More police and more jobs are two things that would make life better in the Fourth Ward, speakers said at the City Council’s final 2011 Town Meeting Wednesday.
A mother and a pre-school teacher spoke of their fears for children growing up where gang members dominate neighborhoods, while others called for rescuing young people from the streets by giving them mentoring and jobs. A police sergeant spoke of fellow officers saving a young shooting victim’s life by plugging bullet wounds with their fingers, but a former councilwoman alleged witnessing a seven-officer beat-down of another man.
“The police are tired, stressed out,” resident Dave Morales said. “How can we help the police be better police?”
“The police can help themselves by getting involved with kids,” school board member Rasheed Abdul-Haqq said.
Abdul-Haqq called for creativity in coming up with jobs for young people, such as having flea markets and community gardens on vacant lots. He also called for sale of city-owned art treasures, saying, “The point is, we have to fund our own needs.”
About 40 people, including several from the East End, gathered at Clinton School for the meeting with the full council listening to residents’ concerns. Sgt. Kenny Reid of the Police Division’s Gang Unit urged citizen involvement in solving crime and said he is always on call personally to assist anyone.
“We have recovered a lot of guns,” he said.
A city proposal to lease a gun detection system drew mixed opinions, both on its cost and perceived effectiveness.
“We need more cops and we need them to get out of cars,” said Housing Authority Commissioner and former Councilwoman Joanne Hollis, who said she was “tired of going to funerals” of crime victims.
Near the end of the meeting, Council President Annie McWilliams asked members of block associations to stand and representatives of half a dozen groups across the city did so. Jim Spear of Netherwood Neighbors suggested attending a citywide block association meeting that takes place on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 525 East Front Street to learn more about how to get involved.
While Wednesday’s meeting was the last in the town meeting series, contact information for all council members is posted on the city web site (click here) and residents may also speak on their concerns at council meetings throughout the year. The next City Council meeting is 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 14 in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave.
--Bernice
I appreciate the need for more jobs for the fourth and all wards but why is that the job of the council or even the city? Does anyone seriously think that taxpayers should pay still more to fund the salaries and benefits of a few more residents?
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! Just brilliant! Mr. Rasheed Abdul-Haqq suggests the selling off of "city-owned art treasures" in order to "fund our own needs". Does this person really serve on the school board? No wonder the school system here is such a pathetic disaster. WHAT is he thinking?
ReplyDeletePerhaps someone can inform this school board member, who may need a little educating on the matter, that there are other ways of obtaining funds for public endeavors that don't require selling off city property which, in essence, belongs to us all.
This city belongs to everyone who lives here, not just those in constant need of social services or constant oversight; and to sell off works of art or any other items the city owns would set a horrible precedent and be a complete disaster.
Mr. Abdul-Haqq, supposing those items are sold off, what do we do once the funds from those goods have been spent? What do we sell off then? The wood from the trees that line our streets? How about the metal and steel that supports our infrastructure? Better yet, why don't we just sell off our children to those who will actually take better care of them and provide a better home and environment? Adoption is a real money maker!
Seriously Mr. Abdul-Haqq: feel free to sell whatever personal treasures you have in your own family or home, or in that of your neighbors willing to go along with your poorly thought out idea, but leave our city-owned treasures alone!
Here's a suggestion: perhaps a source of funding is your deep-pocketed council representatives: Rivers, Reid and Greaves, along with a resident who came to Monday's council meeting to speak on behalf of the PMUA and their willingness to pay more for services that other municipalities provide at a fraction of the cost.
All of the above named councilpeople along with a resident, Mr. Morales, sang the praises of the PMUA and how grateful we should be to the PMUA for the job they do and suggesting their inflated rates are acceptable.
"You get what you pay for", said Greaves; and Mr. Morales, a resident, claimed he was fine with paying over $400 a quarter because the PMUA does such a fine job and provides a great service by employing all the friends and family "2nd chance" folk.
I've never heard so many people in favor of paying more for anything. I'm convinced that these folks, from the more conflicted areas of Plainfield - ready to cry poverty and neglect at every turn - are not in as bad financial shape as they claim to be. They don't seem to have a problem overpaying for services. These fine people may just have the kind of cash you need for all of your projects, Mr. Abdul-Haqq.
They truly believe in the PMUA execs and the family and friends "2nd chance" project they run; and they’re willing to pay more for it. That’s admirable! They’re willing to support a program they believe in.
Mr. Abdul-Haqq, I think Rivers, Reid, Greaves and Mr. Morales have the type of funds you need for your endeavors. I'm convinced they're closet millionaires willing to financially support your worthwhile causes. See, now you won’t have to sell off our treasures!
Hmmm...Now I know that Morales is a very popular name, but is there any chance that the Mr. Morales who spoke up at the meeting is related to Nancy Morales (PMUA employee) or is the owner of Millenium Sales and Promotions out of Elizabeth, Orlando Morales? Millenium Sales has a contract with PMUA for Hispanic Outreach Services and is a business that runs out of a residential property in Elizabeth. Things that make you go hmm.... Use google, spokeo, datauniverse, and DumpPMUA bills listings to confirm all of this, if you want. If you dig into PMUA and other City operations you will find a lot of interesting information.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! Just brilliant! Mr. Rasheed Abdul-Haqq suggests the selling off of "city-owned art treasures" in order to "fund our own needs". Does this person really serve on the school board? No wonder the school system here is such a pathetic disaster. WHAT is he thinking?
ReplyDeletePerhaps someone can inform this school board member, who may need a little educating on the matter, that there are other ways of obtaining funds for public endeavors that don't require selling off city property which, in essence, belongs to us all.
This city belongs to everyone who lives here, not just those in constant need of social services or constant oversight; and to sell off works of art or any other items the city owns would set a horrible precedent and be a complete disaster.
Mr. Abdul-Haqq, supposing those items are sold off, what do we do once the funds from those goods have been spent? What do we sell off then? The wood from the trees that line our streets? How about the metal and steel that supports our infrastructure? Better yet, why don't we just sell off our children to those who will actually take better care of them and provide a better home and environment? Adoption is a real money maker!
Seriously Mr. Abdul-Haqq: feel free to sell whatever personal treasures you have in your own family or home, or in that of your neighbors willing to go along with your poorly conceived idea, but leave our city-owned treasures alone!
Here's a suggestion: perhaps a source of funding is your deep-pocketed council representatives: Rivers, Reid and Greaves, along with a resident who came to Monday's council meeting to speak on behalf of the PMUA and their willingness to pay more for services that other municipalities provide at a fraction of the cost.
All of the above named councilpeople along with a resident, Mr. Morales, sang the praises of the PMUA and how grateful we should be to the PMUA for the job they do and suggesting their inflated rates are acceptable.
"You get what you pay for", said Greaves; and Mr. Morales, a resident, claimed he was fine with paying over $400 a quarter because the PMUA does such a fine job and provides a great service by employing all the friends and family "2nd chance" folk.
I've never heard so many people in favor of paying more for anything. I'm convinced that these folks, from the more conflicted areas of Plainfield - ready to cry poverty and neglect at every turn - are not in as bad financial shape as they claim to be. They don't seem to have a problem overpaying for services. These fine people may just have the kind of cash you need for all of your projects, Mr. Abdul-Haqq.
They truly believe in the PMUA execs and the family and friends "2nd chance" project they run; and they’re willing to pay more for it. That’s admirable! They’re willing to support a program they believe in.
Mr. Abdul-Haqq, I think Rivers, Reid, Greaves and Mr. Morales have the funds you need for your projects. I'm convinced they're closet millionaires willing to financially support your worthwhile causes. Problem solved.
See! Now you won’t have to sell off our treasures!
I don't know what good the art is doing us, since much of it is in City Hall and most of us don't go there often or at all. I also hope we can get a veto proof City Council soon and fight Shady Sharon, who is not in this for Plainfield's good, but for her own.
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty of jobs avaialable in the west and east end. Pick up litter, help your neighbor shop, rake a lawn or even thry to grow a garden. Oh wait you want big bucks right away for anything resembling labor [i.e. PMUA sweepers/cell phone talkers]. Think of it as Intership, on job training or just becing a good person. The money will come when you are worth being paid - we all pay doctors, etc. because we want those services. We do not want to pay people to lean on shovels, we tried that with CETA
ReplyDelete