Screenshot of Google cache for Burney post.
Plainfield's City Council President Rashid Burney posted his concerns about the Robinson-Briggs administration's proposed layoff plan to his blog last Sunday, November 15.
His original post was altered at 10:16 AM to remove a section at the request of Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson (note that this was on a SUNDAY; Williamson, it seems, is working on the Sabbath).
After outlining some of the plan, Burney takes exception to one element. Here is the section that was removed --
Let me explain. For one, the plan decimates our planning department to the amount of 50%. I guess the argument is that such functions can be taken over by our engineering firm (at "no cost" as was the argument presented two years ago). But here is the problem with that logic:So, Councilor Burney is questioning the wisdom of gutting the Planning Division.
- 1. They really do not know our town that well.
- 2. While it makes sense to outsource repetitive tasks, tasks that require planning and tasks that affect the entire city cannot be outsourced readily. Further, the actual costs to us will be much more if not this year, then next year. And far more again, when the right planning is not done right. This is not the first time this department of so few has come under the axe. I fail to see the value of such cuts.
I know that a lot of people out at last Monday's Council meeting were there over the same issue.
The question here is WHY Mr. Williamson wanted these points taken down, in advance of the Council meeting and -- presumably -- before much of the public got to read them.
Fortunately -- or UNFORTUNATELY, it depends on your point of view -- documents posted to the Internet never die, they just go to live in Google's cache.
Hence you, dear reader, get a second chance to read this one in particular.
Why do you think Mr. Williamson wanted this section taken down ...
'For now'.
- As I See It (Burney's blog) -- "Is this the right layoff plan for this city?"
-- Dan Damon [follow]
Plainfield NJ
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