AKAs offer free Black History Month program at Crescent

 

All are invited to a free African American History Month event at Plainfield's Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church on Sunday, February 22.

The annual event is sponsored by the Theta Phi Omega chapter, which serves sorors in the Plainfield area, and is hosted by the chapter's charitable arm, Ivy Visions, Inc.

The program will offer an array of talented and dynamic artists featuring vocal and musical presentations.

While the program, which begins at 3:00 PM, is free and open to the public, reservations are appreciated as there will be a reception afterwards. Email your reservation to programs@ivyvisions.org. You can also follow the Theta Phi Omega chapter on its Facebook page here.

Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church is at Watchung Avenue at East 7th Street Parking available in the church lot on First Place, on the street, or in Swain Galleries lot across from the church.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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New day at the PMUA

TME's David Dziubeck (did I get that right?) making the rate
hearing presentation Tuesday evening.

The feeling of it being a new day at the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA) was evident at Tuesday evening's annual reorganization meeting.

The reorganization was preceded by a rate hearing for 2015 rates. In his remarks, Executive Director Dan Williamson noted that prior to his taking the helm, an annual rate review had not always been done.

Because state law requires that authorities' budgets must be balanced and the rates calculated on the number of "EDUs", it only makes sense that there should be annual rate hearings.

"EDUs" were explained by Williamson and CFO Duane Young as being the "equivalent of a dwelling unit" -- thus a one-family home is 1 EDU, an 80-unit building is 80 EDUs; businesses and factories are calculated into EDUs using formulas based on numbers of employees.

The rate hearing proposed a 3% reduction in sewer rates. The presentation also explained the basis for raising the connection charges for new construction EDUs from $2,130 to $2,300 per unit. Williamson promised that the rate hearing PowerPoint presentation would be put on the PMUA website (see here).

Discussion by some commissioners of these connection charges revealed that they are not high by comparison with other NJ towns, and also that developers plan the fees into their cost-of-doing business scenarios. These fees are assessed at the time of construction, not when development is first proposed (which may be several years earlier).

New commissioners also were introduced to New Jersey's budget process, where the state reviews all governmental and authority budget proposals and must approve them before the agency can then adopt them. Consequently, budget documents will carry two dates: the date of introduction and the date of final passage. Young noted that the state had only approved the budget verbally and by email that very afternoon, after some last-minute tweaking.

The reorganization meeting proved to be very interesting, offering a hint of a new day at the PMUA. Charles Eke, an alternate, whose vote was not needed Tuesday evening, participated by speakerphone.

Gone were the contentious duo of former Councilor Malcolm R. Dunn and his sidekick and developer Cecil Sanders, replaced now by new commissioners Henry Robinson, a retired Fire Division battalion commander, and Michele Graham-Lyons, a financial planner. Together with Charles Tyndale, appointed by Mayor Mapp in 2014, there appears to be a majority prepared to challenge business-as-usual assumptions at the solid waste agency.

Tyndale was elected chairperson, with Graham-Lyons as vice-chair, Robinson as secretary and Carol Ann Brokaw as treasurer.

That things were going to proceed differently from now on became clear early on in the agenda when Tyndale balked at taking up the annual professional services contract appointments (engineering consultants, general and labor counsel, and a financial services consultant), saying that he wanted the new members to have a chance to vet the proposals and that he himself had questions about some of them.

After consultation with a staffer, PMUA Counsel Leslie London averred that the decision could be put off until next month.

Most of the rest of the reorganization resolutions -- concerning annually required appointment and designations -- were passed unanimously on roll call votes.

Graham-Lyons did abstain on the two budget resolutions, which may indicate that she did not want to vote on a matter in which she had not participated previously.

Two interesting items were --

• A resolution settling the severance pay lawsuit by former CFO James Perry in the amount of $200,000. Commissioners Mitchell and Brokaw, who had been the only ones to oppose the settlement with former employees Watson and Ervin orchestrated by Dunn, Sanders and then-commissioner Alex Toliver, said they were voting "yes" reluctantly; and
  
  
• A resolution eliminating health benefits to the two grandfathered commissioners -- Brokaw and Mitchell -- effective May 31.

Councilor Cory Storch, the only member of Council present, introduced himself as "a ratepayer first, and a Councilor second", congratulating the new members and urging continued work on rate reduction.

Mayor Mapp also offered congratulations to the new board and pressed them to take up his proposal to "make the City the PMUA's primary customer", allowing the City to bill the sewer and solid waste services in the property tax bills. This would, hopefully, allow homeowners to get a tax deduction on their PMUA rates -- which is not currently a possibility.

Former mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs was also in attendance, congratulated the board and offered her services as "a top notch Number One volunteer" -- whatever that may mean.

My wish list would be for the Commissioners to take up two other pet peeves --

• The time of the business meetings: At 6:00 PM, it is not really a reasonable hour for folks who work; a 7:30 PM start time would show a more positive concern for public participation; and
  
  
• The layout of the room: The "new" layout with the executive staff table in the center of the room and seating for the public and staff around the walls makes it hard to follow the action; it was much better when the executives' table was to one side and there was audience-style seating facing the commissioners.

One last note is the presence of staffers at these meetings. I counted nine staffers in attendance, but only two had any part in the meeting: one person advanced the PowerPoint slides for the presentation, and another dialed in Commissioner Eke on the speakerphone (...eventually).

The question is: Are these staffers being paid on the clock or with comp time for being at these meetings? If so, wouldn't it be prudent only to have staff on hand who actually have items on the agenda? It might be a small savings, but it would send another signal that the Commissioners are watching out for the ratepayers.

Not to mention letting the employees spend an evening with their families.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Preliminary investigation finds $41,000 missing in one City division

Plainfield resident and PMUA employee Kim Montford opened Pandora's box at City Council on Monday evening by asking Council President Bridget Rivers if she was aware of whether a forensic audit is being conducted by the Mapp administration.

Pressed by Rivers, Administration & Finance Director Ron West drew a distinction between the resolution put forward on Monday for $60,000 to fund a forensic audit, and the special investigation which is under way and has already uncovered $41,000 in missing cash from one division for one year (2010). David Rutherford captured some of the discussion on video (see here).

Forensic audits differ from the annual audit of the books.

In the city's annual audit, an outside auditing firm looks to see that the City's books are being properly kept and in balance. While that audit does examine the City's fiscal procedures and policies, it is concerned primarily with whether things are done as they are supposed to be done. Among the perennial issues in Plainfield have been failure to deposit cash on time, purchases circumventing the purchasing procedures, and sloppy record-keeping.

A forensic audit, on the other hand, takes a detailed look at transactions in order to determine whether or not there has been any fraud, waste or abuse.

One example would be the filching of cash by employees. The potential for fraud and theft arises when persons who pay fees in cash are given a receipt, but that transaction is not recorded by the employee on the City's books. In the past there have been suspicious activities around missing cash in the Health Division, the Tax Collector's office, and the Recreation Division.

A forensic audit would go deeply into not only these kinds of transactions, but also such things are whether fraud occurred in the awarding of contracts by "kickbacks" of one sort or another. Councilor Williams pointed out that she had personally uncovered a scheme of fraudulent "permits" for July 4 Parade vendors.

The Mapp administration has twice previously sought an appropriation for a forensic audit, but the proposals were rebuffed by a Council majority. Some, like former Councilor Bill Reid, argued a "let bygones be bygones" attitude, others have not explained their reasons for objecting to a forensic audit.

Now, however, the Mapp administration may have put the Council in a corner. Mayor Mapp stated on Monday that not only was the missing $41,000 discovered, the Administration was prepared to forward the findings to the proper authorities. Even so, a Council majority on Monday refused to take up the proposed resolution to hire a forensic auditor.

If the Mapp administration turns the matter over to the county prosecutor, that may give some Council members pause. If a criminal prosecution is brought for theft or theft by deception, the question of whether or not any councilors have been in conversation with an accused party to delay, obstruct or prevent the investigation of a crime would open the door to possible charges of conspiracy.

Who would want that?

Is it time for the Council to get real about cleaning up Plainfield's fiscal act?

What do you think?

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Council takes up animal abuse, immigrant driving privileges

 

Plainfield City Council took on two issues with unanimity, equanimity and magnanimity Monday evening, which is more than can be said for much of the rest of the meeting.

With large groups of supporters in the Council chambers, the Council unanimously approved the first reading of an amended animal welfare ordinance that would set conditions under which pets may be kept outdoors. Council also unanimously approved a resolution urging the Legislature to pass pending legislation granting undocumented immigrants driving privileges in New Jersey.

For a detailed account of these actions, see Bernice's reportage here (on animal welfare) and here (on driving privileges).

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Council pulls doubleheader tonight at 7

 

 

Plainfield City Council will pull a doubleheader tonight at the Courthouse/Council Chambers, beginning at 7:00 PM.

The reason is the cancellation of last week's agenda-setting session on account of inclement weather. You can read the complete agenda and backup materials for tonight online (see here).

Take special care driving as conditions are expected to be icy.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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When signs of the times are no signs at all

Are Tea Party members stealing Plainfield "No Left Turn" signs?

That's one explanation that comes to mind in an ongoing mystery of disappearing signs around town.

For twenty years (or more), there was a "No Left Turn" sign marking the exit from the A&P (now Twin City) supermarket lot onto West 7th Street. But within recent memory the sign has disappeared without a trace.

The other day I also noticed that the "No Left Turn" sign coming out of the small city parking lot behind Faraon's nightclub onto Somerset Street has also disappeared. Also without a trace.

Both signs made eminent good sense as they were an attempt to prevent drivers from blocking oncoming traffic as they tried to cut into long lines across the street from the respective parking lots.

So, what gives?

Did property owners take them down surreptitiously? Were they knocked down and never replaced? Did the city remove them?

Or were Tea Partiers acting rowdy?

(Reminds me of my college days, where one of the Greeks' perpetual pranks was assigning pledges the task of snagging a road sign to a town called Virginville, PA.)

One of the most-stolen signs in Pennsylvania.

Ah well, as Bob and Ray used to say, "that's one of life's unexplained mysteries".

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Does Assemblyman Green need a new calendar?

Is the Speaker pro-tempore having memory lapses?

 

Does Plainfield Assemblyman Jerry Green need to get out of the office more, or perhaps just a new calendar?

In a post on his blog Jerry Green's Page this past Wednesday (see here), we are breathlessly informed of an agreement signed with the state's DEP concerning monies for Plainfield for open space, flood prevention and planning of the Green Brook Bike Path.

Trouble is that the release is at least 13 years old -- because that's when Bob Shinn, who served as DEP commissioner for thirteen years and is cited in the press release, left the office (see more here).

Another flag for the Assemblyman before posting would have been mention of Lou Mingo as Freeholder, now a distant memory; and Al McWilliams as mayor (he left office at the end of 2005).

The old joke used to be that it was short-term memory that was the first to go. Maybe we shall have to revise that cliché.

In the meantime, perhaps the good folks at the Netherwood Heights Neighbors will donate one of their handsome -- and up-to-date -- wall calendars to the Assemblyman (see more on their collectible calendars here).

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Tending the shrine of Sharonism?

Is the former mayor's Facebook page like the plastic flowers on a grave?

A Plainfield Today reader who may have just a little too much free time on their hands recently sent me a link to a Facebook page dedicated to former Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs (see here).

The shrine to Sharonism is tended by someone who signs themself as "Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs".

Now, everyone knows that we once had a mayor by that name, but that the current mayor is Adrian O. Mapp.

While it is a common custom to refer fo former elected officials by their honorific title in speaking of or introducing them, it does seem tacky for the former officeholder to refer to themselves by the title.

It would sort of be like me -- if I were, say, a former Pope -- referring to myself as "Your Holiness" or perhaps "My Holiness", which I am sure would cause gales of laughter.

You may want to toddle over and take a peek, though, just for the tingle of discovering who the ex's friends and followers are and who she favors being photographed with.

I'm still pondering whether the Facebook page is a shrine to a dead-and-buried "politician" as she styles herself, in which case it's sort of like the plastic flowers found in cemeteries as pictured above ... or whether it is the place prayers are devoutly offered for another chance at the brass ring.

In prayer, as in life, are some more equal than others?

Though she lost at the polls, she and Assemblyman Jerry Green seem to have kissed and made up (she does now have a job at Union County College, where she is responsible for students finding bona fide work).

So, who knows? Maybe the Facebook page is a prelude to a political resurrection.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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CORRECTION: Plainfield Obamacare signup opportunities

Per a voicemail received from Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp's Chief of Staff John Stewart Wednesday afternoon, the correct hours and days for Plainfield residents to make use of a Navigator to help them sign up are as follows --

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
• 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• City Hall Annex, 510 Watchung Avenue

The signups will continue through next week, and the deadline is Sunday, February 15.

The Navigator assistance in Plainfield is made possible by a joint effort with the Orange ACA Navigator Project arranged for by Mayor Mapp. For an appointment, call (973) 500-6031 or visit their website (here).

For more details, check the government's website (here) or call the number above for an appointment.

The federal program's Local Help website (see here) also shows help being available through the Neighborhood Health Center, at Myrtle and Rock Avenues, call (908) 753-6401.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Obamacare signup window closes Feb. 15

Obamacare enrollment has surged in NJ, but all
eligible individuals have not yet signed on.
(Chart from NJSpotlight.)

 

Just a reminder to Plainfield residents that the signup window for this year's enrollment in Obamacare (the ACA) closes on February 15.

As part of this year's enrollment campaign, Mayor Adrian Mapp has arranged for a Navigator to personally assist Plainfield residents in the signup process.

The Navigator is on site at the Plainfield City Hall Annex two days per week -- Tuesdays and Thursdays -- from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM. For an appointment, call (973) 500-6031.

As you can see from the chart above, enrollment has surged in New Jersey since the program became available in the fall of 2013 (see NJSpotlight story here). Eligible persons need to be aware that failure to enroll will incur a financial penalty -- the IRS will simply withhold the penalty amount from your tax refund. Ouch!

For more details, check the government's website (here) or call the number above for an appointment. Now, while you're thinking about it.

You'll be glad you did.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Library releases 2nd edition of 'Kid's History of Early Plainfield'

Background of the booklet's cover is an early sketch map of Plainfield.

A generous grant from the Cultural & Heritage Commission funded the Plainfield Public Library's recent release of a revised and updated A Kid's History of Early Plainfield.

The original 2002 edition of the 16-page booklet for young readers was prepared by Alice Nizo, then head of the Children's Room.

According to Library Director Joe Da Rold, the revised and updated version was edited by Genealogy Librarian Jane Thoner and Sarah Hull, head of the Local History Collection, using materials that were not available for the first edition.

Young readers get an overview of Plainfield's history from the area's earliest Native American inhabitants up to the growth of the settlement into a modern city.

There are also pages noting famous people from Plainfield and some Plainfield 'firsts' as well as a glossary of some unfamiliar words and a list of resources for further reading.

The Culture & Heritage Commission grant allowed for an expanded printing of 5,000 hard copies of the booklet, which is available in the children's Rainforest Reading Room.

As a sign of how times have changed in the years since the original release, a PDF version of the booklet is also available on the Library's website (see here).

The Plainfield Public Library is at Park Avenue and West 8th Street and is an accessible facility. Parking is available in the 8th and 9th Street lots.
For more information about library hours and programs, visit the library's website at www.plainfieldlibrary.info/

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City, PMUA could make better use of emergency communications

Emergency communications methods have improved dramatically,
but implementation could be better.

When bad weather strikes, Plainfield residents want -- and need -- to know what the deal is with essential agencies and services. Will things run on normal schedules, will they be delayed . . . or canceled altogether?

As I was putting today's CLIPS blog together, many agencies had gotten the word out overnight about how they were handling services today.

The state, the Union County Courts and the Plainfield Public Schools had word out last night.

The schools and the Neighborhood Health Center posted late opening notices to their websites, as did the Plainfield Public Library -- which also sent me an email late Sunday evening.

City Hall? The PMUA? Missing in action.

Both the city and the PMUA have adopted emergency communications strategies to reach out to the community, but there does not seem to be a consistent policy for how and when they will be used.

Consider that in recent weeks (including the current storm), we have received Nixle and emergency phone messages from the City related to weather conditions and what residents should do about driving and parking.

However, in this case, there is no word from the City about whether services have been affected. If things are going to run as normal, why not pass the word?

With regard to the PMUA, I signed up for their "important service announcements" service several days ago, as noted in a previous post. However, it has been radio silence ever since and I could not find any word on their website this morning about whether service is normal, changed or suspended for today.

All of this brings up another issue and that is the tangle of roadwork and street closings as a result of utility work throughout the city. Every day now, one can be surprised by driving through downtown to find various streets and crossings suddenly closed off, with no indication of what to do.

I often wonder how folks who use the NJ Transit buses manage when their bus stop is suddenly unreachable by the buses?

When Plainfield Avenue was repaved several months ago, all the east/west cross streets between Front and Seventh were blocked for several days but there was no notice about how to detour to get from one side to the other (except for Front Street, where traffic was diverted at Sycamore Avenue and Grant Avenue into North Plainfield). There was never a message about road conditions on any of the city's emergency communications methods.

So, if we are going to have these emergency communications tools, shouldn't we use them wisely?

Part of the problem may be that agencies still have a nine-to-five mentality. They should learn from the school district, which has long been ahead of the curve in letting families know about school closings and delayed openings ahead of time. Or from the DPW, which does not wait until 9:00 AM opening time to decide about plowing and salting.

Another is that there needs to be a clear chain of command about who is responsible for passing the word along on emergency situations. The Mapp administration is making moves in this direction with the expanded emergency committee ordinance which is up for discussion tonight (see my previous post here), but it still strikes me as somewhat hit or miss.

The PMUA has put one foot forward; now it needs to move the other one.

Time for agencies that have figured out the importance of social networks to implement their communications strategies wisely, consistently, and thoroughly across the board.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Expansion of emergency council proposed

Mayor Al McWilliams, Muhlenberg exec Fred Hipp and
Plainfield Health Officer Jadwiga Warwas consult during
Plainfield's 2005 Bioterrorism Preparedness Exercise.

 

A proposed expansion of Plainfield's Local Emergency Management Council is up for first reading at Monday's Council meeting.

The proposed expansion (MC 2015-06) is a welcome sign that Director Riley and the Mapp administration are taking seriously the task of preparing Plainfield and Plainfielders for possible future emergency events.

It has now been ten years since the City and Union County conducted a joint "table-top" emergency preparedness exercise. One of the results of that experience was that the City was to develop an emergency management plan -- parts of which were to be publicly promoted to prepare residents for unexpected emergencies.

For some examples of public portions of emergency management plans, see Anchorage, Alaska (here), Myrtle Beach, SC (here), Sullivan County, NY (here), and the state of Oregon's manual for preparing a disaster plan (here).

Unfortunately, that project slept throughout the Robinson-Briggs years, and the impact of Superstorm Sandy showed it by bringing the City to a standstill.

Police, fire and public works employees labored mightily to clear streets, restore services and check on residents' safety, but there were gaps in communications and confusion about where and how to get help.

Strides have been made since the Mapp administration took the reins -- for one thing, the city has adopted several emergency communications avenues that deliver alerts to residents' cellphones or email inboxes. That will be an invaluable assist in future emergencies.

Director Riley has also made use of the surplus military equipment program to provide the city with vehicles and other equipment that will be useful in emergencies.

The proposed ordinance will provide more structure to handle emergencies by expanding the present four-member commission (police, fire, IT and City Clerk representatives) to an expanded 11-member group.

The larger group will also include representatives from Health, Public Works, the Board of Ed, PMUA, Plainfield Rescue Squad, and the Mayor's and City Administrator's offices.

My only suggestion is that the Council may want to consider amending lthe ordinance to add a Council designee to the mix.

This is a solid move forward. Let's hope the Council agrees.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Plainfield Symphony After-Dinner Dance tonight

Hop on over to the Symphony After-Dinner Dance tonight!

Plainfield partygoers have an opportunity to shake things up tonight at the Plainfield Symphony's After-Dinner Dance slated for the FUSP Parish Hall and getting under way at 8:00 PM.

This annual event is turning into a midwinter must, with a friendly crowd, savory and sweet refreshments, an open bar and plenty of good music -- this year with DJ Michael Roselli. There is also a silent auction.

Tickets are $50/person and may be paid for at the door, but please let the planners know you ae coming (call 908.561.5660).

The Symphony has really lucked out since a storm is expected for Super Bowl Sunday night -- so ifyou want to get out of the house, tonight is the time to do it!

FUSP (First Unitarian Society of Plainfield) is at 724 Park Avenue. Parking is available in the municipal lot across Park Avenue. For more information on the Plainfield Symphony and the 2014-15 season, visit the website here.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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PMUA service mystery

Does the PMUA need a new Magic 8 Ball?

 

A Plainfield Today reader notes two experiences with the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA) this week.

Wednesday, the day after the non-storm, was supposed to be a recyclables pickup in this reader's neighborhood. They put out the recyclables but no PMUA truck came.

Here's how the reader tells it --

Wednesday was my pick up date for my recyclables. In the past the week of a snow storm, they picked up within 2 days. Since they did not pick up by today (Thursday), I called them and they said it will be picked up on the next cycle in 2 weeks. When I asked what am I supposed to do with my then overflowing recyclables they said to put them in a clear plastic bag and put them along side the blue can in two weeks. I told them I don’t own clear garbage bags and never saw them in the store, the lady instructed me to go to Walmart or Target to buy them. I still don’t understand why I have to wait 2 weeks when Wednesday was a nice day and the state and the city ‘was back in business’.

I don't understand either, since Wednesday was a beautiful day. Checking the website, I didn't see any notice of service difficulties, though there are plenty of alerts.

Further, the ratepayer is supposed to go out and buy clear plastic bags because the PMUA failed to perform a scheduled pickup?

Can anyone understand why ratepayers get frustrated?

This morning, the reader reports that despite snow last night, the PMUA made the regularly scheduled pickup of garbage this morning!

Go figure.

Meanwhile, you should check out the PMUA website (see here), where you can now register for ISAs (Important Service Announcement) and/or an e-newlsetter. These can be delivered to your email or cellphone. The PMUA follows correct opt-in procedures and you will have to supply an email and confirm your opting into the alerts by clicking on a link they sned your inbox. Try it and give them feedback.

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Plainfield Today breaks the 4,000 mark

Just the kind of gizmo a blogger can use?

Just noticed the Plainfield Today blog has broken the 4,000 mark in the past couple of days. Maybe bloggers could use a toy like that above to remind them just how far down the road they've gone?

To Anonymous: Posts, of course. Pageviews clocks in at 1,903,292, but that doesn't count because Blogger only started tracking pageviews in June, 2008, by which time both Bernice and Dan had been blogging for years

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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Depressed at Sears

What's missing from Sears? The everything? The excellence?

 

What a depressing place the Sears store on Route 22 has become. When the Plainfield Sears at West Front and Grove Streets was closed after WWII, the new location reflected the trend to the suburbanization of shopping that drove retail in the third quarter of the 20th century.

The luster is long gone, as my foray on Tuesday confirmed.

My first experience of Sears was being taken as a youngster of 5 or so to the store in downtown Buffalo by an aunt and having my first -- tearful -- experience of an old-fashioned wooden escalator.

While my mother and her friends would window shop the upscale fashions at the Adam, Meldrum & Anderson department store, purchases were more likely to be made at Sears -- if not from the genormous Sears catalogs that came in the mail to our home several times a year.

My parents were the generation that was pleased to satisfy its needs from Sears' "good-better-best" selections of ranges, refrigerators and washers in the days before SubZero and home-sized restaurant ranges.

Sears always had everything, and the quality was excellent in its reliability if not in its style.

But I was astonished at how much shopping at Sears has changed in just the past few years.

Coming in off the lot near the menswear department, I walked past rack after rack and table after table of merchandise along the main aisle all marked "Clearance" or "50% - 60% Off".

Checking the tag of a cotton polo shirt, it was marked 50% off a $44.00 SRP -- at $22.00 just about what one would expect as a normal retail price. The pricing gimmickry wears thin after a while.

It was actually hard to find goods that were simply put out at full price.

When I did take my couple of pairs of Everlast sweat pants to the counter -- already marked down -- the sales clerk offered me a further $15.00 off if I would apply for a Sears credit card. (I had also needed to find galoshes, but was told the store doesn't carry them.)

After the Plainfield store moved to the vastly spacious Watchung location, the new store is said to have been the highest-grossing store by square footage in the Sears empire. Hard to believe now.

But Sears faces steep competition from chains that have grown fat off nibbling at its market through niche targeting -- just think of Sports Authority, Old Navy and P.C. Richards, to name a few.

As Sears struggles along and times change, a fair question is "Did Sears change, or did we?"

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  -- Dan Damon [follow]

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