Special Meeting Tuesday

The City Council will hold a special meeting Tuesday to vote on nine items, including a public hearing on amendments for the six-month transitional budget and possible adoption of the amended budget.

The notice is already up on the city's web site. Scroll down past "Halloween Safety" to see it, or click here.

As usual, some of the titles are cryptic. Bloggers will have to look at the full packets to be sure what they mean, but after reading on the Jersey Professional Management web site that "In virtually every community where Jersey Management has placed a temporary professional, the governing body has offered that individual the permanent position," Plaintalker is hoping that the resolution on "consulting services" means that Acting City Administrator David Kochel has agreed to a two-year "permanent" contract to the end of the current mayor's term. If not, maybe the city is getting another well-qualified individual through the firm.

Two ordinances on "Budget and Purchasing Procedures" appear to be aimed at carrying out pay-to-play measures by the end of the current year, as discussed at recent meetings.

But as mentioned above, only seeing the full text of the resolutions and ordinances will clarify what action is contemplated. Perhaps council advocates of pay-to-play will explain what items 6 and 7 mean before the meeting.

Anyway, the special meeting is 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1, in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Avenue. The November agenda-fixing session will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14 in City Hall Library, followed by the regular meeting at 8 p.m. Nov. 21 in Municipal Court. Ordinances approved on first reading Tuesday may be offered for second reading and final passage on Nov. 21.

The December schedule includes an agenda-fixing schedule at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 in City Hall Library, a regular meeting at 8 p.m. Dec 12 in Municipal Court and an agenda-fixing session at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 19 in City Hall Library for the 2012 Reorganization Meeting.

--Bernice