For the third time this year, Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs is asking City Council confirmation of appointments to the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority that would push aside two commissioners who voted against a $725,000 settlement for two former executives.
Nominations before the authority's annual reorganization would have eliminated Commissioner Carol Ann Brokaw and placed Chairman Harold Mitchell in an alternate's seat. But the move failed and Mitchell retained his chairmanship at the Feb. 14 reorganization. Brokaw, on holdover status, was again named secretary.
Monday's meeting precedes the authority's March meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at 127 Roosevelt Avenue. If the council approves the mayor's nominations, Mitchell would have to step down as chairman and Brokaw would be off the board of commissioners. The board would then have to choose a new chairman.
The board has five commissioners and two alternates. The Rev. Tracey Brown, whose term as commissioner expires in 2015, is not affected by the nominations.Alex Toliver is nominated to succeed himself for a five-year term ending Feb. 1, 2017, but meanwhile can stay on as a holdover under state authority law even if not reappointed. Malcolm Dunn, approved in November to fill a vacancy to Feb. 1, 2014, is not on the new list, but was previously nominated to switch to a longer term.
Cecil Sanders Jr., currently an alternate, is nominated for a full five-year term succeeding Brokaw. The mayor wants Mitchell to replace Sanders as Alternate No. 1 and Darcella Sessomes is named to be Alternate No. 2.
Sanders, Dunn and Toliver voted in January to approve the settlements for former Executive Director Eric Watson and Assistant Executive Director David Ervin. The settlements, which with earlier ones total $1 million for the pair, are now under scrutiny by the Department of Community Affairs. A March 1 letter states in part "... the Authority's settlement with Mr. Watson and Mr. Ervin has an aura of collusion and political payback clashing with the accountability and transparency the Governor demands from local authorities."
Nearly 300 residents signed an electronic petition to the state, asking for an investigation into the settlement. The DCA letter to Chairman Mitchell also includes a ratepayer complaint from resident Olive Lynch, which after investigation, caused state officials to be "disturbed" by the circumstances leading to the settlement.
The City Council meeting is 8 p.m. Monday (March 12) in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.
--Bernice
Some how, some way, Adrian Mapp has to be convinced to join his New Dem colleagues and vote against these appointments.
ReplyDeletePlease Adrian, we beg of you. You don't need to continue down this road.
STOP THE MADNESS, vote against these appointments.
At this point the various captains, commodores, and admirals are on deck for all to see, and the rudder is pointing the S.S. PMUA straight at the disaster ahead. This is as it should be.
ReplyDeleteNo more begging and genuflecting. By their votes we will know who the co-conspirators are.