Get your picture taken with Pres. Obama at New Dems Potluck Saturday

Congressman Frank Pallone and President Barack Obama
at the 2012 New Dems MLK  Potluck Dinner.

As President Barack Obama prepares to take the oath of office for his second term on Monday, January 21 -- the 'official' Martin Luther King Day, Plainfield residents will once again have an opportunity to celebrate the life and contributions of Dr. King, congratulate the President on his re-election and raise much-needed supplies for one of Plainfield's most active food pantries.

The 5th Annual Community MLK Potluck Dinner will be offered by the New Democrats club and hosted by Councilor Adrian Mapp and his wife Amelia at their gracious West 8th Street home.

Members of the community are invited to bring a dish to pass and contributions of non-perishable food items to be distributed to the food pantry of Shiloh Baptist Church. (Contributions may be left on the Mapps' front porch at any time up to the party, or brought to the party itself.)

This is always a treat for the whole community as the Mapps' gracious home is filled to overflowing with old friends and new. The dining table literally groans from the potluck offerings of attendees.

And one of the treats of the evening will be to have your photograph taken with President Obama (well, OK, a full-size cutout photo of him that will be doing stand-in duty).

Plan to come out Saturday evening and join Plainfield neighbors and friends in an evening of conviviality and service.

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5th Annual
New Dems MLK Potluck Dinner and Food Drive

Saturday, January 19, 2013
7:00 PM
At the home of Councilor and Mrs. Adrian Mapp
535 West 8th Street
Come one, come all! No RSVP needed.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Dan skips a beat: Ptomaine in the romaine?

 

Apologies to Plainfield Today readers for missing a post yesterday.

After spending Saturday in the company of some 700 or so who turn out for the Herb Green and John Goldsack memorials, it occurred to me that health officials are declaring the flu season to have reached epidemic proportions.

So, when I awoke about 4:00 AM Sunday with chills and every joint aching, I thought perhaps I was among the 38% who got the flu shot but will get the flu anyway.

The other possibility was ptomaine in the romaine.

I was so famished when I got home Saturday that I made a nice big Caesar salad from two heads of romaine lettuce -- which I did not take the precaution of rinsing first.

Since my symptoms have greatly subsided (I still feel weak) by early Monday morning, I'm beginning to think it was ptomaine in the romaine.

Always rinse veggies before eating.

Always.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Memorials today for Herb Green, John Goldsack, Esq.

Memorial services today for two active in Plainfield--

Herb Green...

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Memorial Service For
Herb Green

Saturday, January 12, 2013
2:00 PM

Emerson Community School

East 3rd Street at Emerson Avenue

Parking available in school lot off Emerson Avenue

and on the street.

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...and attornery John Wood Goldsack --

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Memorial Service for
John Wood Goldsack, Esq.

Saturday, January 12, 2013
Service at 11:00 AM
Family receiving friends from 8:30 - 10:30
and immediately after the service

St. John's Episcopal Church
158 West High Street
Somerville

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Mayor silent on gun issues as 5-year-old is 2nd victim of new year

Just ten days into 2013, an innocent 5-year-old has become Plainfield's second gunshot victim of the year (see reports of Thursday's shooting in the Courier here, and the Ledger here). I am sure readers join me in keeping the youngster and his family in our thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.

Despite the growing clamor for tighter controls on guns and ammunition in the wake of the Newtown elementary school shooting, and now these two incidents in our own community, Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs has remained mum on the subject.



Without once mentioning gun control issues in the nation or in Plainfield, Robinson-Briggs' only nod to the crisis was to call for a moment of silence during the delivery of her annual State of the City Address on January 3.

By that time, Plainfield had already seen its first shooting incident of the new year (see more here), and about which we have heard nothing since.

Meanwhile, the Star Ledger had just completed an exhaustive study of non-fatal shooting incidents in New Jersey's most dangerous cities -- among which it included Plainfield -- under the headline 'Staggering amount of nonfatal NJ shootings go unsolved' (see the story here).

Plainfield's rate of unsolved shootings is distressingly low (correction: should read HIGH) (see the Ledger graphic comparing nine cities here). What is embarrassing is that Elizabeth, which has come under attack by the Union County Prosecutor for not linking up with the county's efforts, has dramatically improved its performance over Plainfield's in the last two years studied. And that notwithstanding that Plainfield works in tandem with the Prosecutor's gunplay forensic team.

Two final pieces of the gun violence picture in Plainfield also need to be brought into focus --

• The Robinson-Briggs administration should come clean with the Council and residents on the status and effectiveness of the much-ballyhooed ShotSpotter technology in which such high hopes were placed, and
  
  
• Plainfield residents and taxpayers deserve to have an explanation about why it is taking so long for the Housing Authority of Plainfield to move forward with plans to raze the violence-afflicted Elmwood Gardens complex, adjacent to the site of the most recent shooting, and replace it with the proposed townhome development.

It is high time that Mayor Robinson-Briggs, who is a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns (see here), stepped up to the plate and contributed to the discussion of gun issues nationally and continuing gun violence in the Queen City.

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• Courier:  "5-year-old hit by stray bullet" | "Police investigate New Year's Day shooting"
  
• Ledger:  "Child struck by stray bullet in Plainfield"
  
• Ledger:  "Staggering amount of nonfatal NJ shootings go unsolved" | "Chart"
• Website:  "Mayors Against Illegal Guns"
  

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Have Jerry's pollsters called you?

 

Plainfield's political season is under way, and Assemblyman Jerry Green's presumed pollsters have been busily working the phones.

Were you among the lucky ones who received a call?

A Plainfield Today reader reported being called on Wednesday by a pollster with a brief poll, but who declined to identify the candidate who was paying for the poll.

However, the pollster did pose one question that suggests a possible answer: If an election were held today for Mayor, which of the following three would you choose? Choices: Jerry Green, Sharon Robinson-Briggs, Adrian Mapp.

Now, who do you think commissioned the poll?

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Herb Green Memorial service set for Saturday

Herb Green, activist and advocate. (Photo courtesy Plainfield LWV)

 
Plainfielders will want to take advantage of the opportunity to celebrate the Life of Herbert T. Green this Saturday, January 12, at 2:00 PM in the cafetorium at Emerson Community School.

Green, 87, a World War II veteran and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy known to everyone simply as 'Herb', lived in Plainfield since 1957. He died November 9 in the home on Evergreen Avenue in which his wife Marjorie grew up.

Among other tributes, his widow Marjorie Braverman Green will read excerpts from letters children in Plainfield Public Schools who had known her husband as a Resident Reader at Clinton and Evergreen Schools wrote to send their condolences.

Paul L. Tractenberg, the Board of Governors Distinguished Service Professor and the Alfred C. Clapp Distinguished Service Professor of Law at Rutgers Law School – Newark, will conduct the ceremony. Tractenberg founded the Education Law Center at the law school in 1973, and is considered the most important figure in school funding equalization in the state, representing 350,000 urban students, including those in Plainfield.

Although he started his career as sports director of Channel 13, then located in New Jersey, and went on to be general manager there and at Channel 47, Green was most passionate about urban education. He served as president of the PTA at several Plainfield public schools, two terms on the Plainfield Board of Education, was a Resident Reader, and was founder and director of the Public Education Institute at Rutgers University, from which he retired in 2011.

Among other distinctions, in 1978 Herb became the first man to head a local League of Women Voters chapter in New Jersey. He then took on that role again 30 years later; at his death he was first vice-president of the group.

During the ceremony, visitors will be asked to write recollections in notebooks placed around the room. Emerson School is located on Emerson Avenue, at East Third Street, one block east of Leland Avenue.

In addition to his widow, Green is survived by two sons, Charles M. Green and Joseph B. Green, a daughter-in-law Janice, five grandchildren and a nephew.

The family asks that memorial gifts be made to the Plainfield Area Humane Society, 75 Rock Ave., Plainfield, N.J. 07063.

Further information is available on the blog of the Plainfield League of Women Voters. There, too, will be an opportunity for people to leave comments. The Internet address is: plainfieldleague.blogspot.com/2012/12/celebration-life-of-herb-green.

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Memorial Service For
Herb Green

Saturday, January 12, 2013
2:00 PM

Emerson Community School

East 3rd Street at Emerson Avenue

Parking available in school lot off Emerson Avenue

and on the street.

---

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No-bid contracts: A lesson for Plainfield?

No-bid contracts are subject to waste, fraud and abuse.

 
From its first days, the administration of Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs has shown an inclination for awarding juicy contracts on a no-bid basis.

Though the appearance of heavy campaign contributors among those awarded contracts has raised eyebrows, it is all perfectly legal in New Jersey.

The Council, however, has not been happy with the continued reliance on this method (as opposed to open public bidding).

The opportunities for fraud, waste and abuse through the use of no-bid contracts ought to be obvious on a moment's reflection.

2012 saw prominent exposure of the dangers of same with the arrest, trial and conviction of John Bencivenga, mayor of Hamilton Township (read a review of his rise and fall here), for extortion and money laundering in relation to no-bid insurance contracts for the school district. The story includes a number of other employees and officials who were mired in -- and subsequently dragged down by -- the scandal.

Last night, at its reorganization meeting, the Hamilton Board of Education took steps to avoid future entanglement in such scandals by declining to renew the contract of the law firm which had advised it throughout the period of the insurance fees scandal (see Times of Trenton story here).

At the same time, board members expressed interest in bringing even more potential contracts under the public bidding process by lowering the bid floor from the state's limits.

Is there a lesson for Plainfield in all this?

I think so.

While those intent on gaming any system can find ways to do so -- even with public bidding of contracts -- open public bidding is the best way we have of ensuring that the public's interest prevails in having the best possible services and goods delivered at a fair and competitive price without waste, fraud or abuse.

Neither the City's reorganization last Thursday nor the Board of Ed's reorganization this evening touches on the kind of contracts -- for example, legal, engineering and insurance -- that have led to such abuses. That will no doubt come later.

But this is the perfect opportunity for Plainfield to learn a lesson from the hard luck of another town and move away from no-bid contracts to open public bidding.

---

• Times of Trenton --
• "Hamilton Mayor Bencivenga's fall from grace"
• "Hamilton school board reorganizes to prevent future scandals"
  

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Talk on Civil War currency and inflation at Library

The role of currency in the Civil War will be examined.

 
The Friends of the Plainfield Public Library offer a rare treat this coming Saturday with a presentation on Civil War currency and inflation by Dr. Thomas Brown, Plainfield resident and president emeritus of Union County College.

Known as 'greybacks' (the Union currency was 'greenbacks'), the paper money issued by the Confederate States of America was not based on hard assets, but was instead -- like the notes issued by the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War -- a promise to pay at some future date.

As the war continued and Confederate prospects dimmed, the currency underwent tremendous inflation, making it nearly worthless. Dr. Brown will trace the history of the currency and its impact on the Civil War.

Examples of Civil War currency will be on display as well as Civil War engravings by artist Winslow Homer from the Library's local history collection.

Dr. Brown has an especial interest in the Civil War and is the author of George S. Boutwell, Human Rights Advocate and 'Lincoln, Boutwell and the Creation of the Internal Revenue Department'.

The presentation is this Saturday, January 12, 2:00 PM in the Anne Louise Davis Meeting Room. The Plainfield Public Library is at Park Avenue and West 8th Street. All are welcome. For more information about the Friends of the Library, call (908) 757-1111 x136 or visit the library's website at www.plainfieldlibrary.info/.

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Board of Ed reorganizes Tuesday (correction)

For months the District website has slated the reorganization for Monday. No more...

 
Since the 2012-13 school year began, the District's website has had the 2013 Reorganization scheduled for Monday evening, January 7.

Having it on a Monday made me scratch my head, but who am I to question those to whom we have entrusted our children's future?

Checking daily this past week to see if the agenda was posted, it appeared sometime between Friday and Saturday mornings. When I opened the agenda, the date was set for the 8th.

Going back to the meetings calendar, everything was changed -- date, time and place. Without a word of its being a correction.

Anyway, the Board of Ed reorg is slated for Tuesday, January 8, 7:00 PM at the PHS Auditorium. The agenda for the meeting is available here.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Twelfth Night Dinner tickets going fast

Traditional Twelfth Night festivities included the last appearance of the Yule Log.

 
Van Wyck Brooks Historic District president John Stewart, Jr., tells Plainfield Today that tickets for the District''s annual Twelfth Night** Progressive Dinner are going fast. You know what that means -- act now if you don't want to miss this ever-popular winter event.

Four homes of District members will be open as diners move from one to the other for various courses of the meal and culminate with after-dinner cordials.

Those opening their homes this year are April Stefel (appetizers), Barbara and Gordon Fuller (entrée), Barbara and Abraham Drake (desserts) and Vicki Blasucci (cordials).

Tickets are $30/person for VWB members and $40/non-members. Memberships (at $10 per person) may be renewed along with ticket purchase. To reserve your tickets, contact VWB member Larry Quirk by email at  qman56@comcast.net. For more about the Van Wyck Brooks Historic District, visit their website here.

**Twelfth Night traditionally concluded the Christmas festivities, among which was the burning of the Yule Log, and was celebrated on the eve of the Epiphany, the twelfth night after Christmas.

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Van Wyck Brooks Historic District
Annual Twelfth Night Progressive Dinner

Saturday, January 12, 2013
6:00 - 11:00 PM

Tickets: $30/person (members), $40 (non-members)

Information: Larry Quirk at qman56@comcast.net
Dress: Business attire preferred;
soft-soled shoes; ladies -- no spike heels, please.

---

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Council reorganizes, Mayor offers State of City Address

Councilor at-large Tracey Brown is sworn in by her mother.

Amelia Mapp holds Bible as husband Adrian is sworn in for another
term as Ward 3 Councilor.

 

Assemblyman Jerry Green swears in Councilor Bridget Rivers
as Council President for 2013.

Councilor Bill Reid is sworn in as Chair of the Committee of the Whole
by Judge Joan Robinson-Gross

Plainfield's city government reorganized Monday evening for the 2013 calendar year.

Council members Tracey Brown (At-large) and Adrian Mapp (Ward 3) were sworn into office.

The Council unanimously elected Councilor Bridget Rivers (Ward 4) as Council President and Councilor William Reid (Ward 1) as chair of the committee of the whole.

Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs was granted to floor to present the annual State of the City Address as stipulated in the city charter.

The department-by-department review of 2012 achievements will be posted online, the mayor said, in an effort to reduce paper use.

While Mayor Robinson-Briggs announced initiatives on a sweeping range of committees she was forming (a 'nonpartisan' women's committee, an African-Caribbean committee she hoped the Council would make into a Commission, and a grandparents' committee). I was particularly struck by her solicitude for the High School Leadership Task Force, about which she was particularly pleased 'as our young people sometimes don't get the positive notoriety they deserve' (Her Honor's words).

Those who enjoy Plainfield trivia will find plenty to fill their quivers, including potholes filled (597), marriage licenses issued (488), birth records sought (2,829), and drug arrests (562 -- many of which, she assured us, were out-of-towners).

The only fly in the ointment the whole evening came with the last resolution (R025-13) at the very end of the meeting.

The matter at hand was to adopt a temporary budget for the first three months of the calendar year. After questions from Councilor Storch about the Administration's amendment of the resolution (eliminating cost-of-living increases for non-contractual employees) and Councilor Reid (that the total amount was within the state's requirements -- it is), Reid barreled ahead without a vote being taken on the resolution.

After that glitch was finally straightened out -- the resolution passed unanimously on a voice vote -- Reid moved ahead to the end of the agenda.

With only one comment from the public (resident Nancy Piwowar on nuisances of out-of-town cabs picking up fares), the first meeting of 2013 was adjourned amidst great bonhomie.

Now the real work begins.

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Plainfield City Council reorganizes tonight

 

(Brief post today, am off to the peg-leg people. -- Dan)

Plainfield City Council reorganizes today, January 3, at 7:00 PM in the Courthouse/Council Chambers at East 4th Street and Watchung Avenue.

Councilors Adrian Mapp and Tracey Brown will be seated and Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs will deliver the annual 'State of the City' address.

The agenda for the meeting is available online here.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Remembering John Goldsack

John Wood Goldsack in an unbuttoned moment.

 
Many Plainfielders will be saddened to learn of the sudden death of local attorney John Wood Goldsack over the Christmas holidays. Obituaries can be found online here, and here.

John was a long-time partner of Victor E.D. King and his father, Victor King, in the North Plainfield firm of King, King and Goldsack.

I first met John nearly thirty years ago, when he was invited to speak to the members of the local gay and lesbian organization Residents Supporting Victorian Plainfield (RSVP) about legal matters, with a special focus on wills and estates.

This was in the days before there was such a thing as a movement for marriage equality, and gays and lesbians in committed relationships had many legal issues about which to make decisions in order to bolster their rights and protect their assets.

We all knew horror stories of individuals denied visitation with their seriously ill or dying partners and more than one instance of a partner being cheated out of an estate by greedy family members who had previously alienated themselves from an openly gay relative.

John was deluged with business from that presentation -- including doing wills for myself and my partner Nat.

In 1986, when I became active in local real estate, I naturally thought of John as an attorney for clients who were selling or buying a home. John ran the smoothest real estate operation I experienced in my entire real estate career -- with the considerable help of his paralegal Michele Marron.

Every detail was always meticulously attended to, reducing the stress on all parties to the transaction and reducing -- if not eliminating -- surprises at the closing table.

Reducing, but not completely eliminating.

I recall one particular instance where John's unflappability was put to good use.

A transaction on Third Place in Plainfield had been troublesome all along. My customer the buyer had overcome some concerns about the property after the home inspection, but was moving ahead with the deal. As the closing date neared, I checked a couple of times with the sellers about their progress in packing and moving so that the house would be delivered vacant at closing as required by the contract.

Each time I was assured they were aware of their obligation and -- despite no signs of packing -- that they would be out of the house in time. My visit the night before the closing was not hopeful as there were still no signs of an impending move.

Nor was it any better on the morning of the closing.

As we all assembled in the conference room at John's office -- the buyer, the sellers and their attorneys -- John asked me to check with Ms. Marron in the adjoining office for a needed document.

Turns out this was a ruse. Michele asked if the house was vacant and I said I couldn't see how it could be, since nothing had been moved out and the owners were sitting at the closing table. She put me through to John on the phone and said he would stall the proceedings while I drove from North Plainfield to the property on Third Place and made a final inspection.

I did so as quickly as I could and was back at the law offices within half an hour. I slipped into the conference room as the attorneys were finishing the signing of the documents. John just glanced up and asked if I had found things as I left them. Giving him a positive answer, John then turned to the sellers with their proceeds check in hand and with a delicious flair waved it under their noses, announcing that it would be held securely in his office safe until they had removed their belongings and the house was agreed by all parties to be truly vacant.

Talk about motivation! Those folks practically flew out the door and within a couple of hours I had received a phone call to come and check the property -- which this time was finally empty. Rendezvousing at Goldsack's office where he took sworn statements from both the buyers and myself that the house was vacant, the sellers were finally given their check. Happy ending for all.

John was devoted to the Episcopal Church and we had many occasions to work together on projects when he was Vice Chancellor (and then Chancellor) of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey and I was a Vestryman (and then Warden) of Grace Church, Plainfield, and a delegate to diocesan conventions.

I ran into John only a few months ago at lunch time in a bistro near his office on Route 22 in North Plainfield. He was chipper, gregarious and gossipy, as always.

He will be missed by many.

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Memorial Service for
John Wood Goldsack, Esq.

Saturday, January 12, 2013
Service at 11:00 AM
Family receiving friends from 8:30 - 10:30
and immediately after the service

St. John's Episcopal Church
158 West High Street
Somerville

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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It's 2013, let's get to work!

It's 2013 Plainfield; as MSNBC's Ed Schultz says, let's get to work!

A paucity of seats for the public at last Thursday's PMUA rate hearing meant I was in the front row, just a few feet from the commissioners, and directly in front of Commissioner Alex Toliver.

Before the meeting began, Toliver chided me for the 'lightness' of my posts over the holiday period. To which I said that folks deserved a break from the serious stuff for the Holidays -- but that he should be sure to read the blog the next day (which was the post on deal-making between Jerry Green and 'Big John' Campbell over 'Little John' Campbell's potential run for Mayor in 2013, see here).

Now that the end-of-the-year festivities are over, it's time for the City to gear up with the reorganization of the Council. Next up will be appointments to boards and commissions (now, just why did Mayor Robinson-Briggs withdraw the nominations for the PMUA slots?), and -- now that we are on a calendar year -- the 2013 budget.

Also, the switch in election timing for the Board of Ed from April to November means that that august body will also reorganize in January, with the awarding of juicy contracts, and the adoption of a new budget.

Those who think there may be some unfinished business from 2012 will want to check Bernice's New Year's Eve post (see here), where she goes over some of the issues hanging unresolved.

Happy New Year!

Now, let's get to work!

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• Plainfield Today:  "Jerry Green and John Campbell in deal over mayor's race?"
• Plaintalker II:  "2012: Whatever happened to ... ?"
  

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Plainfield gets (re)organized

Right after New Year's, Plainfield gets re-organized to take care of business. Here are some important reorganization meetings --

CITY COUNCIL

Plainfield City Council reorganizes Thursday, January 3, at 7:00 PM in the Courthouse/Council Chambers at East 4th Street and Watchung Avenue. Councilors Adrian Mapp and Tracey Brown will be seated and Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs will deliver the annual 'State of the City' address. The agenda for the meeting is available online here.

UNION COUNTY FREEHOLDERS

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders reorganizes Sunday, January 6 at Noon in the Courtroom of Assignment Judge Karen M. Cassidy at the Union County Courthouse. Plainfield's own Freeholder Linda Carter will be sworn in as the Freeholder Chairman for 2013.

PLAINFIELD BOARD OF ED

Newly elected members of the Plainfield Board of Education will be seated at the Board's reorganization meeting set for Monday, January 7, at 8:00 PM in the Conference Room of Plainfield High School, 950 Park Avenue. As of today, the agenda is not yet available, but you can check later here.

All meetings are open to the public. Reorganization meetings are when routine organizational matters such as election of officers and the awarding of certain contracts (attorneys, engineers, insurance firms, etc.) take place.

Those who follow closely may be able to align some contract awards with contributions made to candidates' election funds (if you know the maiden names of spouses, in-laws, business partners and friends).

Note: the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority reorganizes annually at its February meeting.

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PMUA schedules change for 2013

Click on above map for a printable version.

 
Plainfielders by now know better than to assume the PMUA collection schedules will simply roll over into the new year, and 2013 is no exception.

GARBAGE COLLECTION

There is some reshuffling of schedules -- the PMUA cites a variety of reasons -- so pay attention. It seems that Zones 2, 7, 9 and 10 will be affected.

Mondays and Thursdays in 2013: Zones 3, 4, 6, 9, 10.
Tuesdays and Friday in 2013: Zones 1, 2, 5, 7, 8.

RECYCLABLES

The entire city will have a recyclables pickup on Wednesday, January 2. But after that point, each zone will see collection on a bi-weekly basis. Zones 3, 4, 6, 9, and 10 will have collection on the same day. Zones 1, 2, 5, 7, and 8 will have their collections at the same time. Be sure to print out or save your schedule from the newsletter you received in the mail and check to make sure your putouts are done correctly. You won't want to incur a fine for forgetting.

The PMUA 2013 collection schedule can be found on page 2 of the current newsletter, available from the PMUA website here. If you are accustomed to downloading the document from the city's website, do not be misled this time around: though the banner headline indicates you should click, you will find that it is not linked to any downloadable document.

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• PMUA:  "2013 Collection Schedule"
  

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Early New Years party and sale at Swain's today

 

Plainfield's Swain Galleries is ending the year with an early New Year's celebration and sale today.

Visitors to the galleries will find light refreshments and beverage being offered between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. All Christmas merchandise is offered at 50% off.

Swain Galleries is at East 7th Street and Watchung Avenue. Parking in the Watchung Avenue lot.

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Jerry Green and John Campbell in deal for mayor's race?

 
Imagine the look on Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs' face when she arrived late at Sen. Ray Lesniak's Christmas party this past Saturday to see Assemblyman Jerry Green, GOP 'Kingmaker' John Campbell, his wife Wilma -- power behind the Plainfield Board of Ed, and son 'Little John' disappear from the party for a private confab with Lesniak.

'Now what the f*** is going on', the Mayor is said to have muttered.

What, indeed!

Jerry Green, as chair of the Plainfield Democratic City Committee has been dithering for weeks over whether he will give the Democratic line in next year's mayoral race to a candidate or allow a so-called 'open primary' where those interested run against each other and there is no official Democrat designated.

Both Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs and Council President Adrian Mapp have announced their candidacies. Robinson-Briggs has gone so far as to open a campaign headquarters on Watchung Avenue, across from City Hall.

It seemed to those watching things unfold that Green was leaning toward not giving the line to either contender, opting instead for an 'open' primary.

As with any astute politician, it's all about control -- namely, control over contracts and jobs.

Green had originally picked Robinson-Briggs back in 2005 and the 'wheeling' of over $300,000 into her election campaign guaranteed work for several vendors over the next few years. However, Green has admitted in recent years that Robinson-Briggs pays him little heed and runs the show as she sees fit (or unfit, depending on your point of view). There does not seem to be much prospect she would be more respectful of his 'suggestions' if she were re-elected.

As for Mapp, while Green was grateful for New Dems support in getting President Obama re-elected, he is wary of Mapp because of his strong independent streak and the New Dems' identification with 'honest government' policies. On the other hand, Mapp is well-regarded in County circles as an informed and able elected official who is a man of his word. Green also keeps a wary eye on the New Dems who for years have mounted good government efforts and managed to dominate the Council for the past four years.

So, why turn to the Republicans for an answer to his dilemma?

First of all, this is not the first time Green has turned to the GOP. Robinson-Briggs herself was a Republican and a member of the GOP City Committee when recruited by Green to run for mayor.

Secondly, Green is notorious for not developing talented young men and women into leadership tracks. In fact, quite the opposite -- he is mostly content to retread superannuated retainers.

As for 'Young John' Campbell, he is a well-educated, personable young man. Completely without political experience, he nevertheless has had the sense -- considering it's Plainfield -- to register as a Democrat.

So, was the little private confab about getting Lesniak's buy-in?

And then, of course, there is the matter of what is in it for Weiner Lesniak, the Senator's well-connected (and pricey) law firm.

Can we expect to see Weiner Lesniak among those awarded contracts at the Board of Ed's reorganization meeting on January 7th?

Or will it have to wait for January 2014, when the City Council reorganizes and Green's presumptive candidate 'Young John' Campbell would -- he plans -- be sworn in as mayor?

Or will it be both?

Unless, of course, Plainfield voters have a different idea about how things should go down.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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