City Hall's lawn has suddenly sprouted Census signs.
Plainfield Today has heard back-channel grumbling about Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs' lack of communication with Census2010 officials about Plainfield's planned participation in the outreach activities associated with the final push to get folks to mail in their Census forms.
Communities nationwide were scheduled to participate in local 'March to the Mailbox' events on Friday, but there was no word on Plainfield's website about whether and how Plainfield would participate.
Running into former mayoral candidate Jim Pivnichny Friday evening, I learned that the Mayor's office had left him a voicemail in the morning -- the day OF -- which he did not hear until AFTER the event was over.
Also got to chat with one of the Hispanic leaders in town whom the Mayor mentioned by name in response to Council President McWilliams' inquiries about the Mayor's 'Complete Count Committee' at a Council meeting months ago. I asked how the committee's work had gone, and she replied, 'What committee?' Seems the Mayor never got around to inviting her participation, despite the very public announcement.
The Courier did get the word about the mid-day march, however, and dispatched beat reporter Mark Spivey and photographer Kathy Johnson to cover the event, which appeared in Saturday's print and online editions (see here). For some reason, the Courier has taken down the 81 photos originally posted to its online gallery here. As of Sunday morning, visitors were greeted with the following web page:
The Courier has inexplicably removed Mayor Sharon's 'March to the Mailbox' photos.
I got a call Friday afternoon that there would be a SECOND event at City Hall at 5:00 PM.
This turned out to be a caravan using a float operated by Census2010 staffers.
When it didn't appear at City Hall, I was advised to hotfoot it over to McDonald's, where the crew was said to be assembling. By time I got there, parked in the County Office Building lot and walked around the corner, the float was nowhere to be seen.
In the few minutes I had been navigating, they had taken off westward on Front Street towards points determined by Mayor Robinson-Briggs' confidential assistant Barbara James.
This turned out to be a caravan using a float operated by Census2010 staffers.
When it didn't appear at City Hall, I was advised to hotfoot it over to McDonald's, where the crew was said to be assembling. By time I got there, parked in the County Office Building lot and walked around the corner, the float was nowhere to be seen.
In the few minutes I had been navigating, they had taken off westward on Front Street towards points determined by Mayor Robinson-Briggs' confidential assistant Barbara James.
The Elmwood Gardens visit was somewhat muted (Reader-submitted photo).
The caravaners' adventures included a swing by Elmwood Gardens, see photo above, where an observer tells me the desired impact was tempered by the presence of the Police Division's narcotics unit being there at the same time.
The crowning touch of Ms. James caravan route, however, was to guide the Census2010 crew to the Bravo Supermarket at West 7th Street and Clinton Avenue, which is NOT in Plainfield, but rather in South Plainfield, which also happens to be in Middlesex County.
Mayor Robinson-Briggs was spared any embarrassment by this gaffe by not being present for the caravan at all.
All of which leaves unanswered the basic question which has bothered Plainfield's Census2010 campaign from its outset: Is the lack of a plan, a committee and clear communications purposeful (to undercut the count and leave CDBG funding in the hands of the County's Dem machine)?, or is it simply a further manifestation of the general bumbling of the Robinson-Briggs administration?
Cynics are equally divided over the matter.
-- Dan Damon [follow]
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5 comments:
I am sure South Plainfield will appreciate our efforts to get their residents out for the census, much as they appreciate the "lovely" and "friendly" downtown atmosphere of our decrepit downtown infrastructure which helps spurs their sales tax dollars. Because, if you asked me, I couldn't imagine Plainfield having anything like a "Latino/Hispanic" geared supermarket much less 2 of them where this type of "caravan" might have been effective.
Perhaps the "caravan" should have been more aptly named for her "Honor" and been called a CIRCUS.
This is all about Political Strength, and nothing else. I wish they were so eager to count the teenagers hanging around not attending school.
It's been my cynical theory all along that no one in office wants Latinos to be counted, for fear they would then demand a share of the political power.
By the way, interesting article in today's NY Times about anonymous blog posts.
-signed anon.
This mayor is so inept, I'm wondering how long the people of Plainfield will put up with her. What is she good at? Certainly not meeting the needs of Plainfield and it's residents.
I also agree that too many high school students roam the streets all day. I leave to teach my first class around 11:30 and there are students all over who should be in class.
we get what we deserve! someone voted for Sharon! Wasn't me!
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