Mayor Seeks Council OK for Berry

Former Trenton Business Administrator Eric Berry will be Plainfield's next city administrator, if the City Council confirms him this month.

Monday's agenda-fixing session includes consideration of a mayoral nomination to hire Berry. If confirmed by a vote at the Nov. 21 regular meeting (or sooner if a special meeting is called), Berry will take charge of the city's day-to-day operations.

Berry was mentioned as a candidate for the post on September 12, just as the governing body was about to retire to closed session to discuss personnel. But when council members emerged later that evening, nothing more was said. Berry, Trenton Mayor Tony Mack's seventh business administrator since July 2010, subsequently quit his Trenton job as reported by nj.com and took a post with the state.

Plaintalker had commented on the possibility that Berry might join two other former Mack cabinet members who came to Plainfield. In January, former Trenton finance officer Ron Zilinski became chief finance officer and city treasurer here. Former Trenton Assistant Business Administrator Eric Jackson became Plainfield's director of Public Works & Urban Development on Sept. 26.

Confirmation of Berry would give him tenure until Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs' term ends on Dec. 31, 2013. It would also preclude the possibility that the mayor might again name herself acting city administrator. She served in that role from April 1 to May 10. David Kochel then served as acting city administrator until Nov. 5, but at the Nov. 1 special meeting, Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson said the mayor could again name herself to serve the balance of a 90-day term. The council voted that night to approve keeping Kochel on as a consultant through Dec. 21, which approximates the balance.

--Bernice