Dem City Committee proposes three names to Council for Williams replacement

City Council must fill the vacancy created by Williams' resignation.

The Plainfield Democratic City Committee (PDCC) met Wednesday evening at party headquarters, 31 Watchung Avenue, to decide on three names to submit to the City Council to replace Councilor Rebecca Williams, who resigned on New Year's as Wards 2/3 at-large councilor in order to assume the citywide at-large seat to which she was elected in November.

PDCC Chairman Adrian Mapp conducted the meeting, with about forty members and guests present.

The committee is composed of 68 members, one male and one female for each of the city's 34 election districts. The current committee was elected at the Primary Election in 2015; the entire committee is up for re-election this year (Republicans elect their committee members in alternate years). Elected officials, if not elected to represent a district, are members ex officio.

Five of the current and new members of the Council were present at the meeting: Barry Goode, Charles McRae, Rebecca Williams, Cory Storch and Diane Toliver (only Bridget Rivers was absent).

The three names put in nomination were offered by John Stewart Jr. and adopted by acclamation --

• Dr. Inez Durham
• Joylette Mills-Ransome
• Michael Pyne

All three are long-time City Committee members and Democratic activists.

City Council will meet at 7:00 PM Monday (January 9) for its annual reorganization meeting. Among the items of business will be picking a replacement for Williams.

Her replacement will serve until someone is elected in November to fill the balance of the term of the Wards 2/3 seat, which expires in December 2018.

Under "other business", Chairman Mapp led a discussion on the importance of Gov. Christie signing a bill on his desk now to extend the original five Urban Enterprise Zones (Plainfield,Newark, Trenton, Camden and Bridgeton), which sunsetted on December 31. Christie has until January 20 to sign the bill. Plainfield residents are urged to contact the governor's office in support of the measure.

Chairman Mapp also discussed tomorrow's Town Hall meeting on Public Safety issues at Washington Community School (7:00 PM). He indicated that speakers would include himself, Public Safety Director Carl Riley and one or two officers, plus stakeholders from the community.

The public is being invited to share ideas, solution and concerns. Individuals will have three minutes at the mike to make their points.

Lastly, the chairman reminded all of the City Council's reorganiztion meeting next Monday, January 9, 7:00 PM at the Municipal Court/City Council Chambers.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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