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Mayor Mapp delivered his fourth annual State of the City Address Tuesday evening. |
The Plainfield Senior Center had a full house for Mayor Adrian O. Mapp's fourth annual State of the City Address on Wednesday evening.
Arriving about a half hour early, I found the seats already pretty filled, and the room was buzzing with convivial chatter as friends and neighbors greeted each other and exchanged news.
Mayor Mapp took the opportunity to go through the entire room, personally welcoming people and thanking them for coming out.
Before the Address, Mayor Mapp presented plaques recognizing outstanding civic service to four residents: mmm Santana (Ward 1), Mary Burgwinkle (Ward 2), Bob Wilson (Ward 3), and Stacey Welch (Ward 4).
When the time came, folks sat quite attentively and broke into applause at many of the accomplishments the Mayor pointed out, as well as at the recognition of chief staff members.
The Address made a conplete survey of accomplishments and projects getting under way department by department. I will not take each up, here but you may view the entire Address on the City's website: Go to the home page here, and look for "Mayor Adrian Mapp - 2017 State of the City Address" under the News Room section.
But what was most powerful to me was the few minutes Mayor Mapp took to tell his personal story by way of introducing his planned "Plainfield Promise" program later this year.
I have worked with Mayor Mapp for over twenty years and we have been friends as well as political co-workers. I have always known that he was born in Barbados, had a hard youth and came to the United States to pursue his dreams.
But I have never before heard Adrian's story in his own words. It was very powerful and helps to explain his firm resolve to improve every Plainfielders opportunities for advancement and participating in the American Dream.
The standing applause at the end showed the audience felt the same way.
Theresa Ann Moroney Teacher and Plainfield bookstore
owner was an avid reader and adventurous cook Theresa Ann Moroney
of Plainfield, N.J., died on Jan. 19, 2017, from complications of
breast cancer. Family and friends are invited to join together to
honor Terry's life at The Landing, 311 Amwell Rd., Hillsborough,
N.J., on Sunday, Jan. 22, for brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Terry
was born on March 24, 1944, in Summit, N.J., to Mary Gallagher and
David Moroney, the seventh of nine children. She graduated from
St. Teresa's Grammar School, Summit, in 1958, and attended three
high schools: Summit High for two years, followed by a year at
Madison High, before graduating from South Plainfield High in
1962. Terry attended Fairleigh Dickinson University while working
night shifts at her sister Catherine's diner, becoming the first
member of her family to graduate from college with a B.A. in
English in 1967. While at FDU she served as editor for the school
newspaper. After graduation, Terry and her sister Grace travelled
across the country. Terry began her teaching career at Westfield
High in 1967 and continued at Plainfield High. In 1972 the call of
the highway beckoned once more, and she and Grace continued their
cross-country exploration. Upon returning to New Jersey, Terry met
and married the love of her life, David Beck, and soon welcomed
two sons into her world. In 1980 she reentered the work force,
teaching adult education in Plainfield and New Brunswick, N.J., a
vocation in which she took tremendous pride. In 1992 Terry
returned to high school, teaching at North Plainfield until her
retirement in 2009. In 1997 Terry opened "Another Look Books" in
Plainfield. A labor of love, the used book store served the
downtown community until closing its doors in the early 2000's.
Terry was active in the Cook School PTA, and while at North
Plainfield she served as advisor for the school newspaper and lent
her aid to countless students; she took particular joy in helping
her ESL students apply to college. She was an active member of the
Plainfield Historical Society and the Democratic Committee in
Plainfield. Terry was an avid reader and adventurous cook; the two
pursuits birthed an extensive and lovingly used library of
cookbooks and personal recipes. Terry was predeceased by her
husband, David Michael Beck, in 2014. She is survived by her sons,
Andrew David and Richard Evelyn; her daughter-in-law, Christine
Beck, and grandsons, Damien Carter and Alexander David. The
seventh of nine children, Terry is survived by her sister,
Constance Costello Rooney. She was predeceased by her brothers,
David, Richard, and James, and her sisters, Margaret, Catherine,
Rosemary, and Grace. In New Jersey, Terry will be missed by her
sister-in-law, Kathleen Moroney; nephews, Charles Femminella and
his wife, Charlotte Ryden, Christopher (Gretchen), Sean (Karen),
and Mark Moroney (Kelly); nieces, Regina and Renee Femminella,
Maureen Pena (Joseph), Sandra Roberts (Steve Kosciolek), and
Jennifer McBride (Sean); in Virginia, by Moyra Moroney; in
Arizona, by her brother-in-law, Paul Beck and, in Hawaii, by John
Beck; and many grand-nephews and grand-nieces. - See more at: http://obits.nj.com/obituaries/starledger/obituary.aspx?n=theresa-moroney&pid=183660148#sthash.mSuRxaeS.dpuf
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