Major items at the Council meeting were related to the presentation of the Rescue Squad situation, and the first reading of the Ordinance creating a position of "Director of Data Processing". The squad problem has been adequately covered by the news media ( Courier today 2/19/09), and Assemblyman Green's blog as well as Plainfield Today, Plainfield Plaintalker, and I hope this one.
Today Plainfield Plaintalker addresses the Data Processing Director ordinance in detail. I have alluded to it earlier and will do so again today. However before doing so I would like to call every ones attention to Plaintalker's posting on Black History Month. This is a must read.
In my youth, Plainfield had a bigoted element that exercised social and political power. The black community occupied an area that mostly extended between West 3rd St and the railroad tracks, from Plainfield Ave. to Grant Ave. There was an extension along West 4th Street from Liberty to Spooner Ave. and gradually spreading south and west.
Liberty Street from the tracks to 4th Street and West 3rd from Liberty to Plainfield Ave was the locality of a thriving Jewish commercial and residential area. Long before the riots but after WWII that area had been replaced by the 'projects".
To return to the Council meeting; action was taken to use a grant for the summer concerts in the downtown square. Also to participate in the county's " First Alert program" as well as approving funds for the Bryant Park Restroom facility.
To return to the Ordinance creating a cabinet level directorship of IT; I consider it to be ill advised at the present time. I am no denying the need for a responsible individual to fill that roll, but in the present economic times there will be many qualified individuals seeking employment and who would readily accept a lesser salary to be employed. Today, it is a buyers market and the city should be able to get great value for its buck.
I need not remind the Council that if it were not for Administrations entering into a contract that was never satisfactorily completed for development of IT systems several years ago, the present disorganization would not exist. There has also been a question about the then rubber stamp Council's pre-approval of the contract. See Plainfield Today old blogs.
There is however no reason that such a division could not be created by resolution under the director of finances etc. and the salary level be appropriate established at the time of fulfillment.
The Council needs not to be reminded that this is time for draconian measures in the not yet filled 2009 and the pending 2010 budgets. Although the state unions are contesting the 2 furlough days for the 2009 FY there will have to be a greater tightening of the belt for2010. The state of Ohio despite workers resistance has already instituted a one week furlough sans pay for the present year and are talking about further cuts. All political venues are facing similar situations and in some both union and salaried workers have cooperated. In any budget review the necessity of all position s should be subject to an in depth review.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
RESCUE SQUAD & CITY HEALTH C ARE
I am digressing from reviewing the Council meeting due to the content of Plainfield Today, Plainfield Plaintalker's report on Jenny Pernell's appearance before the Council and Assemblyman Green's post today about "The Plainfield Rescue Squad Issue: Muhlenberg Recap."
Ms. Pernell recounted the physical as well as the financial problem the Squad is having in servicing Plainfield. She noted that the Rescue Squad has only one operational ambulance and five months after MRMC was closed Solaris has not lived up to its agreement to provide another ambulance, nor has the Commissioner of Health etc attempted to enforce that agreement.
She recounted the extraordinary delays encountered in answering emergency calls in Plainfield and that the surrounding squads are beginning to refuse to cover. They have no obligation to do so and such service is voluntary. She also noted that Plainfiled's squads income comes from insurance payment, and that only about 12% of the calls are adequately covered. With the closing of the hospital the trips are longer and Medicare reimbursement no longer covers expenses. In addition only 4 hours of the day are covered by volunteer squad members, the other EMTs are salaried.
Other area squads receive between $50,000 and $100,000 yearly from their community. Plainfield receives nothing. Fuel which up to 1995 was delivered at cost by the city must be purchased from commercial vendors.
Assemblyman Green notes that "In the last six months, we have accomplished a lot in terms of making sure the residents of Plainfield and surrounding communities receive the best medical care not only from Solaris, but also from the surrounding hospitals. Because the ambulance issue is a part of a group of other concerns in the lawsuit, I have asked the Mayor and Council President to finalize their concerns and send them to the State. They will separate our concerns from other organizations involved in the lawsuit who are trying to lump us together with their distractions, which would in turn, slow our process."
He again blames others for the lack of progress and does not give concrete examples of what has been accomplished for the residents of Plainfield to receive "the best medical care". He equates the grant of &644,250 to the Plainfield Health Center as "aid to our health services in lieu of Muhlenberg closing. I would hope that he would not consider using the Health Center as an acceptable lieu to the Hospital if he or his family had a life threatening medical emergency.
In all deference to our Assemblyman's position at the State<, I doubt that he could have stemmed the forces that closed Muhlenberg. Politically, probably only a few of the area State Senators could have exerted if they had wished that type influence.
What would be helpful if the Assemblyman would identify his "new Task Force", and specifically how he, the mayor, and the TaskForce are going to "move forward". Also why is everyone who disagrees with Jerry Green a New Democrat. It reminds me of McCarthy and his communist witch hunt.
To accuse the Muhlenberg Board of Governors as the initiators of the closing of the hospital is inane. That board was a puppet organization of which the Mayor was a member. Only Solaris' Board and administrative personnel had the power to make such decisions.
To further accuse the Muhlenberg Board as being New Democrats illustrates how far the hospital phantom leadership had changed from when I was a Board member by virtue if being the President of the Medical Staff. In those days I would have considered the average membership to be politically slightly to the right of Newt Gingrich.
It is time that all of us ditch the pre-election politics and finger pointing. The Rescue squad's problems began in a much earlier administration when there was insufficient volunteers to staff the ambulances 24/7. A contract was awarded a private ambulance service to provide coverage when the Plainfield squad could not provide coverage. The decision by city governments- administration and council to reduce hen stop funding belongs to New and Old and Pseudo Democrats over several years.
As an "outsider" I am convinced that Plainfield's administration and the 2008 Council did almost nothing to try to prevent Plainfield's present health care catastrophe. Nor has there been openness regarding present attempts to rectify the hospital and transportation crisis.
All this however is water over the dam. The Mayor and Assemblyman and Council should energetically act to remedy the mess resulting from transportation problems plus the physical and operational deficiencies at JFK. Plainfield must find money to support the squad. $100K to the squad is more important than an Information Technology director. We must get our priorities right. Health Care is as much a concern for Public Safety as reducing crime.
Ms. Pernell recounted the physical as well as the financial problem the Squad is having in servicing Plainfield. She noted that the Rescue Squad has only one operational ambulance and five months after MRMC was closed Solaris has not lived up to its agreement to provide another ambulance, nor has the Commissioner of Health etc attempted to enforce that agreement.
She recounted the extraordinary delays encountered in answering emergency calls in Plainfield and that the surrounding squads are beginning to refuse to cover. They have no obligation to do so and such service is voluntary. She also noted that Plainfiled's squads income comes from insurance payment, and that only about 12% of the calls are adequately covered. With the closing of the hospital the trips are longer and Medicare reimbursement no longer covers expenses. In addition only 4 hours of the day are covered by volunteer squad members, the other EMTs are salaried.
Other area squads receive between $50,000 and $100,000 yearly from their community. Plainfield receives nothing. Fuel which up to 1995 was delivered at cost by the city must be purchased from commercial vendors.
Assemblyman Green notes that "In the last six months, we have accomplished a lot in terms of making sure the residents of Plainfield and surrounding communities receive the best medical care not only from Solaris, but also from the surrounding hospitals. Because the ambulance issue is a part of a group of other concerns in the lawsuit, I have asked the Mayor and Council President to finalize their concerns and send them to the State. They will separate our concerns from other organizations involved in the lawsuit who are trying to lump us together with their distractions, which would in turn, slow our process."
He again blames others for the lack of progress and does not give concrete examples of what has been accomplished for the residents of Plainfield to receive "the best medical care". He equates the grant of &644,250 to the Plainfield Health Center as "aid to our health services in lieu of Muhlenberg closing. I would hope that he would not consider using the Health Center as an acceptable lieu to the Hospital if he or his family had a life threatening medical emergency.
In all deference to our Assemblyman's position at the State<, I doubt that he could have stemmed the forces that closed Muhlenberg. Politically, probably only a few of the area State Senators could have exerted if they had wished that type influence.
What would be helpful if the Assemblyman would identify his "new Task Force", and specifically how he, the mayor, and the TaskForce are going to "move forward". Also why is everyone who disagrees with Jerry Green a New Democrat. It reminds me of McCarthy and his communist witch hunt.
To accuse the Muhlenberg Board of Governors as the initiators of the closing of the hospital is inane. That board was a puppet organization of which the Mayor was a member. Only Solaris' Board and administrative personnel had the power to make such decisions.
To further accuse the Muhlenberg Board as being New Democrats illustrates how far the hospital phantom leadership had changed from when I was a Board member by virtue if being the President of the Medical Staff. In those days I would have considered the average membership to be politically slightly to the right of Newt Gingrich.
It is time that all of us ditch the pre-election politics and finger pointing. The Rescue squad's problems began in a much earlier administration when there was insufficient volunteers to staff the ambulances 24/7. A contract was awarded a private ambulance service to provide coverage when the Plainfield squad could not provide coverage. The decision by city governments- administration and council to reduce hen stop funding belongs to New and Old and Pseudo Democrats over several years.
As an "outsider" I am convinced that Plainfield's administration and the 2008 Council did almost nothing to try to prevent Plainfield's present health care catastrophe. Nor has there been openness regarding present attempts to rectify the hospital and transportation crisis.
All this however is water over the dam. The Mayor and Assemblyman and Council should energetically act to remedy the mess resulting from transportation problems plus the physical and operational deficiencies at JFK. Plainfield must find money to support the squad. $100K to the squad is more important than an Information Technology director. We must get our priorities right. Health Care is as much a concern for Public Safety as reducing crime.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
A quartet not from the Council's meeting room but from the passageway leading to the mummy's resting chamber in a Pharaoh's tomb in the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile near Thebes. I can not read the script but it tells the story of the rulers accomplishments and anticipated afterlife. In the next to the last one the Goddess is balancing his soul against the physical body to determine if he is worthy of joining the Gods.
This area is dessert. Various excavated tombs-many more since 1973 are open periodically for tourist visits, including King Tut's.
This area is dessert. Various excavated tombs-many more since 1973 are open periodically for tourist visits, including King Tut's.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Tuesday night's council meeting
Where were the citizens? Where was the TV camera? At Tuesday night's council meeting there were in the audience at the most ten voters plus a few individuals who represented interested parties in the agenda . It seemed that there were more bodies behind the bar than attendees.
The question, could this have been due to the change in the usual and customary date? Or does the sparse involvees reflect the lack of community interest in civic affairs? Or could it have been the competition of American Idol? Time will tell.
It will take me some time to review my notes and be able to post my input from the meeting. Suffice to say, Plainfield Plaintalker has already discussed the Rescue Squad's presentation.
One item that was tabled deserves commentary and I will do so later today or tomorrow. In the meantime the council still needs clarification of Parlimentary procedures in order that well meaning action that differs from Robert"s or Sturgis, rules of order would not be subject to legal challenge. Although there was no major deviation in the motion to table, the Council should be advised that there are three (3) specific variations to that motion none of which was used; They are;
The question, could this have been due to the change in the usual and customary date? Or does the sparse involvees reflect the lack of community interest in civic affairs? Or could it have been the competition of American Idol? Time will tell.
It will take me some time to review my notes and be able to post my input from the meeting. Suffice to say, Plainfield Plaintalker has already discussed the Rescue Squad's presentation.
One item that was tabled deserves commentary and I will do so later today or tomorrow. In the meantime the council still needs clarification of Parlimentary procedures in order that well meaning action that differs from Robert"s or Sturgis, rules of order would not be subject to legal challenge. Although there was no major deviation in the motion to table, the Council should be advised that there are three (3) specific variations to that motion none of which was used; They are;
- A motion to "postpone (table) Definitively". This sets a specific time when the item must be taken off the "table" for action.
- A motion to "table Indefinitely" does not mean that the item is dead but it de facto indicates that there will be no action before the organizations term expires. It can be used as the equivalent without establishing a position as a no vote.
- A motion to "table Temporarily" suggest that the item will be open for action at anytime in the future, even later in the same meeting. All it would take is a motion to take it off the table. Without any description a 'tabling motion must fall into this classification by default.
Potpourri
It certainly is gratifying to learn that the Plainfield Neighborhood Health Center is to receive $644,250 in state aid this year. I suppose this is the Corzine administration and our state politicians response to their destroying Plainfield's acute care facility. This is like adding a crab apple to the fruit bowl to replace the pear they ate.
There can be no substitute no matter how well it is configured that can replace the availability of a full service top notch hospital. Our political leadership must work relentlessly to find an entity that will reopen at least a 120 bed facility. We must face facts, Muhlenberg can not, nor will it ever be replaced. However Plainfield needs more than it has received.
That said, I am still transferring old slides to digital form. At present I am working on a volume of about 300 more slides from two visits to Egypt in 1973. One was part of a Smithsonian tour that not only spent time in Egypt but also included the Rose City of Petra in Jordan.Many have seen one of the significant sites in Petra as part of an Indiana Jones movie. I have not found those slides at this time. The other was a one day trip from Alexandria to Cairo and then to Port Said to rejoin the cruise ship.
Today before proceeding east of Suez, here are some snaps from the city of Suez which is at the south end, Red Sea, of the canal. The apartment house is not tilted, I think that was the photographer.
There can be no substitute no matter how well it is configured that can replace the availability of a full service top notch hospital. Our political leadership must work relentlessly to find an entity that will reopen at least a 120 bed facility. We must face facts, Muhlenberg can not, nor will it ever be replaced. However Plainfield needs more than it has received.
That said, I am still transferring old slides to digital form. At present I am working on a volume of about 300 more slides from two visits to Egypt in 1973. One was part of a Smithsonian tour that not only spent time in Egypt but also included the Rose City of Petra in Jordan.Many have seen one of the significant sites in Petra as part of an Indiana Jones movie. I have not found those slides at this time. The other was a one day trip from Alexandria to Cairo and then to Port Said to rejoin the cruise ship.
Today before proceeding east of Suez, here are some snaps from the city of Suez which is at the south end, Red Sea, of the canal. The apartment house is not tilted, I think that was the photographer.
Monday, February 16, 2009
RANDOM NOT ALL TRIVIA THOUGHTS
Plainfield bloggers as usual have recently provided a variety of public interest information and suggestions. I am taking advantage of my blog to express my opinions.
Thank goodness Maria is back on the BOE trail. Her recent remarks deserve 100% support. The School nurse should not be a part time position which would be the result from assigning one to two or more schools. For safety reasons one should always be on site.
Her latest comment on "school trips" also hits the mark. The educational experience can not be limited to in classroom book learning. There must be exposure to outside influences that are pertinent to the grade/age level. What is important is that the community must bare the expenses, in no case should pressure be placed upon a family for money. No child should be exposed to embarrassment if his parents cannot or will not afford the cost of the trip.
Bernice in her Plainfield Plaintalker will review various changes in the Council meeting format and Council President Burney's attempt to rekindle public interest. About seven years ago when I had to discontinue my routine presence at the meetings, the Court House was always at least 50% filled for each business session. When I again started attending this past year there never was more than a "Bakers Dozen" citizens present unless some one was getting an award. In that case immediately after that portion of the meeting the courtroom emptied leaving maybe six attendees.
The Council had changed that meeting into a rubber stamp required session, placing most items on its "Consent Agenda" which required one vote and no discussion to pass everything. Yes the meetings were short and the "law" was satisfied. However there was no attempt to encourage public interest. The ill advised Monday-Wednesday schedule may have met the Council's personal needs but turned off the public.
Bob Ferrara's letter in Sunday's Courier properly pointed out the need to support the Plainfield Humane Society. For years in the past it had been a quasi city agency receiving annual financial support. What level that has been in the past decade should be examined and a proper allocation must be placed into the budget. That should not preclude public donations.
His other comment about city employees and the requirement of a car a determining factor for accepting the position is to the point. City residency while ideal has been waived for decades as long as the individual was available. Many years ago when I was in practice, one of the requirements for a hospital staff appointment was that the on call physician be no more than twenty minutes away. That is a good criteria.
Dan's item on Spam in the depression as well as WWII diets brought back memories of my overseas days when we hoped for a " care package from home". Combat troops were supposed to get a hot meal if possible and the cooks were creative. But all too often the GIs ate "C Rations" -canned stew or beans with meat etc. Equally prominent was the "K Ration" which even in its "Ham & Eggs" incarnation was similar to today's cat food cans. There was also an Emergency "D Ration" which was a highly concentrated chocolate bar for emergency use when isolated. The D was for the diarrhea that resulted from eating too much.
After I had been in Europe for several months a care package caught up to me. There were some needed goods but the piece de resistance for this poor soldier boy was a can of SPAM. Good intentions are always appreciated; it is the thought that counts.
Thank goodness Maria is back on the BOE trail. Her recent remarks deserve 100% support. The School nurse should not be a part time position which would be the result from assigning one to two or more schools. For safety reasons one should always be on site.
Her latest comment on "school trips" also hits the mark. The educational experience can not be limited to in classroom book learning. There must be exposure to outside influences that are pertinent to the grade/age level. What is important is that the community must bare the expenses, in no case should pressure be placed upon a family for money. No child should be exposed to embarrassment if his parents cannot or will not afford the cost of the trip.
Bernice in her Plainfield Plaintalker will review various changes in the Council meeting format and Council President Burney's attempt to rekindle public interest. About seven years ago when I had to discontinue my routine presence at the meetings, the Court House was always at least 50% filled for each business session. When I again started attending this past year there never was more than a "Bakers Dozen" citizens present unless some one was getting an award. In that case immediately after that portion of the meeting the courtroom emptied leaving maybe six attendees.
The Council had changed that meeting into a rubber stamp required session, placing most items on its "Consent Agenda" which required one vote and no discussion to pass everything. Yes the meetings were short and the "law" was satisfied. However there was no attempt to encourage public interest. The ill advised Monday-Wednesday schedule may have met the Council's personal needs but turned off the public.
Bob Ferrara's letter in Sunday's Courier properly pointed out the need to support the Plainfield Humane Society. For years in the past it had been a quasi city agency receiving annual financial support. What level that has been in the past decade should be examined and a proper allocation must be placed into the budget. That should not preclude public donations.
His other comment about city employees and the requirement of a car a determining factor for accepting the position is to the point. City residency while ideal has been waived for decades as long as the individual was available. Many years ago when I was in practice, one of the requirements for a hospital staff appointment was that the on call physician be no more than twenty minutes away. That is a good criteria.
Dan's item on Spam in the depression as well as WWII diets brought back memories of my overseas days when we hoped for a " care package from home". Combat troops were supposed to get a hot meal if possible and the cooks were creative. But all too often the GIs ate "C Rations" -canned stew or beans with meat etc. Equally prominent was the "K Ration" which even in its "Ham & Eggs" incarnation was similar to today's cat food cans. There was also an Emergency "D Ration" which was a highly concentrated chocolate bar for emergency use when isolated. The D was for the diarrhea that resulted from eating too much.
After I had been in Europe for several months a care package caught up to me. There were some needed goods but the piece de resistance for this poor soldier boy was a can of SPAM. Good intentions are always appreciated; it is the thought that counts.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
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