The media love a good fight. Are they trying to provoke one between Mapp and Green?

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka's support for Steve Fulop for governor,
announced last week, precipitated a meeting organized by
Assemblyman Jerry Green and Essex Dems last night.
(Image: Jersey Journal)

At a meeting of north and south Jersey Democrats last night, Plainfield Assemblyman and Union County Dem chair Jerry Green joined with Essex leaders and others in what could be termed an "anybody but Fulop" meeting, as reported by PolitickerNJ's Max Pizzarro (see here). The story contains a complete list of attendees and their connections.

In previous remarks to PolitickerNJ, Green threatened "to go old school" if Fulop and allies began pushing Fulop's candidacy in Union County.

In an overview of the alignment of Union County forces, Pizzarro sketches out Plainfield Mayor Adrian O. Mapp and Sheriff Joe Cryan as potential Fulop allies.

Sen. Nick Scutari and Green are seen as aligned with Senate President Steve Sweeney, front man for South Jersey powerhouse George Norcross.

The story does not mention the third alignment in Union County: Sen. Ray Lesniak, who has declared his interest in running for governor, and his ally, Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwege. (Lesniak's law partner Paul Weiner was, however, listed as an attendee at last night's meeting.)

Tuesday evening's meeting was precipitated by the announcement last week by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka that he "will do everything" to get Fulop elected governor (see story here, and here).

The story about last night's meeting outlines a scenario in which Cryan and Mapp could oppose Green's tilt toward Sweeney.

It reminded me of an article I once read in Psychology Today.

Back in the 1960s, when the magazine was an innovative must-read, it ran an article on understanding interpersonal conflict. One section was memorably titled "Let's you and him fight".

The association at once popped into my mind on reading Pizzarro's article. The media loves nothing better than a scrap between politicians. It drives readership.

But Mapp has so far has kept his powder dry, staying out of any public discussion of the 2017 governor's race.

The relationship between Mapp, who is also Plainfield Dem chair, and Green has been wary at best.

Though Mapp did tell PolitickerNJ he was planning to run for re-election as mayor next year, he has otherwise been focused on ensuring a large Plainfield plurality for Hillary Clinton in the November presidential election.

Next year, it seems, can take care of itself.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Harry Ailster, the official obituary

Harry at a student production rehearsal in 1968, shortly
after he had begun teaching in the New Providence public schools.
(Image posted on Facebook by former student Karen Franchini.)

 

Plainfield Symphony Orchestra board member Mary Burgwinkle forwarded a copy of Harry Ailster's official obituary, which I am reprinting below (none has appeared in the newspapers as of Tuesday evening) --

Harry Eugene Ailster 1931-2016

Harry Eugene Ailster lost a valiant and courageous battle with cancer and passed from this life on August 7, 2016.

Harry was born May 19, 1931 in Greenup, Kentucky where he developed the deep talent and love for music that sustained him throughout his life.

At a young age, while listening to his sister practice piano, he learned that he could copy her by ear, leading to local notoriety as a child piano player and then many years of formal piano instruction.

After high school he attended and graduated from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, as a music major. In college, Harry met his lifelong friends, "adopted" sister, Janet Mercer of Freehold, New Jersey and her husband to be, classmate Richard Freeman of Detroit. They were his family throughout his life. Harry was an advanced ROTC student, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Infantry after graduation. He was called from Reserve Status to Active Duty in October 1954 and served in Munich, Germany, where he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in April 1956. He was relieved from Active Duty in November 1956 and returned to the U.S. with an Honorable Discharge. After returning to the U.S., Harry worked briefly in a business in Dayton, Ohio.

He then moved to New Jersey, where he worked in music therapy with his "sister" Janet at the former Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital. After moving to New Jersey he lived in Freehold and then in Asbury Park, where he participated in local theater groups, another lifelong passion of Harry's. In 1967, Harry began working as a music teacher in New Providence, New Jersey. As a teacher he worked at various times with chorus, as band front director and as a director of student productions.  He loved teaching and his students and made many friends in the school district, among them Sharon Tillou and Betty Metzger who remained in close contact during his illness in 2016. He eventually moved to Westfield, New Jersey and continued to participate in local theater groups.

Harry moved to Plainfield in the late 1980s. After his retirement from teaching in 1993, Harry devoted himself to volunteering in Plainfield. He volunteered for the Historical Society of Plainfield, the non-profit that operates Drake House Museum, spending many years as a board member and House Chairman. He was always willing to pass the hat and sell 50/50 tickets at Historical Society events, and he made each drawing a theatrical production. He participated in activities sponsored by Van Wyck Brooks Historic District in Plainfield, where he initially lived, and he volunteered for many years for the Muhlenberg Auxiliary at the gift shop at the former Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center. Eventually, the gift shop became a part time job until Muhlenberg closed in 2008. He was briefly President of the Muhlenberg Auxiliary in the early 2000s.

After that, at the behest of his special friend Wendy Burney, then president of the board, Harry joined the board of directors of the Plainfield Symphony Society (PSO), where he was active until a leave of absence 6 months before his death. Harry was on the Music Director Selection Committee in 2008-2009. The result of the recommendation of that Committee was the selection of Plainfield Symphony Orchestra's current virtuoso Music Director, Charles Prince.

Harry also participated in PSO productions from time to time, narrating Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" and Benjamin Britten's "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra". He was a fixture as a center aisle usher at concerts and as a participant at all of the social events.
Harry continued his love of music and acting in Plainfield by participating in productions by Act One Players and by acting as substitute summer music director from time to time at First Unitarian Society of Plainfield. He participated in many productions; however, the production that captured the hearts and minds of Plainfield was "Driving Miss Daisie", where he and his now deceased friend Sally Beckwith played the lead roles. To quote the blog Plainfield Today on August 8, 2016, "Plainfield has lost another icon." He will be sorely missed.

Harry was predeceased by his parents Chester Lafayette and Ollie (McConnell) Ailster, his sister Louise and his brothers Chester Lafayette, Jr., William, James and Samuel. He was also predeceased by his "adoptive sister"  Janet Mercer Freeman, her daughter Janetta and her son, Maurice. He is survived by several nephews and by his "adoptive brother" Richard Freeman of Freehold and by his beloved goddaughters to whom he was devoted, Viveca Freeman of Freehold and Celeste Freeman Robinson and her husband Bill of Hatfield, PA.

He is also survived by his special friends Wendy and Jasmine Burney and Mary Burgwinkle and Greg Haworth of Plainfield, and by hosts of other friends.

Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM on Thursday, August 18, 2016 at Freeman's Funeral Home, 47 East Main Street, Freehold, NJ 07728.

In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial donation to the Plainfield Symphony Orchestra, P.O. Box 5093, Plainfield, NJ 07061. To share photos, leave a condolence, or find directions visit www.freemanfuneralhomes.com.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Plainfield Council supports Cedar Brook Park changes despite murkiness

Proposed changes to Cedar Brook Park would be in the area
between Arlington Avenue and the existing ball fields.

Plainfield City Council declined Monday evening to either amend or delay consideration of a resolution of support for Union County's plan to make changes to Cedar Brook that will include installing an artificial turf field that can accommodate both soccer and football, plus drainage construction (the field is in a flood zone) and 70-foot poles to provide night lighting.

The business agenda of the Council was adopted without any fuss in about twenty minutes. Then the action began.

Council President Cory Storch opened the discussion by remarking that the proposed resolution on Cedar Brook Park had been broached with him only on Friday. He agreed to include it in the Council agenda, but it could only be formally added to the agenda by a super majority of 5 votes at Mondy's meeting.

Councilors quizzed Union County Parks & Recreation Director Ron Zuber, as well as Plainfield Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) chair Bill Michelson and Plainfield Planning Board chair Ron Scott Bey at length before tackling the vote to put the item on the agenda.

The county's proposal has been fraught since the beginning. As I pointed out last November (see my post here), when they originally came before the HPC, county representatives were ill-prepared for the commission's and the public's questions.

This was remedied somewhat by the time county officials came before the Planning Board for a capital plan review in December (see my post here) -- for one thing, they came up with Olmsted drawings from the 1920s showing that active sports use was planned for from the beginning.

However, acrimony between the county's deputy counsel and HPC chair Michelson effectively poisoned the atmosphere.

The HPC adjourned the November matter for a further hearing, which the county snubbed. The Planning Board, with chair Ron Scott Bey being the only objector, approved the capital plan review with several stipulations. The Planning Board's attorney at the time, Michelle Donato, sternly advised the county officials that because the park is on several landmark registries a "certificate of appropriateness" would be needed to begin work. At a minimum, the County would have to go before the NJ Historic Sites Council, which the county eventually did.

According to Michelson, the state body came down hard on the county proposal and, in a 7-page ruling, objected to several points in the plan -- including the night lighting.

Michelson said he shared that ruling with HPC members and Planning Board chair Ron Scott Bey, but acknowledged that a copy had not been forwarded to Corporation Counsel David Minchello.

For his part, Zuber said that the County had made concessions on several points of objection by the HPC and stipulations of the Planning Board -- "about 80 percent", he said.

In the event, the ruling does not become final and binding until signed off on by the DEP commissioner, and no one knows when that will happen.

The council's deliberations opened up several avenues of approach: adopt the resolution as is; delay consideration to give the Council more time to understand the issues involved; and amending the resolution by cutting out the overblown "whereas" clauses that reflected the county's initial proposal (which somehow had been modified to include mention of "lacrosse' play on the new fields).

Council President Storch started to propose an amendment to excise portions of the resolution. However, the group sensibly decided to go into a recess to come up with the necessary language.

Upon their return after a few minutes, Storch clearly outlined his proposal to drop all the inner clauses o the resolution and simply state the Council's support, substituting " subject to any ruling of local and/or state entities that have jurisdiction" for the word "unequivocally".

After being cued by Corporation Counsel Minchello that he had overlooked allowing public comment on the resolution, Storch opened the floor. Several people spoke both in support of and against the resolution. When all had been heard, Storch moved the the vote.

Storch's proposed amendment to the resolution was defeated, 5-2, with only he and Councilor Taylor in favor.

Councilor Taylor then moved to table the resolution to the September meeting. That too was defeated, again 5-2, with Councilors Brown, Goode, Rivers, Toliver and Williams against.

Councilor Rivers then moved the resolution "as is", and it was carried by the same 5-2 majority.

Left up in the air was the question of whether, in fact, the County has -- or will have -- the necessary "certificate of approval" to move forward.

The Council's letter of support will presumably be filed with the bond paperwork which will cover the project. (I haven't had a chance to check the details, but it seems likely the Cedar Brook Park project is already included in the $58M general improvement bond issue the Freeholders are scheduled to take up this Thursday evening -- hence the rush for the resolution of support.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Plainfield resident authors mouthwatering cookbook

The cover of Carol Davis' cookbook hints at the
tasty recipes inside.

An old friend and longtime Plainfield resident has written and published a new cookbook.

After thirty years in the nonprofit field, where she grew a tiny foundation into one of the most respected resources for families whose children are dealing with cancers, she has turned a new page.

Carol Davis became interested in a vegan lifestyle because of her compassion for all animals. Vegans avoid consuming any meat, fish or dairy products. (Vegetarians, by contrast, may include milk and cheese in their diets.)

I had been noticing for months that Carol was posting mouthwatering pictures of dishes she was making for friends on her Facebook page, and would often comment on how delicious the ingredients sounded and how tasty they looked.

Now, Carol has fulfilled a longtime threat and compiled her recipes into an e-cookbook: The All-Vegan EZ Recipe Starter Cookbook.

The title says it all: the recipes are indeed "EZ" and the collection of some thirty recipes -- from appetizers to desserts -- will get you up and enjoying zesty and exciting dishes full of flavor and texture.

How about "Apple Rosemary Scones", "Minted Strawberry Soup", or "Red Cabbage with Apples (from her Aunt Pauline)?

"Mushroom Scallops with Fettucini" had me drooling as did "Marinated Grilled Tofu".

A licensed professional counselor with an office in Scotch Plains, Carol has degrees from Kean and New York University. She has written for publications ranging from AOL to the Westfield Leader.

Carol and her husband, Michael Jessie, enjoy gardening on the grounds of their 200-year old Watchung Avenue farmhouse.

The e-cookbook is available for $3.00 and will be emailed to you in PDF format. You can use PayPal to obtain a copy, just follow the link here. If you do not do PayPal, you may email Carol at carolfdavis@aol.com and she will respond with instructions.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to animal welfare charities which Carol supports.

Bon appetit!

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Will Monday's Council be a snoozer? Maybe not.

The search for 'just and capable' continues...

Monday evening's Plainfield City Council meeting may be a snoozer -- or not.

Even though all the agenda items were moved to the business agenda without dissent at last Monday's agenda-setting session, there is no guarantee that this week's meeting will be boring. Readers can view the agenda online here.

There are several resolutions dealing with redevelopment, two concerning purchase of fire vehicles (a pumper and a ladder truck), and a new human resources management program with an annual $79K price tag.

As explained last week, the Public Safety request for three high-def dome cameras is for the city's three public swimming pools (Hannah Atkins, Rushmore and Seidler). The cameras would provide night-time surveillnace of the pools, which currently have personnel stationed at them to ward off unauthorized night-time use.

There is one new item (which will have to receive a minimum of five votes to be put on the agenda). That is R301-16, "in support of Union County's renovation of existing soccer fields at Cedar Brook Park".

The project got off to a bumpy start last November (see my post here), when the County presented its original proposal to the Historic Preservation Commission, but was ill-prepared to answer questions from the commission and the public.

The County did better at the Planning Board's review in December (see my post here), but the Board's attorney, Michelle Donato, underscored that the County would need to obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness from the state (and, if federal funds are involved, from the national level).

The resolution's language is misleading. The "renovations" are far more extensive than the County is owning up to. When the proposal was reviewed by Plainfield's Historic Preservation Commission, one of the objections was that night lighting on 70-foot poles, bleachers, a permanent scoreboard, and the removal of trees would change the character of the park dramatically, a fact which this resolution ignores.

Secondly, the County was supposed to get review and sign off from the state's historic preservation authorities. There is no mention of this condition or the receipt of a Certificate of Appropriateness in the resolution. The Council should be advised of the status of this condition before taking its vote.

Word at City Hall is that preparations for the LIVE broadcasting of City Council meetings is proceeding apace and may even begin this Fall. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Update on services for Harry Ailster

Harry Ailster (r.) co-starred with Sally Beckwith in
Act One's production of Driving Miss Daisy.

Word came late Thursday evening concerning funeral arrangements for Plainfield's beloved Harry Ailster.

Having survived all his siblings -- Harry was the youngest of seven -- and with no close family, the arrangements are being made by Harry's goddaughter, who lives in Freehold.

Service are scheduled for next Thursday (August 18) at the Freeman Funeral Home in Freehold. Friends will gather for a service at 2:00 PM. No obituary has been published in the newspapers yet, but you can check the funeral home's information here.

As the time and place are not likely to be convenient for many of Harry's Plainfield friends, some of them are making plans for a local commemoration of his life.

I will post details as they become available.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Jamaican independence celebrated in Plainfield this weekend

The lush island nation of Jamaica is a popular tourist destination.

New Jerseyans of Jamaican descent are celebrating the island nation's 54th year of independence with two events in Plainfield this weekend, to which all Plainfielders are cordially invited.

On Friday, there will be a festive flag raising at Plainfield City Hall, beginning at 6:00 PM. Honored guests will include Jamaican dignitaries and local officials. There will be food and music. The event takes place at City Hall Plaza, Watchung Avenue at East 6th Street.

On Sunday afternoon, there will be a special Service of Thanksgiving, hosted by Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church. Special guests will include government, civic, religious and community leaders. The sermon will be preached by Bishop Jacqueline McCullough, senior pastor of Beth Rapha. The service begins at 4:00 PM and will be followed by a reception at the church.

Jamaica, with 2.5 million citizens, is the third largest anglophone country in the western hemisphere (after the US and Canada). Originally colonized by the Spanish, whose diseases decimated the native Arawak and Taino populations, it became an English colony in 1655.

Slavery was begun under the Spanish and continued under the British until 1838, when total emanicpation was declared. Sugar, molasses and rum from Jamaican plantations formed a key partion of the so-called "triangular trade" which involved Americans (primarily New Englanders) in the evils of slave trading.

Since independence, many Jamaicans have emigrated for economic reasons, and there are large communities in the UK, the US and Canada.

The Jamaican Organization of New Jersey represents residents of Jamaican origin who live in many communities throughout the Garden State, primarily Plainfield, Paterson, the Oranges, and Trenton.

The Plainfield flag raising is the third of four such events scheduled by JONJ, the final one being on August 22 at 5:00 PM at the West Orange Town Hall.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Should Plainfield pay to bury homicide victims?

Should the City pay for homicide victims' funerals?

In speaking at the public comments section of Monday's Plainfield City Council meeting, members of the recently formed Plainfield Anti-Violence Coalition touched on a subject to which many of us have probably not given much thought: funeral costs for the families of homicide victims.

The repeated refrain was that these sudden and unexpected costs are a financial and emotional burden to the families that have suffered such a loss, and that the City should "do something".

It came out in the course of the discussion that Union County's resources for victims of violent crimes includes $5,000 for funeral costs. Not good enough, one of the speakers said, when the expense of a repast is taken into account.

As to what other services or resources are available from the City, City Administrator Rick Smiley -- himself a former director of Plainfield Action Services -- said that that agency can provide emergency clothing and food assistance as well as referrals for mental health services for grief counseling, but has no other mandate.

The whole conversation put me in mind of practices I knew of in my youth.

Where I grew up in Western New York, Dunkirk, the city where I went to high school, was heavily populated by immigrants from Italy, Germany and Poland. In those days, Catholic parishes were organized along ethnic lines (St. Mary's was German, Holy Trinity was Italian and St. Hedwig's and St. Hyacinth's were Polish).

One feature of these ethnic communities was their "benefit" or "friendly" societies, which were set up to help with members' unexpected needs, which could include illness, unemployment, assistance for education -- and funeral expenses.

These sorts of groups have a long history in America, and many grew over time into large and important organizations, becoming everything from mutual benefit insurance companies to credit unions, from Odd Fellows lodges to Freemasons, Eagles, Elks and other fraternal organizations.

Have we lost that sort of mutual aid in Plainfield? Or did we never have it in the first place?

To look to government to solve every problem does not seem to me to be the answer -- at least until the community has tried among itself to solve a problem.

I contrast this discussion with another sad local event and the response to it.

The 3-year-old child Elizabeth, who died after being struck by a car at Park Avenue and 2nd Street, left her family in a similar situation -- to face burying a child with no financial resources.

What happened in this case was inspiring.

A woman related to the family through marriage set up an online fundraising page with GoFundMe (you can see the page here) and put the word out into the community, asking for donations.

She set a goal of $10,000. The page was set up on July 27. In 12 days, 125 people donated $6,585, at which point the campaign was ended. Taking into account that one gift was for $1,000 (from a person whose name I did not recognize), most of the donations were modest, averaging less than $45.00 per person.

A simple and dignified service was arranged for the child, with Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church offering use of its sanctuary. A plentiful but simple repast was provided. Folks felt that it all was "meet and right", as Anglicans are wont to say.

Could this be one solution?

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Councilor Taylor resumes veiled attack on Public Safety Director Riley

Is Councilor Taylor's proposed "investigation" a ruse?

Ward 3 Councilor Gloria Taylor resumed her veiled attack on Plainfield Public Safety Director Carl Riley -- and by extension Mayor Adrian Mapp -- at Monday's agenda-setting session of City Council.

Attendees were premature in breathing a sigh of relief at seeing no "discussion" items on the agenda -- which have derailed many a meeting since Mapp took office 31 months ago.

Following a detailed report by Councilor Rebecca Williams from the Public Safety Committee, which she chairs, Taylor launched into a rant on the Police Division.

When Council President Cory Storch tried to shut her down, saying there were no discussion items on the agenda, Taylor paused while he spoke and then steamrolled on for several more minutes, complaining that "we [the Council] need to investigate what's going on with the police" and bitterly noting that Storch has refused to put her resolution from March back on the agenda.

Storch did not gavel her down, but when she finished he said she could bring the matter up at the end of the meeting.

The agenda-setting went smoothly, with all items moved to the business meeting.

Taylor was, however, embarrassed by two small matters. When Councilor Diane Toliver raised questions about the East 2nd Street development project, she demanded to know who was on the Council's economic development committee. Taylor chimed in, asking Storch who were the members -- at which point Councilor Williams read out the list: Councilors Toliver, Storch and Taylor. Taylor made one of those gulping grins she does when caught out.

The second embarrassing moment for Taylor was when Barry Person was being interviewed for a seat on the Planning Board. "Where do you live?" she asked him. When he replied, "629 Hartridge Place", she asked where that was -- betraying that she didn't know it was in Ward 3, which she represents.

After public comment at the end of the meeting, Taylor got her chance to resume.

Though she referenced the recent spate of homicides, her big complaints were that Storch had blocked reconsideration of the resolution to investigate the police that was passed unanimously back in March, that Riley's interpretation of community policing did not meet her expectations, and suggesting darkly that something improper is going on in the Police Division.

According to Taylor, who plays a sort of Miss Piggy role on the Council, community policing means the community sets the direction of policing and not the department. At times it seems she is suggesting a civilian review board, at other times that the Council should direct the policing focus.

One thing you can say about Taylor is that though she can be garrulous she is often inarticulate, hashing and rehashing her words into a confusing and sometimes meaningless word salad.

At each turn, she would smile sweetly at Director Riley and insist that this is not about him. But who else could it be about?

Time and again she referred to "something going on over there" (meaning the police division).

Well, what IS going on is that Director Riley is straightening out a mess that was created by former mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs politicizing the division with favoritism, cronyism and abuse of the civil service promotional requirements and of the distribution of overtime.

Riley was having none of it.

When he had an opportunity to respond to Taylor, Director Riley underscored his emphasis on supervisory accountability, saying he would not put up with "nonsense from a prior administration".

Taylor has often made veiled references to some police officers not being residents of Plainfield -- omitting to mention that state law specifically provides for the hiring of qualified applicants by a community, regardless of their place of residence.

But Mayor Mapp and Director Riley have understood the importance of hiring local recruits who know the community and have a stake in its success. As Councilor Williams pointed out in her report which opened the meeting, since Mapp took office in 2014, the Police Division has hired 18 new officers -- 10 Black, 6 Hispanic and 2 white, reflecting the community's makeup.

Taylor ignored this point during her rants.

Williams also pointed out that continuing efforts to reduce crime have resulted in the seizure of 111 illegal guns, since Mapp took office. Not only were the weapons taken off the street, the Police Division is working with the Union Count;y forensics unit to determine if any were used in other crimes, and with the feds to identify if any of these guns were trafficked and, if so, uncover the chain of illegal sales.

This is clearly important, if not exactly sexy, police work, and helpful in the long run in curbing violent crime.

Taylor blithely ignored the progress.

So, what does Taylor want? She wants to investigate the Police Division, claiming its disciplinary actions are not fair, and that an investigation would make recommendations for "increased interaction with the community".

At this point, with a flourish, Taylor bid Deputy Clerk Sherri Golden distribute Taylor's proposed new resolution. (Council President Storch seemed surprised by this move, which seemed to me to be a breach of protocol -- the Clerk's office does not bring matters to the Council independent of the President's assent.)

Taylor's new resolution calls for an investigation (as outlined above), hiring a specific attorney (Luretha M. Stribling, a personal injury lawyer with a practice in Clark), for an amount up to $20,000, for a report to be delivered within 28 days of the resolution's adoption.

As the discussion unfolded, it seemed Taylor did not have the support to move the item onto the agenda (5 votes would be needed).

Councilors Goode, Brown and Storch demurred at the use of the word "investigation", Williams thought it would not fly, and Toliver feinted with a comment that community policing seemed on an uptick in her ward. (Though I did not hear Councilor Rivers weigh in formally, I saw her in the corridor commiserating with Director Riley after the meeting.)

With that, the air went out of the discussion and the meeting came to a close.

What's it all about?

My suspicion is that Taylor was maneuvering to set up a campaign issue for her pal and former mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs, who is running as an independent for the Ward 3 seat this November -- facing Charles McRae, who won the Democratic primary. The proposed investigation is just a ruse for engaging in what Taylor calls "dirty politics".

That would account for the resolution's circumventing the public advertisement process, naming a specific attorney and putting a short time frame on the "investigation". Perhaps Taylor has a draft of the proposed investigation's final report already drawn up?

One can't be overly suspicious when it comes to Plainfield politics.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Harry Ailster passes

Harry Ailster (r.) costarred with Sally Beckwith in Act One's
2001 production of Driving Miss Daisie. They are shown here
in a publicity still with actor Jordan Hunt.

Plainfield has lost another icon.

Harry Ailster, bon vivant and raconteur, gifted actor, talented pianist and long-time Plainfield Symphony Board member passed away Sunday, August 7.

Born in 1931, Harry had resided in Plainfield for many years -- famously in a full-floor apartment in the Marsh mansion on West 8th Street, and then in a similar grand suite at the former Monday Afternoon Club on Watchung Avenue.

Harry was a music teacher in the New Providence Public Schools for 26 years, retiring in 1993.

But he was known to Plainfielders for his interest and tireless volunteer efforts in music and the theater.

Harry served faithfully for many years as a member of the board of the Plainfield Symphony, where he always greeted ticket holders with the evening's program as they entered.

In 2014, Harry narrated a performance of Benjamin Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra under the baton of PSO music director Charles Prince.

But perhaps Harry is most famous for co-starring with the late Sally Beckwith in the Act One theater group's production of Driving Miss Daisie. Harry and Sally seemed made for each other and the production was one of most popular and talked-about ever for the small theater company that performed in the parish hall of the First Unitarian Society of Plainfield.

Though Harry had countless friends in the Plainfield community, the only family I am aware of is  goddaughter who lives in Freehold.

I will post more when service information becomes available.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Trump's sacrifices

Editorial cartoon by David Horsey
from the Los Angeles Times. (Click to enlarge.)

I love political cartoons. I thought Plainfield Today readers might enjoy this one. It's by David Horsey, the editorial cartoonist of the Los Angeles Times (more about him here).

The trick with this type of cartoon is to riff on an issue or theme that is in the news in a way that uses the cartoon to underscore an essential feature or truth of the subject matter.

This particular toon riffed on Trump's retort to Khazir Khan's rhetorical question asking just what sacrifices Trump has made. Trump couldn't resist responding, setting Horsey up with a great premise for the toon.

The instant I saw it, though, several other references came to mind. (That's the genius of really good political cartoons.)

In this case, there was the visual reference, which immediately brought to mind Giotto's portrayal of the Crucifixion, with Mary Magdalene at the foot of the cross.

Crucifixion of Christ, by Giotto, with Mary Magdalene
at the foot of the cross. (For more on this painting, see here;
for more on Giotto, see here.)

Second, the giant "T" on which Trump is crucified is made of gold -- his signature, of course, but recalling William Jennings Bryan's famous acceptance speech at the 1896 Democratic Party nominating convention. (We are also reminded that early Christians also used the Greek letter "t" (tau) as a sign for the cross, which Horsey perfectly matches with his Trump "t".)

The issue in 1896 was whether to allow the free coinage of silver (along with the then gold standard). This inflationary policy would have expanded the currency available, making it easier for farmers to repay their loans. Bryan was in favor of using silver also, a policy which was known as bimetallism. The speech derives its famous moniker "Cross of Gold" (more about the speech and a link to a Bryan recording of it here) from its thundering last line:

[Y]ou shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.

Horsey includes as a fine detail Trump being suspended on his Tau cross by two silken neckties -- Trump ties? -- which also underscores the hypocrisy of his anti-offshoring talk and his actual business practice (his neckties are made abroad), completing the riff on the theme of "sacrifice".

This toon may have more to unpack than most, but that's what makes them fun.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Plainwood Square concert Wednesday includes 'Little Big Shot' Idol contest

The annual concert always draws a large crowd ...

... and is produced and coordinated by Pat Fields.

Plainfield's ever-popular Plainwood Square Summer Concert returns Wednesday (August 10) for its 16th season.

This year's concert is headlined by Gerald Alston, lead vocalist for The Manhattans. His performance will include some of his greatest hits (Wish That You Were Mine, Don’t Take Your Love From Me, Let’s Just Kiss and Say Goodbye) and perhaps even some songs from his newly released Gospel CD. 

Featured along with Mr. Alston will be Valarie Adams and the Dimension Band. Valarie and the Dimensions are the tri-state area’s premier dance, funk, R&B music band.  New Jersey claims them, but Valarie and Dimension Band perform around the world and keep a non-stop party going everywhere they play. Cinthya Jimenez will open the concert adding a little Latin flavor to the event.

The concert kicks off with a new spin on the annual Plainfield Idol Competition.

This year it will emulate the "Little Big Shot" program - -all contestants will be under the age of 12.  The winner will hold the title for a year and receive a trophy and monetary award.    

Robert Graham, known to all as "Mr. Plainfield", will emcee the event, which is being coordinated by Pat Fields, a volunteer with the host organization, New Outlook Pioneers.

The event is sponsored by Plainfield Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, the City Council, and the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, with generous support from the Plainfield Cultural and Heritage Commission.

Corporate supporters include McDonald's of Plainfield, Burger King of Plainfield, Coury's Auto Body, Fine Fare Supermarket, Graphix One and MrPlainfield.com.

The event will be taped for broadcast on Plainfield's public access TV channels 96 (Comcast) and 34 (Verizon).

Be sure to bring lawn chairs and arrive early. The concert starts at 6:00 PM sharp.

Rain date is Thursday, August 11.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Plainfield schools employee faces jail over purchasing fraud

The red Cardinal adorns the District's logo,
as shown on its website.

 

Word comes that Robert E. Banks, a carpenter and locksmith for the Plainfield public schools, who pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud will be sentenced later this month.

Banks conspired with employees of Bayway Lumber to defraud the Plainfield school district of nearly $20,000 over a period from 2007 to September 2015.

Banks received more than $9,000 in goods, including a laptop, a lawn mower and a dishwasher. He worked with Bayway Lumber to defraud the Plainfield schools in a number of ways, including inflating invoices and billing for items never actually shipped. Banks, who had purchasing authority, then signed off on the fraudulent invoices.

Banks, who lives in Piscataway, faces up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

Robert Datillo, the part-owner of Bayway Lumber who masterminded the scheme, was sentenced to four years in prison in July and must repay over $700,000 he netted from the scheme, in addition to a fine.

Datillo's scam involved institutions ranging from the Plainfield school district to the City of Elizabeth and the former UMDNJ, the predecessor of University Hospital. Although not mentioned in the DOJ documents, Bayway Lumber also did millions of dollars worth of business with the County of Union. For details on those amounts, see here.

In what may have been Datillo's (and Banks') undoing, Datillo kept a record of all the fraudulent transactions, which he referred to as 'the Bank', in order to be sure he was recouping the cost of all the 'gifts' supplied to Banks and other co-conspirators.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Hundreds turn out for Plainfield's 30th National Night Out

Mayor Mapp addresses the crowd. Honorees Marie Davis (Ward 1)
and Donald Van Blake (Ward 2) are seated at right.

Hundreds of people turned out for Plainfield's 30th annual celebration of National Night Out, which this year included a new feature -- a car and motorcycle show.

Among the highlights were recognition by Mayor Adrian O. Mapp of former Councilor Liz Urquhart, who began the NNO observances, the youngsters participating in the police cadet program and honorees from each ward for civic service -- Marie Davis (Ward 1), Donald Van Blake (Ward 2), Jean Black (Ward 3) and Rev. James Abney (Ward 4).

Here are some photos --

Youngsters from the Police Cadet program were recognized.

Views of the crowd.

Glow bracelets are a perennial favorite among the kids.

Rose Marie Cathcart was at the City Clerk's table.

Freeholder Linda Carter and 4th Ward Councilor Bridget Rivers.

Councilors Diane Toliver and Barry Goode;
Mayor Mapp's wife Amelia is at right.

Nancy Piwowar chats with John Stewart.

As always, the lines at the hot dog tent (with service by
the DPW's John Louise) were loooong.

Congratulations and well-done to all who worked on putting the event together, especially Superintendent of Recreation Veronica Taylor and crew. (You can take a break now for a few minutes.)

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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The big question with the Charter School-Dunn matter is 'Why?'

Why build new on Central Avenue when a perfectly adequate
state-of-the-art school facility (with ample parking) sits vacant
on South Avenue?

There are many questions that will be raised at the Plainfield Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting on Wednesday (August 3), when an application will be heard for a variance to construct a new building (and modify an existing one) for the Barack Obama Green Charter High School on a double lot owned by Flora Dunn, wife of former City Councilor Malcolm R. Dunn.

The property, known as "Treelawn" (about which I wrote three years ago when it was on the market, see here), sits between the duCret School of Art and Questover, a mansion that was once a Muhlenberg Auxiliary showcase home.

The Dunn residence, "Treelawn", when it was on the market in 2013.

While a school is not an allowed use because of the area's R-2 zoning, the board can, after weighing the pros and cons, grant a variance.

Unfortunately, the most important questions about the whole matter cannot be taken up by the Zoning Board.

Most important of these is: "Why finance and build a new school building, when a perfectly adquate school building is vacant and waiting?

The existng building is the former Central Jersey Arts Charter School (CJACS) at 1225 South Avenue, which was shut down at the end of the 2014-2015 school year because of multiple issues, including poor student performance, questionable financial practices and failure to develop a plan to remedy the defects.

CJACS spent millions remodeling the former ARC building on South Avenue (across from the Burger King), turning it into a state-of-the-art complex with a classroom building, a gym/multi-purpose building and a large parking area just past the KFC next door.

The funding for the makeover was provided by the Union County Improvement Authority (UCIA) through a bond issue after the school's original board was superseded by a "Friends of CJACS" board hand-picked by Mr. Erick Torain, who was working on behalf of the UCIA.

The availability and desirability of the South Avenue property may bolster neighbors of the Central Avenue proposal, but the Zoning Board has no brief to compel the charter school applicant to look elsewhere.

Nor can the Zoning Board object because the new use would take the Dunn property off the tax rolls -- to the tune of about $20,000 annually.

Another question that is out of bounds for the Zoning Board is how Barack Obama Green Charter HS intends to pay for the project -- which will have a total footprint of 13,510 square feet (including the renovated residence). A considerable amount of money has already been spent on architectural plans and a stormwater study submitted with the application. There are also rumors circulating that the property is under contract with the school, contingent upon a successful outcome with the Zoning Board.

It would be curious indeed if the UCIA emerges as the underwriter of the project by way of a bond issue. The only thing needed to complete the picture would be the reappearance of the mysterious Mr. Torain.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment meets Wednesday, August 3, at 7:00 PM in City Hall Library. City Hall is at Watchung Avenue and East 6th Street. Parking and entry at the rear.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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What's your image of Hillary?

Matt Wuerker takes a look at Hillary from various perspectives.
(Image from Politico. Click image to enlarge.)

Plainfield Today readers undoubtedly have their mental images of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Though you would enjoy this take by Politico cartoonist Matt Wuerker -- who imagines Hillary as seen by various constituencies. You can see more of his work on the current presidential race here.

Back to the local scene tomorrow.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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