In a letter distributed at Tuesday's City Council meeting, Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority Chairman Harold Mitchell said all information requested at a June 28 joint meeting with the governing body will be submitted "on or about" Sept. 24. But Mitchell asked to defer an expected meeting this month to "after the November election."
Mitchell said the authority is in the process of working on its budget and rate setting for 2011, as well as being engaged in talks with several public entities to bring about potential shared services agreements. After November, Mitchell said, the authority will be in a "much better position to provide detailed information" on the issues in a joint meeting.
The authority is celebrating its 15th year of providing sewer and solid waste services to the city at its annual Environmental Fair, today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Library Park. For much of that period, the city has prodded the authority to expand its revenues through establishment of shared services programs. More recently, a citizens' group has aggressively challenged PMUA practices on both expense and revenue sides. In a lawsuit brought by activist Philip Charles, the PMUA prevailed in court, but meanwhile changed several policies and charges that Charles and others had criticized.
To read Plaintalker's post on the June 28 meeting, click here.
The citizens' group put up an informational web site that included ways to opt out of PMUA service and also exposed costs for travel and food that have since been curtailed. To view it, click here.
The authority and council previously met in July 2009, at which time Executive Director Eric Watson came across as a bit testy over the questioning. Here is a link to that meeting.
The current state of the PMUA's board of commissioners is under scrutiny by the governing body. Of five commissioners and two alternates, there is one vacancy and three holdovers. The board reorganizes in February, but no action was taken this year on expired terms. Several names have been floated recently for appointment by the mayor with advice and consent of the Ciy Council. Although confusion about the process was voiced at Tuesday's meeting, Council President Annie McWilliams called for seating people who will take the work seriously and "make the right decisions."
Saying she wanted to get "deadlines and timelines" from the authority, McWilliams said, "Ultimately, we owe nothing to the PMUA," but to constituents.
--Bernice Paglia
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It's past time to DISBAND this city agency. It's nothing but a cover for fraudulent activities. The fair that is held today isn't paid by sponsors. It's paid through the ratepayers and taxpayers of Plainfield. The executives each have cars and insurance paid for by the ratepayers and taxpayers. Many cell phones are provided to employees without any questions about personal use. Many run tabs of $95 per cell phone per month. The council needs to step up and get rid of the PMUA altogether. It's nothing but a patronage pit.
ReplyDeleteIt won't happen. Neither the Administration or the City Council is capable of stepping up do do anything. With these characters it's one pose after another.
ReplyDeleteThey are all in bed together. The council changes, the mayor changes - but Plainfield continues to remain the same.
ReplyDeleteThe folloing year, more politicians step up, and promise change. But the only change is the faces and who blames who.
Everything else remains the same.