The City Council will invoke its subpoena powers at a special meeting this month to investigate how city funds were spent on a town meeting broadcast over WBLS more than a year ago.
In an update Tuesday, City Council President Annie McWilliams said the governing body's special counsel on the matter gave "tentative conclusions" indicating misconduct, but answers were lacking from city employees on the details. The city's special charter empowers the governing body to use subpoena powers, conduct investigations and even remove employees for cause.
The meeting is scheduled for Sept. 21. Plaintalker cannot recall another instance over the last 25 years of the council invoking its investigative powers.
Questions arose within days after the Aug. 1, 2010 program for which the city paid the radio station $20,000. The live broadcast on issues including gang violence was hosted by WBLS personality Gary Byrd and featured a brief appearance by The Rev. Al Sharpton. The check for $20,000 was drawn against an information technology account for "hardware and software maintenance." Later, Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs said the outlay of city funds was only about $5,000, as an unnamed donor had given $15,000 toward the cost.
Both the council and the mayor hired attorneys, but the council's special counsel, Ramon Rivera, said mayoral attorney Stephen Edelstein had failed to respond to his inquiries. The funding came through the Division of Recreation headed by Superintendent Dave Wynn, who declined last year to provide information to a Recreation Committee that was probing the division's operations. Two other checks to WBLS, for $2,500 each, came through Recreation for the 2010 July 4th celebration, but one was drawn on capital improvement bond funds and the other from an "outside consulting" account.
Not all council members agreed on the need for an investigation. In April, Councilman William Reid objected to the cost of hiring special counsel. He and Councilwoman Vera Greaves voted "no" on hiring Rivera and council members McWilliams, Cory Storch, Rebecca Williams and Adrian Mapp voted "yes." Bridget Rivers was absent for that meeting.
--Bernice
Questions arose within days after the Aug. 1, 2010 program for which the city paid the radio station $20,000.
ReplyDelete==== Here we are well over a year later. IF any city employees are dragged before the council they will see Mayor Sharon's buddies, Reid, Rivers and Greaves nodding and winking at them whilst listening to the advice of the Cheshire Cat herself..."Wait em out...They will fold and fracture if you give them time. Party politics matter far more than this."
And, she is correct. Jerry will bark his orders eventually with the election cycle kicking into gear ( all Good New Dems fall in line behind him, it's an election year! )ending the charade and all will be good with Plainfield again.
Hopefully, these "God Fearing" people in Plainfield will realize that what the council is doing is looking into fraud and illegal activity.
ReplyDeleteAnd if they don't get that, try that what she did, if found guilty, is a sin against the 8th commandment "Thou Shalt not Steal".
Somebody really needs to do something about these back alley deals that are made using the taxpayer's money. I'm happy that there is an investigation no matter how long it's taken. Any City Council member that doesn't agree with an investigation needs to take a hard look at themselves and what they stand for as an elected official. Enough is enough!
ReplyDeleteIf there were improprieties, then the voters should speak out and rid City Hall of the crooks that rob the city coffers for personal gain.