Weeping Cherry in Library Park.The third of four City Council "town meetings" brought out residents concerned about taxes, road repairs, the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority and crime, but council members said a lack of cooperation from the administration is hindering progress on many issues.
Though billed as the Third Ward meeting, the event at Cedarbrook School drew a mix of speakers, including members of half a dozen block associations. Council President Annie McWilliams and members Adrian Mapp, Cory Storch, Vera Greaves and Rebecca Williams were on hand to respond to citizen concerns. William Reid and Bridget Rivers were absent.
Residents pleaded with the governing body to disband or reform the PMUA, citing sewer and solid waste costs they said were out of line with other towns. Bill Gearhart objected to a shared services cost that increased by 61 percent.
"I didn't vote for that," he said. "I didn't agree to that."
Others said they want to go back to being able to pay sewer charges through their taxes. Council members explained that their attempts to meet with PMUA officials have been futile so far. Storch said he has asked for a task force to be formed to look into the city's options regarding the PMUA, which is bound to the city through an interlocal services agreement.
The condition of city roads was another sore point, but council members said a five-year repair plan was way behind schedule. No one from the administration was present to explain the status of the plan or to answer other questions. One Field Avenue resident who said she is known as "the lady with the dip" said the road in front of her house was "in winter an ice rink and in summer a swimming pool." She said she called the city's engineering from every day for two weeks until she got her driveway repaired.
Resident Dorien Hurtt questioned funding for the road repair plan, but Mapp said, "We will never really have enough money to fix all the streets," citing escalating costs since the plan was first tabbed at a projected $65 million.
Another Field Avenue resident who said her family has lived in Plainfield for 100 years deplored the current high taxes as well as the crime rate.
"How can you bring in new people, if Plainfield is viewed as a town that is not doing anything about taxes?" she asked.
She also complained about a highly publicized Aug. 1 meeting that portrayed the city as having a large number of gangs. Later Mapp said he proposed use of Urban Enterprise Zone funds to market the city, but said it could not be done without the administration's cooperation. He also disapproved of the Aug. 1 meeting being publicized throughout the metropolitan area "to say don't come to Plainfield" because of drugs and crime.
Residents will have another chance to raise concerns at the Fourth Ward town meeting, 7 p.m. May 11 at Clinton School.
--Bernice
mmmmmm....they all must be haters on the blogosphere..right?? Couldn't possibly be average citizens annoyed with an unresponsive administration.
ReplyDeleteThe town bought a hole lot of equipment to fix the roads where is it at? I t might be somewhere, but please tell us what and when sidewalk and streets will be done. But do not get me's started on the litter in the streets, that is from the pople walking by who do not want to carry it all athe way to the conrer to put it in the trash can, I cans not blame the mayor for that.
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that all citizens are interested in the SAME issues: crime, potholes, taxes, PUMA. That is step one, now we all know the problems. Now why can't ANYONE on the council or admin do something to correct these problems? Why? Why? This is YOUR job! Please do something.
ReplyDeleteWe have a mayor who is only concerned with her own needs and wealth. She has shown it for years. It took over two years and a petition to get her to start to address the Connolly issue. She ignored letters about problems in his buildings until Jerry Green pressured her to ace. She needs to be removed. She is only in this for herself and not the people of Plainfield.
ReplyDeleteBernice: an odd little bit of "historic" perspective. In the late 50s-early 60s, there was a sign on Field Avenue which proclaimed DIP. It was considered great sport for boys from Wardlaw Country Day School and girls Hartridge to capture it, and hang it in a prominent place.
ReplyDeleteThe PMUA has got to go. I just got my bill and it's over $400 this quarter. All of which isn't tax deductible. The council has got to get its act together and transform this agency.
ReplyDelete"Council members explained that their attempts to meet with PMUA officials have been futile so far."
ReplyDelete--- I wonder why the PMUA won't go before the council---
It's a shame that the PMUA has run their ship amuck. The leadership should be ashamed of how they have abused their power. The council should be embarrassed that they haven't taken action yet. If last night was any indication, we will see more of the same in the coming months. Resolution? Yeah right!
ReplyDeleteDo you remember what Shakespeare said about Lawyers ??
ReplyDelete