality health care for this community have indicated concerns about potential political consequences. It is time for our politicians and influential party leaders to act in the community's interest.

Perhaps at Monday's meeting procedure can be altered , again by vote of the Council, and the Public Comment section of the Agenda be altered to permit the public to speak on the hospital issue before any resolutions are acted upon. If more than 30 minutes are needed , so be it.

Green's Laudation

Could one answer concerning the sponsors of the ad. praising Assemblyman Green's involvement in seeking alternative Health Care options for Plainfield be the possibility that all signers with the exception of Plainfield's Mayor receive funding or licensing from the State? Certainly that could not be the answer since if so there would be a suspicion of blackmailing.

POTPOURRI

Some day I will be able to teach my spelling checker how to spell; "lern" for learn"?

"Slightly red faced"; In my St. Michel post I stated that supplies had to be "packed animal brought up from the point where the jeeps turned around. I said that the trail was too narrow for vehicles. Memory does fade with years. The second set of pictures shows a TRUCK, albeit a small one, parked next to the Abbey. Also the "trail" above the jeeps shows distinct vehicular trackways. Despite what the Council will not accept, I can't always be right.

Any pharmacist will tell you that one of the requirements to be a physician is to be able to write in an illegible undecipherable manner. I have problems reading my jotted notes of the Council meetings, therefore my comments are perceptions rather than 100% factual. I suggest that they be read in concert with Plainfield Plaintalker.

Disbelief; I c an understand why some of the "signers" of Jerry Green's praise ad. would do so. by why would the Plainfield Rescue Squad thank him for making their job harder and more dangerous for the patients ? Why would the Neighborhood Health Service Corporation-Plainfied thank him for increasing the risk facing its maternity patients? Why would Trinitas, Overlook, and Somerville hospitals congratulate him on overloading their facilities? Why would MRMC congratulate him for helping it discontinue services in Plainfield? Who applied what political pressure? I would hope that each of the above parties would answer these questions.

Obviously the Council will stonewall any action against Solaris until it would be meaningless. .The window of opportunity is rapidly closing.

Will there be anything left of MRMC to close when the Commissioner of DHSS issues her approval of the CON. Solaris acts as if it has been done but I have not read any notice to that effect. s she waiting for thew public turmoil to die down? Or does the politicians think it to be advisable to use as much of the 120 day period as possible?

Anonymous do you have answers?

Tweaking photographs

I thought that I would play with one picture that was slightly faded. This is a town in Austria above Vienna on the Danube. The picture has been manipulated to give the effects noted in order. {Someday I will learn how to get the labels exactly adjacent to the picture)

Gamma adjusted

An oilpainting effect

Posterized



A watercolor effect

COUNCIL AGENDA SESSION 7/17/08.

Today’s Plainfield Plaintalker has a complete three part breakdown factual report of last night’s meeting. There is no way that I could possibly write a better more accurate report than that professional presentation.

Isn’t it too bad that the print media no longer sees fit to report on Plainfield’s governing body?

Although because of the late hour, nearly 11 pm when I left with two individuals still waiting to speak, I missed the donnybrook that ended the meeting.

DON QUIXOTE

My comments about the meeting will be segmental in approach, the first I would call the Don Quixote portion. It began with a request from Michael Moore President and proprietor of ‘First Thursday LLC to use the MILT CAMBELL park and city streets for a multiethnic group all day event that would have commercial sponsorships. The program outlined was nebulous and the council requested submission of analysis of pr4oject costs events and security expenses further

Next came a request from Councilman Storch to have the Council pass a resolution in support of the recently signed legislation call for insured care for children not insured. This was to be the first stage of a universal plan. The Councilman felt that in view of Plainfield’s Muhlenberg disaster this bill would help economically mitigate some of the newly created void. Although, some Councilmen questioned where the funding would come from, no one proposed any strong action to prevent or alter the impact of Solaris actions. That would seem to me to be a more logical action.

RESOLUTIONS FOR SPENDING FUNDS

Corporation Counsel submitted a resolution to “Authorize Approval to approve Qualified Vendors and Service Providers in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:11-2(6). This act is supposedly aimed at the “Pay to Play” situation in this Soprano State. The act only changes the field by setting ground rules on how vendors can be eligible for receiving lucrative contracts. The only requirement for public notification is that there can be a notice posted on the municipal website. No legal notice in the news media is required, thus requests to be listed may go unnoticed by potential applicants. On the other hand there is no restriction on notifying any vendor that there would be a short term posting of specific program on the city’s website. It must be noted that professional service contracts need not be opened to competitive bidding. What’s new?

Councilman Storch objected to this flaw in N.J.S.A 40A11-2(6).and stated that he could nor support this resolution unless there was a requirement for public newspaper notification.

The City Administrator under PUBLIC WORKS submitted several resolutions relating to (a) road reconstruction and (b) URBAN ENTERPRISE ZONE security cameras.

The road reconstruction resolutions included contracts for resurfacing West4th St. from Clinton Ave to the City Line. Also 2 resolutions to award a bid contract to JENICAR BUILDERS CONTRACTORSS CO..; One not to exceed $747,591.25 for FY 2006 Road Improvement Program Phase I and the other not to exceed $1,636,151.40 for Phase III of the same year.

In response to questioning why this seemingly reduplication of engineering estimates and plans for a program which would have been the second year of the 6year 2004 Capital Improvement Program which had been presented by the engineering corporation of SCHHOOR-DEPALMA. It was pointed out that the original estimates were done 4 years ago and these were for the 2006 work that is now schedule for 2009. Confused?

Also presented was a resolution to reject bids for phase II of the 2006 Roadway etc. b because of a lack of clarification relating to performance completion dates. This phase will be resubmitted for completion in 2009

The other major expense f requested was basically for a feasibility study for security cameras for the SID zone along with money for the cameras and $24,000 defray part of the costs for inside security cameras in SID participant’s business establishments. Assurance was give hat funds available would not have an adverse effect on remanding UEZ funds.

ORDINANCES

Two were presented for introduction:

(1) Bond ordinance to finance $1, 000,000.00 for Phase III (the 2006.year of the 6 year2004 plan) for 2010 road reconstruction. There was some discussion if the increased debt was not going to place an unbearable tax burden on the public.

(2) To create a Transit Oriented Development Netherwoods Zone and to rezone that area from “mixed” to allow 4 stories of residential over a ground floor commercial dev elopement. This ordinance was accepted for inclusion in the agenda despite Councilman Storche’s concerned objections to the ramifications of this ordinance.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

The final 30 minutes of the meeting was scheduled for Public Comments. Since several residents were still standing in line to speak, Councilman Storch moved to extend the period for another 30 minutes, later amended because of Councilman Simmons’ objection, to 15 minutes. Three subjects were the focus of comments; the Transit zone, road reconstruction and the lack of official support for action to keep Muhlenberg functional. Councilman Davis vehemently expressed his objection to the implication that the council had not actively opposed the closure again referring to an early ineffectual resolution. The public speakers were rather strong I their comments regarding the lack of serious office al support

I left just a few minutes before the shouting match which ended the meeting took place.

I would like to point out that for almost three months I have requested at each session without success that the Council take a strong proactive position relating to the Hospital. There are several actions that must be taken in the certain event of the granting of the CoN; (a) seeking an injunction, (b) instituting “Eminent Domain proceedings. and (3) immediate removal of the site from tax exemption status. The Council must bite the bullet.

COUNCIL AGENDA SETING SESSION- SUBSTITUTE

Monday July 14th's meeting start was delayed until shortly after 8pm while the council was in executive session. The public Agenda Setting meeting before a crowded room of standees lasted until after 10pm and the 30 minute public remarks time was extended to almost 11pm.

It was too late to even contemplate what was important. My comments will appear either late Tuesday or at the latest on Wednesday
As a sop, I have found on a storage disc more pictures of the Abbey St. Michel de Cuxa.





Another view of the Abbey, The foot trail,Jeep at turn-around waiting to take people to the town which in the view from the Abbey tower is in the valley.