Plainfield's City Council is looking for a few good volunteers -- to sit on three citizen advisory panels being set up by the Council to give them input in crucial areas (see details here).
The Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, which debuted in its current incarnation last year, will once again be charged with going over the Administration's budget proposal and making recommendations. Hopefully, the Administration will not shilly-shally this year as it did last.
Thankfully, the Council is seeking input on the vexed IT (information technology) question. After Mayor Robinson-Briggs' administration blew $135,000 on IT without Council authorization early in her term and forfeited a $100,000 information technology grant from Cisco, many became alarmed when a full court press was made earlier this year to hire an unnamed IT person, which the Council managed to avoid doing. Hopefully, this committee will throw a bright light on the actual status, needs and costs of IT for Plainfield.
Lastly, Councilor Storch has had a particular concern for business development and that is reflected in the third committee, whose responsibility will be developing an economic growth plan that spans the entire community.
If I have one quibble, it is that the Council should open participation in the Economic Growth Committee to some representation from the business community -- taxpayers who carry a lot of the city's tax burden but are often overlooked because many are not residents. Everyone should have a seat at the table.
Consider putting a shoulder to the wheel, it will be time well spent.
To contact your Council members by email to indicate your interest, simply click on the a name below to open an email message addressed to that Council member --
| Rashid Burney | Linda Carter | Adrian Mapp | Annie McWilliams |
| Bill Reid | Elliott Simmons | Cory Storch |
| Bill Reid | Elliott Simmons | Cory Storch |
One thing you should NOT do: Don't waste time clicking on the link in the online document, it is incorrectly formatted and will not take you to the city website.
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6 comments:
It's interesting that Council Members us a variety of email addresses for their council relate mail. Why do they not have a plainfield.com email address??
Good question, 7:53.
It may partly have to do with the 'herding cats' phenomenon -- you know, who's going to tell whom what to do.
Plus, whoever did the plainfield.com addresses may never have been told to set them up.
Then, of course, you have the bit about whether they conduct Council biz via email.....
Maybe we should go back to carrier pigeons?....
Dan,
Thanks for posting this information.
Anyone with questions for me can reach me at annie.mcwilliams@plainfield.com. (The email link you posted is incorrect)
Could also be that because the city has no city IT department, there is no standardization of emails or anything else.
I stand semi-corrected. You will note Councilor McWilliams has a plainfield.com email address.
well, if McWilliams has one, then someone should be able to set up the others as well as other city employees. They need to keep in mind that regardless of what email address they use, it can be subject to public access and any personal emails used under that address would be included
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