Random image: Waiting for the killing frost.November is shaping up as a marathon month for those who like to keep up with public meetings.
The coming week has two budget sessions, both of which conflict with land use meetings. On Wednesday, there will be a budget session from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Senior Center, 400 E. Front St., with Public Works and Recreation on the agenda. There is also the regular Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall Library. Unfortunately for this blogger, I will most likely miss both as I have an obligation to attend the League of Women Voters meeting.
On Thursday, the 7 p.m. budget session at the senior center will cover Social Services and Health, while back at City Hall the Planning Board will meet.
The Nov. 8 budget session will be 7 to 9 p.m. at City Hall Library and will highlight offices of the Tax Collector, Tax Assessor, Audit & Control and Purchasing. This date is also when the November agenda-fixing session is supposed to take place, starting at 7:30 p.m. I’m told the City Council’s November meeting schedule will be pushed up a week, so that the agenda session will take place Nov. 15 and the regular meeting will be Nov. 22 instead of Nov. 15.
On Nov. 9 in City Hall Library, the council will discuss budgets of the Public Library, City Clerk and IT/Media.
The meeting will move back to the senior center on Nov. 10, when the council will go over budgets for Planning and Economic Development as well as the Capital Budget.
OK, take a breath, take a stretch.
On to Nov. 15, when a hearing will be held on the introduced budget, which calls for a SFY 2011 municipal tax levy of $50,457,669.58, up from $48,241,707.62. This is the budget figure that is now subject to council modification after budget deliberations. The meeting is 8 p.m. in City Hall Library and the council will hear any objections to the budget as introduced. This date had been the same as the regular council meeting, which is apparently now scheduled for Nov. 22, according to legal notices on hearings for two ordinances.
If the council can formulate budget amendments by the end of the month, the SFY 2011 budget could possibly be passed in December. If more discussion is needed, look for extra meetings. The current council schedule calls for an agenda-fixing session on Dec. 6 and a regular meeting on Dec. 13, with the agenda-fixing session for the 2011 Annual Reorganization on Dec. 20, but these meetings may also be pushed up. As in November, the schedule will nudge into a holiday week.
Even with a brace of bloggers, a retinue of reporters and a cluster of citizens, it will be hard to follow all these meetings. The budget amendments will eventually tell us what was decided, but not necessarily why. Perhaps the council members or the Citizens’ Budget Advisory Committee can elucidate somehow when the process is wrapping up.
The coming week has two budget sessions, both of which conflict with land use meetings. On Wednesday, there will be a budget session from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Senior Center, 400 E. Front St., with Public Works and Recreation on the agenda. There is also the regular Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall Library. Unfortunately for this blogger, I will most likely miss both as I have an obligation to attend the League of Women Voters meeting.
On Thursday, the 7 p.m. budget session at the senior center will cover Social Services and Health, while back at City Hall the Planning Board will meet.
The Nov. 8 budget session will be 7 to 9 p.m. at City Hall Library and will highlight offices of the Tax Collector, Tax Assessor, Audit & Control and Purchasing. This date is also when the November agenda-fixing session is supposed to take place, starting at 7:30 p.m. I’m told the City Council’s November meeting schedule will be pushed up a week, so that the agenda session will take place Nov. 15 and the regular meeting will be Nov. 22 instead of Nov. 15.
On Nov. 9 in City Hall Library, the council will discuss budgets of the Public Library, City Clerk and IT/Media.
The meeting will move back to the senior center on Nov. 10, when the council will go over budgets for Planning and Economic Development as well as the Capital Budget.
OK, take a breath, take a stretch.
On to Nov. 15, when a hearing will be held on the introduced budget, which calls for a SFY 2011 municipal tax levy of $50,457,669.58, up from $48,241,707.62. This is the budget figure that is now subject to council modification after budget deliberations. The meeting is 8 p.m. in City Hall Library and the council will hear any objections to the budget as introduced. This date had been the same as the regular council meeting, which is apparently now scheduled for Nov. 22, according to legal notices on hearings for two ordinances.
If the council can formulate budget amendments by the end of the month, the SFY 2011 budget could possibly be passed in December. If more discussion is needed, look for extra meetings. The current council schedule calls for an agenda-fixing session on Dec. 6 and a regular meeting on Dec. 13, with the agenda-fixing session for the 2011 Annual Reorganization on Dec. 20, but these meetings may also be pushed up. As in November, the schedule will nudge into a holiday week.
Even with a brace of bloggers, a retinue of reporters and a cluster of citizens, it will be hard to follow all these meetings. The budget amendments will eventually tell us what was decided, but not necessarily why. Perhaps the council members or the Citizens’ Budget Advisory Committee can elucidate somehow when the process is wrapping up.
--Bernice Paglia
There was a murder in town. I guess it wasn't news worthy enough for you and Dan
ReplyDeleteTo 8:19 a.m.: Blogs are not news organizations. Dan is known to publish unconfirmed news tips at times. As a former reporter, I would not publish unconfirmed crime news. However, because I am not a working reporter, I do not receive official breaking news alerts on homicides.
ReplyDeleteI am noticing a curious trend lately to expect bloggers to be the same as traditional news organizations. A school board member, a legislator and some others expect bloggers to be in the front lines of newsgathering when in fact all of us have different approaches and none of us gets paid. Newsworthiness has nothing to do with it. You got the news, didn't you? It was online in both the Courier News and Star-Ledger last night.
How will all the number 1's be able to break away and make it to Atlantic City for the League of Municipalities ???
ReplyDeleteThere is still time for boozing and frolicking in Atlantic City though.
ReplyDeleteBOOZING AND FROLICKING IN ATLANTIC CITY? That can't be true when Plainfield has no money. This city is laying off people from their jobs, making others move from full-time to part-time without benefits, cannot bump up to a full time job, can't quit and look for a full time job that would allow them to take care of their families because if you quit you don't get unemployment, so these hard working employees get kicked in the teeth without a second thought after working hard for this City for many years. Why not give up that hotel room with your friends, that night of boozing, gambling and frolicking to help someone else or at the very least lay these people off so they can salvage their pensions and collect unemployment until they can find a full time job. Why hold them hostage with no way out.
ReplyDelete