At a special meeting on March 28, Council President Adrian Mapp said he had made a request through the mayor's attorney to call off the lawsuit. In return, the council would consider rescinding a $200 fine and a reprimand that followed an investigation into use of funds for an August 2010 "town meeting." According to testimony in hearings, the mayor had pushed through issuance of a check for $20,000 to WBLS on the Friday before the Sunday radio broadcast of the meeting.
Mapp, Councilman William Reid and longtime Democrat and professional mediator Dottie Gutenkauf had volunteered to meet with the mayor to seek an apology and dissuade her from pursuing the lawsuit. But meanwhile the governing body "lawyered up" just in case, approving a $250-per-hour contract with a prestigious law firm.
On Monday, Gutenkauf told Plaintalker she had "no comment" on whether any meeting took place over the weekend. Monday was supposed to a deadline of sorts for the mayor's apology, as a court filing was imminent.
Mapp apologized Monday for the use of the words "misappropriation of funds" on the printed agenda in a description of correspondence. The item referred to Mapp's letter to mayoral counsel Richard J. Angowski, but Mapp opened the meeting by stating emphatically it was a misprint and he had never used the word in his letter.
In public comment, Gutenkauf thanked Mapp for his apology, but then questioned him on whether he had gotten an extension of the deadline. She also asked why, if there was a 35-day limit, he waited until last week to consider acting on the matter. She then asked whether he had apologized to the mayor and Mapp reiterated that he never used the word "misappropriation" in the letter.
Gutenkauf again pressed Mapp, resulting in several minutes of back-and-forth exchanges, until City Clerk Abubakar Jalloh said it was he who used the word "misappropriation" in error and that he had called the mayor to explain.
The evening passed with no official statement on the status of peace talks with the mayor, apparently meaning the legal battle is on.
--Bernice
Who remembers the season premiere of Dallas when we find out the entire previous year was just a dream?
ReplyDelete@Rob, I cannot post your comment. "Stealing" means somebody just put something in their own pocket.
ReplyDelete@Bob: I cannot post your comment due to your use of the word "crook."
ReplyDeleteAs always, I respect your editorial discretion.
ReplyDeleteBernice, I never described myself as a "professional mediator"--what I said was that I was an "experienced negotiator and mediator," which I am, and offered my services to the city at no charge if I could help resolve this issue so the council and the mayor could start dealing with Plainfield's very real problems instead of getting sidetracked. While the majority on the council indicated at the time that they were willing to let Bill Reid and me give it a try, Adrian Mapp's subsequent letter to the mayor's attorney will, I believe, turn out to be counter-productive and cost us all money for lawyers which the city and the taxpayers simply can't afford--in addition, of course, to the time and energy it will take to deal with it. I still hope that the mayor and the council will take up my offer and that this can be resolved, but frankly, it becomes more difficult by the day.
ReplyDeleteMy apologies for improperly characterizing you.
DeleteNot to worry, Bernice--nobody gets every little detail right!
DeleteSharon is what she is and that's my opinion. I guess we can't say what we think on the blogs. Keep up the good work. I appreciate your efforts.
ReplyDeleteTo Dottie,
ReplyDeletePlease tell the Mayor to remove Lisa Logan Leach and Barbara James from city employment. With that money saved Council could use it to defend thenselves from that loser Mayor you so highly regard.
Whoever you are, you have no idea what I think of the mayor. I certainly am in no position to tell her what to do.
DeleteI am trying to help solve a problem which is interfering with the mayor and council's ability to do their job.
And you?
Get rid of this Mayor and City Council will be able to do their job.
ReplyDelete