POST BELMONT PORPOURRI

What a great weekend capped by not only excellent weather Sunday but after 49 years again having a Triple Crown Winner. American Pharoah is a true champ as the margin of his wins demonstrated.

The last Triple Crown winner, Affirmed, won every race by beating Alydar by a nose or so. All were close. Ultimately Alydar was the big winner; for at stud he was a great success while Affirmed never produced any remarkable foals.

The other good event was UVA’s two last chance come from behind wins over Maryland to qualify for the NCAA Baseball World Series. True, Maryland did aid in Saturday’s walk-off win by a collapse of their closer. Walk, single,walk, walk (now one run down) walk-off single! A win is a win.

Politics in Oz will return in a big way this week, First is the reorganization Monday night of the local Democrat Party Committee. It can be anticipated that by a democracy process Adrian Mapp will become the new Chairman.

Tuesday night the County Committee meets. Green’s Chairmanship is being contested and depending on what “accommodations” have been made it is possible but not a sure thing that he may be displaced. County as well as State alliances seem to be in a state of flux; but I have no knowledge or info on who is supporting whom.

Then at 7pm Wednesday Night there is a Special Meeting to act on the Council’s amendments to the proposed budget. The public will have input. Again anything is possible in OZ and depending on the politics of the moment the duration of this meeting must be longer than the 30 minutes allotted before the scheduled Agenda Fixing Session takes place.

Although I have not received a probable agenda according to Bernice there will be two discussion items before getting down to the selection of the agenda itself. Since both of these items are dear to the heart of former Mayor Robinson-Briggs there will be some heated talk and both will likely appear on the ultimate agenda.

It stands to be a long evening but I will attempt to attend.

Have you noticed how someone in the Ledger's Publisher’s or top Editor’s position hates Christie. Why a question; but this paper is has gone far beyond the usual newspaper’s opposition to a political figure or candidate. The has not been a day for months in which there has not been at least one so-called news article and at least one editorial plus an Op-Ed document that are blatantly anti Christi.

Completely ignored in the editorial pages is Hillary’s disregard for rules and regulations including the appearance of laundering funds through the Clinton’s foundation?

Christi is a very dark horse (not Pharoah) for the crowded field seeking the Republican nomination, but that election is 17 months away.

WHAT IS WHAT?

On May 28 I received this letter from Alan Goldstein which I had not posted although the  contents are significant because of its potential impact at a late date on the elections.

"Yesterday I went to the opening of bids for the final cleanup of 117-125 North Avenue, held in the Purchasing Dept.  The City received three proposals, Yannuzzi ($75.8K), Caravella (83K), and Two Brothers (263.1K).  If the Yannuzzi bid is finalized, and adding to it the $77K that was billed by Yates, the City will have saved over $60K from the tab Eric Watson was willing to stick the residents of the city with.  Of course there is still liability for the damages incurred by the destruction of Mi Buenaventura restaurant next door, but that may something that Yates and B&B (its subcontractor) may face, perhaps leaving the City in the clear.

After the proceedings, which only took a few minutes, I had the opportunity to speak with Cory Palmer of Caravella.  He said he had met with Yates at the site on a Sunday in March.  Yates, obviously unable to do the work himself, was looking for a subcontractor for the demolition, making it clear that Watson had given Yates the work despite this glaring shortcoming.  This was compounded by Yates’ lack of proper insurance.  Palmer recounted explaining to Yates that the party wall between the two buildings would need to be shored up by scaffolding and the wall taken down by hand.  Despite this advisement, Yates subcontracted the job to B&B, and no precautions were taken to protect the adjoining building.  Palmer also told me of his firm’s experience with emergency demolitions (often in the wake of fire).  Considering the rapid response to a real emergency and an official notice of imminent hazard, I am left to wonder why nothing was done after the demolition order was issued on January 6^th.

The City has not been forthcoming about the circumstances surrounding this negligence and what seems to be a rigged bidding process.  The entire timeline of events corresponds to Frank Cretella’s purchase of the first lien in April 2014 and the move to foreclose on the property that began in August.  Watson’s and Izzo’s calls to contractors coincided with Cretella’s motion for default filed on March 3^rd.  Watson and Izzo have been especially vague (early March they say) about when the calls went out.  There is a strong likelihood that aside from A-1 Demolition (Rufus) which may have been used to ballpark the cost, no one other than Yates was privy to the immediacy of the project.  There is the Watson-Robinson-Yates connection.  The City says it received two bids, A-1 and Yates, but has yet to make public the Stilo bid.  It was deemed to be late but was $21K less than Yates’.  In any case, real demo companies know the quick turnaround in an emergency, but everything about this one belies any emergency.  (Why would Stilo wait until March 20^th to respond?)

Finally, why did the administration choose this controversy to try to turn it into a story about the 2010 demolition of 187-191 North Avenue?  The City has owned the paramount lien on that property since 1997!  With the newly added lien for the demo costs added, there is roughly $900,000 in outstanding liens currently.  There is no way to recoup much of that.  So here is what I expect-  Cretella, who has voiced an interest in 187-191, and owns the building next door (with John Stewart), will get the property at auction for a pittance once the City forecloses and sells it.  And Cretella will get title to 117-125 before the City adds the demo costs and attaches a new lien.  Meanwhile, Mi Buenaventura has conveniently been relocated from its demolished quarters to occupy a portion of the retail space on the first floor of the Cretella-Stewart building.

I am all for economic development, creating jobs, building new structures, and rehabilitating old ones, but this sort of sordid behavior and rank profiteering engineered by public officials casts a long shadow.  We may learn from the past, but when the past comes with no accountability the future is open to the same problems.  Mayor Mapp, who has great difficulty admitting mistakes, needs to recognize the mistake he has made entrusting any business of this city to Mr. Watson.  His years at the helm of PMUA cost city residents millions.  If that wasn’t enough, this demolition surely is."

In view of the aborted special Council meeting to replace Mitchell, one must wonder what is Watson's  power  and influence in the Mapp administration. 

The potential change in the City Committee is welcomed and needed, however Mapp's motives are open to questioning. Is he just another politician who does not believe  what he says?

THOUGHTS ON THE ELCTION

While the outcome of the local Democrat primary election in Plainfield represents an overwhelming defeat for Jerry Green it is unwise to consider it a “ mandate for the Mapp Administration" as Cory Storch wrote today in his blog.

It was rather an expression that finally the electorate in Plainfield are fed up with the character and quality of those that Chairman Green chose to fill elected positions in the city.It was an indication that at last the quiet majority wants to impact on the future of the city.

It was also an expression of disgust at the patronage appointments made with Green’s approval to various authorities, boards and commissions as well as civic jobs. It showed that the masses were fed up with the fiscal irregularities that have been prominent in Plainfield's government.

In his 18 months as Mayor Mapp too has made some very questionable decisions which cause misgivings as to the integrity of his administration. He has intimated that the end justifies the means. In other words he is open to political dealings. With that in mind we must consider this election as a rejection of Green, not an endorsement of Mapp.

Yes Cory’s landslide victory in the 2nd Ward is well deserved and a tribute to his continued fight for good government. His presence on the Council for another 4 years is welcomed.

There will be an “Independent” opposition perhaps supported by the quasi political consortium of John Campbell et al with John Campbell Jr, in the 2nd Ward running under the ‘Young Blood’ slogan and for the At Large 1st/4th Ward seat Norman E. Ortega running under the ‘Change for Plainfield’ slogan.

As politics go there is a possibility that deals will be made which would make these two serious candidates especially in the 1st/4th Ward. I cannot conceive Campbell Jr. defeating Storch in November.

We must understand that nothing is going to change this Year on the Council; it will be 4:2 with one other vote usually siding with the Green majority. In 2016 the best that the Mapp Administration can count on is 3 votes, thus Green will still be able at will to thwart Mapp. The 2016 Democrat Primary with Taylor’s and Brown’s seats up for election will be the true opportunity to change things starting in 2017.

In effect unless a deal is done or Green is defeated at the General election by one of the Republicans running for the Assembly even if he loses the local party chair, he still will be the Plainfield political force although severely wounded.

Until the local party has its committee reorganization there is no assurance that there will be any change as I have previously noted.

THE PEOPLE SPEAK

It seems from unofficial results that Plainfield Democrats have finally decided to turn to Democracy not one man rule by selecting the Progressive Democrats'  1st/4th ward at large Council Candidate over Jerry's hand picked man. In the 2nd Ward Storch  defeated Green's man." Eke. by a landslide.

Out of the 68 Plainfield Democrat Party Committee seats, the Progressive Democrats won 48, also an convincing indication that this city is tired of Jerry Green.

Traditionally the Committee reorganizes with its new membership the Monday after the election. The joker is that (a) the present Committee Chairman must call the time and place of the meeting. Will Jerry do so?

Since on the ballot the ele3ction was printed as for the Democrat County Committee, is it possible that Green might take the legal position that there was no election for the local committee and the present one is in a holdover position until a new one is elected. In that case he need not call for the reorganization meeting.

Since the County Committee consists of all the membership of the local committees; there has never been a direct election  to it.

We will wait and see if dirty politics continue.

VOTE TODAY

GET OUT AND VOTE

Thousands of Americans have died in order that you and all citizens have the ability to have the choice of governing our country. Don't waste your right.

Yes today is only a primary election. There are no national positions  on the ballot and at the State level only the biannual Assembly election. 

 

Yet; in Plainfield it is the local elections that are most important for what happens to our city from today on; especially for those  registered as Democrats and Independents that would chose to become Democrats at the polls.

 

In every ward, in every district the membership both male and female of the City Democrat Party Committee will be decided. Those elected will also be members  of the County Party Committee.

 

The choice is to continue the despotic domination of Chairman Green by voting for the candidats in column A; or vote for a new beginning by selecting those in Column C. Do we have a choice?

 

In the 2nd Ward there is a selection of who will be on the ticket (and elected) in November. Once again I urge voting for Storch in Column C. 

 

The 1st and 4th Wards have a similar  opportunity to select their next At large Councilor. Once again  the choice is again between Jerry's pick in Column A or a fresh new face in Column C. Barry Goode.  Let us not repeat the farce  of the past four years.  

 

Remember today the elections are restricted to a Party, In November one can vote for the person they feel is best, irrespective of Party.    

 

TUESDAY'S ELECTION

Tuesday is primary day and once again the future of Plainfield can be impacted by the results of the Democrat selections.

The Local Democrat Committee is to be decided, and those members will also become members of the County Committee.

There is also a race for Councilman in both the 2nd Ward and the "At Large" 1st/4th Ward seats. Only those in the respective wards will have a candidate to vote for.

Column A is the so called Regular Democrats; all local candidates are handpicked selections of Boss Green. Column C on the Plainfield ballot is the ticket of the Union County Progressive Democratic Organization

I make no bones about whom I will vote for. Green’s Autocratic Dictatorship over the years has been detrimental to the city. It is time for a change.

Although the Mapp mayorship has had some questionable moments his followers represent a true chance for change. The slate on Column C represents the only hope for a better future for Plainfield.

There are three seats for Freeholders up for vote. The only challenge to the party whose chairman also is Green is in Column B. I know little about the three running, except they represent an opposition based in Elizabeth and Eastern Union County who are at odds with Green and Lesniak. I cannot endorse them except to say that if they are elected, Green’s position as Chairman will be in jeopardy.

We in Plainfield have no choice for the two Assembly seats and the County Clerk.

As you know although this is only the Primary election where the Parties Candidates for the General November Election are selected; in Plainfield the winners for local offices on the Democrat ticket are tantamount to be elected to that office in November. For that reason it is important that all Democrats and Independents who would be affiliated with the party vote on June 2nd.