Surprise! Special Meeting Tuesday

Funny, it was just today that I was trying to recall whether the City Council had voted on action to change the fiscal budget year, July 1 to June 30, back to a calendar year. Even though I had heard that Chief Finance Officer Ron Zilinski has proposed it and I remember looking up the details on the steps a municipality must take, I could not recall if any of those steps were taken.

Well, what should I find in my e-mail after tonight's thunderstorm passed than a special meeting notice for Tuesday, June 14, with two items related to the reversion to a calendar year.

The mayor has called a meeting at 7:30 p.m. preceding the agenda fixing session (which starts at 7:30 p.m.). Four items are listed:

1. RESOLUTION TO APPROVE TRANSFERS BETWEEN FY 2011 APPROPRIATIONS OF THE GENERAL FUND OF THE CITY OF PLAINFIELD.

2. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT WITH JERSEY PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT.

3. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN APPLICATION TO THE NEW JERSEY LOCAL FINANCE BOARD FOR REVERSION TO CALENDAR FISCAL YEAR PURSUANT TO N.J.S.A. 40A:4-3.2;

4. FIRST READING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT CHAPTER 2, ADMINISTRATION, ARTICLE 10, BUDGET AND PURCHASING PROCEDURES, SECTION 2:10, REVERSION TO CALENDAR FISCAL YEAR.

Regarding the last two items, there is a full explanation of the process for any budget wonks out there - click here and scroll down to the bottom. The six-month transition year would be from July through December. (No wonder I thought something must have been done earlier, as the transition was announced in April.)

Regarding the resolution on transfers, I believe this has to do with keeping certain staff on through the six-month transition year, as related by Zilinski here.

On to the employment contract. Plaintalker reported in May that David Kochel would become the acting city administrator as of May 11 (see post here). Ooopsie! Did he come on board without a contract or will it be retroactive? He can only serve 90 days anyway if he is here in acting capacity. Readers may recall that Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson served as acting city administrator from January through March, then the mayor named herself acting city administrator.

Council watchers may have to prepare for a long evening with a special meeting preceding the agenda fixing session. FYI, the reason it is on Tuesday is that the newly-elected Democratic City Committee will be reorganizing Monday, choosing a chairman and officers for the next two years.

--Bernice