The election pitch was deemed campaign speech and painted over.
The banner acknowledging Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs' selection as the Gateway Chamber of Commerce's 2009 mayor of the year had long overstayed its welcome by the lights of many Plainfielders.
Originally depicting the mayor pumping her fist in the air, and sporting a button that read 'Sharon for Mayor', the ethically challenged banner was altered (see above) with red paint smeared over the portion of the button that made it campaign art after public protest.
Yet the banner hung on, through snow, through rain, through heat, through gloom of night -- and hung on, and hung on, well beyond any decent interval.
That is, until the New Jersey Historic Trust learned that the jerry-rigged lines holding up Her Honor's visage could damage the sandstone columns on the facade of Plainfield's historic City Hall.
You will recall that the NJ Historic Trust has funded the restoration of City Hall's exterior, including completely rebuilt windows, and does not take kindly to cavalier abuse of historic properties it preserves.
Once Trenton got on the horn, the banner quickly vanished.
Which, of course, only means that City Hall's exterior has been rescued for now, but that is no guarantee it is safe from future predations.
How long City Hall will escape further predation is anyone's guess.
-- Dan Damon [follow]
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8 comments:
Yet the banner hung on, through snow, through rain, through heat, through gloom of night -- and hung on, and hung on, well beyond any decent interval.
---------- That describes more than just the banner, but for whom it spoke as well my friend
Why is someone like our mayor allowed to put up such a banner, when the people of Plainfield did not vote her "mayor of the year." We never would, she didn't and doesn't deserve it. No one outside of the citizens of a community should be able to make a mayor "of the year".
This is just another sign of the lingering death Plainfield has been experiencing. I moved here thiry years ago with the hope the city was in a grand turn around. I waited and waited thru one do nothing mayor after another who were just interested in their own political ego and adgenda.
Being a Mayor of a town is hard work and not some political steping stone or ego issue. The first priority is the interest of the citzens they SERVE. I am not talking about minor BS items I am talking about quality of life issues. There is a tremendous potential here that has long been ignored. It is keeping an eye on what really needs to be done. Money needs to flow into the city to support its services and not be born just in propirty taxes. There are areas of this city that can offer a great deal to small investors and start up businesses. This is where the domino effect begins. These indviduals need to be encouraged to come here but with the understanding that they will be served and protected (from theft, vandals, etc). We need to stop looking at things that are hand outs that do nothing to improve the city economically. This means beating the bushes for new potentials day and night. It means talking with these people not politically but in a business manor. It means finding out what they want and need to encourage them to invest in the city without giving away the store. You can all add those working items and details that need to be done to accomplish this. Making things pretty only goes so far. "If you sell the sizzle make sure there is a good steak under it."
She and the banner overstayed their welcome. And if they don’t take kindly to cavalier abuse . . . they need to rid City Hall of her.
Wish your headline read "State forces removal of Mayor from City Hall".
its about time. the banner was appalling and disappointing much like our mayor and those that THINK they are doing the good work of Plainfield but are actually just lining their pockets with our hard earned tax dollars. i'm looking at you schools superintendent with a cabal of unqualified and uncredentialed deputies.
Can someone also remove the stupidly triumphant Sharon-the-Great sign from the tiny traffic triangle on Park and Prospect?
Actually I believe that sign on that barren cold concrete triangle should stay as it speaks volumes to her administrations accomplishments ---- NOTHING. I hope whoever runs against her next time puts a picture of that on a bunch of "VOTE FOR SHARON, if you want more of this " signs all over the city.
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