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Chairman Adrian Mapp (center) presided. He is shown here with (l to r) Steve Hockaday, Charles McRae, Rebecca Williams and Beverly Calland. |
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Some of the crowd that filled Democratic Headquarters on Saturday morning. |
It was a standing-room-only crowd that filled Plainfield Democratic
Headquarters on Saturday morning for a Democratic City Committee meeting
to discuss the process of replacing Jerry Green, who resigned as chair
of the Union County Democratic Committee last week.
Chairman Adrian Mapp took the time to paint a picture for committee members of how things had developed to date. As he related it, he responded to a discussion of the possibility that Assemblyman Green might step down from his seat in the Legislature stating that he would not support the seat going anywhere except to Plainfield, and that he was willing to move to the Assembly if Green stepped down.
Chairman Mapp continued that Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr had been lobbying for the Assembly seat as well, and for that reason he could not support her candidacy for the Union County Dem chair.
As it turned out, all three candidates -- Mayor Mahr, Sen. Nick Scutari of Linden and Anthony Salters, chair of the Hillside Dem Committee -- were present.
After his introduction, Chairman Mapp opened the floor to Plainfield committee members.
What ensued is what they used to call, in reporting diplomatic exchanges, a "full and frank exchange" in which several Committee members criticized the chairman for stating unilaterally that there is a succession plan (there is not, though the chair has thoughts on the matter), and for implying to Sen. Scutari that he (Mapp) was delivering all 68 of the Plainfield votes to Scutari's column.
Committee members made it clear they felt that was close to the kind of "bossism" which had led folks to challenge Assemblyman Green's leadership in the first place, and that the committee would insist that the chair use the Executive Committee to sound out positions the entire Committee would be asked to support.
Since the candidates were already present, Chairman Mapp gave them each five minutes to make their presentation for support to the Committee, with time for questions allowed after each one spoke. (Max Pizarro of InsiderNJ and Jenn Popper of TAPinto posted video clips of the candidates' pitches to their websites; see links at CLIPS here.)
Mahr went first, citing her length of service (15 years as Fanwood Mayor, four years as First Vice Chair of the County Committee) and her psersonal connections to Plainfield (her first job was with Queen City Savings & Loan) and Fanwood's close relationship with the Queen City (we share the South Avenue business corridor, and both communities would benefit from the "one-seat ride" proposal for NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line. She did not mention that she had lobbied anyone for the Assembly seat, though she did say she supports keeping it a Plainfield seat.
Salters introduced himself as chair of the Hillside Democratic Committee and said he wanted only to serve as the County chair, not in any other elected capacity, implicitly critizing both Mahr and Scutari, who hold elected office. By way of connecting to Plainfield, he shared that Myke Washington (the karate instructor) was his college roommate. He also cited how prominent women are in Hillside politics --ranging from the new mayor to councilors and attorneys -- a rather strange emphasis given that he was asking Committee members to consider him as opposed to a woman.
Scutari gave a brief overview of his political career including his start on the Linden Board of Ed, service as a Freeholder, and the role the late Plainfield mayor Al McWilliams played in his becoming a state Senator. He also noted that he had become friends with Adrian Mapp and had played a mediating role in relations between Mapp and Jerry Green as Mapp was on the ascent.
It seemed clear to me that Sen. Scutari definitely will not get all 68 of the Plainfield Committee's votes. Could it have been different? Perhaps,but we shall never know how different.
As things stand now, it seems the Committee will split its votes between Scutari and Mahr. I did not get any great sense of support for Salters. (It should be pointed out that not all committee members were present, in spite of the crowd that packed the room, which may indicate there will be some members who will not cast a ballot for the new chair.)
The Union County Democratic Committee will meet in convention Wednesday, February 21 (note corrected date), at 7:00 PM at the Gran Centurion in Clark, for the purpose of voting on the new chairperson. Only duly elected members of the County Committee will be permitted to enter the room (according to Acting Chairperson Mahr) and cast their ballots. The County Committee bylaws do not allow for absentee or proxy ballots. Those who show will vote, those who do not will not count.
Chairman Adrian Mapp took the time to paint a picture for committee members of how things had developed to date. As he related it, he responded to a discussion of the possibility that Assemblyman Green might step down from his seat in the Legislature stating that he would not support the seat going anywhere except to Plainfield, and that he was willing to move to the Assembly if Green stepped down.
Chairman Mapp continued that Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr had been lobbying for the Assembly seat as well, and for that reason he could not support her candidacy for the Union County Dem chair.
As it turned out, all three candidates -- Mayor Mahr, Sen. Nick Scutari of Linden and Anthony Salters, chair of the Hillside Dem Committee -- were present.
After his introduction, Chairman Mapp opened the floor to Plainfield committee members.
What ensued is what they used to call, in reporting diplomatic exchanges, a "full and frank exchange" in which several Committee members criticized the chairman for stating unilaterally that there is a succession plan (there is not, though the chair has thoughts on the matter), and for implying to Sen. Scutari that he (Mapp) was delivering all 68 of the Plainfield votes to Scutari's column.
Committee members made it clear they felt that was close to the kind of "bossism" which had led folks to challenge Assemblyman Green's leadership in the first place, and that the committee would insist that the chair use the Executive Committee to sound out positions the entire Committee would be asked to support.
Since the candidates were already present, Chairman Mapp gave them each five minutes to make their presentation for support to the Committee, with time for questions allowed after each one spoke. (Max Pizarro of InsiderNJ and Jenn Popper of TAPinto posted video clips of the candidates' pitches to their websites; see links at CLIPS here.)
Mahr went first, citing her length of service (15 years as Fanwood Mayor, four years as First Vice Chair of the County Committee) and her psersonal connections to Plainfield (her first job was with Queen City Savings & Loan) and Fanwood's close relationship with the Queen City (we share the South Avenue business corridor, and both communities would benefit from the "one-seat ride" proposal for NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line. She did not mention that she had lobbied anyone for the Assembly seat, though she did say she supports keeping it a Plainfield seat.
Salters introduced himself as chair of the Hillside Democratic Committee and said he wanted only to serve as the County chair, not in any other elected capacity, implicitly critizing both Mahr and Scutari, who hold elected office. By way of connecting to Plainfield, he shared that Myke Washington (the karate instructor) was his college roommate. He also cited how prominent women are in Hillside politics --ranging from the new mayor to councilors and attorneys -- a rather strange emphasis given that he was asking Committee members to consider him as opposed to a woman.
Scutari gave a brief overview of his political career including his start on the Linden Board of Ed, service as a Freeholder, and the role the late Plainfield mayor Al McWilliams played in his becoming a state Senator. He also noted that he had become friends with Adrian Mapp and had played a mediating role in relations between Mapp and Jerry Green as Mapp was on the ascent.
It seemed clear to me that Sen. Scutari definitely will not get all 68 of the Plainfield Committee's votes. Could it have been different? Perhaps,but we shall never know how different.
As things stand now, it seems the Committee will split its votes between Scutari and Mahr. I did not get any great sense of support for Salters. (It should be pointed out that not all committee members were present, in spite of the crowd that packed the room, which may indicate there will be some members who will not cast a ballot for the new chair.)
The Union County Democratic Committee will meet in convention Wednesday, February 21 (note corrected date), at 7:00 PM at the Gran Centurion in Clark, for the purpose of voting on the new chairperson. Only duly elected members of the County Committee will be permitted to enter the room (according to Acting Chairperson Mahr) and cast their ballots. The County Committee bylaws do not allow for absentee or proxy ballots. Those who show will vote, those who do not will not count.
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