PLAINFIELD TODAY

Is Robinson-Briggs refusing to pay her fine?, and other questions...

2012-01-30T07:03:00.000-08:00

Smart-ass Magic 8 Ball!

Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs' involvement with money is endlessly fascinating.

Over the weekend, rumors surfaced that Her Honor will be refusing to pay the $200 fine levied by the City Council in its resolution reprimanding her and forwarding the results of its factfinding investigation to officials with prosecutorial and disciplinary authority: the Attorney General, the Union County Prosecutor and the Department of Community Affairs (see previous coverage of that issue here, including link to Olddoc's posting of the complete resolution of reprimand).

The mention by someone that Councilor Bill Reid is no longer Robinson-Briggs' campaign treasurer spurred a search of the Election Law Enforcement Commission's (ELEC) online reports, where the 2011 fourth quarter report of Her Honor's campaign committee was due January 15. A search early Monday morning (see here) shows the most recent filing is the third quarter report, filed in October 2011.

Lastly, the matter of the 'Sharon Robinson-Briggs Civic Association'.

My attention here was keyed by a story Friday on PolitickerNJ about a lawsuit against Union City Mayor (and State Senator) Brian Stack, alleging that he used the 'Brian Stack Civic Association' as an illegal funnel for campaign contributions and doling out contracts based on contributions to the fund (see story here). Shades of Sharpe James!

At any rate, these 'Civic Associations', which are legal, are supposed to be registered as nonprofits, devote their monies to community-related activities, and file the detailed reports required of nonprofits concerning fundraising and expenditures.

I remember hearing months ago that Mayor Robinson-Briggs had established such a nonprofit, and more recently that she and Councilor Rivers had held a joint fundraiser at Hugo's.

So, do I wait and see if the fundraiser appears on Mayor Robinson-Briggs' campaign committee report or do I try to track down the Sharon Robinson-Briggs Civic Association records?

So many choices, so little time!

Plainfield Today: "Despite reprimand of mayor, PMUA resolution more important"
ELEC: "Reports for Sharon Robinson-Briggs, 2013 Primary cycle"
PolNJ: "Lawsuit against Stack alleges 'pay-to-play' system"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Hidden Plainfield IDed: A Headmasterly Home

2012-01-30T03:51:00.000-08:00

Ad from Westfield Leader, 4/11/1974.

Headmaster's home on Field Avenue behind the school.

Yesterday's Hidden Plainfield was once home to the headmaster of Wardlaw Country Day School.

Wardlaw was a private school for boys that merged with The Hartridge School in 1976.

1936 Football team poses on front steps of school
at 1030 Central Avenue (see story here).

The Wardlaw property at 1030 Central Avenue was taken over by the duCret School of the Arts.

Wardlaw had already located its upper school on the Inman Road campus, with the lower school being located on the Hartridge property on Plainfield Avenue until 1997, when a new wing was added to the Edison campus.

Where shall we go next week?

Hidden Plainfield: "A Headmasterly Home" -- All comments and guesses have been posted.
Wardlaw-Hartridge School: "Website" | "Wikipedia" | "Facebook"
Ledger: "Wardlaw's 1936 'midget' team"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Hidden Plainfield: A Headmasterly Home

2012-01-29T07:12:00.000-08:00

The gambrel-roofed home had five working fireplaces.

Today's Hidden Plainfield home is one of many comfortable Colonial Revival-style homes that can be found throughout the Queen City. Note the ornate scrollwork over the second floor window and the Palladian triple window in the attic.

But this one was exceptional for once being home to a school headmaster.

Back in my life as a realtor, I sold this home which featured five working fireplaces with the original tiled surrounds. Susan Callender, a fellow realtor and office mate, loaned me a picture of herself at a children's birthday party in the dining room of the house in the 1940s.

Only the wallpaper had changed over the years.

Do you know where today's property is?

Answer tomorrow.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Double your fun at Plainfield DQ's Half Price Sale today

2012-01-28T06:52:00.000-08:00

This scrumptious-looking Super Bowl cake is just one of many at half-price today.

Today only you can double your fun at Plainfield DQ's Half Price Sale.

Donna and the Albanese family are saying 'thank you' to their customers for their support throughout the year by offering everything in the store at half off today. (We all know that the Albanese family supports the community throughout the year.)

Donna explaining business matters to a visiting class on Thursday.

Blizzards? Cones? Sundaes? Lunch?

You got it.

Plus all the cakes -- even the Super Bowl cake ready for next Sunday.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Council could beat Plainfield Board of Ed to punch in move to November election

2012-01-27T07:26:00.000-08:00

City Council could beat the Plainfield Board of Ed to punch in moving the District to November school board elections, which are allowed by a recently-signed new law.

Gov. Christie signed the bill (S-3148, see online here) into law on January 17, after it was passed by both houses of the Legislature during the lame duck session. The bill's signing was covered prominently by both the Ledger (see here) and NJ Spotlight (see here).

The law provides for the elections to be moved to the date of the November general election if the District's budget will not exceed the state's 2% increase cap. The commitment is for an initial four years.

Though the districts will have to enter an agreement with their respective counties to take up the extra expense to the county involved in managing the election process, it is sure to be less than a district spends on running its own standalone election. In Plainfield, turnouts can be lower than 1,000 voters, which makes a school board election pricey indeed.

In December, Maria alerted folks that the bill was going to be under consideration in the 'lame duck' session of the Legislature (see her post here), and last week I posed the question whether the Plainfield Board of Ed would be considering moving the election date (see my post here).

The Board of Ed subsequently scheduled a special meeting for January 24, advertising it on the District's website (see the agenda here, note there is no mention of changing the election date).

Wednesday afternoon I received notice of the NJ Department of Education's FAQ on the process of switching election dates, which can be done by a simple resolution of the Board of Education or the municipal governing body (the Plainfield City Council). You can see the FAQ, which includes a sample resolution for adoption, online here.

I wrote to Board of Ed President Renata Hernandez in an email yesterday, inquiring whether and when the board might be taking up discussion of the changes, to which she replied within a few minutes --

Mr. Damon - as was shared at the Special Meeting held this past Tuesday, a discussion concerning the subject matter noted herein will take place in public at the next scheduled board meeting 2/14; within the recently communicated deadline shared today via NJSB announcements.

I must admit I do not recall it being mentioned, but I did not stay to the bitter end, thinking the presentation on 'reconfiguring' the schools was the important item and the rest were of a routine nature. (It is strange it would be discussed at all at a special meeting, as the law is quite clear that items not advertised cannot be brought up.)

There are some who think the Grand SLAM team's support for changing the election date is lukewarm at best, since it would guarantee a much larger turnout, thus making it harder to win the four seats that will be up. This year will no doubt be marked by an enormous Plainfield turnout as President Obama's re-election will be on the ballot.

But it just might not be the Grand SLAM team's call, as the City Council can pass the needed resolution before the Board of Ed even meets on the 14th. This was pointed out by Assemblyman Jerry Green in a post on his blog yesterday afternoon (see here).

The Council's agenda session is slated for February 6, and a resolution could be adopted at the business meeting on February 13, in time for the deadline notice to the County of February 17.

Plainfield residents who have been frustrated by the statutory 'Chinese wall' between the City Council and the Board of Ed may have a chance to see the Council weigh in decisively for once on a matter of concern to the taxpayers.

Online Documents:

Press coverage: "Ledger, 1/17/2012" | "NJSpotlight, 1/18/2012"

Maria's Blog, 12/01/2011: "Blogger spotlights proposed law changing election dates"
Plainfield Today, 01/20/2012: "Will Plainfield BOE go for November election?"
Board of Ed: "Agenda: Special January 24, 2012 meeting" (PDF, no mention of elections)
Jerry Green's Page, 01/26/2012: "My thoughts on moving the school board election"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Is Plainfield School District gaming job postings?

2012-01-26T07:16:00.000-08:00

Screenshot of online Ledger ad for Supervisors, dated January 24.

I have been told in the past that job openings in the Plainfield Public Schools are not always properly advertised before being filled.

In fact, one of the complaints against former schools superintendent Steve Gallon was that he hired people improperly.

The question comes to mind because of information on current openings that I received yesterday (January 25).

It is an online advertisement in the Star-Ledger for Supervisors in the content areas of Math and ELA (English Language Arts) -- see the ad here.

So, here's my question: The ad is dated January 24; the deadline for receipt of resumés is January 25.

Does this mean the District is filling the position(s) from within and only going through a pro forma post of the job opening, trusting that no one will be able to meet the tight window of opportunity?

Ledger: "Plainfield school openings"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Scary night at the Board of Ed

2012-01-25T08:22:00.000-08:00

Mother Goose: “There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe.
In Britannica Online for Kids. http://kids.britannica.com/elementary/art-88199

Plainfield's Board of Ed met in special session Tuesday evening, and I was most interested in Interim Superintendent Anna Belin-Pyles' expected presentation on 'school reconfiguration'.

Her presentation, actually titled 'Grade Span Configuration' dealt with the shuffling around needed to accommodate the expected growth in 2012-13 student population. It called to mind the old nursery rhyme, 'There was an old woman who lived in a shoe' (see here).

Belin-Pyles highlighted items that have been a matter of concern for some time now: under-utilization of the middle school buildings (Maxson and Hubbard) and overcrowding in the elementary school buildings.

Without directly saying so, the shuffling that Belin-Pyles contemplates seems to undo the move of a couple years ago to expand the elementary schools' grade ranges and to eliminate the middle schools.

I am sympathetic to the move to dispense with middle schools, but it seems that not enough thought was initially given to planning this out in the Plainfield district, hence finding ourselves at the drawing board once again in a short period of time.

Enrollment prediction is not an exact science as any school administrator will tell you (a Google search turned up 859 results for that search term -- see here). But one thing is clear from Ms. Belin-Pyles' presentation: there is sharp pressure on the student population from the increasing enrollments at the Kindergarten and First Grade level.

Questions at the end of the presentation highlighted that the report does not, in fact, examine the entire school situation -- Plainfield High School, PAAAS and the Barack Obama High School were left out.

It dawned on me that a more accurate overall picture is of a school district stretched to the limits of its physical space. Moving kids back into the middle school buildings does not answer the long-term implications of continued sharp growth at the entry points -- Kindergarten and First Grade.

And if one considers that the Charter schools have drawn about a thousand kids out of the student pool for the District's buildings, it seems clear that the District is being faced with urgent construction needs, whether for new buildings entirely or the expansion of existing ones.

And the probability that the taxpayers are going to have to look at some serious construction costs in the next few years makes the failure of the Schools Development Authority to fund any Plainfield projects flagrant to the point of criminality.

While I think a lot of consultants are just boondoggles, this would be one case where I think it would be justifiable to hire a consultant to examine the district's growth prospects, building capacities and alternate plans of configuration and help draw up a long-range plan.

It was a scary evening at the School Board.

FOOTNOTE: The use of the High School's 1300-seat auditorium for meetings with attendance of about 20-30 (besides the Board) still strikes me as bizarre and unfriendly toward the public. The lighting is atrocious, with the board in partial shadow, and the audience in the glare of lights reminiscent of a film noir police interrogation. The sound is uneven, with some board members not using the mikes well. The High School Library is much more conducive to being seen and heard, both the board and the public. Unless, of course, that is not the point.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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North Avenue merchants: We're back!

2012-01-25T05:11:00.000-08:00

Following the complete boarding up of the burned out building...

...North Avenue was open to traffic by 5:00 PM.

Plainfield's North Avenue merchants heaved a collective sigh of relief Tuesday when the street was finally opened to traffic after being closed more than five weeks following a suspicious December 17 fire that gutted an historic commercial building.

Part of the confusion has arisen from the fact that the owner of the building lives in California and communications have been somewhat garbled.

Merchants were finally told at a meeting with DPWUD Director Eric Jackson and Oscar Turk, head of Inspections, that the street could be opened once the burned-out building was boarded up.

Mike Ramos, whose mother's Ambateñita Bakery was displaced by the fire, quickly organized a crew, rented a Home Depot truck and had the building boarded up by mid-afternoon.

By five o'clock the police barricades were gone and half a dozen vehicles were parked in front of businesses.

The Hollywood Barber Shop was humming and lights were on in Mi Buenaventura as preparations were made to reopen the restaurant.

There has been no official word about the blaze, which Public Safety Director Martin Hellwig deemed 'highly suspicious' in remarks to the Council. Hellwig advised the Council that he had closed the street for safety reasons and stationed police on a 24/7 basis. (I have since been told that the cost to the taxpayers has been in excess of $16,000 per week. Hellwig said the City would go after the property owner for the city's costs.)

Merchants, however, have their own suspicions, noting that one restaurateur was never interviewed despite being present in their premises when the fire broke out.

And then there is the matter of pressure to sell out to a developer.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Cooke column on Jerry Green shows Courier is Gannett stepchild

2012-01-24T06:54:00.000-08:00

Online version put up day and a half after print version.

If Plainfield readers needed yet another proof the Courier News is a neglected stepchild of Gannett's New Jersey operations, Sunday's Jay Jefferson Cooke column provides yet another example.

Titled 'Hey Jerry, if you need to talk, I'm here' (see online here), it was addressed to Plainfield Assemblyman Jerry Green and gave some insights into the legislator's relationship with the columnist.

Problem is that the column was available in the Courier PRINT EDITION when I picked it up at 5:15 AM on Sunday.

The online version has a time stamp of 6:16 PM Monday, a day and a half after the print edition was out.

Sadly, this has become par for the course now that Gannett's website is maintained out of its Neptune location.

Whether the Courier gets short shrift because the Neptune folks don't care about it or because they are understaffed and overstretched, the result is the same: online Courier readers get some of the news that's fit to print, some of the time on time.

Like the old saying goes, 'It doesn't matter whether the jug hits the rock or the rock hits the jug, it's the jug that suffers'.

Courier: "Hey Jerry, if you need to talk, I'm here" -- Jay Jefferson Cooke column.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Is it time to bring back Plainfield Township?

2012-01-23T06:44:00.000-08:00

Wrong choice of words.

Is it time to bring back Plainfield Township? Council President Adrian Mapp's reorganization meeting remarks highlighted an interest in seeing 2012 explore shared services more seriously.

That put me in mind of another discussion taking place statewide: consolidation of New Jersey's many municipalities. In fact, Princeton Boro and Princeton Township will be merging, following a successful referendum this past November.

While writing up yesterday's post on the new Plainfield website, I noticed (yet again) the annoyingly inaccurate 'established 1869' slug on the current City website.

'Established' just seems the wrong word. Plainfield was settled in 1685. Over the years it was an unincorporated village with many names. In 1869, it was incorporated as a City -- out of Plainfield Township (see the Wikipedia article here).

What was Plainfield Township?

Back in December, the Ledger ran a brief item on a discussion about merging Scotch Plains and Fanwood, which have shared a school district for decades (see story here).

1872 map shows some of Plainfield Township.

Turns out that Plainfield Township encompassed what is now Plainfield City plus Scotch Plains and the subsequently carved-out Fanwood.

Is it time to bring back the old Plainfield Township?

Think of the possibilities.

Ledger: "NJ organization wants a Scotch Plains-Fanwood merger"
Wikipedia: "Plainfield, New Jersey"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Plainfield's 'mystery' website? Not really.

2012-01-22T08:08:00.000-08:00

Welcome screen of the new city website has clean, inviting look.

Does Plainfield have a 'mystery' website? Not really, despite an anonymous comment on Plainfield Today this past week that suggested one.

What Plainfield does have is a new website that has been under development by IT Director Chris Payne, and about which he has spoken before the Council on several occasions. You can see the 'front' of the new website here.

It is part of a general overhaul, including not only a '.gov' domain name, but a makeover of the email system, with new '.gov' emails for employees and elected officials. Plainfield must begin to take into account court rulings requiring that government officials use their officially provided email accounts for the conduct of city business, so that they can be archived in one place and it is easier to see that the 'Sunshine' law is not being broken.

The new website will also -- hopefully, since no one outside Mayor Robinson-Briggs' inner circle has seen it -- be more rationally organized and include state-required data such as budget documents.

In an editorial on Saturday (see here), the Courier pointed out that local governments have been required for nearly a year now to have the current operating budget and those of the past three years online.

I was unable to find the mandated documents on Plainfield's current official website in expected or unexpected places. (I did note, though, that 'Audit and Control' does not even appear among the divisions under the Department of Administration and Finance.)

Best practices in website design involve having test groups involving potential end users throughout the development process to avoid the unpleasant surprises that can come when a well-intentioned site goes public without any prior review (see usabililty guru Jakob Nielsen on 'thinking aloud', the No. 1 usability tool here). To my knowledge, this has not happened with the site under development. Will there be anything to embarrass Mayor Robinson-Briggs? We shall have to see when we get our first peeks.

Howto.gov is a great resource for best practices in developing a government website (see here), and Fast Company magazine has done a 'best and worst' slideshow (see the latest here).

Welcome page for Danville, VA (pop. 43,055).

The Center for Digital Government has annual website achievement awards (see here) and among its 2011 outstanding websites was that of Danville, VA (pop. 43.055) -- see here.

Home page of West Hollywood, CA (pop. 34,399).

The Web Marketing Association (see here) also reviews websites annually and gave the City of West Hollywood, CA (pop. 34,399) a 2010 award -- see here.

Both of these cities are smaller than Plainfield and show what can be done in communities with modest resources.

Meanwhile, Plainfielders await, breathlessly.

Websites: "plainfieldnj.gov" | "plainfield.com"
Courier: "Worker contracts should be online" -- As budgets are supposed to be (second paragraph).
Jakob Nielsen: "Thinking aloud, the No. 1 usability tool"
howto.gov: "Best practices for government websites"
Fast Company: "Best and worst government websites"
Center for Digital Government: "Annual awards, 2011" | "City of Danville, VA"
Web Marketing Ass'n: "Best government websites" | "City of West Hollywood, CA"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Plainfield artist Indira Bailey featured in Black History exhibit

2012-01-21T04:22:00.000-08:00

'Nani and Joe', Ms.Bailey's grandmother and her cat Joe (more here).

Plainfield artist Indira Bailey is featured in an exhibit celebrating Black History at Scotch Plains' South Avenue Gallery.

Indira, who recently won a Fulbright fellowship to study in Morocco, is a longtime participant in the Plainfield art scene and serves on the city's Cultural and Heritage Commission.

The show runs from January 20 through March 29, with a reception this Wednesday, January 25, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM.

The South Avenue Gallery is at 2279 South Avenue in Scotch Plains (behind NJ Blood Services).

For more information, contact Indira at ibdesignstudio@yahoo.com. or visit her website at www.ibdesignstudio.com/.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Will Plainfield BOE go for November election, budget vote?

2012-01-20T07:24:00.000-08:00

School Board elections may now be held in November.

Gov. Christie and the Legislature have made things interesting for the Plainfield Board of Education.

Effective immediately and simply by adopting a resolution, the Board of Ed can move the school election and budget vote to the November general election date, under the terms of a bill signed into law on Tuesday by Gov. Chris Christie (see here). Plainfield Assemblyman Jerry Green was a sponsor of the bill.

The one gotcha is that the date can only be switched if the next proposed budget stays within the state's 2% cap.

In one fell swoop the longstanding complaint that school boards are elected by a tiny minority of eligible voters would be erased -- especially in a year when President Obama is standing for re-election and a huge turnout is guaranteed.

Four Board of Ed seats will be up whether the election takes place on April 17 or November 6. Three-year terms for Keisha Edwards (who is filling out the term of Pat Barksdale, who resigned), Brenda Gilbert and Lisa Logan Leach are up this year. The fourth seat is left open by the forced resignation of Rasheed Abdul-Haqq under a draconian new law sponsored by Assemblyman Jerry Green.

Though the Board solicited public interest in filling Abdul-Haqq's seat, and scheduled interviews for this past Tuesday, no decision to appoint someone to the vacancy has been made public yet. Such an appointee would serve until the 2012 election (see NJ law on vacancies here), and could run for a full term as an 'incumbent' even if length of service is measured in weeks and not years.

Moving the election and budget vote to November has the attraction of taking away the uncertainty about outcomes on budget voting by eliminating completely the vote on a budget that is within the state cap.

Plainfield voters last defeated the school budget for 2010-11, throwing the resolution into the laps of the City Council.

Such a scenario would disappear if the election is moved to November (providing it is kept under the cap).

Moving the election to November would involve a commitment of four years, after which the Board of Ed could move back to April if it wished by a simple resolution.

However, during the four years for a November election, if a budget were submitted above the cap, it would run as a standalone public question with no mechanism for review in case of defeat. A defeat would be a defeat, period.

Whether or not expiring non-Grand Slam members choose to run again, Grand Slam member Alex Edache made it clear at last year's reorganization that the Grand Slam folks mean to mount another slate for 2012. I haven't heard a word about any interest, meaning perhaps the Grand Slam folks will be uncontested.

The more time passes, the more golden the days under Dr. Larry Leverett appear -- both in Board transparency and in his and the Board's genuinely welcoming embrace of all stakeholders.

Legislature: "S3148/A4394: Moving BOE elections to November"
Onecle: "NJSA: 18A:12-15 Filling school board vacancies"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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5 weeks after fire, North Avenue still shut, merchants in dark

2012-01-19T07:56:00.000-08:00

December 17, 2011, fire gutted North Avenue Historic District building.

Friday marks the end of five weeks since a suspicious fire gutted a commercial building in Plainfield's North Avenue Historic District.

Though some damaged brickwork at the northeast rear corner of the building was knocked down on Tuesday, no other activity has been spotted and North Avenue remained blocked off as of 5:00 AM today when I went out for the papers.

Plainfield taxpayers have been footing the bill for 24/7 police surveillance of the area since the fire -- at OVERTIME rates.

Merchants, who are still in the dark about the City's plans -- or even if there are any plans -- are becoming increasingly restive as their businesses continue to suffer from precipitous declines in patronage.

Contrast the treatment of the North Avenue merchants with the city's solicitousness of South Avenue merchants regarding the South Avenue reconstruction project (see letter to businesses here, PDF).

What will the North Avenue merchants have to do to get the same level of service, sue the city?

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Despite Council reprimand of Mayor, PMUA resolution is more important

2012-01-18T08:46:00.000-08:00

Despite the Plainfield City Council's resolution reprimanding Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs
at Tuesday's meeting, a new resolution on the agenda authorizing the PMUA to provide solid waste services to customers outside the City of Plainfield will prove more important over the long haul.

The unanimous reprimand of Mayor Robinson-Briggs for her conduct in the now-notorious funding of a $20,000 radio broadcast of an August 2010 town hall meeting was read aloud into the public record by Municipal Clerk Jalloh on the instruction of Council President Adrian Mapp. All on tape for broadcast over the City's cable channels. (Olddoc has helpfully posted the entire resolution on his blog, see here.)

The report on the WBLS funding investigation will now be forwarded to the Attorney General, the Union County Prosecutor and the Department of Community Affairs.

PMUA AT A CROSSROADS: REFORM OR RUIN?

The PMUA resolution (R 043-12) has been awaited ever since the interlocal services agreement setting up the local solid waste agency in 1997.

Councilor Williams expressed surprise that it had not been attended to before, but that is another -- and long -- story. Let it only be noted that in a little more than six months Duane Young, the PMUA's interim executive director, has gotten more done than the previous administration had in nearly fifteen years.

At last week's PMUA Board of Commissioners meeting Young made a pitch to be made the agency's permanent executive director, citing an impressive list of knotty problems solved in his short tenure, including negotiating a deal whereby the PMUA Trasfer Station on Rock Avenue can begin to process solid waste from surrounding communities.

Commissioners Mitchell, Brokaw and Toliver came out publicly in favor of his candidacy. Alternate Commissioner Sanders threw a Hail Mary pass, saying that since the discussion wasn't on the Board's agenda he was unprepared to make any comment or commitment.

Commissioner Dunn, however, had no hesitation in saying that he could not support Young 'at this time', going on to lecture him for several minutes on the reasons why.

Dunn's sharpest words concerned the fact that PMUA workers were organizing a union 'under the current administration [Young's]', and against which Dunn is adamantly opposed.

Dunn went so far as to say he hoped that Young had not given raises or performance bonuses to any union sympathizers.

Such anti-union attitudes are unheard of among Democrats, and caused raised eyebrows at the meeting.

Not to mention the possibility that the National Labor Relations Board would come a-knocking should such blatantly discriminatory practices be put into play.

Young kept an even demeanor but did not back down on his claims, despite Dunn's bullying demeanor.

Yet Dunn's interaction with Young was only a highlight of his behavior at the meeting. Throughout, Dunn engaged in digressions. At one point, after a motion had been seconded and Chairman Mitchell was about to call the vote, Dunn reopened the discussion, leading to some confusion about exactly where they were when Chairman Mitchell finally wrested back control and asked PMUA counsel Leslie London to read the resolution. Taken a bit by surprise, London asked if she hadn't already read it, to which the room responded with hearty laughter.

One longtime observer who happened to be at that night's meeting called me afterward to offer his take: the Dunn was putting pressure on Young in front of everyone present, in essence saying, 'you cut a deal with me or you don't get the job'. This observer continued, 'and we all know what that means -- jobs for friends and contracts for insiders'.

With Dunn evidently able to turn Commissioner Toliver's vote away from arbitration and toward a settlement with Watson and Ervin, the handwriting is on the wall.

The Council, which did not take up the mayor's nominations to the PMUA last night, would be wise to consider whether jumping in the fire of the mayor's new list of appointments is better than staying with the frying pan of the current board.

At any rate, the signs of reform and progress that had so recently bloomed -- and are exemplified in the resolution to authorize customers from outside Plainfield's borders -- look to be in danger of being rubbed out.

Doc's Potpourri: "FYI: The [reprimand] resolution"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Google, Wikipedia in online protest of censorship bill today

2012-01-18T07:12:00.000-08:00

Wikipedia and Google are among thousands of sites protesting an Internet
censorship bill today by either going dark or altering their design.

Plainfielders turning to Wikipedia today for research (or to settle a bar bet) will find the website has gone dark for 24 hours in protest of two online piracy bills under consideration by Congress that threaten the Internet as a haven of free speech and inquiry.

According to a story on the Huffington Post (see here), Wikipedia (see here) is but one of thousands of sites that have shuttered themselves in protest today.

Others, such as Google (see here), are participating by converting their design to one of gloom and foreboding for the day.

All participating sites are posting links to explain the dangers of the proposed legislation, and Wikipedia has a lookup-by-Zipcode to give online visitors links to contact their representatives in Washington (see here).

Big-money Hollywood film companies and music industry giants have been caught off guard by the protest, which throws a spotlight on the bills they quietly lobbied for -- and nearly pulled off without notice.

However, after the tech and Internet companies got involved, Congressional leaders quickly back-pedalled and President Obama (who counts on both sides for funds in his upcoming election struggle) has called for changes to the bills as proposed.

The Internet, as they say, has changed everything.

Websites: "Wikipedia" (includes lookup for Congressional reps) | "Google"
Huffington Post: "SOPA blackout aims to block Internet censorship bill"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Sign the online petition to overturn the PMUA settlement

2012-01-17T04:03:00.000-08:00

Heading of PMUA ratepayers' online petition.

Ratepayers of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA) have begun an online petition to Gov. Chris Christie to have the State overturn the decision last week by three members of the Board of Commissioners (Dunn, Toliver and Sanders) to settle with former executives Eric Watson and David Ervin for an additional $725,000. Commissioners Mitchell and Brokaw opposed the settlement.

Both Watson and Ervin announced in March of 2011 they were voluntarily stepping down, and their final day of work was set as June 30 in a resolution adopted by the Commissioners on June 14th. (They subsequently received standard payouts of their accrued vacation and sick days over the next several months, in addition to the initial payment agreed to by the Commissioners.)

Plainfield Today broke the rumored details of the proposed settlement (see story here) and raised the issue of whether the 'emotional distress' argument was an elaborate scam (see story here).

At last week's public portion of the PMUA Commissioners' board meeting, Commissioners Mitchell, Brokaw and Toliver publicly stated they were opposed to settling with Watson and Ervin and preferred to see the matter continue through arbitration.

Somehow, Commissioner Toliver changed his position in the course of the executive session that followed the public meeting.

DumpPMUA founder Philip Charles, in a response to the Board's decision posted on Bernice's blog Monday (see here) added further circumstantial evidence for the suspicion of a scam in the severance arrangements in his discussion of the changes in the LENGTH OF TERM of Watson's and Ervin's most recent contracts. You will want to read what he has to say on the subject.

Earlier this month, Assemblyman Jerry Green posted to his blog in opposition to just such a 'golden parachute' for a Port Authority executive (see here) -- which, by the way, was far less generous than the PMUA settlement.

Though Gov. Christie does not appear to have veto power over decisions by the PMUA's Board of Commissioners, he does have a bully pulpit and is not shy about using it. The spectacle of Watson's friend and newly appointed Commissioner Dunn orchestrating the cushy settlement is just the sort of example Christie likes to take on.

This settlement is exactly the kind of abuse that led Christie to propose his bill to reform 'shadow government' by such independent authorities (see press release from his office here; the proposed legislation is here).

While public opinion in Plainfield is inflamed by the Commissioners' capitulation in the settlement, the Governor could make the PMUA the butt of ridicule statewide, and add further impetus to his drive to bring transparency and accountability to the 'shadow government' of agencies such as the PMUA.

Though I have quibbles with some of the overwrought language of the petition, I am in accord with the basic sentiment that the settlement should be rescinded and have signed the online petition.

I hope you will consider doing the same. You can sign the petition by clicking on the blue ONLINE PMUA PETITION box in the column to the right.

CAVEAT: Once you sign the petition you are whisked without so much as a by-your-leave to a payment page where you are encouraged to make a payment to the folks who operate the online petition site (the default setting is $25!). I was taken aback and, not seeing any way NOT to pay, made a small payment through PayPal. It occurred to me afterward that I could simply have closed that page and that my signature was probably already added to the petition. Be forewarned!

Plainfield Today --

Plaintalker II: "Philip Charles comments on PMUA"
Governor's Office: "On 'Shadow Government Reform'" -- Proposed bill is here (PDF).

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Would MLK be barred from serving on a NJ Board of Ed?

2012-01-16T08:20:00.000-08:00

Booking shot of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Would Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with upwards of twenty arrests on his record (see his Nobel Peace Prize biography here) be disqualified from serving on a New Jersey school board?

Read the law below and see the grounds for exclusion (or see here).

Chapter 72, 2011: Concerning Boards of Education

Nobel Peace Prize Committee: "Martin Luther King Jr. biography"
Scribd: "Chapter 72, 2011: Concerning Boards of Education"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Video: Congressman Pallone at MLK Potluck Supper

2012-01-16T06:33:00.000-08:00

Congressman Frank Pallone poses with President Obama at the Potluck.

Here is a short video of Congressman Pallone at the MLK Potluck Supper on Saturday night. The event was sponsored by the New Dems political club and hosted by Council President Adrian Mapp and his wife Amelia at their home.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Frontiers annual MLK breakfast Monday features Larry Hamm

2012-01-15T19:53:00.000-08:00

The Frontiers annual MLK breakfast is always a high point of Plainfield's commemoration of the life and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

You will have read about this year's event in a previous post (see here) and hopefully have made your reservations already (though walkins are always accommodated).

In an email, Dottie Gutenkauf sent along a last-minute reminder --

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: People’s Organization for Progress chairman Larry Hamm will be the featured speaker Monday at the Frontiers International annual Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration this year at Plainfield High School. The Frontiers breakfast starts at 8:30 am in the PHS cafeteria (entrance through the parking lot on Kenyon Avenue); after the breakfast, Larry will speak during the program in the PHS auditorium.

You’ll remember, of course, that it was Larry Hamm and the local POP chair, Steven Hatcher, who organized the Save Muhlenberg Coalition (now the Restore Muhlenberg Coalition) when the potential closure of Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center became public knowledge. The last time Larry spoke in the PHS Auditorium was during one of the State Health Planning Board hearings in 2008. We all owe him our gratitude for helping to organize our community, and I hope we’ll all be able to attend and cheer on Monday!

I’m sorry not to have been able to get out updates in recent weeks--Joe has not been well, and neither have I. I’ve accumulated a collection of health and hospital related news items and I hope to be able to send them to you some time soon.

In the meantime, best wishes for a Happy New Year, and I hope to see you Monday at the High School.

Tickets are $16/adult, $12/seniors and students. Payable at the door. Use the Kenyon Avenue parking lot.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Congressman Pallone at Plainfield New Dems' MLK Potluck

2012-01-15T07:29:00.000-08:00

Congressman Frank Pallone poses with guest of honor President Barack Obama.

Plainfielders at Saturday's MLK Potluck had a special treat besides the table groaning with specialties brought by guests -- a visit from Congressman Frank Pallone.

Pallone and an aide mingled with about a hundred guests at the home of Council President Adrian Mapp and his wife Amelia. In brief remarks, he thanked Plainfielders once again for the role they played in securing his 2010 election -- where he lost his home base of Monmouth County to a Tea Party surge.

Sadly, this will be the last time Plainfield will be able to make such a contribution to Pallone's success as the recent redistricting moves Plainfield out of Pallone's district and into that of Rep. Rush Holt.

The Mapps home lent itself well to the mixed crowd of old friends and newcomers -- many of whom filled several rooms as they ate and chatted, with a small but fervent group in the sunroom watching the Saints vs. Denver football game.

Folks crowded at the Potluck table.

Live music was provided by the ever-popular Joe Bonini as background to lively discussions of everything from local to national politics as well ascatching up on news of families now grown and dispersed.

The Mapps' capacious back porch was piled high with contributed canned goods and non-perishable food items, this year being donated to Shiloh Baptist Church's food pantry.

Besides Congressman Pallone, special guests included Union County Freeholders Linda Carter and Mohammed Jalloh. City Council members Rebecca Williams and Cory Storch were also acknowledged.

Guests were given a special treat in being able to pose for a photograph with President Obama, for which the Potluck is considered the local grassroots kickoff.

Congressman Pallone with one of Plainfield's hardest working volunteers, Carol Bicket.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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MLK Potluck, Food Drive and Obama photo opp tonight

2012-01-14T06:03:00.000-08:00

Plainfielders of all political stripes and none are invited to the 4th Annual Community MLK Potluck Party and Food Drive tonight at 7:00 PM at the home of Council President Adrian Mapp and his wife Amelia, 535 West 8th Street. The event will also mark the launch of grassroots activity in support of President Obama's re-election effort.

Attendees are invited to show their Obama support by wearing Obama tees, pine and such (Tees will be available, as will special photo opportunities with the President.

For the fourth year, Plainfield's New Democrats club will host the Potluck and Food Drive as both a celebration of the life and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the community's week of programs in honor of Dr. King, and an opportunity for collecting canned goods and nonperishable food for local feeding programs. This year's donations will be given to the food pantry of Shiloh Baptist Church.

Local soup kitchens and food pantries have been particularly stressed over the past three years, and with unemployment and underemployment still high, they continue to try and meet the needs of the hungry in the community. "We are inviting everyone to join the war on hunger in America that Dr. King addressed nearly fifty years ago," says Adrian Mapp, chair of the New Democrats political club.

As King said in his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize, "Today, therefore, the question on the agenda must read: Why should there be hunger and privation in any land, in any city, at any table when man has the resources and the scientific know-how to provide all mankind with the basic necessities of life?"

Contributions of nonperishable items such as canned goods of all kinds, pastas, cereals, rice or dried beans may be dropped off in advance at any time from today up to the party on the Mapps' front porch at 535 West 8th Street, or brought along the night of the party.

Those planning to attend the Potluck are asked to bring a dish, dessert or beverage to share.

This opportunity to mix and mingle with new friends and old with food, fun and live music, has become one of Plainfield's must-attend winter events.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Nellie Dixon's final moving sale today

2012-01-14T05:55:00.000-08:00

Today's your last chance for Nellie's moving sale.

NELLIE DIXON'S FINAL MOVING SALE

Saturday, January 14, 9 AM - 4 PM. At 731 Huntington Avenue (near Grant Avenue).

Nellie is a legendary figure in Black memorabilia and collectibles, and part of this final sale will include items from her personal collection of Black figurines, cloth and china dolls, cookie jars and other collectibles, as well as post cards, advertising cards and other paper items, PLUS books by and about African American authors -- including first editions and out-of-print items.

There are also linens, framed artwork and prints, tables and furniture, kitchen items and small appliances.

For more information, call (908) 756-7612.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Two shared-services proposals: One could be a winner

2012-01-13T07:55:00.000-08:00

Consultants Holland & Davis outline the advantages of shared services
over other approaches (see their website here).

Discussion -- if not action -- on shared-services proposals appears to be all the rage in New Jersey, even in Plainfield.

Two times this past week, the topic came up -- at the Council meeting and at the PMUA Commissioners' meeting. One could be a winner.

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF PLAINFIELD

Housing Authority (HAP) executive director Randy Wood pitched a shared social services project to the Council at its Monday agenda session.

The city was being asked to front $60,000 plus office space in the Annex to expand a program currently offered by HAP.

Council reacted that the proposal was vague, with no detailed proposal, and deferred discussion until the February meeting, to which Wood was invited to return with a fleshed-out plan.

It was not clear to me from the presentation that there was an equitable balance in shared costs on the two sides of the equation -- no figures being given for HAP's outlay. Further, it occurs to me to ask why, with all the agencies that are working the social services side of the street, there needs to be yet another program, with another staff, and looking to the taxpayers to foot the bill.

It would be refreshing to contemplate a program that coordinated the existing efforts, as was done through the Plainfield Coalition under the late Pepsi Charles.

SHARED SERVICES FOR FUEL?

At the PMUA board meeting, a resident asked offhandedly about joining with the city in fuel procurement and distribution. This opened a discussion that, to me, points toward a real problem that could be addressed by a shared services approach -- and that money could be saved all around.

The idea of developing some sort of pooled fuel supply program between the City, the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA), and the Board of Ed has been discussed in the past, without any conclusive path forward.

PMUA executive director Duane Young, in answering the ratepayer comment, cited several of the factors that have inhibited progress: the location of a functional central distribution site and deciding on the type of fuel storage 'pod' and financing its purchase/construction.

On the other hand, being able to buy fuel at wholesale for multiple organizations could make for significant savings.

Though just a sidebar conversation, it seems to me that solving the issues that stand in the way of a shared-services arrangement for fuel purchases and distribution is on its face a more compelling project than adding another piece to an already crazy-quilt pattern of social services delivery.

In implementing Council President Mapp's 2012 'shared-services' initiative, I think effort devoted to the fuel question would be well worth it.

Website: "Holland & Davis, Consultants"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Update: North Avenue building should be boarded up today

2012-01-12T06:59:00.000-08:00

Work is supposed to begin today to board up burned-out North Avenue building.

Got an email Wednesday evening that Plainfield officials visited the North Avenue merchants affected by the fire and subsequent street closing.

I have been told that the contractor for the insurance company with the policy on the building is to be on the ground this morning to board up the building. I will be going by to check this out.

Once the building is boarded and scaffolding erected to protect those on the ground from any possible falling debris, the next question will be the cleaning and opening of the street to some sort of traffic arrangement.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Should Prosecutor look into $107,000 PMUA severance settlement?

2012-01-11T08:29:00.000-08:00

Detail from signature page of separation agreement.

At Tuesday's regular monthly meeting of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA) Commissioners, audience members were prepared to ask questions about the status of the severance payment dispute with former executives Eric Watson and David Ervin.

What they were not prepared for was Resolution 9-2012.

When the section of the agenda for her report was reached, PMUA Counsel Leslie London explained to the Commissioners that she had prepared a resolution (9-2012) to 'memorialize' and 'ratify' two separation settlements that had 'recently come to her attention'.

These were the 2005 settlement with former Field Operations Director John Johnson for $107,000 (coincidentally part of my post on PMUA settlements yesterday -- see the agreement here and at end of this post; the file is courtesy of Philip Charles of DumpPMUA -- see their website here) and a 2011 settlement for five weeks pay with a recently separated employee.

Questions immediately began to come from Commissioners, since several said they did not recall approving any agreement about Mr. Johnson's separation.

When asked for more details, Ms. London said that while she had prepared the document at the request of Mr. Watson, she had never had any further part in the matter, had not witnessed it, nor seen a copy of the executed agreement and did not know how it came to be paid out.

The agreement itself provides that Mr. Johnson was to receive $50,000 upon execution of the agreement (November 15, 2005) and $57,000 in eight monthly payments commencing January 1, 2006 and ending August 1, 2006.

The signatory page contains the (undated) signature of Executive Director Eric Watson and the signature of John Johnson, dated November 15, 2005.

Interestingly, the final page is in two parts for a Notary Public to attest that the parties had appeared personally before the Notary and under oath swore that they had read and executed the agreement voluntarily.

Mr. Watson's half of the document is unsigned and unattested by the Notary. Mr. Johnson's half is completed and notarized by Dollie Hamlin, an employee of the PMUA who is also a Notary Public.

The entire document, including the Notary's attestations, appears to have been prepared as a single word-processing file from the document identification number at the bottom of each page: '71015-099 289515.1'.

Whatever the intent and/or knowledge of Ms. London in preparing the document or Ms. Hamlin in taking Mr. Johnson's sworn oath, the issue that comes to my mind is HOW PAYMENT WAS CAUSED TO BE MADE AND BY WHOM, EVIDENTLY WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OR CONSENT OF THE GOVERNING BODY, THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.

And that, I suggest is reason enough for the Union County Prosecutor to want to look into the matter.

PMUA Settlement: Johnson

Settlement Agreement: "John Johnson"
Website: "DumpPMUA"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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MLK Events :: 2012 Schedule

2012-01-11T07:11:00.000-08:00

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

THURSDAY · January 12 · 7 PM Sharp
NAACP & Mohawk Lodger #307: Two Presentations and Discussion
Two presentations will examine health issues and social media.
'Cleanse, Balance, Build' is a look at a natural way to improve your health,
by Phil Nichols of Genesis Pure Corp. Derrick Miller will talk about 'Social Media',
featuring a look at the fundamentals and how they are impacting our lives.
Hosts for the evening are George Gore and Peter Briggs.

At Mohawk Lodge, 1357 West 3rd Street
Sponsor: Plainfield Chapter, NAACP and the Civil Liberties Dept. of IBPOEW
Info: George Gore, (908) 568-8834.

SATURDAY · January 14 · Doors open at 12:30 PM
Omega Psi Phi: 'Dream For The Stars!'
The 'Omega Talent Hunt', showcasing the area's most talentedsolo student performers in Dance, Vocal, Instrumental and Spoken Word/Drama, plus an Essay Contest.

At: Hubbard Middle School, 661 West 8th Street
Sponsor: Omicron Chi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi
Info: (201) 741-1415

SATURDAY · January 14 · 7 PM
New Dems: 4th Annual MLK Potluck Dinner and Food Drive
This must-attend MLK event will also kick off Plainfield's grassroots Obama campaign -- including opportunities for photos with the President. Donations of canned goods or non-perishable food items will benefit Shiloh Baptist Church's food pantry program.

At the home of Council President Adrian and Amelia Mapp, 535 West 8th Street
Sponsor: New Democrats for Plainfield
No RSVP necessary. Invite your friends to this popular event.

MONDAY · January 16 · 8:30 AM
Frontiers MLK Annual Memorial Breakfast.
Guest speaker: Larry Hamm, humanitarian, civil rights activist and dynamic speaker.
Hamm is well-known to Plainfielders for his work as leader of POP (People's Organization
for Progress).

At Plainfield High School Cafeteria, 950 Park Avenue (use Kenyon Avenue lot and entrance)
Tickets: $16/person, $12/Students/Seniors
Sponsor: Plainfield Area Chaper of Frontiers International
Tickets: $16/General Admission, $12/Students and Seniors
Info and reservations: (908) 756-4663 or (732) 968-7500

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Council: Officials' benefits; Liquor licenses; North Avenue fire aftermath

2012-01-10T10:26:00.000-08:00

'Dedicated...to the cause of just and capable government'.

With a new leadership team in place, Plainfield City Council's first agenda setting session of 2012 was held Monday, with Adrian Mapp as new Council President and Bill Reid as Chair of the Committee of the Whole at the head of the Council table.

Among the items discussed --

ELECTED OFFICIALS' BENEFITS
Moving right away on his legislative agenda for 2012, Council President Mapp opened a discussion preparatory to introducing an ordinance to eliminate health benefits for all local elected officials.

While the conversation mostly referenced Council members (of whom, it turns out, only two take advantage of the benefits), Mapp had to remind everyone at least twice that the proposal was to eliminate benefits for ALL local elected officials -- which would include the Mayor. (State law already provides that no future part-time elected officials -- such as Plainfield's Council and Mayor -- are eligible.)

After discussion, it was agreed to move forward and the ordinance will be introduced for first reading at next Monday's Council business meeting.
LIQUOR LICENSES
In his report on economic development, Councilor Storch mentioned that the downtown developer Landmark Properties was interested in obtaining two liquor licenses for proposed businesses downtown.

There followed some discussion about trying to craft restrictions that would require holders of licenses for bars to be primarily engaged as restaurants and not as bars only, which Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson said he would look into.

Concern about liquor licenses is a constant theme with the Council, though Councils have seldom attempted to actually seriously function as the local Alcoholic Beverage Control unit.

In my humble opinion -- as a no-longer-drinking member of the public -- liquor licenses should be considered by elected officials as a PRECIOUS RESOURCE, vital to any remaking of Plainfield as a 'transit village', to be conserved and wisely administered since they are irreplaceable.
NORTH AVENUE FIRE AFTERMATH
After questioning led by Councilor Storch, the Robinson-Briggs administration indicated that there had been 'false starts' on resolving the matter of whether the burned-out building would be restored rather than being torn down.

Public Safety Director Hellwig did not seem enthusiastic about having the DPW board up the building and put a lien on the property, even though the property owner has not got a good track record on even maintaining the building before the fire.

There also didn't seem to be any sense of urgency on the part of the Robinson-Briggs administration to get the situation resolved as quickly as possible, and open the street to traffic (if not parking) by way of offering some relief to the merchants.

Look for some signs of action by Thursday, or expect the merchants to press the Council further.
ASIDES...
VIDEO: With the old videography contract lapsing, Council and audience were treated to the city's media staff undertaking the video. This delayed getting the meeting started while they set up. One suggestion, if the work is to be done by city staff, is to have all the lighting set up in the room BEFORE the Council has its executive session prior to the public meeting, so that time is not lost in setup.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: Though the meeting was delayed by twenty minutes getting started, the Council did go back into executive session after the public meeting. I hope the Council will take seriously the prodding by NJ courts that the public meetings should start at the stated time and the public should not be inconvenienced by the governing body's need to discuss matters in executive session. The only Plainfield agency currently engaging in the best practice in this area is the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA). It would be nice if the Board of Ed and the Council followed suit.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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PMUA execs' severance settlement a scam?

2012-01-10T09:24:00.001-08:00

Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA) Commissioners meet tonight at 6:00 PM in a public hearing on the service rates voted at their December meeting.

The rate hearing will be immediately followed by the Board's January meeting.

Severance settlement issues with former executives Eric Watson and David Ervin may be taken up by the Commissioners in a executive session following the public hearing and public meeting.

THE GREAT 'EMOTIONAL DISTRESS' SCAM?

Questions are beginning to emerge whether the severance claims of the former executives are part of an 'occupational stress' arbitration scam carefully put into place over a period of time and executed incrementally setting the stage for a major payout to Watson and Ervin.

Consider the following --

SETTLEMENTS FOR 'EMOTIONAL DISTRESS'
The PMUA settled with two former employees (see documents here and here) for 'emotional distress' for $7,500 each in September of 2010. While the amounts are relatively small (compared to the $107,000 the Authority settled with former Field Operations Director John Johnson in 2005 -- see here), they do set a precedent of settling separation claims on the basis of 'emotional distress' and before an arbitrator's decision.
'GOOD CAUSE' TERMINATION BY EMPLOYEE
Watson and Ervin had one-year contracts for 2009, which DumpPMUA has posted on its website -- Watson and Ervin.

The language of both includes the stipulation under section 3.3 that --
'...if the Agreement is terminated...by the Employee for good cause, the Employee shall be entitled to his salary and continuation of his benefits for the duration of the term of the Agreement...'
An additional clause was added to the four-year contract entered into between the PMUA and Watson and Ervin in 2010 --
3.4 If Employee is terminated for cause or if Employee voluntarily terminates this Agreement prior to the end of its terms without just cause, Employee shall not be entitled to a continuation of salary or benefits beyond the termination date unless agreed to by the Employer.
These clauses suggest both the employees and the Authority were positioning themselves for possible termination of the employment agreement and a contested severance dispute, which we now witness in the current arbitration.
SOWING SEEDS IN THE PUBLIC'S MIND?
When the former executives announced their resignations in March 2011, much was made of the stress of their dealings with the public, covered in Mark Spivey's story in the Courier (see here), but which I pooh-poohed at the time (see my post here). That was before knowing about the 'emotional distress' severance payments.
And that has caused me to rethink the import of the story I was told at the December 28 meeting --

...according to this individual, they encountered a commissioner while walking down the street one day after Watson and Ervin had left the agency, and the commissioner volunteered that Mr. Watson said he had received death threats [in connection with a workforce reduction] and was very upset about it. Further, a doctor who examined him was said to have been alarmed about his blood pressure and wanted him hospitalized. The commissioner opined that Mr. Watson stepped down because of this 'health emergency' and considered it 'work-related'.....
The person who related that story to me now believes the Commissioner was knowingly trying to build sympathy for Mr. Watson in anticipation of public disclosure of a settlement.
A CONVINCING CHAIN?
There are no smoking guns here. Nothing about this chain of events proves a scam is in place. But this is Plainfield and we have been snookered more than once, so I am naturally suspicious.
WHY NOT BET ON THE ARBITRATOR?
The PMUA Commissioners find themselves with a couple of options, only one of which is taking the proposed settlement offered by the former exectives' attorney. They can make a counter-proposal, or they could let the arbitration continue.
Why not bet on the arbitrator?
The merit of claims to settlements for 'emotional distress' is as yet untested. If the Commissioners choose to settle, the Arbitrator would not intercede (even if the settlement was thought to be blatantly inequitable), since negotiated settlements are preferred over pressing through to a ruling.
Is it possible the Commissioners are tempted to take the easy way out -- Watson's and Ervin's settlement offer -- not because the PMUA's case is weak, but because a ruling by the arbitrator in the PMUA's favor would shut the spigot on future claims of this type? Meaning the gravy train would be derailed for future 'friends in need'?

Whatever the Commissioners decide, and whenever they decide it, they now have the full attention of the ratepayers. That has to count for something.

PMUA
Board of Commissioners Meeting

Tuesday | January 10
6:00 PM

PMUA Headquarters
127 Roosevelt Avenue
(corner East 2nd Street)
Parking in agency lot or on street

Settlement Agreements: "Dixon" | "Robinson" | "Johnson"
Courier: "PMUA executives step down in surprise move"
Plainfield Today: "Those PMUA resignations? Take with grain of salt"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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After North Avenue fire, City dithers, merchants suffer

2012-01-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

Three weeks after fire, area merchants have received no written communication,
nor has building been boarded or street cleaned up.

Merchants along Plainfield's historic North Avenue between Park Avenue and the train station are suffering severe drops in business activity three weeks after a 'highly suspicious' (according to Public Safety Director Martin Hellwig) fire gutted a building on the north side of the street.

A visit to merchants along the block on Saturday brought many concerns to light.

First off, there has been no formal communication from Mayor Robinson-Briggs or any other city official about how long merchants will have to put up with having the street blocked off with no through traffic or parking.

There have been no press releases, no notices on the City's website, no invitations by the Mayor to meet with her. Nothing.

Worse, during an informal visit on Friday, city officials told merchants on the south side of the street they were 'technically' in violation of the street closure by being open for business at all during this period -- though no verbal or written notice was ever given to businesses on the south side of North Avenue.

Meanwhile, four businesses on the north side of the street, including restaurants and a barber shop, have been displaced.

The Portuguese BBQ on East 4th Street, which burned up days before the North Avenue fire, was boarded up within 24 hours. As of Saturday, the North Avenue building, while set off with chain link fencing, was still unboarded with the wind blowing soot and ashes onto the windows of the buildings across the street, and the broken glass still unswept from the middle of North Avenue.

While talking with a merchant, a window washer did their windows and I could see with my own eyes how dirty the water was from the soot and smoke washed off the storefront.

Despite a state law stating that owners of properties must register their 'real' address with the tax assessor and supply emergency contact phone numbers to the Fire Division, the city seems unable to contact the owner.

One wonders whether it has occurred to them to try and reach out to the owner through contact numbers current and former tenants -- all of whom are still in the area -- have for the landlord.

Meanwhile, why doesn't the City board up the premises and put a lien on the property just as would be done if DPW had to mow the grass? And clean up the street?

Those who have to travel by or through the area will have noticed that there has been 24/7 police presence since the fire, with the Police Division's Incident Command Center posted in the street for two weeks.

As one cop said to me, 'If I were a taxpayer, I would be hopping mad that the City is paying overtime 24/7 for cops to sit there and monitor the building'.

Is it any wonder that merchants are suspicious and think the City's behavior is evidence of a plot by Mayor Robinson-Briggs to drive them out of business?

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Saturday's Potluck Party and Food Drive honor MLK, kick off Obama 2012

2012-01-09T06:57:00.000-08:00

Plainfielders of all political stripes and none are invited to the 4th Annual Community MLK Potluck Party and Food Drive Saturday, January 14, at 7:00 PM at the home of Council President Adrian Mapp and his wife Amelia, 535 West 8th Street. The event will also mark the launch of grassroots activity in support of President Obama's re-election effort.

Attendees are invited to show their Obama support by wearing Obama tees, pine and such (Tees will be available, as will special photo opportunities with the President.

For the fourth year, Plainfield's New Democrats club will host the Potluck and Food Drive as both a celebration of the life and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the community's week of programs in honor of Dr. King, and an opportunity for collecting canned goods and nonperishable food for local feeding programs. This year's donations will be given to the food pantry of Shiloh Baptist Church.

Local soup kitchens and food pantries have been particularly stressed over the past three years, and with unemployment and underemployment still high, they continue to try and meet the needs of the hungry in the community. "We are inviting everyone to join the war on hunger in America that Dr. King addressed nearly fifty years ago," says Adrian Mapp, chair of the New Democrats political club.

As King said in his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize, "Today, therefore, the question on the agenda must read: Why should there be hunger and privation in any land, in any city, at any table when man has the resources and the scientific know-how to provide all mankind with the basic necessities of life?"

Contributions of nonperishable items such as canned goods of all kinds, pastas, cereals, rice or dried beans may be dropped off in advance at any time from today up to the party on the Mapps' front porch at 535 West 8th Street, or brought along the night of the party.

Those planning to attend the Potluck are asked to bring a dish, dessert or beverage to share.

This opportunity to mix and mingle with new friends and old with food, fun and live music, has become one of Plainfield's must-attend winter events.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Hidden Plainfield: 4-On-The-Floor Victorian ID

2012-01-09T06:32:00.000-08:00

Property is a block from St. Mary's Church. Brown-roofed building across from church
is the former convent, now housing Missionaries of Charity.

The house, which fills its lot, may originally have had a porch across the front.

Yesterday's Hidden Plainfield property -- a 4-on-the-floor Victorian with both Shingle and Queen Anne details stands at the corner of West 6th Street and Field Avenue.

It is a block from St. Mary's Church and was part of the proposed 'St. Mary's Area Historic District' that never came to fruition.

Founded in 1851, St. Mary's parish served the Irish immigrants who originally worked to build the Elizabeth and Somerville Railroad that came through Plainfield in the late 1830s, and who then settled in the area permanently (see more about the railroad here).

St. Mary's, with its church, parochial school and an adult school became the hub of a busy neighborhood characterized by late Victorian homes.

In recent years, the neighborhood has become largely Hispanic, as has the congregation of St. Mary's.

Notably, the convent was offered by a previous pastor to Mother Teresa's order, the Missionaries of Charity, who make use of it as a novitiate and a contemplative center. Both sisters and novices are frequently seen walking about the community in their distinctive blue and white habits.

Where shall we go next week?

Hidden Plainfield: "4-On-The-Floor Victorian" -- All comments and guesses have been posted.
Wikipedia: "Central Railroad of New Jersey"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Hidden Plainfield: 4-On-The-Floor Victorian

2012-01-08T07:13:00.000-08:00

Today's property has both Shingle- and Queen Anne-style touches.

Today's Hidden Plainfield property I am calling a 4-on-the-floor Victorian, since it is (at least) a four-family, each having a separate private entrance on the first floor.

This slightly flamboyant structure has both Shingle and Queen Anne details, but blended nicely.

Tip: It's in a neighborhood proposed years ago as another Plainfield historic district. This one, however, never came into being.

Do you know where today's property is?

Answer tomorrow.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Dan's blogs are back!

2012-01-07T16:03:00.001-08:00

It appears both CLIPS and Plainfield Today were hacked sometime during the afternoon of January 7th.

Google noticed 'unusual activity' on the account and when I tried to log into Gmail on my laptop, I was led through a recovery routine by which they sent a recovery code to my cellphone which gave me access to reset my password to a new one.

Once that was done, everything seems to be back to normal.

Whew!!

PS: A special thanks to Jackie S. for calming me down...;-))

[UPDATE] It's Saturday, do you know where your Mayor's 'State of the City' address is?

2012-01-07T06:48:00.000-08:00

Whether or not the State of the City address was posted to the City website at 1:00 AM Friday
is less important than when word was put on the home page, for which see below...

Website tool shows the change to Plainfield's home page
(noting where to find the booklet) was made at 3:12 PM on Saturday.

[UPDATE] This is an update to the post, after a commenter said they saw the booklet on the website.

It is indeed now posted to the website, with a note on the front page (see top image above) -- saying it was posted at '1 AM on January 6 on the Downloads page'.

There was no such note on the home page when I looked early Saturday morning. Why wouldn't the current address be listed with the previous ones on the home page? Who knows? Who would think to look on the 'Downloads' page?

I have an interesting tool that shows the last time any page was updated.

Guess when the notice was put up on the Plainfield website's home page? See the second screen shot above -- 3:12 PM, Saturday, January 7 -- hours after my blog post.

Can we get real here?

Screen shot of the City website this morning. Only 2010 and 2011 Addresses are there.

At some point during Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs 53-minute 'State of the City' extemporization at Tuesday's Council reorganization meeting, Her Honor held up the booklet she had prepared and said 'it will be on the website Friday' as well as on PCTV.

Taking the Mayor at her word, I checked the City's website Friday, but did not find the promised document.

'OK', I said to myself, 'it's Friday until midnight. Let's be fair and give Her Honor the benefit of the doubt'.

So I let it go overnight.

Here we are, Saturday morning, and guess what ... no speech.

I, for one, am surprised and disappointed. After all, the Mayor gave her word.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Mayor's speech brings an 'Aha!' moment

2012-01-06T07:52:00.000-08:00

Translation: Oh my God! Did you see? Laughing out loud,
talk to you later... later.

Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs' 53-minute 'State of the City' extemporization at Tuesday's Council reorganization meeting led one reader to an 'Aha!' moment.

As they wrote me in an email --

...From where I was sitting along the wall I noticed after the mayor got about ten minutes into her speech that quite a few people in the room had begun texting. As the mayor continued more people joined in. I don't know if people were texting each other in the room or if they were texting people who were not there at all. I have never seen anything like it at a public meeting and had an Aha moment. We seem to have come to the point where any public figure who gasses and doesn't seem focused is in danger of losing whatever opportunity of making a point they may have had...

When I shared this with a friend who teaches in the Plainfield public schools, they said 'Where have YOU been? Kids have been texting when bored for ages!'

I must say that being in a front row seat meant I missed seeing all this.

Thank God pushing the keys while texting doesn't make that 'click' we used to get from the old IBM chiclet keyboards (remember those?).

How embarrassing would that be?

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Public can help and encourage injured PMUA worker

2012-01-06T07:17:00.000-08:00

Plainfield residents and ratepayers can both help and encourage injured PMUA worker Robert "Bobby" Morris.

In answer to an outpouring of interest from employees, residents, churches and other organizations, the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA) has set up a fund where donations may be made in support of Mr. Morris.

Working on a special crew that picks up from trash containers in the downtown business district overnight on holidays, Morris was pinned between the rear end of the compactor on which he was a crew member and a car driven by a suspected drunk driver. After hitting Morris and pinning him between the vehicles the driver fled the scene on foot.

Morris lost a leg as a result of the accident and will have to undergo several surgeries as well as protracted physical rehabilitation.

You can help in TWO ways -- by making a contribution to the fund and by offering words of support and encouragement to Mr. Morris.

CONTRIBUTIONS

The Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA) has set up a special bank account, the 'Bobby Morris Fund' to which contributions may be made. Make your check or money order (do NOT send cash) payable to the 'Bobby Morris Fund' (NOT to the PMUA) and mail to --
Bobby Morris Fund
c/o Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority
127 Roosevelt Avenue
Plainfield, NJ 07060

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

In a time like this, when one's world has been totally upended by such a freak accident, when a long struggle back to an active life is being faced, words of support and encouragement are particularly important.

You may send your wellwishes and words of encouragement (DO NOT ENCLOSE A CHECK WITH A CARD), whether in a card or a just a note, to --
Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority
Attn: Bobby Morris
127 Roosevelt Avenue
Plainfield, NJ 07060

DO NOT ENCLOSE CHECKS FOR THE FUND WITH ANY CARD OR NOTE. Checks will be deposited into the special account. Cards and notes will be gathered at PMUA offices and taken in turns by employees UNOPENED when they go to visit Mr. Morris.

Whatever your feelings about the PMUA, I think we can all support an employee injured in the performance of his job.

Thanks in advance for your participation!

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Assemblyman Green endorses opposition to Authority 'golden parachutes'

2012-01-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

In a post to his blog Wednesday (see here) Plainfield Assemblyman Jerry Green endorses opposition to a Port Authority 'golden parachute' being spearheaded by a Bergen County assemblywoman. This is of interest to Plainfield ratepayers as the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA) is still in the throes of deciding how to handle a settlement offer made by the attorney for former executives Eric Watson and David Ervin.

At issue is a $156,000 severance payout for the Port Authority attorney evidently being bumped by Gov. Christie so that former Attorney General Paula Dow can have a temporary perch pending her confirmation to a judgeship.

The Port Authority payout story was first broken by the Bergen Record on Tuesday afternoon (see here) with a followup story in today's Ledger (see here). The settlement gives the former PA attorney, whose annual salary was $215,000, a cash settlement of $156,000 plus six months continuation of his health benefits.

Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle of Englewood immediately pounced on the 'golden parachute' in the press release posted to Assemblyman Green's blog.

Coincidentally, Gov. Christie was in the news for visiting a former Middlesex County Democratic freeholder in his home Wednesday in his continuing campaign to reduce or eliminate accrued sick-pay and vacation time payouts upon severance or retirement (see story here).

Readers may want to refresh their memories concerning the former PMUA executives' demands by reading my original post outlining the rumored terms of a settlement (see here) and the followup post after the PMUA Commissioners' meeting in which the public was able to raise questions about the proposed settlement (see here).

The gist of the rumored settlement is --

Watson is willing to settle for $475,000 (instead of the $760,000 initially demanded)
Ervin would settle for $300,000 (instead of the $451,000 initially demanded)
Each would accept partial payment over a period of two or three years

This does not include other gimmes, including change of separation dates from June 30 to December 31, 'tax-favorable' structuring of the separation payment(s), and benefits issues.

Note the contrast between what former Executive Director Watson is said to want ($760,000 knocked down to $475,000) and the hapless Port Authority attorney whose salary was $215,000 (compared to Watson's $143,000), and who is only walking away with $156,000 -- TOTAL (don't forget Watson already received a share of an initial $275,000 payment).

It's rumored the PMUA Commissioners may retreat to an executive session after next Tuesday's Rate Hearing and regular Board Meeting to try and come to a decision on whether to let the arbitration proceeding run its course or to take the settlement offer, or to (possibly) make a counter-offer. Meeting details are at end of this post.

Plainfield resident Kimberley Beverley has a letter in today's Courier (see here), reviewing the PMUA severance payment situation, enlarging on issues with Watson and Ervin and suggesting the newest appointments to the Commissioners (Dunn and Sanders) are lobbying for a quick settlement on Watson's and Ervin's terms.

The writer suggests the best way forward is to stay the course of arbitration, concluding '...Plainfield citizens deserve better than to be taken, yet again'.

As for me, while it is well known Assemblyman Green and I do not always see things the same way, I am with him 100% in opposing 'golden parachutes' on the public's dime.

NOTE ON VANIERI HUTTLE: The Assemblywoman joined forces this past September with a New York State Senator to outline reforms for accountability and transparency for the Port Authority (see her release here; Sen. Lanza's here). Vanieri Huttle may also be remembered for calling Gov. Christie out on his use of a state helicopter to attend his son's baseball game -- for which Christie offered payback by calling her 'a jerk'.

PMUA
Board of Commissioners Meeting

Tuesday | January 10
Rate Hearing: 6:00 PM

Followed by a Regular Board Meeting

PMUA Headquarters
127 Roosevelt Avenue
(corner East 2nd Street)
Parking in agency lot or on street

Jerry Green's Blog: "Vainieri Huttle criticizes Port Authority 'golden parachute'"
Bergen Record: "PA lawyer exiting with $156,000 severance payout"
Ledger: "PA pays $156K in severance to lawyer replaced by Paula Dow"
Courier: "Christie visits New Brunswick family in sick-pay reform tour"
Plainfield Today --

12/19/2011: "Ex-PMUA execs in $1.2M severance pay skullduggery"
12/29/2011: "Still no explanation for ex-execs $$$ demands"

Courier: "Fight payouts to former PMUA execs" -- Letter by Kimberley Beverley.
Demanding Port Authority Accountability: "Vainieri Huttle (NJ)" | "Lanza (NY)" |

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Mapp and Robinson-Briggs styles contrast at Council reorg

2012-01-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

Adrian Mapp is sworn in as Council President by Judge Joan Robinson Gross.
Wife Amelia and daughter Aiyesha hold the Bible.

Newly-elected Plainfield City Council President Adrian Mapp and Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs both addressed the public at Tuesday's reorganization meeting. Their styles could not have been in sharper contrast.

Unanimously elected by his Council mates, Mapp addressed the audience after having been sworn in by Municipal Court Judge Joan Robinson Gross.

In about five minutes and with carefully chosen words, Mapp outlined about a dozen points for a legislative agenda for the City Council for 2012.

Highlights included --

Creation of a 'meaningful' shared services committee including the City, Board of Ed, PMUA, Housing Authority and Plainfield Public Library';
Looking to our legislative delegation for help in returning Route 28 within the city limits to the state's responsibility for maintenance;
Ending health benefits for all Plainfield elected officials;
A tougher stance by the Council on bars and liquor stores at the annual license renewal;
Looking for improved cooperation with the Robinson-Briggs administration, where Mapp said there is 'a huge need for improvement, with no quick fixes'.

Robinson-Briggs arrived at 8:20 PM for the meeting which was scheduled for 8:00 PM. After ushering her family members in through the Council's private entry and getting them seated with the public, she took her seat at the Administration table.

Following the swearing-in of Councilor Bill Reid as Chair of the Committee of the Whole, Council President Adrian Mapp asked for suspension of the order of business and gave Mayor Robinson-Briggs the privilege of the floor to deliver the State of The City address.

Unlike previous years, Mayor Robinson-Briggs neither stood at a podium nor used a Powerpoint presentation, choosing instead to sit at the Administration table and extemporize.

Basing her remarks on a 37-page booklet that was distributed to attendees at the conclusion of her remarks, Robinson-Briggs took a leisurely 53-minute stroll through the contents, garnishing everything with anecdotes brought to mind as she rambled.

There was no overarching theme or brief articulated by the Mayor, nor a punchy set of goals for 2012. Instead, the audience had to work pretty hard to separate aims for the coming year from chatty comments and remembrances of incidents past by Her Honor festooning everything.

Murmurs and chuckles rippled through the audience when, at last, Robinson-Briggs said she was drawing to a close. Though exhaustive (not to say exhausting), careful readers will find that her review of City government was hardly complete.

The Mayor promised the audience that the contents of the booklet would be posted to the City's website by Friday (mark your calendars and check here!) and would be featured on the City's public access TV stations (don't ask me to explain that one, unless she meant the videotape of her verbal delivery).

Such contrasting styles are sure to work themselves out throughout the year in the manner in which Mayor Robinson-Briggs and the City Council interact.

Looks to be another 'interesting' year ahead for Plainfield ... year 3 of Robinson-Briggs' second four-year term.

Ward 2 Councilor Corty Storch is sworn in for a third term.

Wards 1/4 Councilor Vera Greaves is sworn in by Asm Jerry Green.

Website: "City of Plainfield"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Municipal Clerk Jalloh wins 'Greenclerk' award

2012-01-03T07:19:00.000-08:00

Plainfield Today would like to nominate Municipal Clerk 'AJ' Jalloh for the 'Greenclerk' award.

OK, so it's a totally made up award, but I think it's a good idea. And since I made it up, I can award it, too. So, here's to you, AJ, and all the best for 2012!

Since taking office, Clerk Jalloh has taken a number of steps to ease access to public records, including --

Having the charter and ordinances put online;
Posting the Council agendas online;
Fulfilling OPRA requests electronically.

These three achievements alone have made it much easier for interested residents and taxpayers to get needed information in a timely fashion, without the need of a trip to City Hall or the Public Library.

But 2012 debuts a new -- hopefully permanent -- change that will reduce the City's carbon (and carbon toner) footprint significantly.

Tonight's agenda has elegant, uncluttered look.

That is the new, elegantly simple Council agenda format which can be seen in tonight's reorganization agenda (available online here).

Eliminating the ornate black border of the old style both saves toner and enlarges the space available for agenda items, reducing (hopefully, though the reorg agenda is especially long by nature of the event) the number of pages needed to print out.

Every microdot counts!

What's next 'AJ', a Plainfield app for our iPhones and Androids?

City Website: "Council Agendas" | "City Charter and Code"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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mmm

Crescent Avenue's pastor Rob Martin takes new post in Ohio

2012-01-02T07:40:00.000-08:00

Rob Martin on his last Sunday at Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church.

The New Year is bringing change for Plainfield's Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church as pastor Robert Martin brings his 16-year ministry to a close.

Rob, as he is known to everyone, will take up his duties as the Senior Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Athens, Ohio, on January 15.

I was taken quite by surprise at a New Year's Eve party when my friend Pat, who is a member of Crescent Avenue, told me that New Years Day was to be Rob's last day presiding at Sunday services. (Hence my somewhat hasty CLIPS yesterday.)

Rob brought to his ministry at Crescent Avenue a personal warmth and welcoming style that has had an immense impact on this storied Plainfield congregation (as far as this infrequent visitor can tell).

Joining in the worship service yesterday, I at once noticed how diverse the congregation has become under Rob's tenure. Not only has Crescent Avenue become welcoming of Plainfield's racial diversity, it is also a parish that welcomes gays and lesbians into its fellowship.

The welcoming 'rainbow' banner went up this past Fall.

Member Joan Van Pelt and I shared a chuckle when she told me this past Fall to be on the lookout for a rainbow banner over the front door -- the universal sign that a parish welcomes gays and lesbians. The chuckle was over the fact that the congregation has long been a welcoming one and the banner comes well after the fact.

Crescent Avenue Presbyterian is also known throughout the area for its commitment to being a cultural resource, especially in the area of fine music.

Not only is the congregation host to the Plainfield Symphony, it brings its own musical resources to bear through the Crescent Concerts series and special programs by the Crescent Singers.

I suspect this aspect of his ministry must have been a special joy to Rob, who is said to be an excellent tenor, and who has also served on the board of the Friends of Jazz (including serving as president), the nonprofit founded by local jazz legend Robert Young.

Rob came to Plainfield from Plymouth, Indiana, where he served as pastor of First Presbyterian Church from 1991 to 1996. His ministry there followed a year's internship at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, where he had graduated from McCormick Theological Seminary and five years as Associate Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in South Bend, Indiana.

Rob is a graduate of Muskingum University, a Presbyterian institution in central Ohio, where he met his wife Barbara.

Historic First Presbyterian Church in Athens, Ohio, was organized in 1809, five years after
the founding of nearby Ohio University, while Ohio was still part of the Northwest Territories.

In a sense, coming to the congregation in Athens will be like going home for Rob and Barbara. Athens, home to Ohio University, is in southeast Ohio and lies in the foothills of the Allegheny mountains -- but it is not far from New Concord, where Muskingum is located.

Athens is in southeast Ohio, in the foothills of the Alleghenies.

The upwelling of sadness in losing a beloved pastor, mixed with wellwishes as Rob and Barbara move into a new phase in their ministry, was palpable at Sunday's service, which was also, fittingly, a celebration of Holy Communion.

Rob and Barbara, we all thank you for all you have brought to your time in Plainfield and wish you Godspeed as you take up this new ministry.

We will never forget your time among us!

Websites --

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Hidden Plainfield: Something new for the New Year IDed

2012-01-02T05:21:00.000-08:00

Compare the amount of work done by year's end above
with the October photo below.

Right, right and right! Yesterday's Hidden Plainfield, construction by Greater Plainfield Habitat for Humanity, is at 716 East 6th Street, between Berckman and Central Streets. The picture above shows the amount of work that has been done toward completing the house since I took the first snap in October.

Habitat home on East 6th Street in October, 2011.

The Plainfield chapter of Habitat, founded in 1989, has built over 33 homes. Habitat homeowners, who purchase their homes at cost, must put in 'sweat equity' along with the organization's volunteers to actually help build the house in which they will eventually live.

Learn more about Habitat by visiting the Plainfield affiliate's website (see here) or drop by the Greater Plainfield Habitat's office at 2 Randolph Road (corner of Park Avenue), where you can meet Executive Director Rev. Jeremy Montgomery and learn more about how to help this vital program.

Where shall we go next week?

Hidden Plainfield: "Something new for the New Year" -- All comments and guesses have been posted.
Website: "Greater Plainfield Habitat"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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mmm

Hidden Plainfield: Something new for the New Year

2012-01-01T06:20:00.000-08:00

Current Plainfield Habitat project will be completed in 2012.

As we begin the new year 2012, Hidden Plainfield turns to a new home under construction by Greater Plainfield Habitat for Humanity. Do you know where this most recent home is being built, entirely by volunteer labor?

Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, a wealthy couple who dedicated themselves to this housing ministry. To date there are more than 1,500 affiliates in the United States -- of which the Plainfield organization is one -- and 200 affiliates overseas.

Sign identifies home as a Habitat project.

The Plainfield chapter, founded in 1989, has built over 33 homes and its supporters have donated $130,000 to overseas Habitat projects, helping build about 60 homes.

Habitat homeowners, who purchase their homes at cost, must put in 'sweat equity' along with the organization's volunteers to actually help build the house in which they will eventually live.

Learn more about Habitat by visiting the Plainfield affiliate's website (see here) or drop by the Greater Plainfield Habitat's office at 2 Randolph Road (corner of Park Avenue), where you can meet Executive Director Rev. Jeremy Montgomery and learn more about how to help this vital program.

Do you know where today's property is?

Answer tomorrow.

Greater Plainfield Habitat has a model website, easy-to-use, up-to-date, and inviting.

Website: "Greater Plainfield Habitat"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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A New Year for Plainfield?

2011-12-31T07:11:00.000-08:00

We bid farewell to the old year tonight, but will 2012 be a New Year for Plainfield?

As a new Council reorganizes the corporation's affairs on Tuesday evening, we can only hope so.

As the City begins its new CALENDAR YEAR budget process, we can only hope the Robinson-Briggs administration will deliver its 2012 budget proposal in a more timely fashion than in the previous six years.

With a new City Administrator and a new Director of Public Works and Urban Development, we can only hope that these experienced administrators will be empowered by Mayor Robinson-Briggs to move the City forward in an intelligent and proactive way.

With Plainfield's relocation into a new Congressional district, will our new Representative move to include Plainfield's needs and concerns into his legislative agenda in Washington? We can only hope.

As we move into a New Year, hope is the only attitude that will truly carry us forward.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Will Robinson-Briggs fire Corporation Counsel Williamson?

2011-12-30T08:18:00.000-08:00

Reminiscent of the Red Queen in 'Alice in Wonderland'?

A trip to Plainfield's City Hall is always accompanied by a little rush as one gets plugged into the latest gossip and rumors involving goings-on behind the closed doors of the Mayoral West Wing.

Wednesday, it had to do with Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson.

Seems that Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs was highly annoyed that the report of the Council's Special Counsel Rivera on the WBLS funding investigation revealed that Mr. Williamson had the temerity to state under oath that he (see page 8 of the report here) --

NEVER had a conversation with Mayor Robinson-Briggs about the legality of the payment to WBLS;
NEVER discussed the event as possibly an 'emergency service';
NEVER had any discussion with Mayor Robinson-Briggs before or after the event about payment for it; and
NEVER provided any legal advice to Mayor Robinson-Briggs on the expenditure for the WBLS event.

This directly contradicts Her Honor's claim to have spoken to Mr. Williamson (and also to her personal attorney, Lucas Phillips, Jr.) about whether the Town Hall meeting and broadcast qualified as an emergency service (see the Report, page 5, here)

That is something up with which the Mayor will not put, so it is said.

What to do? Fire him, of course.

But the rumors also suggest that Mayor Robinson-Briggs has learned something from the embarrassment she caused herself by firing former City Administrator Bibi Taylor two weeks before she was due to deliver, with the firing to take effect on Christmas Day 2010. That firing was overturned by a unanimous vote of the City Council, which has review and veto power over the firing of cabinet-level appointments (see my post here).

Some are suggesting that Williamson won't be fired outright, but proposed for another assignment (at a lower pay grade?).

The reason this talk is so startling is that there is no member of her cabinet who has more often gone to bat for the Mayor, more often defended her proposals to the Council and the public, or more often put himself in an awkward position taking point for her often loopy and ill-thought-out resolutions.

Why would one throw such a seasoned and loyal counselor under the bus?

Those who have witnessed the foot stamping fits and unladlylike language the public never (or seldom) sees say Her Honor has a stubborn streak a mile wide, and doesn't like being crossed or made to look the liar, as the Report to the Council does.

Forget about putting one's license to make a living at jeopardy -- loyalty to Her Honor is the highest virtue!

All of this puts the 'odd bits' I noticed at the Council's special meeting to set the reorganization agenda in a little different light (see that post here). Was the reason so many standard items were not brought forward at that time due to Her Honor's fit of pique?

Perhaps Mayor Robinson-Briggs will give it some thought and relent, considering that Mr. Williamson knows 'where the bodies are buried', as the saying goes.

At any rate, if it is to happen at all it would become obvious at the Council's reorganization meeting, set for Tuesday, January 3, 8:00PM at the Courthouse/Council Chambers.

A meeting that may hold some interesting moments.

Scribd: "Council: WBLS investigator's final report" -- Complete and downloadable.
Plainfield Today --

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Plainfield's Kwanzaa Celebration today

2011-12-30T05:49:00.000-08:00

Plainfield's 2011 Kwanzaa Celebration is today from 3:00 - 7:00 PM at Washington Community School. The free event is sponsored by the Recreation Division through a HEART grant from the Union County Freeholders and is open to the public.

Kwanzaa is a season of celebration, meditation and recommitment.

Today's event features --

African Dance & Drumming
Book signing highlighting Plainfield author J.M. Benjamin
African Market Place (over 15 vendors)
Storytelling
Traditional Candle Lighting Ceremony
Musical Performances
Poetry
Karamu (Free Refreshments)

Free Admission.

As of Friday morning, I could not find any notice on the City's website.

FREE 2011 KWANZAA CELEBRATION

Friday, December 30
3:00 - 7:00 PM
WASHINGTON COMMUNITY SCHOOL
427 Darrow Avenue
(Parking available in the Spooner Avenue lot)

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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PMUA: Still no explanation for ex-execs' $$$ demands"

2011-12-29T08:47:00.000-08:00

Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA) officials were less well prepared for last evening's questions from the public than they have been for a long time. And that leaves ratepayers still without an answer as to the basis for former executives Watson's and Ervin's severance pay claims.

Newly appointed commissioner (and former Ward 3 Councilor) Malcolm R. Dunn and alternate Cecil Sanders arrived a few minutes after chairperson Harold Mitchell (also a former Councilor and Mayor) opened the meeting. Commissioners Carol Brokaw and Alex Tolliver were also present; Tracey Brown was absent.

Leslie London, Esq., counsel to the PMUA, acknowledged that the only item of business to be taken up in the executive session would be a proposal from the attorney for former executives Eric Watson and David Ervin to settle the disputed severance pay issue.

The half dozen or so members of the public were invited to raise questions or make comments before the commissioners went into executive session. These broke down mainly into questions about continuing to pay Watson and Ervin past their final work day and getting a clear statement of the basis for the dispute that is in arbitration.

For the first time Ms. London, who is always meticulously prepared, seemed to falter, with her answers clearly leaving the questioners unsatisfied.

PAYING FOR ACCRUED VACATION/SICK DAYS
Philip Charles, founder of DumpPMUA (see their website here), noted that the agency's resolution 48-2011 of June 14 setting out the pair's last work day as June 30 (see resolution here), did not make any reference to an accrued vacation/sick days payout.

However, he said he had been provided just yesterday afternoon with copies of two agreements between the former executives and the agency (subsequent to the 48-2011 resolution) stipulating they would remain on the rolls until accrued vacation/sick days had been paid out.

Charles did not seem to find Ms. London's explanation that the payout was covered by resolution 48-2011 satisfactory.

In fact, there does not appear to be any impropriety, though the agency could have done a far better job explaining the process. What I have been told is that it is PERS (Public Employee Retirement System) that stipulates an employee remains 'on the books' until all accrued vacation and sick days have been paid out in anticipation of retirement/severance.

Here is my personal experience: When I prepared to retire in 2006, the city's Personnel Division calculated my accrued and unused vacation and sick days. PERS then 'backed into' my FINAL WORK DAY based on the date I became eligible for my pension. The period between my final work day and my termination date (the day before my retirement took effect) was known as my TERMINAL LEAVE. I was still an employee, still receiving benefits, but forbidden from performing any work for the City between those two dates.

Although Mr. Watson, who is in his early 50s, is not eligible to COLLECT his retirement benefits, the process would be similar, calculating forward from his FINAL WORK DAY to the date his accrued vacation and sick days were used up.

It is a process of many decades standing, not a secret, but one to which Gov. Christie objects and on which he intends to put limits.
TWO EMPLOYEES HOLDING THE SAME JOB TITLE?
A Woodland Avenue ratepayer, as well as fellow blogger Bernice Paglia spoke to the related matter of whether two employees could hold the same title at the same time.

This arose because the PMUA commissioners appointed Duane Young executive director as of July 1, 2010.

Bernice rightly noted that Fire Chief Tidwell, who was recently promoted to the position, could not take the title until recently retired chief Cecil Allen had used up his accrued vacation and sick days. (This was true of my position as well when I retired.)

If indeed the Commissioners named Mr. Young as 'executive director' instead of 'interim' or 'acting', this protocol would have been violated. Though it may have been an impropriety, it hardly rises to the level of other improprieties the agency is accused of or suspected of.
BASIS OF THE ARBITRATION CLAIM?
By far the most troublesome question to Ms. London appeared to be disclosing to the public the basis for the former executives' claim, a question posed by ratepayer Bill Kruse.

Ms. London began to answer the question about the basis for the claim by saying that the agency found itself in an 'awkward' position with a 'disagreement between the parties' and that the matter was still in arbitration, adding 'I guess about half-way through'.

Mr. Kruse then asked if the matter was in 'mediation' or 'arbitration', to which Ms. London answered 'arbitration'.

She looked taken aback when Kruse then identified himself as an arbitrator, with more than 30 years experience in the field, and flatly said that the basis of the claim was not privileged information and could not be kept from the public.

He then charged that the commissioners could not give anything away without revealing to the ratepayers the basis for settling.

He ended his remarks with a jibe at the agency, saying that if he encountered a young person intent on a life of crime he would advise public service as a safer and more profitable route.

Ms. London did not give way, however, and the Commissioners shortly adjourned to an upstairs room, leaving the public in the boardroom. 'It's cold outside and we don't want to inconvenience the public', chairperson Mitchell said as they departed.
COULD THIS BE THE BASIS?
As the attendees, left behind with several PMUA employees who also were excluded from the executive session, began to chat among themselves, one proferred a story which could possibly explain the claims -- or at least that of Mr. Watson.

According to this individual, they encountered a commissioner while walking down the street one day after Watson and Ervin had left the agency, and the commissioner volunteered that Mr. Watson said he had received death threats [in connection with a workforce reduction] and was very upset about it. Further, a doctor who examined him was said to have been alarmed about his blood pressure and wanted him hospitalized. The commissioner opined that Mr. Watson stepped down because of this 'health emergency' and considered it 'work-related'.

If true, one can wonder if this is the 'just cause' contemplated by the [conveniently inserted] additional clause in the 2010 contract.

But what about Mr. Ervin?

At any rate, the Commissioners arrived at no decision Wednesday evening and may be divided about whether to give in to the offer by Watson's and Ervin's attorney (see my previous post that outlined rumored settlement terms here) or to continue to pursue arbitration in hopes of a better deal for the ratepayers.

The ratepayers?! Now there's a novel consideration!

Website: "DumpPMUA"
Scribd: "Severance for Watson and Ervin" -- Also on the DumpPMUA website as a PDF here.
Plainfield Today: "Ex-PMUA execs in $1.2M severance pay skullduggery"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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PMUA will pick up RECYCLES Thursday / Friday

2011-12-29T06:54:00.000-08:00

Several Plainfield Today readers noted that the PMUA did not pick up recycles on Wednesday, the scheduled day.

Depending on whether your regular garbage pickup is THURSDAY or FRIDAY, you may put out your RECYCLES (blue can) along with your garbage for pickup today or tomorrow.

Councilor Williams has been told by officials at the PMUA that pickups will be made today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) -- see her blog post here. (She notes she was told they were very shorthanded on Wednesday.)

Any questions, call the PMUA at (908) 226-2518.

And My Point Is: "PMUA recycles pickup 12/29, 12/30"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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In a new Congressional district, Plainfield boosts Holt's edge

2011-12-28T07:44:00.000-08:00

Plainfield is the 'tail' in a newly-configured 12th District.

Plainfield has helped turn Congressman Rush Holt into one of the 'winners' in New Jersey's just-concluded decennial redistricting.

With the loss of one seat in the House of Representatives, the drama of New Jersey's Congressional redistricting has landed Plainfield in Holt's newly reconfigured Congressional District, the 12th.

And it's the addition of Plainfield and all of Trenton to his district that leads PolitickerNJ, the state's pre-eminent political affairs website, to declare Holt a winner (see story here).

As PolitickerNJ sees it --

...[e]arly talk focused on a Holt/Lance face off, but instead Holt walks away with a district that is four or five points better for him. Holt traded Monmouth County for more of Middlesex County and grabbed Plainfield and all of Trenton as well....

Fanwood and all of Scotch Plains below Route 22 was also added to Holt's district, with the portion north of the highway going to Rep. Leonard Lance's district (which is even more friendly to the GOP with the addition of several Morris and Hunterdon County communities).

This practically puts an end to any dreams of Democrats in that District (where Assemblywoman Linda Stender gave it a nominal try, and North Plainfielder Ed Potosnak also gave it a shot). It is this sort of districting, that gives one party an edge and makes districts less competitive, that many political scientists think is at the root of perennially low voter turnouts.

For its part, Plainfield made a significant contribution to Rep. Frank Pallone's most recent re-election (see my post here). Pallone acknowledged same at Union County Dem Chairperson Charlotte DeFilippo's Christmas party following the 2010 election by publicly thanking Plainfield voters -- particularly the New Democrats political club -- for delivering key pluralities important in his victory (see post here).

Plainfield was a 'tail' in its old district, too.

A comparison of the new and old maps shows Plainfield still at the tail end of a gerrymandered-looking district.

Always the tail and never the dog doesn't mean there isn't a role to play.

PolitickerNJ: "Congressional Redistricting: Winners and losers"
Plainfield Today --

11/30/2010: "Pallone victory: Plainfield-by-the-numbers"
12/08/2010: "Charlotte's Christmas Party: Pallone sits with New Dems"

Redistricting Data: "New NJ Districts map" | "Population Deviation" | "Components"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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PMUA's special meeting tonight; Commissioners may bow to ex-officials' demands

2011-12-28T06:41:00.000-08:00

Commissioners may cave to settlement demands tonight.

Commissioners of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA) are set to hold a special meeting at 6:00 PM tonight at the agency's headquarters, 127 Roosevelt Avenue (corner of East 2nd Street).

This is the meeting originally proposed for December 21, for which a quorum could not be gathered, I was told.

It is expected the Commissioners will immediately go into executive session to consider settling the severance dispute with former PMUA executives Eric Watson and David Ervin.

You can find my full report on the issues and the proposed settlement here.

Rumor has it that Watson and Ervin are willing to settle for $775,000, quite a knockdown, but still questionable.

Whatever one thinks of that kind of settlement (you have to ask what the Commissioners were thinking in the first place to agree to the contracts the two were given in 2010), there are said to be other features guaranteed to enrage ratepayers --

Watson and Ervin, whose last working day was 6/30/2011, want their separation date reworked to be 12/31/2011;
Watson and Ervin would like a specially crafted 'tax-friendly' settlement;
Watson and Ervin want the PMUA to pick up their legal costs, said to be $80,000 for their attorney and $15,000 for the mediator;
And finally, a plaque honoring their contributions to the Authority to be put up at the PMUA Headquarters building.

Whatever action the Board takes at its special meeting, the question remains open whether ratepayers will complain to Gov. Christie about any excesses.

Gov. Christie has raised a ruckus over the past year with several authorities, vetoing the minutes of actions taken (effectively undoing any settlements and other payments or contracts), and publicly pressing for the resignations of some commissioners and having a say in their replacements.

The PMUA Commissioners have to be nervous about this one.

Plainfield Today: "Ex-PMUA execs in $1.2M severance skullduggery"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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PMUA's special meeting Wednesday may settle severance dispute

2011-12-27T07:50:00.000-08:00

Calculation of former execs' severance is tied to their compensation
(here from 2009 public records).

Commissioners of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA) are set to hold a special meeting Wednesday, December 28 (tomorrow), at 6:00 PM at the agency's headquarters, 127 Roosevelt Avenue (corner of East 2nd Street).

This is the meeting originally proposed for December 21, for which a quorum could not be gathered, I was told.

It is expected the Commissioners will immediately go into executive session to consider settling the severance dispute with former PMUA executives Eric Watson and David Ervin.

You can find my full report on the issues and the proposed settlement here.

Rumor has it that Watson and Ervin are willing to settle for $775,000, quite a knockdown, but still questionable.

Whatever one thinks of that kind of settlement (you have to ask what the Commissioners were thinking in the first place to agree to the contract the two were given in 2010), there are said to be other features guaranteed to enrage ratepayers --

Watson and Ervin, whose last working day was 6/30/2011, want their separation date reworked to be 12/31/2011;
Watson and Ervin would like a specially crafted 'tax-friendly' settlement;
Watson and Ervin want the PMUA to pick up their legal costs, said to be $80,000 for their attorney and $15,000 for the mediator;
And finally, a plaque honoring their contributions to the Authority to be put up at the PMUA Headquarters building.

Plainfield Today: "Ex-PMUA execs in $1.2M severance skullduggery"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Man struck on Watchung Avenue loses leg

2011-12-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

Man struck near bus stop is said to have lost a leg.

Going out for the papers about 5:00 AM the morning after Christmas, I found the Plainfield Police Division had blocked off Watchung Avenue at East Front and East Second Streets.

I could see a Union County Crime Scene Investigation vehicle near Front Street, and a camera on a tripod for photographing the scene. There was a dark sedan parked in the middle of the street just past the NJT bus stop in front of the Texas Wiener and what appeared to be one of the sidewalk trash cans in the roadway.

I was told later that about 2:30 AM, a car struck a man. It wasn't clear if the man was a sanitation worker or a person who is sometimes seen rummaging through downtown trash receptacles for aluminum cans.

Having struck the man, the driver is said to have fled the vehicle on foot, leaving it in the roadway. I was also told the man was so badly injured that his leg was severed.

Anyone with information should call the Plainfield Police Division at (908) 753-3131.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Will Investors Bank prosecute Mayor Robinson-Briggs?

2011-12-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Was the bank defrauded by issuing the $15,000 check for one purpose
and having it used by Mayor Robinson-Briggs for another?

Whether Investors Savings Bank (ISB), which donated $15,000 for Plainfield's 2010 July 4th celebrations, will prosecute Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs over her disposition of the check it issued is one of the unanswered questions surrounding the investigation into the funding of the August 1, 2010 radio broadcast of Her Honor's community forum.

At issue is whether Mayor Robinson-Briggs' statements concerning obtaining the check and its ultimate disposition constituted defrauding Investors Savings Bank.

What we know from the City Council's Independent Counsel's published report (see the complete document online here) are the following --

Caren Fisher of the Plainfield branch of Investors Savings Bank (ISB) said the funds were 'earmarked for the July 4th sponsorship' and that there was 'no mention of using these funds for the sponsorship of the WBLS event' (page 11);
Former City Administrator Bibi Taylor stated the check 'was dedicated to the July 4th sponsorship and therefore could not be used for the WBLS event' (page 10);
Mayor Robinson-Briggs testified that she 'spoke to a representative of ISB and indicated they (meaning Her Honor) would like to use the donation for an upcoming event' (page 6);
Counsel Rivera indicates his office's conversation with Ms. Fisher of ISB indicated the check 'was submitted to the City to be used specifically for the July 4th events which they had agreed to sponsor (page 6).

With Investor Savings Bank's Ms. Fisher stating only that the bank had proferred the funds as sponsorship of July 4th celebrations and had not agreed to Mayor Robinson-Briggs' switching of the use of the funds to the WBLS radio broadcast, the question arises as to whether Robinson-Briggs intended to defraud Investors Savings Bank.

One online legal dictionary offers this definition of 'defraud' --

...to use deceit, falsehoods, or trickery to obtain money, an object, rights or anything of value belonging to another... (see here).

-- but note that a court of law would have to decide whether Mayor Robinson-Briggs used 'deceit, falsehoods, or trickery' to obtain the $15,000.

One thing for sure is that Robinson-Briggs would have to produce convincing evidence in a courtroom for her assertion that an employee of ISB had agreed to the switch -- most likely the person themself, under oath -- and not just Her Honor's say-so.

But I don't think Mayor Robinson-Briggs is going to need to worry her little head over the matter.

Why?

Because, despite whatever they may believe about the truth of the matter, neither the City Council nor the public has any legal standing in the matter. If anyone was harmed, it would have to be Investors Savings Bank, and the bank would have to prosecute Mayor Robinson-Briggs, which I think highly unlikely.

For two reasons --

First, there are rumors that officials of the Bank would just like the whole issue 'to go away' since it is an embarrassment of a high order; and
Second, the bank -- now New Jersey's third largest -- is in a high-growth mode, involving purchases of other banking businesses (read about the most recent purchase of a Brooklyn-based bank here), and doesn't need any sticky items for bank regulators to ask questions about as expected future purchases are under review.

So, apart from publicly embarrassing herself and the City of Plainfield, my guess is that Mayor Robinson-Briggs will face no legal penalty for her actions.

Does this mean she will not be seen as trying another fast one in the future?

I wouldn't go so far as to say that.

Along with its growth, Investors has changed its name in a rebranding move.

Scribd: "Council: WBLS investigator's final report" -- Complete and downloadable.
Free Online Dictionary's Legal Dictionary: "Defraud"
NJBiz: "Brooklyn Federal shareholders approve $11M merger with Investors"
Website: "Investors Bank" -- Investors Savings Bank recently rebranded itself as Investors Bank.

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, and more...

2011-12-25T05:46:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas
Feliz Navidad
Fröhliche Weihnact
God Jul
Krismasi Njema
Веселого Різдва
ਮੈਰੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਸਮਸ।
Wesołych świąt
Joyeux Noël

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Dreams of Gingerbread Houses

2011-12-24T06:15:00.000-08:00

For your holiday delight, Plainfield Today suggests checking out some mind-boggling GINGERBREAD HOUSES -- see here, courtesy of blogger Suzana, who writes at Social Cafe Magazine.

We always loved them as kids, though the gingerbread in those days was inedible. This year, Aldi's offers a complete kit, with pre-baked pre-formed gingerbread, pre-made frosting and an assortment of decorative candies. Plus instructions. Perfect gift for some of the little ones on my list.

If you haven't finished shopping...what are you waiting for?!!

Social Cafe Magazine: "Some Extraordinary Gingerbread Houses"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Three samples of Plainfield's Holiday spirit

2011-12-23T07:54:00.000-08:00

John Stewart, Jr., with guests at his Christmas Party.

This year's Christmas season in Plainfield offered samples of three of the perpetual strands in their celebration --

SERVICE TO OTHERS

New Democrats club prepared and served a meal for YMCA residents.

8-year-old Niajah Lawton prepared 100 gift bags for residents
(with a little help from her aunt Dee).

Residents of the YMCA enjoyed a home-cooked Holiday meal prepared and served by members and friends of Plainfield's New Democrats political club, who then joined as guests of the residents at dinner. (I made green beans and bacon, and I'm not even a cook.)

Besides the food, Niajah Lawton, 8-year-old niece of Dee Dameron, made up 100 Holiday gift bags for the residents (with a little help from her mom and her aunt Dee).

Councilor Adrian Mapp wrote up the event on his blog (see here).
ENJOYMENT OF THE SEASON

Councilors Mapp and Storch and their wives were among the guests.

John Stewart, Jr. and his partner Craig Bowman opened their magnificent West 8th Street home to a formal Christmas gathering. The glittering evening of tuxes, gowns and furs reminded all that the Holidays are a season to entertain friends and celebrate conviviality.

What better place to do it in than one of Plainfield's signature mansions, lovingly restored to its former grandeur?

For a selection of photos from the party, check out John's Facebook album here.
TENDING TO BUSINESS
Lastly, the Holidays are always an opportunity for business people to thank their customers and wish them well for the New Year.

This year, I especially enjoyed the Holiday party hosted by realtor Cynthia Alexander and her husband Jim Galvin.

Inviting both her buyers and her sellers, it was a marvelous opportunity to get a snapshot of Plainfield in transition, as oldtimers gathered for their last Plainfield Christmas (friends Susan and Steven sold their house, yay!). And to meet others who are settling in to their new homes and for whom this was an opportunity to meet and make new friends as they celebrate their first Christmas in Plainfield.

Thank you, Cynthia and Jim, for a wonderful time, and for connecting newcomers to oldtimers! All the best for the New Year!

Mapping It Out: "Service is not what we get, it's what we give!"
Facebook: "John Stewart Jr's Christmas Party Album"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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FULL REPORT HERE: Council's investigation into funding the WBLS broadcast

2011-12-22T03:58:00.000-08:00

Report: Mayor, city employees broke law.

Mayor solicited contribution for July 4 Parade,
applied to WBLS broadcast without getting permission from Investors Bank.

Plainfield Today is pleased to make available for your online reading or download the complete report to the City Council of independent counsel Ramon Rivera on the questions surrounding the funding of Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs' Town Hall Meeting of August 1, 2010 on WBLS.

Courier reporter Mark Spivey has a front-page story today on the matter titled 'Report: Plainfield mayor broke law' (see here), detailing findings of fact concerning the roles of Mayor Robinson-Briggs and city employees.

Council: WBLS Investigators Report

Scribd: "Council: WBLS investigator's final report" -- Complete and downloadable.
Courier: "Report: Plainfield mayor broke law"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Maurice Fitzgibbons dies, created Plainfield UEZ marketing program

2011-12-21T08:03:00.000-08:00

UEZ logo captured Plainfield's several facets.

Maurice Fitzgibbons designed the Plainfield
Urban Enterprise Zone's first (and only) marketing effort.

Maurice Fitzgibbons, creator of Plainfield's Urban Enterprise Zone's only marketing program to date, died Sunday evening at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City surrounded by his family, according to a news obituary on NJ.com filed Monday evening (see here).

Known throughout the state as a longtime Hudson County Freeholder, Maurice was also famed for his sunny disposition, knowledgability on many topics besides government, and his successful marketing consulting business, FitzMedia, LLC.

It was through FitzMedia that many in Plainfield's UEZ community got to know and work with Maurice and his talented staff.

Under the late Mayor Al McWilliams, Maurice undertook three notable projects for work marketing Plainfield's Urban Enterprise Zone.

The first was to develop a branding strategy and logo for the Urban Enterprise Zone. The logo was developed by the FitzMedia team, with input from City of Plainfield staff -- including Economic Development Director Pat Ballard Fox, UEZ administrator Jacques Howard and myself as the city's public information officer.

Great care went into the design of a UEZ logo that would brand
Plainfield as welcoming, historic and brimming with economic activity.

The logo is in bright, welcoming colors featuring representations of Plainfield historic commercial buildings, the conical roof outline of its famed Victorian mansions, and welcoming trees and sunshine of our many neighborhoods.

The second was to develop a portable display for use at both outdoor and indoor community events, street fairs, and other opportunities to either publicize the UEZ program or recruit new members.

Pat Ballard and Jacques Howard showing off the modular UEZ display booth.

The third was the development of the 'Home Arts of Plainfield, New Jersey' brochure. Featuring scores of Plainfield UEZ businesses engaged in providing goods and services for home restoration, remodeling or restyling, the brochure was targeted at homeowners in a market area centered on Plainfield and designed to entice buyers to the many offerings to be found in Plainfield (see copy of the brochure online at end of this post).

You must remember that this was at the height of the housing market and homeowners were spending significantly to add to, enhance or upgrade their homes. Plainfield had the perfect mix of businesses set to help them fulfill their dreams for their homes.

Though the logo, the booth and the brochure disappeared shortly after Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs took office in 2006, the map of the city with a street index, also prepared by FitzMedia and keyed to the marketing campaign, is still available on the handout racks at City Hall. (Realtors covet them to this day as handouts to prospective homebuyers).

Besides being a consummate professional in the marketing field, Maurice was something of a bon vivant. Every joint working session would begin with the arrival of Maurice and staff with huge bags stuffed with fresh Italian bread from his favorite Hoboken or Jersey City bakeries to be given out to all. (When I remarked once it seemed unusual for an Irishman to have an Italian signature item -- 'where's the Irish soda bread?' I joked -- Maurice said it was natural because he was half-Italian. Which perhaps explains the sunny nature.)

Maurice brought an instinctive understanding of how to market Plainfield to its strengths -- its diversity of residents and businesses, its architectural heritage, its downtown full of promise, its constant influx of newcomers with their cultural contributions. We certainly benefited from the help he gave.

All those who knew him in Plainfield will surely miss him, as I do.

Farewell, Maurice, and thank you for everything you did for Plainfield.

A viewing is being held today (Wednesday) from 3 to 8 PM at the Lawton Turso Funeral Home, 633 Washington Street, Hoboken.

A funeral Mass will be held Thursday at 10 AM at St. Ann's Church, 700 Jefferson Street, Hoboken. See full information here.

Below is an online copy of the Home Arts brochure.

UEZ HomeArts Brochure

NJ.com: "Family, friends, politicians mourn Maurice Fitsgibbons"
Scribd: "Home Arts of Plainfield, New Jersey"
Jersey Journal: "Viewing today for former Hoboken Freeholder Maurice Fitzgibbons"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Odd bits from the Council meeting

2011-12-20T08:40:00.000-08:00

Do bits of shell mean they're the real thing?

Plainfield's City Council met in a special session Monday evening to set the agenda for the Council's 2012 reorganization meeting, which will be Tuesday, January 3, at 8:00 PM in the Courthouse/Council Chambers.

I was reminded of a perpetual debate from my Air Force days.

I enlisted at the height of the Cold War, before the Bay of Pigs or Vietnam. While we were engaged in no active wars, America still had about 1.5 million men and women in uniform.

This meant bases with large numbers of servicemen and women being fed in huge dining halls. Our constant debate was about the endless large pans of bland scrambled eggs found at every morning's breakfast.

Rumor was they were made from powdered eggs, not the real things. And to fool us, it was said the cooks would crush real eggshells into fine pieces and stir them into the eggs. Whenever anyone got a little piece of shell in a mouthful, they would instinctively stop chewing and put the little speck on the edge of the all-in-one tray.

A few such hard little bits came up last night amid the generally bland but pleasantly relaxed routine of setting the reorg meeting's agenda.

Herewith some 'eggshells' --

CFO QUESTIONS?

When the Administration advised the expected financial reports were not being provided (check register, budget status, revenue report, overtime and vendor activity), Director of Administration and Finance Al Restaino apologized, said they would be on hand 'tomorrow morning' and that there were 'continuing issues'.

Later, Restaino advised the Administration would be bringing a resolution forward at the reorg to appoint Mr. Zilinski as Treasurer for calendar year 2012. There was no mention of appointing him Chief Financial Officer. (He has been holding two positions as a way of not endangering his retirement benefits, I have been told.) There has been grumbling from both the Council and the Administration about the amount of time Zilinski puts in (said to be two days per week) and overall progress in straightening out purchasing and audit and control, which are in his bailiwick.

Is Zilinski being eased out? Is Mayor Robinson-Briggs on the hunt for a new CFO? Maybe we'll learn more at the reorg meeting.

GETTING AGENDA-SETTING PACKETS TO COUNCIL MEMBERS

During a discussion of the 'standing rules of order', Councilor Storch made a plea for the Administration to get the packets for the monthly agenda-setting session to the Council earlier than late Friday evening, which leaves members only Saturday and Sunday to digest the material and part of Monday for the Administration to get answers together.

The discussion brought out that while Mayor Robinson-Briggs has weekly day-long cabinet meetings on Wednesdays, only the one immediately before the Council's agenda-session is used to set up resolutions. This leaves departments Thursday to get materials to the Clerk and the Clerk's office with a crush of work on Friday to get packets ready.

Councilor Mapp finally suggested that perhaps the Administration could move its cabinet meeting for that one week up to Monday or Tuesday instead, giving everyone down the chain more time and hopefully getting packets to Councilors by Wednesday night or Thursday.

Anything in this regard would be a benefit to everyone, including the Robinson-Briggs administration. Will we see a change in 2012?

TEMPORARY BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS AND BUDGET PROCESS

Pending the adoption of a budget for Calendar Year 2012, the city's first on the new calendar cycle, there will need to be a temporary appropriation to keep city government functioning.

The Robinson-Briggs administration proposed a three-month funding, which the state allows at 26.25% of the preceding year's budget. Councilor Mapp helped Director Restaino over a little rough patch here, explaining that the amount would be calculated based on the last half of the previous FY2012 budget, plus the total of the six-month interim budget. Mapp also noted that state law gave the governing body the prerogative of authorizing the temporary appropriations on a month-by-month basis. This has the effect of keeping an administration's toes to the fire, so to speak.

Mapp also asked City Administrator Berry if the Robinson-Briggs administration would cooperate in having the traditional defense by departments at Council budget hearings. The answer to both that question and the question of whether the budget would be delivered 'on time' was given in the affirmative by Mr. Berry. If 'on time' means on the state's stipulated deadline, we'll have to see about that as very few municipalities make that cut.

'MISSING' RESOLUTIONS

Those following along with the printed order of discussion could notice that several items traditionally found in the annual reorganization were missing --
No items for Administration/Executive Branch, usually an extensive list;
No items for Corporation Counsel (Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson advised verbally there would be resolutions for 3 prosecutors and 3 public defenders, per correspondence received from the Mayor).

NAMING DEPOSITORIES, ETC.

Councilor Mapp noted that there was no resolution for adoption of a CORRECTION: CASH management plan ~~tax management plan~~ and that he wanted to see one presented as a matter of good form.

A discussion of depositories also ensued. These are the bank(s) that the governing body designates to hold the city's funds. Mr. Restaino said several had responded to requests for proposals and that the Administration was busy trying to align the services offered, the interest rates offered, and other factors to make the best proposals.

Everyone gingerly skirted around the elephant in the room -- that Mayor Robinson-Briggs had on her own initiative transferred all city accounts to Investor Savings when other banks decided they would no longer offer municipal depository services in New Jersey.

This will be another item of interest at the reorg meeting.

So, with all these pieces of 'eggshell' pushed to the edge of the tray, the question remains: Are the eggs powdered or the real McCoy?

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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