PMUA Study Sparks Calls for Dissolution

A highly detailed presentation by a citizen task force Monday boiled down to three options: Fix the troubled Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority, dissolve it or do nothing. Council President Adrian Mapp then urged the governing body to come up with a super-majority - five of seven possible votes - in favor of dissolution.

About 200 residents filled the Washington Community School cafetorium for the presentation, with more than two dozen speaking out on the findings. Research on the authority's workings ran to more than 10,000 pages on operations and costs of providing sewer and solid waste services to city households. Comparisons with similar municipalities found PMUA services to be more expensive and to require many more employees than others. But setting aside the option of doing nothing, the task force suggested fixing PMUA by finding $8 million in savings to bring authority costs in line with others, having fiscal and forensic audits and a managerial analysis and by being more selective in choosing commissioners. A suggestion to take back a recent $1 million settlement with former executives drew applause.

But so did the prospect of dissolution, although some residents warned of debt and job loss resulting from that option. Of five council members present, four - Annie McWilliams, Cory Storch, Rebecca Williams and Mapp - spoke in favor of dissolution, though with certain caveats. Vera Greaves called for fixing the problems uncovered by the task force and William Reid and Bridget Rivers were absent.

Among comments from the public, Tom Kaercher called dissolution "absolutely" the answer.

"You can't make them listen to you," he told the council. "You have to get rid of them."

Frank D'Aversa said the PMUA resembled other institutions that "start out like Robin Hood and end up like the  Mafia."

"The PMUA has to reform its upper management," he said. As for dissolution, he said, "The public needs to know what will it cost."

Murray Roberts, a 42-year city resident, deplored "cronyism" and questioned how many of the authority's 171 workers are "friends and family."

"This is a 'crony' kind of town," Roberts said, adding, "I hope you will make every effort to make sure the PMUA does not continue to exist."

But Rose Cabbagestalk said, "Let's fix the problem," expressing concern about the number of jobs that would be lost.

Mapp answered her concern by saying there would still be jobs.

"My vision for the PMUA is that it will come in-house." he said.

"You say you don't have the votes," resident Pat Van Slyke said to the council. "You work for us. Who's voting up or down on dissolution?"

Her question brought out the 4-1 split among those present, Mapp having already read a prepared statement earlier in favor of dissolution. But in concluding remarks, task force chairman Joseph Ruffin said he did not see any charge to the group "to look for dissolution" and said he saw a "preconceived notion" in Mapp's prepared remarks.

Asked to respond after the meeting, Mapp said the report contained "information in the public domain" which gave a factual basis for his conclusion.

The presentation was recorded for broadcast on local cable channels and the complete report can be obtained through an OPRA request in the City Clerk's office. it will also be posted on the city web site.

Besides Ruffin, members of the task force were  Thomas Crownover, Elizabeth D'Aversa, Marian Clemmons, Nan Anderson and Ann Mosley. Though established in May 2011, it did not meet until September 21 and did not receive requested information from the PMUA until November.

PMUA officials declined to take part in the meeting, although Commissioners Malcolm Dunn, Cecil Sanders and the Rev. Tracey Brown were in the audience.

--Bernice