Trenton Makes, Plainfield Takes?

The proposed appointment of Eric E. Jackson as director of Public Works & Urban Development brings to mind some coincidences.

If appointed, he would be the second veteran of both the Doug Palmer and Tony Mack administrations to come our way. Ron Zilinski, Plainfield’s chief finance officer since January, had been Trenton’s finance director under Mayor Palmer and was comptroller under Mayor Mack. His appointment saved Plainfield’s mayor and council from facing daily fines for not replacing former CFO Peter Sepelya, who retired at the end of 2007.

While Jackson may not be a savior to that extent, he could stabilize a department that has become a bit rudderless over the past 20 months, what with turnover and layoffs. For one thing, somebody needs to pay a lot more attention to the roads program before a citizen uprising takes place over vehicle damage from potholes. Even if Jackson is only able to create a climate of reassurance that roads are being looked after, it would be a feat.

Jackson was public works director under Palmer and even though he ran against Mack, he won the new mayor’s endorsement as assistant business administrator, though according to press reports his tenure was brief. By now, local Google sleuths will have gathered intelligence on Trenton’s byzantine politics, which make Plainfield look tame by contrast.

Jackson’s run for elective office brings up another coincidence. Former DPW&UD director Jennifer Wenson Maier served on the Rahway City Council during her tenure as an appointed administrator here. Her successor, David Brown II, ran for office in Long Branch. It is up to the reader to decide whether being involved in politics makes any difference in an administrator’s outlook or performance. In Wenson Maier’s case, she dealt with some developers as an administrator here and as an elected official in Rahway, which some viewed as a conflict.

Whatever side issues may emerge with Jackson’s appointment, Plainfield needs an experienced hand at the helm of Public Works & Urban Development. Someone raised the question of Jackson’s lack of experience in economic development, but that aspect of city government may be less important right now than getting the rest of the DPW&UD job done. Zilinski seems to have brought much-needed expertise to the city’s fiscal situation; if Jackson can do the same for public works, Trenton’s loss will be Plainfield’s gain.

--Bernice