The Plainfield Rescue Squad came before the City Council Tuesday evening to underscore the dire straits it is in as a result of the closing of Muhlenberg.
Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs was not present during the presentation, but all of her talk about concern and helping hung over the proceedings.
Jennie Pernell, the squad's spokesperson, told of submitting a proposal for help to the Robinson-Briggs administration 'four or five months ago' and having heard nothing back. (Sound familiar?)
City Administrator Marc Dashield, after asking if she was referring to a CDBG grant proposal (she was not), said that he was not aware of the document to which she referred and came over to the railing to pass one of his business cards back to Pernell.
Having only ONE WORKING AMBULANCE and needing to transport patients to hospitals that range from five to twelve miles away has caused the squad's RESPONSE TIME TO LAG (some have had to wait up to an hour for transportation), the squad's FUEL COSTS TO SKYROCKET (fuel ran $19,800 for 2008), and at least ONE FATALITY to be traceable to the squad being on another call and unavailable.
Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson did not seem to have the exact status of the City's suit against Solaris at his fingertips, though he did say that a 'document' would be submitted 'next week' and that there was 'a continuing effort on our part'. Additionally, Williamson stated that action depended on the state enforcing the terms of the closure document that are NOT in dispute.
These issues are not new or unknown. In fact, they are supposed to be among the items that the Task Force Assemblyman Jerry Green and Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs head up.
I brought up exactly THESE TWO ISSUES (FUEL and A 2nd AMBULANCE) in a post last July (see here), suggesting the City put an item in its budget to SUPPLY FUEL for the squad, and cover the cost of a SECOND AMBULANCE.
Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs NEVER STEPPED UP to the matter of the fuel, to me the simplest of the issues she could have helped with.
The Mayor PUNTED TO SOLARIS on the ambulance question, with which I have no problem.
Except one: Follow-through.
The issues were widely discussed at almost every meeting of Muhlenberg supporters, noted in the mainstream media and on the blogs.
And Mayor Sharon and Assemblyman Green said they were on the case.
Except that now we find they have not been.
As one reader said, 'What do they DO over there at City Hall?'
What, indeed.
Munch goodies while some poor Plainfielder dies for lack of an ambulance?
For that we should hold Mayor Robinson-Briggs and Assemblyman Green culpable.
How many Plainfielders' lives have to be lost before Mayor Sharon and Assemblyman Green DO something?
J'accuse!
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1 comments:
Out with the Bobbleheads.
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