Laughter was heard at Plainfield's City Council meeting Monday evening.
Even a couple of guffaws.
It was as if a huge weight that had been pressing down on the Council meetings over the past months and years had been lifted away.
The reason? The performance of acting city administrator (and director of finance and administration) Bibi Taylor.
She was smooth, poised, informed, confident, plain-spoken and charming.
Council President Annie McWilliams handled opening the meeting deftly, and Adrian Mapp, as chair of the committee of the whole moved the discussion of each agenda item along at a steady pace.
But Bibi was the star, in my mind.
Not only for her presentation, but for having on hand the relevant division heads to answer questions as items in their purview came up for discussion.
How different from Marc Dashield, who by and large kept staff from the Council table as a matter of course.
Each came to the Council table informed and prepared to answer Councilors' questions -- Fire Chief Cecil Allen, Tax Assessor Tracy Bennett, Personnel Director Karen Dabney, Health Officer Mark Colicchio, Superintendent of Public Works John Louise.
It was enough to make one ask why Dashield had hidden all these lights under a bushel.
Answers.
The Councilors actually got answers to their questions.
Not once were the words 'I'll have to get back to you on that' uttered.
Notes were made for follow-up.
The lack of tension in the room led to a respectful but easy back-and-forth between staff and Council.
The only wrinkle I could see was that when the Council wanted follow-up on a point, Ms. Taylor quickly agreed to providing the desired further information.
Unspoken behind it all was the (sad) realization that she would only be before the Council once more as acting city administrator, since her agreement to stay on is over at the end of the month.
Too bad for Plainfield.
Good news for East Orange.
Mayor Robinson-Briggs will, I am afraid, never know what an opportunity to establish a competent administration in her second term she has lost here.
Good luck to Bibi!
Pray for Plainfield.
NOTE: Have corrected Bibi's last name to 'Taylor' from 'Stewart' -- the 'old' last name under which I first became aware of this talented rising star.Thanks to sharp-eyed 'Anonynmous'!
-- Dan Damon [follow]
Posts
6 comments:
Thought her name was Bibi Taylor not Bibi Stewart??? Dans getting old!
I agree. The meeting was the best I have seen in years.
In keeping language clean in terms of my feelings for the mayor and her leadership abilities, all I will say is that I think she is the biggest fool on this earth.
@ 5:57 you're right. He 'new' last name is Taylor; to which I am still adjusting. Will correct. Thanks for the heads up.
I don't care if her name is Minnie Mouse -- she was a breath of fresh air ala competent, professional, resourceful, articulate...the list goes on...but why wallow in self-pity. Plainfield had her and Plainfield lost her. When will it end?
Dan,
...and then you woke up only to find that it was just a dream! :-)And yes, with her leaving, you realized after waking up, I am still in Plainfield!
Word on the street is that the Mayor messed up the negotiations with Bibi.
But who knows if we will ever know the truth.
Post a Comment