City Council action on two crucial cabinet posts fell through at Wednesday's special meeting.
The administration withdrew a resolution for council advice and consent to a director of the Department of Administration, Finance, Health & Social Services. City Administrator Bibi Taylor said the unnamed candidate is "still deliberating" the offer. The post has been unfilled since Jan. 31.
The governing body spent more than two hours in closed session, some of it with William I. Scherer, candidate for the post of certified municipal finance officer. But after the meeting opened, the council voted to table the resolution to appoint Scherer, a former councilman and mayor of Manalapan who has CMFO certification but no experience as one. Scherer was named manager of the Freehold Motor Vehicle Commission agency in 2003 and still held the title last year, according to public records.
Council President Annie McWilliams said the city needs someone with experience, "not that we need a body in place."
McWilliams said someone is needed who can train employees, put financial processes in place and "clean up some of the issues we have" in Audit & Control. The city has not had a permanent CMFO since Peter Sepelya retired at the end of 2007 and recent audit findings have pointed to the need for better fiscal management.
The city has been under a state order to appoint a CMFO since October 2009, but has received three 90-day extensions for a search. Meeting on the July 19 deadline for the third extension, the council agreed to ask the state Division of Local Government Services to appoint someone, a move that drew strong objections from the administration.
It was just at the point of a vote on the resolution for state intercession July 19 that the administration said a candidate had been found. The council then passed the resolution with the understanding that it would become null and void if an appointment was made at Wednesday's special meeting.
Just as a similar resolution urging action on filling the AFH&SS directorship was up for a vote on July 19, the administration asked for its withdrawal, saying an offer was being made to a candidate.
Corporation Dan Williamson, who has been communicating with the state DLGS, said Wednesday he will inform officials of the ongoing process. If the council rejects Scherer, the city will have to request a further extension, he said.
In public comment, resident James Pivnichny objected to having a resolution on the agenda with no candidate's name.
"Is this the way Plainfield should be doing business? I hope not," he said.
A former Republican mayoral candidate and presently the GOP candidate for the Second & Third Ward City Council seat, Pivnichny said, "Obviously the mayor is engaging in delaying tactics."
McWilliams said neither the council nor the city clerk's office had received the name of the candidate for the directorship.
Dr. Harold Yood asked what the effect of tabling would be on the CMFO resolution and McWilliams replied, "The resolution clearly states that if no action is taken, it goes to the state."
She added the decision to table was based on a desire to put someone in place, but the council not having all the information to do so.
Councilman William Reid voted "no" to table the resolution and said after the meeting he felt the matter could have been resolved that night. Reid said he felt Scherer had enough experience to do the job.
The council meets next for an agenda session on Aug. 9, 7:30 p.m. in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave. Its regular meeting will be 8 p.m. Aug. 16 in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.
--Bernice Paglia
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Most organizations have people who want to climb the ladder of success by taking on more responsibilities and pocketing a bigger paycheck.
ReplyDeleteWe've got three large local government entities here- the City, the schools, and the PMUA. With all the auditors and accountants that implies, either working directly for one of these entities or in conjunction with them, how can it be there are so few reasonable candidates for the CFO slot?
For decades finance, accounting, and public administration, have been among the more popular courses of study. Have our hiring practices across all three entities been so poor that we have no one with the ambition and skills to move up?
How dysfunctional are we? Look no further than Bill Reid, city councilman and Jerry and Sharon campaign treasurer. Always a voice for moderation, compassion, and forethought, but always a vote for delay until just that moment when the bell is rung and it's time to dive right in, come what may.
If we're looking for a CFO, let's get ourselves a CFO. If all it takes is passing a test and political experience, Mr. Reid would do better service taking the test and becoming CFO himself. We'd have a hometown guy in place, and the Council might lose a vote for inertia.
If the situation had not gone on this long I think Bill Reid would be correct to suggest that we give Mr Scherer a shot at the job. But in the new normal era of accelerating austerity and tea-party style accountability we need to stop playing around and get it right.
ReplyDeleteUnlike virtually everyone else in the blogosphere I don't really blame the mayor for not filling the post. How many credentialed, experienced, Democratic (an essential qualification from the administration's, not to mention constituents', point of view), looking for work, from a not-too-large and not-too-tiny place can there be? I'm guessing very few.
If the state sends us one the odds are it will be a Republican. Will that make some in City Hall uncomfortable? You betcha! But don't worry, a CFO doesn't make policy, just carries it out, so there shouldn't be any reduction in the range or depth of services to the residents. But hopefully there will be increased professionalism and accountability in spending and borrowing, which will result in making our limited revenues go further toward our goals.
Unless, of course, there really is something to hide, in which case the last thing the administration and local Democratic party would want is a curious Republican embedded in the cookie jar. Which is another reason to ask the state for help.
Does anyone really think the current state government would be interested in helping Plainfield get its act together?
ReplyDeleteIf the council expects the state to appoint a CMFO they can forget about it. Christie believes this is a local issue. For those who are not aware of state laws. A CMFO is guided by state laws and not local laws. Besides what experienced CMFO would want to work in Plainfield under these conditions?
ReplyDeleteWhat a crock! This is pure corruption. I can only hope the FBI comes in and raids the offices of the city and PMUA. Theft of public funds is rampant. I applaud the council members who are truly looking out for the taxpayer's best interest. Mr. Reid is part of the problem. He delays and delays and thinks everyone will do the job. He is a good friend of the mayor and Mr. Crony (I mean Green).
ReplyDeleteThe Blogger
This is an outright attempt to obstruct the operations of city government by this republican councilwoman dressed in democractic clothing. All can see that Ms. McWilliams is posturing for a run as mayor in the next election and therefore needs to throw up as many roadblocks as possible for the current mayor. The candidate has both managerial and administrative experience and should easily employ those skills in a job that he has been certified in. Have we forgotten that others have taken the required exams for the position and failed? Everytime this city trys to move forward, we have elements of this community trying to be obstructionist. If you hate the way things are going soo badly, why do you stay here? I'm sure there are many conservative low crime communities that would love to have you among them.
ReplyDeleteIf Ms. McWilliams wanted to be Mayor she could have run last time. But she didn't.
ReplyDelete