FOOD FOR THOUGHT

  Dan has pointed out several changes in appointments that will take place Monday night at the Council’s reorganization meeting. Since there have been no reason given, we can assume that it is politics as usual.

 It might be of interest to the public that among the many resolutions are ones to “approved vendors”. By eliminating the “bidding process” in awarding contracts could this be a route to payola for political favorites.

  As a possible example, the contract with DAVID L. MINCHELLO ESQ OF RAINONE COUGHLIN MINCHELLO, LLC to provide legal services to the City and to act as the Council’s legal advisor at a stipend of $9500.00 per month payable to his firm allows him to delegate services to other members of his firm. That is 114K a year.

   In addition, in his role as Corporation Counsel he is responsible for “d: Management and assignment of all legal matters”. I presume that this gives him authority to contract various legal firms as (a) Bond Counsel-9 firms, (b) Litigation/Defense Counsel-16 firms, (c) Redevelopment Counsel-3 firms,(d)  Special Counsel for Tax Appeals, in rem Tax Foreclosure and Abandoned properties rehabilitation act enforcement-7 firms,(e) Workman’s Compensation Counsel-5 firms. Some like the Weiner Law Group or Palumbo, Renaud & DeAppollonio are approved vendors in more than one group.

  Since the Council is routinely approving contracts with various firms for sums up to 50K has anyone question the actual cost to the City for legal services. Or would a full time Corporation Counsel be more economical? That should be the Council’s job to find out; or for what are they compensated?

A NEW YEAR ???

    Too soon to tell if it will be “happy & prosperous”; it is only the 4^th day of 2019. Winter has returned. It will be the 14^th day of the government shutdown, and the Deal Maker will not deal. The Democrat s have only one agenda; get Trump. Our foreign policy seems to be one of building a wall around the USA and the hell with our allies. Already candidates for 2000 are presenting themselves.

   The cartoonists may lighten the gloom: 

A

HAPPY

HEALTHY

PROSPEROUS

2019

TO ALL

GOOD BYE 2918

 On Saturday at 2:30 pm the noises in this house changed dramatically. For the first time in 7 days the only sound was the ball game on TV.  
 Up to 11 persons had been here at one single time, the Ohio four and Pamela plus two visiting dogs had stayed here, the others at a motel.

 The "Oh Hellers" were in full force. At times this over 40-year-old running game had 4 generations of players including a 15-year-old card shark who won her share of games.  I w on several including the last game played; but also came in last several times. That is how the cards fall!!

  Today is the last day of 2018. Politically 2019 currently appears to be worse. Nationally we now have a split Congress with the Democrats now in control of the House. We have a PONTUS who admires dictators and would copy their form of government. State, County and locally we are saddled with entrenched one-party rulers.  Most threatening Is the possibility that on New Year’s Day, Verizon will stop showing all Disney Channels including ABC 7, ESPN because of a contract dispute.

  Let us hope that the New Year will be a healthy and safe one for all; 13 months to # 100.

XMAS EVE DAY

The first day of winter was remarkable as a day of turmoil and disorder not only in DC but even here in Plainfield especially at my house which became a den of chaos. 

The "Oh Hellers"  have descended in force. Although the thermostat is set for 74  which is in  the living room and it is at least 2 to 3 degrees cooler in the back;

as usual the house was "too hot" so all the fans were on. Some non Ohioans were  freezing and asked me to turn the heat up. It is at least easier to put on  more clothes to stay warm than take off enough to be comfortable.

So no blogs for he next 4-5 days  and to ALL 

   

 A MERRY CHRISTMAS

&

A HAPPY  HEALTHY  NEW  YEAR 

A LITTLE BRIGHTNESS

 A depressing weekend; a wet  wet Sunday with lakes in my yard and a swamp next door and both the Jets and Giants loosing.  Perhaps it is time for some humor to start this pre Xmas week.