Sunday Night Roundup

Random image: New graffiti artist downtown.

Things really seem to get quiet when there's a big game, but not being a sports fan, it all goes over my head. I hope your team won, or at least that you had a feast on hand before you had to cry in your beer.

Tomorrow maybe we can resume attention to other news and events. The City Council meets at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall Library. Dr. Yood has already commented on some of the items on the agenda. I am interested in the discussion items on PMUA concerns and the budget gap and also the Recreation Commission ordinance, which the council may move to the Feb. 14 agenda for a vote on second reading and final passage.

Regarding the PMUA, the recent developments at the Passaic Valley Sewerage Authority make me wonder how the PMUA would fare if somebody like Wayne Forrest became executive director. I was looking at some of the information DumpPMUA dredged up, specifically Part I of expenses for meals. Even though these expenses date back to 2007 and the authority has since become more frugal, it is still shocking to see the tab for Durant's Fine Food. DumpPMUA is now asking citizens to urge state and local officials to look into the workings of the authority. It should be interesting to hear what the council has to say at this juncture (and the PMUA, if officials are to be present Monday).

The budget gap needs to be a concern of all, as it will result in hard choices for the coming fiscal year. Appointments for the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee are also on Monday's agenda and officials have advocated an early start on the budget process.

The Recreation Commission ordinance had the support of a council majority to pass on first reading, over the objections of some council members and citizens. Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs has vowed to veto it if it achieves final passage, and then a council super-majority would be necessary to override the veto. Council members who support it may have to do some serious lobbying of their colleagues if it comes to that, but first it has to pass Feb. 14 before getting to the threatened veto.

On other topics, officials were incredulous when the 2010 Census results fell 192 short of the much-desired 50,000 population mark. However, housing vacancy rates posted in the Courier News may offer a partial clue to the shortfall. Even though the city's population increased from 47,829 in 2000 to 49,808, the 2010 Census found 1,441 vacant dwellings, for a 9 percent vacancy rate. Housing units increased from 16,180 in 2000 to 16,621 in the 2010 Census.

Anecdotally, some people observed a high vacancy rate in multi-family apartment buildings around the city in 2010 as a major property owner was in the throes of financial problems. There was also a high foreclosure rate, which may have added to the vacancy count. Maybe officials can seek a recount, but the 9 percent vacancy rate tends to support the shortfall.

Another controversy reported in the news over the weekend is over a possible change in publication of legal notices. Newspapers need legal ad revenue more than ever, but proposed legislation would allow municipalities to post legal notices on their web sites.

The upside for those who check legal notices is that one would not have to look all through pages of fine print to find the Plainfield ones (although that can now be done by searching the New Jersey Press Association web site). But not all legal notices relevant to a municipality are generated by the municipality itself. For example, attorneys for developers and land use board applicants often post legal notices in the newspapers. Most boards and commissions only post annual calendars and just list cases on their agendas. Reporters and bloggers can sometimes uncover news by following legal notices posted by attorneys for the applicants.

In addition, some legal notices in recent years have been huge, such as the one on new storm water regulations that took up at least a full newspaper page. Such notices would need a lot of space on a municipal web site.

Lastly, this weekend was one for us pedestrians to curse the elements that brought an ice storm to the city. On Saturday, I ventured out only to turn back when faced with big stretches of ice on the sidewalks. Drains are clogged by old snow and ice accumulation, so we have situations such as cars entering a city parking lot and splashing slush that then freezes on the sidewalk. It would take frequent salt-spreading (or some nice, sunny days) to overcome that particular problem. We know the city can't afford to clean the same sidewalks every day, so Sunday's sunshine was very welcome.

--Bernice