Town Hall meeting has some surprises

'Dedicated...to the cause of just and capable government'
(from the entablature over City Hall's entrance).

The first of four planned town hall meetings sponsored by Plainfield's City Council was held at the new Emerson Community School Thursday evening.

About seventy people eventually assembled to engage in a dialogue with City Council members Annie McWilliams (citywide at-large), Bill Reid (Ward 1), Linda Carter (Wards 1/4 at-large) and Adrian Mapp (Ward 3). Councilor Bridget Rivers (Ward 4) came later, and sat among the audience.

Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs opened the meeting with remarks about the new -- but as yet unofficial -- FiOS cable channel (Plainfield will be ch34 for FiOS viewers), the April Golden Gloves event and the expected opening of a C-town market on South Avenue, as well as having copies of her 'State of the City' address distributed to interested attendees by her confidential aide, Barbara James.

McWilliams set the tone for the evening by saying she hoped that a less formal structure with no time limit for speakers and with no topic off limits would encourage people to participate and share their concerns.

Folks practically leapt to the microphone as soon as they had a chance and there were some interesting -- even surprising -- comments, issues and ideas floated throughout the evening.

Though taxes, potholes and speeding were cited by many, most seemed to abide by an unspoken rule and did not berate the Councilors on issues that others had already expressed fully.

It is truly heartwrenching to hear stories of some seniors, living on fixed incomes with property tax bills in the range of $7-8,000 (one woman cited her mother, who lives on a monthly income of $1,300).

Everyone seemed to have a list of potholes (don't you, too?), as this is the season, but was generally good-natured about it, realizing that the DPW crews just keep plugging away at it (am I punning?). McWilliams reminded the audience that notes were being kept and items would be shared with the Administration as needed.

FLOODING: With flooding on everyone's mind, there were suggestions that the Council find out why the Fire Division no longer has pumps to pump out flooded basements, as well as exploring turning the rear parking lot at Sears into a retention basin (or swale) to manage overflow from the Green Brook during floods, easing the likelihood of street flooding in Plainfield's East End.

POLICE PRESENCE: Whether on East 2nd Street between Netherwood and Garfield where a liqour store is a constant source of problems to Milt Campbell Field, where kids and others hang out late at night and disturb the neighbors, there were concerns for more -- or more regular -- police presence in the East End.

PMUA: One resident touched on a sore spot with many -- judging from reactions throughout the room -- in bringing up the PMUA, it's fees, services and alleged poor customer relations. (In defense of the PMUA, though, it is not a good idea generally to pay this kind of bill in cash, and I find their policy that check or money order be used laudable -- at least they don't have the problem of disappearing cash the way the City does.) Councilor Reid tried to suggest that issues with the Authority should be taken up directly at PMUA board meetings, but the resident countered with 'we bring these things to you because you're our representatives, elected to help us'. McWilliams moved the item along by telling the resident the Council is looking to have a meeting with the PMUA commissioners soon and his issues would be brought up.

QUEEN CITY BASEBALL LEAGUE: With a season opening date of April 14, a representative of the QCBL urged the Council to intervene with the Administration to ensure fairness in allocation of ballfields to all who want to play. Reid referred to 'an extensive email of issues' raised with the Recreation Division, with assurances they were 'being looked into'.

TRAFFIC ISSUES: Several residents brought traffic issues to light -- one suggesting that Hillcrest Avenue be made one way AWAY FROM Front Street to remove the hazard of drivers speeding through the neighborhood during the morning rush to make the shortcut (via Raymond Avenue) to Route 22; another wants a traffic light at Netherwood and East Front, which is said to be accident-prone.

BUDGET: Arguing that extraordinary state aid was reduced to such a low prospect (if not none), the Council should press the Administration to put forward its budget proposal by September, saying 'there is no reason why it has to wait'. McWilliams, citing no mayoral election this year and a conversation with the auditors, said it was within the realm of possibility it could even be introduced in August, but certainly by September.

STATE AUDIT: Former Board of Ed member Bob Darden raised a number of issues -- bringing chuckles from all when he described turning off Watchung onto his street (Oak Lane) as 'doing the Electric Slide'. Most seriously, though, and citing the money ($4,000+, not $40,000 as folks 'remember' it) gone missing from the Tax Collector's office under Robinson-Briggs' stewardship, he called once again for a forensic audit of Plainfield's books.

SURPRISES: There were some surprising assertions and suggestions, to wit:

• SEARS retention basin (see above), which I found interesting; it was noted that it would require joint action by the City, North Plainfield and Watchung (which is where Sears is located) as well as Somerset and Union counties -- a reminder once again of how important joint action on the Green Brook flood plain is;
  
  
• PARK HOTEL tax status -- is the Park Hotel, which is now owned and operated as a for-profit enterprise, on the tax rolls? It seems unlikely the Assessor would overlook a taxable property, but I will be checking this one out;
  
  
• TAX non-resident Plainfield workers -- this suggestion was made by a resident who learned about it (painfully) when working in New York City, where non-residents face just such a tax. Besides being something the Council may not have a stomach for, or the state may not allow, there would be the matter of whether administering it would be cost-effective, but I give the idea an 'E' for effort;
  
  
• PUT CONDITIONS ON TUITION REIMBURSEMENTS at the BOE -- Bob Darden reviewed the granting of a $10,350 reimbursement by the BOE on Tuesday to an employee who soon may be no longer with us, citing a practice when he was on the board a decade or so ago, that tuition reimbursement was contingent on the recipient contracting to stay with the District for a stated number of years subsequent to receiving the reimbursement. Good idea, I thought. Checking with BOE member Chris Estevez, who was present last night, I found that it is not a policy of the BOE at present. Agreeing that it was a good idea in principle, he said he would check into it.

Council President McWilliams and the whole Council should be congratulated for setting up these Town Halls, which I think will prove to be very useful.

Here is the remainder of the schedule --

• Ward 2 Town Hall · 7 PM · Thursday, March 25 · Cook School
• Ward 3 Town Hall · 7 PM · WEDNESDAY, March 31 · Cedarbrook School
• Ward 4 Town Hall · 7 PM · Thursday, April 22 · Clinton School

---

-- Dan Damon [follow]

View today's CLIPS here. Not getting your own CLIPS email daily? Click here to subscribe.