Three separate authorities are involved in dealing with Plainfield's sewage: Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority, Plainfield Area Regional Sewerage Authority and the Middlesex County Utilities Authority. As the annual reorganization date for authorities looms, questions may resurface regarding who represents the city on PARSA.
For many years, Assistant Executive Director David Ervin of PMUA has held the post. Each of the eight municipalities served by the regional authority have representatives to PARSA, but even before Ervin retired from PMUA and a controversy arose over settlements sought by Ervin and former PMUA Executive Director Eric Watson, there were questions about whether he should serve on PARSA.
It came out last fall that Ervin actually had an unexpired term on PARSA which he intended to fulfill, regardless of the city's wishes. Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson told the City Council that it was up to Ervin to resign.
Click here to read a Plaintalker post on the issue.
PARSA's annual reorganization takes place on Feb. 2 and PMUA's reorganization is coming up soon as well. Plaintalker recently gave an overview of the PMUA board of commissioners in regard to the naming of a chairman for 2012. The split vote on the settlement appears to portend more clashes over important decisions the board must soon make and possibly supports Ervin's refusal to step down from PARSA.
New PMUA Commissioner Malcolm Dunn, while a member of the City Council, frequently invoked the Frederick Douglass saying, "Power concedes nothing without a demand." Who will emerge with the power in February and what demands may be made?
--Bernice
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The "Creation Ordinance" (MC 1995-19)states matter-of-factly:
ReplyDelete"Section VIII
The Executive Director of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority or a member of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority shall serve as a representative of the City to the Plainfield Area Regional Sewerage Authority as designated by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council."
Once again, Dan Williamson shows that he doesn't know the law, or doesn't care what the law says. A 'member of the Authority' refers to a commissioner, and Executive Director is straight forward.
Ervin is neither, and so is ineligible to maintain his PARSA seat, if indeed he was ever eligible for it.
But leave it to Williamson to jam another violation of law down our throats.
Get rid of PMUA altogether. It's a waste of time resources, and money.
ReplyDeleteDunn is a scheister and game player. I don't trust him, as he's only in it for himself. There needs to be a way for the City Council to recall bad commissioners like him from city authorities.
ReplyDeleteBob Bolmer
Who demanded what of Mr. Dunn that compelled him to gift the retirees. Msrs. Watson and Erwin, a million dollars? And the modest stipend of an additional $95,000 to their attorneys?
ReplyDelete