The Plainfield Democratic City Committee (PDCC) meets tomorrow TONIGHT (FRIDAY) to address two vacancy issues.
On the agenda, according to the official notice of the meeting sent out by Assemblyman Jerry Green, chairperson of the committee, are the selection of three candidates to propose to the City Council for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Councilor Linda Carter, who will be sworn in as a Union County Freeholder this Sunday.
New Jersey law provides for the local city committee of a political party to submit three names of registered voters from that party who are qualified residents of the area represented to the governing body in the case of such a vacancy.
The governing body then selects one person from those three to serve until the next general election in November. A person elected at that general election is then sworn in immediately to serve out the remainder of the vacated seat's term.
Chairperson Green also intends to address the issue of vacancies on the committee itself.
The bylaws of the PDCC provide for filling vacancies by a majority vote of members present at a meeting.
The bylaws also stipulate that Executive Committee members who have 'unexcused absence[s] from three consecutive regular meetings of the [committee]' may be removed from office.
Executive Committee members may include both Committee persons elected at the polls as well as other officers elected by the PDCC from among registered Democrats who have not been elected at the polls (as in the case of the current chair, Assemblyman Green).
Those elected at the polls who die or move away constitute vacancies to be filled according to the bylaws.
The bylaws make NO PROVISION WHATSOEVER for replacing members elected at the polls who do not regularly attend PDCC meetings.
Observers will be interested in seeing just what are the 'vacancies' the chair proposes to fill.
There has been grumbling from committee members over the past year or more that the Chairperson has not met the obligations under the bylaws in several regards --
Guests are always welcome at Democratic City Committee meetings, but do not participate in discussions or voting.
Expect the meeting to start in a timely fashion, snow or no snow.
On the agenda, according to the official notice of the meeting sent out by Assemblyman Jerry Green, chairperson of the committee, are the selection of three candidates to propose to the City Council for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Councilor Linda Carter, who will be sworn in as a Union County Freeholder this Sunday.
New Jersey law provides for the local city committee of a political party to submit three names of registered voters from that party who are qualified residents of the area represented to the governing body in the case of such a vacancy.
The governing body then selects one person from those three to serve until the next general election in November. A person elected at that general election is then sworn in immediately to serve out the remainder of the vacated seat's term.
Chairperson Green also intends to address the issue of vacancies on the committee itself.
The bylaws of the PDCC provide for filling vacancies by a majority vote of members present at a meeting.
The bylaws also stipulate that Executive Committee members who have 'unexcused absence[s] from three consecutive regular meetings of the [committee]' may be removed from office.
Executive Committee members may include both Committee persons elected at the polls as well as other officers elected by the PDCC from among registered Democrats who have not been elected at the polls (as in the case of the current chair, Assemblyman Green).
Those elected at the polls who die or move away constitute vacancies to be filled according to the bylaws.
The bylaws make NO PROVISION WHATSOEVER for replacing members elected at the polls who do not regularly attend PDCC meetings.
Observers will be interested in seeing just what are the 'vacancies' the chair proposes to fill.
There has been grumbling from committee members over the past year or more that the Chairperson has not met the obligations under the bylaws in several regards --
- Failure to hold AT LEAST six meetings per year, as required;
- Failure to hold MONTHLY Executive Committee meetings, as required;
- Failure to have minutes of the previous meeting provided at every meeting, as required; and
- Failure to provide regular Treasurer's reports at every meeting, as required.
Guests are always welcome at Democratic City Committee meetings, but do not participate in discussions or voting.
Expect the meeting to start in a timely fashion, snow or no snow.
Plainfield Democratic City Committee Meeting
Friday, January 7
7:00 PM
HeardOne Complex
210 Church Street
(across from Union County College)
Friday, January 7
7:00 PM
HeardOne Complex
210 Church Street
(across from Union County College)
-- Dan Damon [follow]
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5 comments:
Is it by chance that the meeting and a snowstorm will coincide? Does the By-laws provide for a quorum to be legal? If not I would suggest that a resolution be passed that makes that requirement or tow out of three attendees could run the party and city.
Olddoc -- The bylaws provide that 15 members constitute a quorum.
(Pretty low, considering there are theoretically 68 members.)
As to the weather, the snow is expected to be minimal in our area.
Dan, That is fine, although 25% is considered a good low limit for a quorum of a relative large group, it provides the ability to legally function.
I believe the meeting was scheduled before the snowstorm was forecast.
. . . more DRAMA in PLAINFIELD NEW JERSEY to be continued . . .
Stay tuned . . .
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