FORGOTTEN?

Tempus fugit!  What has happened to the “greatest generation”?  They are evaporating into the mists of history.

An example; was there any specific media commentary on June 6^th?  I do not recall   anything but the NY Times did note the following two items in it’s “On

On June 6, 1944, the D-Day invasion of Europe took place during World War II as Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France.

On June 6, 1875, Thomas Mann, the Nobel Prize-winning German author, was born. Following his death on Aug. 12, 1955, his obituary appeared in The Times “

Perhaps next year the 70^th’s anniversary of D-Day a day that changed history forever; there will be a greater reference to the event that marked the beginning of the end a year later of WW II in Europe at a cost over 6600 American casualties including over 1600 deaths.

PART 2-COUNCIL AGENDA

Today continues the review of Wednesday agenda. What is apparently evident from the Resolutions submitted by Administration and Finance is the absence of acceptable fiscal management. Compounding this lackadaisical approach to accounting of the municipal’s finances are the certificates from the (acting) CFO which are evidently stamped with his signature and have been initialed by various individuals.

There is only one Resolution from Public Affairs and Safety; Z19 which would donate a 1972 aerial fire truck to the La Vega Dominican Republic Fire Department. There is no mention of who is underwriting the cost of shipment.

The Department of Public Works and Urban Development has 13 proposed resolutions on the agenda. Four have to do with the 4^th of July Celebration. These were discussed in depth on Saturday by Bernice on her Plaintalker II blog. (Click ).  As in the past few years the dollar numbers leave much to be desired. Moreover once again the Council is being asked to retroactively approve expenditures.

Z21 & Z22 are for additional funds for Remington and Vernick’s road engineering services to the sum of $64,884.00.

Z23 is for a contract of $165,766.90 to repave Cole Place and Z24 for $260,122.90 for Deborah Ct. They are to different contractors and must be assumed to be awarded by competitive bidding although the support documents are not in the public packet.

Cole Place is the entrance from Leland into the large Apartment complex to the east of Leland Ave.  Deborah Ct. is at the eastern terminus of Cole Ct.

Z30 authorizes an “Execution of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Plainfield and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to continue participation and designation in the Brownfield Development Area Program. “

Included in the support documentation is the list of members of a “board” (?) that has oversight on this program. I will have to reread the documentation to better understand what is involved. Among names listed as “Board Members” are familiar ones involved in recent financial transactions approved by the Council; Cecil Sanders, the new Chairman of the PMUA and Jeffery Dunn.

THE AGENDA FOR COUNCIL

On first glance at the agenda; one wonders how on Wednesday night Bill Reid will get himself and all home by 10 pm. The Chairman of the Council’s Committee of the whole has set that as the desired closing time target for the Agenda Setting Session,

Not only are there 58 Resolutions and  3 Ordinances for second reading to be considered  but a Special Council Meeting regarding Proposed Budget Amendments has been called for at 8:30 pm; one hour into the Council Agenda meeting. There also is scheduled a Discussion on “Smoke Free Ordinances” however the “Provided under separate cover” was not in the Library packet.

Will the time spent on the Special Meeting be added to extend the 10pm deadline?

Actually, the 58 Resolutions are not as bad as it seems. Two are ‘Do Good items, and one is to renew Donna Tierney’s annual “codification and transcription” contract. 33Resolutions have to do with the annual renewal (or denial) of liquor licenses. That would leave 23 Resolutions for discussion as to their placement on next week’s agenda; none originate from the “Administration/Executive Branch”

Once again it is regrettable that this year’s Council has seen fit perhaps to shorten this meeting to have eliminated the Public Discussion period before the Council opens its review of the proposed Resolutions. Of the 23 remaining excluding five (5) that pertain to the July 4^th celebration almost all of the residual 18 merit in depth discussion which in all likelihood will not happen.

From the Department of Administration & Finance there is one (Z11) for the Temporary Budget for July –month 7 of this fiscal year.

Z12 authorizes the City to enter into a “Sub-Grant “agreement with JFK for 20K for “Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention”. It is not clear if the Grant money is on hand or anticipated. Nor are the parameters of the program to be provided by our good friend JFK.

 Z14 Adjust the Redemption of outside liens and tax premium balances as reflected in 2012 annual Financial Statement. There is some $800,000.00 listed on one line in the report when in actuality it belonged on the other.

Z17 Authorizes the Tax Collector to issue estimated and reconciled (?) Tax Bills. Number are confusing although there is mentioned of a Tax Rate of 7.219% on an estimated 89 million tax requirement. On the Budget submitted by Administration the amount to be raised for Municipal Services is listed as $51,602,175.63!

Does the additional 38 million represent the County Tax and the “School Tax”? If so that means that only 58% of our tax bill is for our city. What is the breakdown of the other two portions of our taxes? Also how much of the Tax rate is due to a decrease in ratables?

Z18 calls for Cancellations of outstanding State and Federal Grant balances. I thought that was a Resolution passed last month. Does it represent Grant Money available but not used?

Tomorrow (Monday) I shall continue with the agenda.

A LITTLE RAIN MUST FALL **

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains,and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains,and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the mouldering past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart, and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.)

On Wednesday June 5^th Bernice reported in her blog (click ) that Democrat City Chairman Jerry Green had announced a slate of candidates for this year’s BOE election.  As expected a Campbell slate featuring Wilma Campbell will also be on the ballot. The two slates:

Deborah Clarke of Woodmere Place
Richard Lear of Madison Avenue
Anabella Melgar of Parkside Road (Green)

And

Wilma G. Campbell of Highland Avenue (I)
David M. Rutherford of Pemberton Avenue
Frederick D. Moore, Sr. of Lakeview Terrace (I)  (Campbell)

So much for “non-partisan elections”. At least this year the turnout for the BOE portion of its election will be perhaps the largest in history.

Perhaps the fact that there are two slates supported by  “political leaders” for the BOE election will explain why I believe that at least one of the candidates for Mayor will have the support of a leader not connected with the local party committee.

** Also the title of a hit song of the "Ink Spots"

THE TWO MUHAMMADS

OOPS; a correction of an error. I had unintentionally confused Roland Muhammad, the Mayor’s friend and supporter with Mustapha Muhammad the Independent candidate for Mayor. They are two distinct individuals.

We all know Roland Muhammad from his appearances at Council Meetings as well as his Recreation work with boy’s baseball and the playgrounds; He was a vocal supporter of the Mayor during the $20K hearings and has been frequently pictured at her side.

Mustapha Muhammad was very active on the local scene years ago but has only recently reemerged. 

My comments except for the reference to the Mayor are valid. My concern is that there are enough signatures on the petition that represent a strong core of ethnic hatred in this city that needs bonding and “brotherhood/sisterhood” to stop the downward spiral to a place where no decent citizen could live.