Questions about Civil Union licenses in Plainfield

Plainfield's diverse community may want to note that Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs' nomination for a Registrar of Vital Statistics is to be taken up by the City Council tonight.

One of the key parts of the local Registrar's job is ISSUING LICENSES FOR CIVIL UNIONS and marriages.

Applicants for a civil union license must appear at the Registrar's office with a witness, answer several questions under oath (understanding that false answers constitute perjury and are punishable by a fine of up to $7,500), and pay a small license fee.

The administration of that oath to same-sex couples applying for civil union licenses is one of the legally required duties of the Registrar. (Note that the Registrar does NOT perform the civil union but merely issues the license for same after ascertaining the applicants are qualified; they, in turn, may then have the ceremony presided over by a person authorized to do so under NJ law.)

Rumors are circulating that Mayor Robinson-Briggs' nominee, who holds the State certification for a Registrar, will not personally administer the oath required of applicants for a civil union license.

One would hope Mayor Robinson-Briggs would put the rumors to rest by stating unequivocally that she will require of the appointee that they will perform all the duties required of the office WITHOUT EXCEPTION.

---

City Council Business Meeting
Tonight - 8:00 PM
City Council Chambers/Courthouse
Watchung Avenue and East 4th Street
The public may speak at beginning and end of meeting.

---

• Dept. of Health & Senior Services: "Vital Statistics" -- Application for License (PDF).
  
• Lambda Legal: "Civil Unions in NJ" -- A guidebook (PDF).
  
• NJWedding.com: "NJ Civil Union Celebrations" -- Useful links.
  

-- Dan Damon

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Easter: Strength for all the feeble knees

Easter Communion

Pure fasted faces draw unto this feast:
God comes all sweetness to your Lenten lips.
You striped in secret with breath-taking whips,
Those crooked rough-scored chequers may be pieced
To crosses meant for Jesu's; you whom the East
With draught of thin and pursuant cold so nips
Breathe Easter now; you serged fellowships,
You vigil-keepers with low flames decreased,

God shall o'er-brim the measures you have spent
With oil of gladness, for sackcloth and frieze
And the ever-fretting shirt of punishment
Give myrrhy-threaded golden folds of ease.
Your scarce-sheathed bones are weary of being bent:
Lo, God shall strengthen all the feeble knees.

-- Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844–1889)

---

Hopkins was an English poet, educated at Oxford. Entering the Roman Catholic Church in 1866 and the Jesuit novitiate in 1868, he was ordained in 1877. Upon becoming a Jesuit he burned much of his early verse and abandoned the writing of poetry. However, the sinking in 1875 of a German ship carrying five Franciscan nuns, exiles from Germany, inspired him to write one of his most impressive poems “The Wreck of the Deutschland.” Thereafter he produced his best poetry.

His life was continually troubled by inner conflict which arose, some think, not from religious skepticism but from his homosexual tendencies.

Though he produced a small body of work, he ranks high among English poets, and his work profoundly influenced 20th-century poetry. His verse is noted for its piercing intensity of language and its experiments in prosody. Of these experiments the most famous is “sprung rhythm,” a meter in which Hopkins tried to approximate the rhythm of everyday speech.

See more on Hopkins here.

-- Dan Damon

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Mapp and Smiley piece vanishes from PolitickerNJ website

The online story on Plainfield mayoral candidate Adrian Mapp and his running mate for Assembly, Rick Smiley, has mysteriously disappeared from the PolitickerNJ website.

A search for 'Smiley' turns up the headline in the address bar,
but the requested page is not found.

This is not the first time a Plainfield story has been taken down from New Jersey's go-to politics website.

An August, 2007 post by the late Wally Edge concerning the ties of Union County public information officer Sebastian D'Elia to the real estate firm designated to handle sales of the condos in Plainfield's new Senior Center building was taken down.

That post also pointed out that D'Elia sat on the board of the Union County Improvement Authority, to which Plainfield had sold the site for $1.

The missing D'Elia post was recovered by a PT reader and re-posted (you can see it here).

So, you should not be surprised that the missing Mapp-Smiley post has also been recovered. You can read the complete text of the story here.

It is curious that in all the years I have been following PolitickerNJ (known as PoliticsNJ before it was bought by Jared Kushner, scion of the powerful New Jersey Democratic family), I have only noticed these two instances of pieces taken down -- both involving Plainfield.

Does some higher power than reporting the facts on the ground have sway at PolitickerNJ?

---

• PolitickerNJ 4/09/09: "With eye on mayoral line, New Democrats field
  Plainfield challenger in LD 22"
  
  
• Plainfield Today 8/25/07: "PoliticsNJ post by Wally Edge recovered"
  

-- Dan Damon

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Judge tosses RICO portion of Connolly Properties lawsuit

The racketeering lawsuit against Plainfield-based Connolly Properties reached a climactic juncture yesterday with the dismissal by federal judge William J. Martini of the RICO portion of the case.

Both the Courier's Plainfield reporter Mark Spivey (see here) and the Ledger's Joe Ryan (see here) cover the story in today's editions.

In an email to Flor Gonzalez of the Latin American Coalition, Jose L. Perez, associate general counsel of LatinoJustice, cited Martini's ruling that the --

"...crux of plaintiff's argument is that renting apartments to illegal aliens constitutes racketeering activity because it constitutes harboring, encouraging, or inducing an illegal allien in violation of the INA (Immigration and Naturalization Act). However, no court in this Circuit or any other has ever found this to be the case. Without more, renting an apartment to an alien does not amount to harboring, encouraging or inducing. Thus plaintiff has not alleged a pattern of racketeering activity and the RICO claim can not survive the motion to dismiss..."

As far as I know, this leaves the matter of 'steering' tenants to specific properties unsettled. In a conversation I had with Mr. Perez early last month, it seemed that the allegation that Connolly Properties maintained segregated buildings, with African Americans in some buildings and Hispanics in others, was a portion of the case that might proceed independently of the RICO allegations under federal and state Fair Housing laws.

Additionally, complaints about alleged decrepit conditions in Connolly properties are matters that properly belong to the City's inspections division, though Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs' shutdown of the Safe Housing Unit which was responsible for monitoring and correcting just such conditions leaves the Division without the resources to properly monitor and correct any problems.

Because the Plainfield case is part of a tactic that FAIR says it plans to use elsewhere, I am appending a complete list of links on the matter at the end of this post.

---

• Courier: "Judge tosses lawsuit on legality of renting to illegal immigrants"
  
• Ledger: "Federal judge dismisses immigrant housing lawsuit"
  
• Alipac | 6/05/08: "IRLI sues NJ landlord for renting to illegals, discrimination"
• Docket Info: "DelRio-Mocci et al v. Connolly Properties Inc. et al"
  
• Ledger | 6/21/08: "NJ immigration lawsuit employs racketeering laws"
• NY Times | 6/22/08: "Group Wields Racketeering Law Against Landlords"
• Courier | 8/31/08: "Plainfield Hispanic-rights group hires lawyers in immigration suit"
• Courier | 9/29/08: "Motion filed to dismiss renting lawsuit over Connolly Properties"
• Courier | 10/7/08: "Lawsuit against Connolly becomes civil rights battle"
  

-- Dan Damon

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Jerry's unprovoked attack on Gallon a head-scratcher

Schools Superintendent Dr. Steve Gallon	Assemblyman Jerry Green

Plainfielders are wondering if Assemblyman Jerry Green is losing it.

His unprovoked attack yesterday on Plainfield Schools Superintendent Steve Gallon has folks scratching their heads in bemusement (see story here).

Under a headline screaming 'Plainfield BOE loses $400,000', Jerry lets off the following rant --

I was notified today that the Plainfield School District had to send back $400,000 in State aid. No one in the district has called my office to share this information with me. This is not the first time that the City of Plainfield had to send money back to Trenton because of a lack of communication with my office. I want to share with you how embarrassing this is to the City...

Two points need to be made --

1. Dr. Gallon has a perfectly reasonable explanation (see below); and
   
   
2. Jerry needs to be careful talking about returning money -- his mayoral puppet Sharon Robinson-Briggs almost lost $460,000 secured by Sen. Frank Lautenberg except for a campaign waged by Plainfield Today to make sure it was saved (in posts from August 2006 to June 2007, the last just days before the grant was set to expire). Her most recent escapade in tardiness was the flap around the East 6th Street playground, where she was in danger of losing an $85,000 grant which had already been TWICE EXTENDED (read more here), and came to the Council in full panic mode.

So much for embarrassing the City by returning unused monies.

But Jerry goes on to suggest that all could have been fixed with a phone call to him. Jerry, the fixer. Hmmm...

Schools' superintendent Steve Gallon sees the situation somewhat differently.

Here is Dr. Gallon's detailed response, in an email to BOE Board President Bridget Rivers which she shared with me --

Truth has no special time or place. Its time is right now and right here. Always!

With respect to speculations, rumors, and innuendos, fair, transparent, and courageous leadership require a degree of due diligence and fact finding. This administrator has remained open and responsive to inquiries and questions and concerns raised by those who may have raised them in a decent and orderly manner.

I remain somewhat intrigued by the unnecessary and useless fodder and too often factual inaccuracies espoused by a few that inherently divide us and bears no positive fruit to the people or children of Plainfield. Nonetheless, we must remain undaunted in our efforts to work together, speak truth to power, and engage in those positive “bodies of work” that will ultimately help improve our community, quality of life, and possibilities for our children.

With that said, as it relates to the inquiry about the District’s “loss” of $400,000.00, it is imperative that I provide an accurate response to this matter. I do appreciate your contacting me and inquiring about this matter from a legally responsible and accountable source such as this administrator. Please know, that I had not been contacted by anyone else to provide accurate information regarding this matter and remain grateful for the respect and courtesies that you have demonstrated. The following represents the factual context of this matter:

* Members of the Board of Education may not legally initiate a purchase and/or expenditure of said funds
* The initiation of District funds is a part of the “day-to-day” operations of schools and District offices
* A total of $418,000.00 was returned to state by the District
* Fund Balances are not uncommon in not only school Districts, but organizations---this is what is often referred to as “surplus”
* Often, grant funds such as Title I and even the recent awards received by several of our schools, arrive late in the year making it imprudent for a school or office to spend tens of thousands of dollars in a few months, which amounts to “haste making waste”. In such a case, the District or school would “carryover” those funds for timely planning and prudent purchasing
* There are specific guidelines for the “rollover” of funds. Those guidelines were adhered to. There was no “mismanagement” of any funds
* These funds were accumulated over a three year period ending June 30, 2008 (05/06; 06/07; 07/08)
* Theses funds were a combination of specifically earmarked grant sources
* There were 29 line item in this funding structure with balances that ranged from $360.00-$52,855.00
* Each line item delineates a specific purpose (i.e., field trips, supplies, staff)
* Some of these line items were at school sites which were charged with there management
* These grant funds could not be used for the purchase of textbooks, school lunches, etc.
* The grant period covered a two-year period ending in June, 07.
* If the funds allocated are not able to be expended in accordance with the predetermined guidelines, they must be returned
* A District can not “exceed” the amount of the grant funds

The New Jersey Office of Grants Management has specific guidelines and provisions for the “carry-over” of grant funds. In general, they posit that “carryover funds may be reallocated to budget categories other than those specified on the original application, providing that the funds are expended on approved activities in accordance with program guidelines.” For example, if the initial goals and objectives reflected in the grant application are not fully attainable or are adjusted, such can result in a “carryover.” The worst mistake for a District to do is to use funds outside of the scope of what they were allocated for. This would constitute mismanagement. Although I was not here at the time, this was not the case.

Finally, my position in no way minimizes the need for the District to use any and all available resources for our students. I have taken appropriate steps since my arrival that include but are not limited to requiring annual expenditure plans, monthly reviews of funds balances, centralized plan development and implementation, and ongoing monitoring.

I hope that this has served to clarify this matter. As always, please feel to contact us for further questions and/or clarification.

Respectfully,
Steve Gallon III, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools

Will there be more Jerry meltdowns as the campaign season unfolds?

Stay tuned.

---

• Jerry Green's Page, 4/8/20009: "Plainfield BOE loses $400,000"
• Plainfield Today:
• 8/23/2006: "Lautenberg money called to Robinson-Briggs' attention in transition memo"
• 5/21/2007: "Will city have to give $460,000 back to Feds?"
• 6/26/2007: "Lautenberg grant deadline looms"
• 1/26/2009: "Questions for Mayor on Bryant Playground grants"

-- Dan Damon

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Plainfield's Neighborhood Health Center gets new funds

Plainfield's Neighborhood Health Center will get $435,677 in fresh funding announced by Sen. Frank Lautenberg for New Jersey community-based health centers through the Economic Recovery Act.

The new funds are to be used to renovate facilities or offer primary care to more New Jersey families, according to a press release issued Tueday evening.

For more details, see Sen. Lautenberg's website here.

---

-- Dan Damon

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8 file for Plainfield mayor's race, 2 for Assembly seat

In Plainfield, eight candidates filed for mayor, two for the Ward 4 Council seat, and there are two vying slates for the Democratic city committee -- those of the New Democrats and the Jerry Green machine.

Inspired by March Madness, here is a bracket form to follow --

---

The Plainfield Brackets
	{ Rick Smiley
Assembly		{ _______
	{ Jerry Green
	{ Adrian O. Mapp
	{ Sharon Robinson-Briggs
	{ Carol Ann Brokaw Boles
Mayor	{ Martin Cox	{ _______
	{ Bob Ferraro
	{ Rebecca Kelley
	{ Tom Turner
	{ Vera Greaves
Ward 4		{ _______
	{ Bridget Rivers
	{ New Dem slate
City Committee		{ _______
	{ Jerry Green slate

Councilor Adrian Mapp, the New Democrats for Plainfield candidate, well-known as an elected official is facing incumbent Sharon Robinson-Briggs for the Democratic mayoral nomination. Among others filing yesterday for the same slot are Carol Ann Brokaw Boles, chairperson of the PMUA Commissioners; Martin Cox, BOE member and recently retired City employee; perpetual gadflies Bob Ferraro (a PMUA employee who is on disability) and Tom Turner; and Rebecca Kelley, a political newcomer.

In addition James Pivnichny has filed to run on the GOP ticket. Though he faces no opposition in the June primary, his candidacy means that for the first time in at least fifteen years there will be a contested mayoral election in November regardless of the outcome in the June Democratic primary.

[CORRECTION] Per reader and longtime Plainfield GOP activist Bill Michelson, there were Republican mayoral candidates in 1997 (Bill Hetfield) and 2001 (Bob Ferraro).

How could I have forgotten the Ferraro candidacy?

---

-- Dan Damon

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April Bracket Madness: Plainfield candidate filings today

April 6 is filing deadline for candidates running in the June primaries. Offices from the governor on down to municipal party committees (Democrats this year) will be up for grabs.

In Plainfield, the race includes mayor, Ward 4 Council seat and the Democratic city committee (68 seats -- a male and female for each of 34 voting districts).

Inspired by March Madness, here is a bracket form to follow --

---

The Plainfield Brackets
	?_________________
Assembly		?_________________
	?_________________
	?_________________
	?_________________
Mayor	?_________________	?_________________
	?_________________
	?_________________
	?_________________
Ward 4		?_________________
	?_________________
	?_________________
City Committee		?_________________
	?_________________

---

-- Dan Damon

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Mayor Sharon misremembers her Muhlenberg role?

Supporters rally to save Muhlenberg, March 2008.

Democratic City Committee members report that Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs asserted at Friday's meeting that she had found a buyer for Muhlenberg that Solaris wouldn't deal with who later went on to buy another hospital in South Jersey.

Only two things about this scenario need clarification:

1. The potential buyer, Dr. Redy Dandolu, found the Mayor and not the other way around. He had contacted me on April 28, 2008 (see here), and I had referred him to Councilor Cory Storch who referred him to the Mayor. Five subsequent posts involving Dr. Dandolu, Muhlenberg and Mayor Robinson-Briggs can be found here.
   
   
2. Though Dr. Dandolu did sign an agreement to buy the Kessler Hospital in South Jersey (see here), he failed to deliver a promised check for $300,000, the deal fell through, and the hospital was subsequently closed as reported in the Press of Atlantic City.

Mayor Sharon is going to have to get her facts straight if she hopes to have a chance in the primary election.

People pay attention. People remember.

Especially when it comes to Plainfield's loss of Muhlenberg and Mayor Robinson-Briggs' failure to take any part in the Muhlenberg Board of which she is a member.

---

• Plainfield Today, 4/29/08: "New data and a new buyer for Muhlenberg"
• Plainfield Today, 3/13/09: "Mayor Sharon: Erstwhile Muhlenberg buyer still welcome"
  

-- Dan Damon

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Plainfield Dem meeting sees some veils dropped

Salomé's Dance of The Seven Veils had some dire consequences.

As 2009's election filing date approaches, the Dance of the Seven Veils got under way at Plainfield's Democratic City Committee on Friday evening.

Committee members and guests learned that Assemblyman Jerry Green is endorsing Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs for re-election and has recruited 4th Ward resident Vera Greaves for the Council seat currently held by Elliott Simmons.

Monday at 4 PM the world will learn what's behind the rest of the veils, if anything.

---

-- Dan Damon

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Plainfield Dem City Committee: Candidates revealed tonight?

Plainfield's Democratic City Committee meets tonight at 7 PM at the YWCA's Terrace Room, corner of East Front and Church Streets.

With candidate filings due on Monday, all eyes are on Chairman Jerry Green and nominations for mayor, Ward 4 councilor and city committee seats.

Will nominations be allowed from the floor?

Will rumored candidates besides Sharon Robinson-Briggs have a chance at the brass ring? (Said to be interested in running are PMUA chairperson Carol Brokaw, ex-City employee Martin Cox, PMUA employee and former councilor Bob Ferraro, and current Wards 1/4 councilor Linda Carter.)

Will all be revealed?

Or very little?

Traditionally, guests are welcome at PDCC meetings.

---

-- Dan Damon

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The Pillars featured on Internet radio talk show

The Pillars, on Central Avenue, is Plainfield's only Bed & Breakfast.

Plainfield's only B&B, The Pillars, was the featured guest in an hour-long Internet radio talk show yesterday on Blog Talk Radio (see more here).

Innkeepers Lamont Blowe and Nancy Fiske took part in a call-in show hosted by Lesly Federici.

The Pillars' charming hosts talked about Plainfield and its attractions as well as opportunities for events, luncheons, and teas at the B&B.

Lamont and Nacy are among a host of B&B innkeepers nationwide who are 'going green' by stepping up energy conservation and reducing their carbon footprint. You will want to learn more about their efforts.

They also chat up their very first Scrapbooking Weekend set for April 17th through the 19th (see more in 'What's Happening').

---

• BlogTalkRadio: "Interview with The Pillars B&B" -- click On Demand Episode for 4/1/09.
• Website: "The Pillars Bed & Breakfast"
  

-- Dan Damon

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Jerry Green steps aside for Smiley, endorses Mapp

Assemblyman Jerry Green, said to be remorseful over letting Plainfielders down over the closure of Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center, will announce today that he is backing Adrian Mapp for mayor and will withdraw from the race for his Assembly seat in favor of Plainfield resident Rick Smiley, according to rumors heard on April 1st.

---

-- Dan Damon

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Big changes at the Courier...again

Plainfield's Courier News readers will have to adjust to further changes.

In a move reported on the Gannett Blog (see here and the memo here), copy desks for the Courier News, the Home News Tribune and the Daily Record of Morristown are being consolidated into one operation that will be housed in the Neptune headquarters of the Asbury Park Press.

Copy editors that covered the day and night desks as well as sports, business, and entertainment will have a chance to bid on the reduced number of slots. Those who are not winners will be losers, meaning severance will be offered.

Though technology makes this change feasible, it is really driven by the twin crisis of falling ad revenues and declining readerships for print papers.

If the quality of the news product suffers as a result, Gannett can expect further punishment by its readers.

---

• Gannett Blog --
• "Four NJ papers create regional copy desk"
• "Text of memo on realigning NJ group copy desk"
  

-- Dan Damon

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Plainfield under siege. What is Mayor Sharon doing?

Plainfield is under siege.

In the past few days I have received emails concerning dramatic police actions involving pullovers of motorists with multiple police cars -- marked and unmarked -- racing to the scene with sirens and lights flashing.

Streets mentioned are Leland Avenue, Richmond Street and Netherwood Avenue.

Yesterday afternoon, I witnessed two such incidents on Front Street, one on the edge of the downtown shopping district.

Last week's shooting/cop chase/accident (see Courier story here and pictures here) is another case in point. On my way to that incident, I passed an empty compact car, its driver's side rammed in, blocking the eastbound lane of West 3rd Street between Spooner and Grant Avenues. A solitary police car was sitting sentinel. When I retraced my steps from the Grant/South Second accident scene, hoping to get a picture of this vehicle, it had been towed away. No mention by the police of this vehicle ever appeared in the print stories. Was it the car originally shot at? Was it an innocent driver caught in the melée?

Lastly, reports of gunshots continue unabated.

There was an email in my inbox at 5 AM today reporting gunshots in the area of Park Avenue and Woodbine.

Earlier this month, residents learned from police that several gun casings had been found in the street near Hillside and Prospect Avenues.

Is Plainfield under siege by drug dealers and gangs duking it out over territories?

It's impossible to tell.

But there is one way that Plainfield IS UNDER SIEGE: By not keeping the public informed about what is going on, Mayor Robinson-Briggs and her administration are leaving Plainfielders under siege by doubt and fear.

Why not do something about it?

Why not put her crack communications team to work posting regular updates, say weekly, concerning police activity and crime fighting on the city's website?

What would be the harm in that?

Unless, of course, Mayor Robinson-Briggs doesn't want to talk about crime.

What do you think? Vote in the poll at the top of the right-hand column: 'Does Mayor Robinson-Briggs have a duty to update the public weekly on crime fighting?'

---

-- Dan Damon

D-Day for Abbott Districts: April 28

Plainfield and the thirty other school districts covered by the Abbott v. Burke ruling are anxiously watching the calendar as the critical moment for the future of the ruling approaches

The New Jersey Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments on the new school funding formula supported by Plainfield Assemblyman Jerry Green for April 28. The new formula would do away completely with the Abbott District funding distinction, meaning that local Abbott schools such as Plainfield's would face rising school tax levies or service cutbacks.

Read more here.

---

• Ledger: "NJ Supreme Court to determine fate of Abbott districts"
  

-- Dan Damon

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Ledger furloughs mandated, news outsourced

A Ledger byline showing the story is by a Ledger staffer.

This byline shows the Ledger story has been outsourced.

Plainfielders concerned about the ever-shrinking print editions of the Star-Ledger may have noticed one change, but be unaware of a second.

The graphics above illustrate the bylines of two different stories in recent days. The first is by Union County Ledger reporter Alexi Friedman, whom many will recall seeing on a frequent basis up until a year ago as he went about covering Plainfield's city hall, city council and school board beats.

In recent months, he was moved from the Ledger's Union County offices in Kenilworth to a desk in Elizabeth, from which he frequently writes about topics all over the county.

The second graphic illustrates what is happening to the coverage of local news by the Ledger: it is being outsourced.

Ledger editor Jim Willse admitted to E&P last month (see here) that an organization was being built outside the Ledger newsroom (and presumably outside of union contracts and benefits liabilities, too) to provide local coverage to the Ledger and its online presence, NJ.com.

Those stories identified as being 'for the Star-Ledger' are emanating from this newly-formed organization, known as Local News Service.

This past week, Advance, the Ledger's parent announced that it was mandating a 10-day unpaid furlough (see more here).

At the same time, E&P reported that Gannett, the Courier's parent company, was ordering a second round of one-week furloughs to be taken before July (see story here).

The Gannett papers, unlike the Ledger, put a brief story about the furloughs in their local papers.

The furloughs are undoubtedly very hard on the news staff, and there seems to be no end in sight as both Advance and Gannett continue to report steepening losses in advertising revenues -- especially national accounts such as automobiles, and locally in classifieds, both of which traditionally gave a hefty boost to a newspaper's bottom line.

Lurking in the wings are other, and more drastic measures, that may yet have to come. Some Advance papers have gone to three-day schedules. Other large newspapers have disappeared entirely or gone to Web-only opeations.

The Times, they are a-changin'...

---

• Editor & Publisher --
• "Ledger to use Local News Service to supplement coverage"
• "Ledger parent Advance announces companywide furloughs"
  
• "Courier parent Gannett orders second round of furloughs"
  

-- Dan Damon

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Symphony Pops Concert tonight; After-party honors Jean & Lois Mattson

This year's Plainfield Symphony Orchestra's Springtime Pops Concert is tonight at 8:00 PM. Longtime Symphony supporters Jean and Lois Mattson will be honored at the 'Conductor's Circle' party following the concert.

Alan Baer, principal tuba with the New York Philharmonic will be featured as the soloist in John Williams' Concerto for Tuba.

Guest conductor Chris Wilhejm, of the Ridge-Wood Concert Band, will lead the orchestra in Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring and other pops favorites.

The 'Conductor's Circle' after-party will be at the home of John DeMarco and Alan Cohen and will feature a buffet supper and open bar. Tickets available at the door.

---

PSO Springtime Pops Concert

Today, 8:00 PM.
Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church
East 7th Street and Watchung Avenue
(Parking at Swain's or on 1st Place)
Tickets: $25/person, $15/seniors and students. 12 and under free.

'Conductor's Circle' After-Party

Immediately following the Concert
At the home of John DeMarco and Alan Cohen
940 Glenwood Avenue.
Tickets: $35/person, available at the door

-- Dan Damon

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Mapp kickoff undeterred by dark, stormy night

It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents, but supporters of Plainfield mayoral candidate Adrian Mapp were undeterred.

They showed up in droves at a kick-off reception at the home of Bobby & Jennifer Gregory to munch tasty hors d'oeuvres while sipping a glass of wine and chatting up new friends and old involved in Plainfield's unending struggle to purge local Democratic politics of the continuing ill effects of one-man rule.

Speaking of the tremendous losses Plainfield has suffered in the past year, from the closure of Muhlenberg to the loss of jobs and homes, candidate Mapp urged attendees to work hard to ensure that Plainfield puts in place a new mayor who is prepared to lead Plainfield competently and energetically in planning to take advantage of the good times that will return when President Obama's efforts move the national economy forward.

Mapp introduced Rick Smiley, who is running for the 22nd District Assembly seat currently occupied by Asm Jerry Green. A former Board of Education member and lontime city employee, Smiley drew rounds of applause from the group when he reminded them that the thirteen communities devastated by the closure of Muhlenberg are mostly within the legislative district and are filled with people who are upset over the closure and the failure of the current Legislative team to do any effective to prevent it.

Attendees running for seats on the Democratic City Committee were recognized and activist Flor Gonzalez was presented with the 'Communitarian Award' from United Plainfield, a community advocacy group.

The invitation Mapp issued to interested Plainfield Democrats to volunteer to run for the City Committee was underscored once again (see more here).

Petitions for all elected offices are due on April 6.

---

-- Dan Damon

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Abbott District funding: Jerry's vote comes home to roost

Plainfield Assemblyman Jerry Green.

A little over a year after Plainfield's Assemblyman Jerry Green admitted he wouldn't have voted to dismantle the Abbott Districts if he had understood the consquences (see here-- including clips of his remarks when the vote was taken), the chickens are coming home to roost.

Today's Ledger reports that Superior Court Judge Peter E. Doyne, sitting in Hackensack, ruled the legislation that Jerry Green backed to do away with the Abbott District funding is legal (see story here).

Doyne was assigned to the case by the NJ Supreme Court and asked to review the new legislation and the Abbott District ruling and make a recommendation back to them.

Although Doyne recommends continuing extra funding for Abbott Districts for at least three years, the Corzine administration wants to hear nothing of it.

The impact on Plainfield taxpayers -- whether or not they favor the Abbott ruling -- may be devastating over the long haul. Abbott Districts are staring down a double-barreled shotgun, facing either reduced funding by the State or the necessity of raising local school taxes substantially, or both.

Being an Abbott District has sheltered Plainfield taxpayers for over a decade from the real impact of having to fund the 7,000-student school district.

Jerry, how can we ever thank you?

Hmmmmmmmmmm......

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• Ledger: "New formula for funding NJ's schools ruled legal"
  
• Plainfield Today, 3/20/08: "Jerry's troubling trifecta"
  

-- Dan Damon

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