Saturday's visit to the Plainfield Public Library turned up even more twists in the PMUA appointment saga and no guarantee that Monday's City Council will bring closure.
The packet for the Feb. 13 regular meeting had a new lineup for commissioners and alternates on the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority. Mayoral nominations included in the Feb. 6 packet did not make it to the agenda and the revised roster is on as a new item for Monday. Of the five commissioners, The Rev. Tracey Brown is on board until Feb. 1, 2015 and Alex Toliver is up for a new five-year term succeeding himself. After that, it's a game of musical chairs on paper for the other three commissioners and two alternates.
Commissioner Carol Ann Brokaw is not being reappointed and Chairman Harold Mitchell is headed for an alternate's seat. Alternate Cecil Sanders Jr. is now up for a commissioner's seat. If readers can make out the chart above (click to enlarge), seats are shuffled in what seems to be a random way. If the council approves the latest nominations Monday, that lineup will be in effect for the PMUA reorganization on Tuesday (6 p.m. at 127 Roosevelt Ave.).
On other topics, a proposed settlement agreement with the DEP is up for approval. The DEP found violations of rules for underground storage tanks during inspections at City Hall, City Hall Annex, the Public Works Garage and Police Headquarters in 2009 and 2010, resulting in fines totaling $23,000.
A resolution for "night watch services" turns out to be about monitoring of juvenile probationers. The Union County Youth Services will, for an amount not to exceed $6,000 make home visits and inspections, random stops of juvenile offenders, "absconder investigations" of youth probationers, investigations of curfew violations and other services related to court-ordered supervision of juvenile probationers.
The governing body will vote on establishing an Advisory City Council Shared Services Committee with representatives from the administration, council, Board of Education, Housing Authority of Plainfield, Plainfield Public Library, PMUA, Union County and the Plainfield YMCA.
As previously reported, the council will be asked to approve a part-time chief finance officer. The resolution did not give details, but the nominee appears to be Glenn Cullen, currently the borough administrator and CFO of South Plainfield. An ordinance up for first reading will set the salary band for a CFO from a minimum of $83,172 to a maximum of $125,000.
Click here to view the Feb. 13 agenda. The meeting is 8 p.m.Monday in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.
--Bernice
About those commissioner nominations- even those work on the PMUA schedule- garbage pickup twice a week, recycling once a week.
ReplyDeleteCommissioners Brokaw and Mitchell attempted to prevent the looting of $1,000,000 and their reward is dismal and downgrade. Does this tell you anything? Bill Kruse
ReplyDeleteBill Kruse - you are 100% correct. Whomever votes FOR the new commission tonight will be the ones in with this Cecil Sanders and Malcolm Dunn characters.
ReplyDeleteNone of the commissioners deserve appointment or reappointment. Mitchell and Brokaw are part of the old regime in which rates have DOUBLED in seven years. Remember, only seven years ago we were paying half of what we currently pay for sewer and garbage.
ReplyDeleteThe new players are no different and are probably WORSE! But this doesn't excuse any of them. Tell the Mayor to put up competent individuals who are willing to work on behalf of the property owners.
Council - Don't just vote yes because some of them are a little better than others. They need to be significantly better. People are losing their homes because of the PMUA. Just take notice during the next tax sale. You will see hundreds if not thousands of people struggling to pay their PMUA bills.
What will your legacy be???
There are people in Plainfield who can make a difference. Do they not do so because they have their hands out and don't want things to change?
ReplyDelete