Dunn consolidates control of PMUA with Williamson appointment

Happier days: Councilors Dunn (right) and Mitchell
congratulating resident Mahendra Budhan for beautification efforts in 2000.

Make no mistake about it, Commissioner Malcolm R. Dunn consolidated his control of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA) with Tuesday evening's appointment of the erstwhile corporation counsel Dan Williamson as the agency's executive director.

In a matter of months, Dunn has engineered a coup that --

• subverted an arbitration process that former executives Eric Watson and David Ervin seemed likely to lose;
  
  
• handcrafting a $1 million 'golden parachute' settlement for the former exectuives;
  
  
• sidetracked interim executive director Duane Young, who was making progress with controlling rates and reforming the agency structure;
  
  
• and made it clear he is going after the unions -- which means wages and working conditions.

Anyone who thinks Mr. Williamson's tenure at the PMUA will bring serious positive change would disabuse themselves of the idea after reflecting for a moment on his six-plus years of service to Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs.

That does not mean Dunn has a completely free hand -- yet.

As long as Commissioners Harold Mitchell and Carol Ann Brokaw are in place, it looks like there is a possibility of struggle over policy decisions, remembering that Comissioner Sanders is an alternate and only votes in the absence of a full commissioner.

It is clear to observers that Commissioner Dunn finds reason to push back against the agency's counsel, Leslie London, at every turn -- challenging her on almost every statement. However much Dunn may wish to cashier the very capable Ms. London, who has spent most of her career working on the PMUA account, my guess is that Glenn Scotland's ace will trump Dunn's knave every time (see here).

Will anything come of the 're-examination' of the Interlocal Services Agreeent setting up the PMUA? I am skeptical, believing all this sudden interest in palaver has to do with heading off the Council's moves toward studying the question of re-absorbing the PMUA into the city's fold.

One last word: Councilor Storch gave the PMUA employees fair warning at Monday's Council that their main danger was from the Board of Commissioners.

Commissioner Dunn made it quite apparent (see here) at the board's January meeting that he is a union-buster in the way he attacked interim executive director Duane Young for there being union organizing going on.

This can only mean trouble for the employees: attacks on working conditions, downward pressure on wages and a loss of job security.

Meanwhile, those who stop by the Stone Square Lodge bar in late afternoons may have a chance to catch old drinking buddies Dan Williamson and Eric Watson in their customary seats at the wall end of the bar, sipping some single-malt Scotch and musing on Plainfield and how good life here can be -- for the in-crowd.

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• Plainfield Today:  "Despite reprimand of mayor, PMUA resolution is more important"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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