Commissioner Carol Ann Brokaw said Tuesday the PMUA board's search committee had narrowed the pool down to four candidates who have the appropriate qualifications for the job. The authority provides sewer, solid waste and recycling services to about 15,000 households in Plainfield and was recently approved to operate a materials recovery facility for Union County at the Rock Avenue transfer station.
According to a Spring 2011 PMUA newsletter, Executive Director Eric Watson and other top officials decided to "pass the torch" after long years of service.
About 25 people answered job ads for the post. PMUA attorney Leslie London said one in the Courier News Career Builders section is still running.
Commissioner Malcolm Dunn said all the resumes were provided to the board and suggested that each of the five commissioners submit names from the pool "and see who we agree on."
This job ad in the Star-Ledger for a PMUA executive director details the qualifications.
Meanwhile, a $1 million settlement with Watson and Assistant Executive Director David Ervin sparked residents' complaints to the state and Gov. Chris Christie has called for an investigation. In a letter to PMUA Chairman Harold Mitchell, state Division of Local Services Director Thomas Neff questioned the settlement, saying it appeared to be based on "affinity" for Watson and Ervin. Neff also noted that two commissioners, Dunn and Cecil Sanders, admitted to meeting individually with Watson and Ervin.
On Tuesday, Mitchell asked to have the letter put into the record and asked other commissioners to "pledge cooperation." But Dunn asked, "What is the (Department of Community Affairs) going to do? Where does it say they are going to do anything? I read they are going to pass it on to someone else."
Dunn said he had no problem with reading the letter into the record, but asked what cooperation was sought.
"Cooperation with whatever they want," Young said.
Dunn reiterated his question and noted the letter said steps will be taken "to prevent it from happening again." The good part, he said, was that the state will "monitor our finances."
Brokaw said she didn't understand the issue.
"We have an obligation to cooperate anyway," she said.
Mitchell ended the discussion by saying, "I withdraw my request. Let the chips fall where they may."
Dunn asked to whom the letter was addressed and when told it was sent to the chairman, he told Mitchell, "Answer it."
Later, at the request of resident Charles Sporn in the meeting's public hearing portion, London read the entire letter into the record. Dunn briefly left the room while she was reading.
Among other issues, resident Alan Goldstein questioned why health benefits were not considered part of each commissioner's compensation. The commissioners receive a stipend of $4,500 as well as health benefits . London read a four-page opinion on why health benefits did not have to be considered compensation, based mainly on IRS rules that do not include such benefits in gross income. She said it was her legal opinion and others were free to offer theirs.
A PMUA Task Force created last year by the City Council to examine the workings of the authority will give its report Monday in a special meeting, 7 p.m. at Washington Community School, 427 Darrow Ave.
--Bernice
Will someone, anyone PLEASE just shut the PMUA down??? They are robbing the property owners of Plainfield. Their rates are 2-3 times MORE than all surrounding cities. They charge way more than the going rate. Yes I know... Plainfield had a dumping problem 15 years ago, as did other cities. What PMUA does is nothing new. Put the services out for competitive bid and Plainfield property owners will see an immediate $8 million dollar savings each year.
ReplyDeleteThe settlement was just one of the egregious acts by this entity. Mitchell is to be applauded for taking a stand with that but ask him about the $18k per year family health benefits he is taking.
Ask Brokaw about her back door dealings, trips, and immigration.
Speak to Toliver about the three times he has had his car repaired using funds from the PMUA. They were all disguised as travel allowances.
Multiple same number purchase orders and duplicate billings are common practice at the PMUA.
No executive director that is picked by the foxes who run this hen house will be able to make the PMUA competitive. Wake up city council - unless of course you have a vested interest in the millions of dollars that are wasted. HMM???
Yup folks, they all have skeletons and they are about to come out.
Well...to answer Brando at 6:36AM... Unless the "EVIL REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR" does something in this bastion of Good Government Democratic Party Style..No skeletons will come out. I chuckle to see the the city leaders calling for the governor to "do something"...lol. Laughable.
ReplyDeleteIf I was him..I'd tell Plainfield to suck it and have your great and powerful Assemblyman do something or even more laughable...Storch and Mapp the "NEW" wink wink Democrats.
Duane Young has done an outstanding job, so why is the PMUA wasting thousands of the rate-payers dollars on this expensive search? Let's start by changing the rules so the Council can remove poorly performing or crooked members of the Board. It's sad that the state has to clean up this mess and our mayor and council don't seem to be able to do anything about it. If it doesn't work, then fix it!
ReplyDeleteThe Statutes which limit the compensation received by Commissioners "from all sources" to an amount not to exceed $4500, was read at the PMUA meeting on March 13th. The question was then asked how in light of this explicit limitation the Commissioners, past and present, received and receive Benefit packages which typically cost 15,000 to 20,000 per Commissioner annually?
ReplyDeleteAttorney Leslie London, responded by reading a 4 page prepared memorandum on the subject. The good news was that any new Commissioner will not be entitled to these benefits. Those Commissioners who are receiving them , Brokaw, Mitchell and Brown, will continue to receive them. The justification that was offered for the policy, and its continuation with seated Commissioners, is that the IRS Code does not consider the cost of benefits provided to employees by employers as "TAXABLE INCOME". Ms. London then makes a quantum leap of logic to conclude that because the cost of benefits is not classified as "taxable income" the benefit payments are not "compensation".
The exclusion of the cost of benefits from Federal taxation in no way suggests that it is not Compensation for services performed. If it is not a form of compensation then one asks "What is it"? The dictionary clearly defines the word as would any reasonable person reading the Statute:
Compensation": to be equivalent to; to make proper payment to; to supply an equivalent.
In addition, if Ms. London, and the Commissioners, were certain of their ground why would they rescind the benefit package going forward? Acting out of an altruism for the public benefit is not their hallmark.
We trust that when Mr. Neff's team arrives that he will review this matter as part of his investigation and expose Ms. London's specious conclusion thereby terminating this policy.
It will also be interesting to see how many citizens show enthusiasm for sitting as Commissioners with this extraordinary benefit excluded. Bill Kruse
Bernice, I would like to respond to Bob's comments relating to the permanent appointment of PMUA Interim Executive Director Duane Young.
ReplyDeleteI also attended the PMUA Commissioner's meeting. I walked in while they were discussing the employment process for a permanent director. During the public comment portion I asked the Commissioners whether they outsourced the search for a new director. They responded that they had not and that they had an internal committee comprised of Commissioners Brokaw and Brown. So I think Bob's claim that there was excessive use of rate-payers dollars is most likely incorrect as they only placed ads in newspapers and the like.
It is interesting to note that towards the end of the meeting and just before the public comment, Rev. Tracy Brown requested to make a statement for the record in which she claimed that there was misinformation posted in the blogs which stated that she was against the permanent appointment of Mr. Young. She wanted it to be known that she was indeed in favor of appointing him to the permanent position. What was also interesting to note is that after Rev. Brown spoke Mr. Toliver also took the opportunity to state for the record that he too was in favor of Mr. Young being appointed to the permanent position.
I then took the opportunity during the public portion to ask why Mr. Young has not been appointed to the position as they now have a consensus with four out of the five commissioners in favor, (Mr. Mitchell and Ms. Brokaw both previously, and by a nod of their head last night, expressed their commitment in having Mr. Young appointed into the the permanent position). The Chair had the Authority's Attorney Leslie London answer my question. Her response was that there were 25 applicants which have been narrowed down to 4, and that Mr. Young was one of them. She also stated that they would make their decision towards the end of the month.
Many of us have watched Mr. Young make many good accomplishments in the few months that he has been running the authority, let's hope he gets appointed to the permanent position.
Jim Spear
Dear Mr. Kruse,
ReplyDeleteI hope I am not the first or the last to answer your call, but where do I sign up? A caveat: I am Not a member of the Party, and I eschew politics, so I can't see my name on any Mayoral list.
That said, count me in.
Richard Goldenberg
Whoever is appointed as executive director shouldn't have 30 vacation days or other greater number. They shouldn't have a guaranteed 4% yearly salary increase along with merit pay, car, and the like. The commissioners approve these lucrative contracts so they in turn will get the kickbacks.
ReplyDeleteAll of this while the council screams we want to governor to come in an take a look. COWARDS!!!
They can disband the PMUA and scold them etc etc. They choose not to do so because they are benefitting from this corrupt agency. Shame on Mapp and Storch. They always say the "right" words when it's election time but do nothing when given the chance. Congrats to R. Williams for sticking to her guns when it comes to the waste and abuse at the PMUA.
Hope to see everyone at Monday's meeting at Washington Community School.. It's time that the PMUA is exposed for the fraud that they are.
Jim Spear is right, and he signs his name, too.
ReplyDeleteThe PMUA is an independent authority established (against significant opposition) back when Mark Fury was mayor, the council was split, and Al McWilliams cast the deciding vote (he and I discussed it at the time).
I am not in favor of Mr. Young nor am I impressed by him. Too convenient and more importantly, if the Commissioners are in favor, then definitely there is something amiss. Let the search continue, but warn the candidates - the PMUA and those associated with it are on theeir way out.
ReplyDelete