It was just about two years ago that members of the volunteer-run league sought help from the council for many of the same reasons, including use of ball fields and poor communication with Recreation Superintendent Dave Wynn. A new wrinkle was a facilities use policy that Wynn said was drawn up on Feb. 29 but given out on April 14 to all athletic groups. Wynn was not present when Queen City Baseball League officers said they were being asked to submit names and addresses of all players, which they found problematic for confidentiality reasons. Wynn showed up later and claimed he asked the same of all groups using athletic facilities.
The gist of the Queen City officials' argument was that Wynn showed favoritism to a city-run league created in opposition to their volunteer-run program. Even when the city league played out of town, the QCBL was denied use of fields, they said. Regarding the new facilities use policy, Wynn first said he "had no idea" the QCBL was in existence this year, but later said the policy went out to them and all groups at the same time.
Public Works Director Eric Jackson, Wynn's boss in the administration, was home sick with walking pneumonia and could not shed light on any talks he had with either QCBL officials or with Wynn regarding the situation.
Councilwoman Rebecca Williams said as a "rational, reasonable thinking person" she thought there would have been a "sit-down" over the issues and called it "just unconscionable" that Wynn would say he didn't know there were two leagues.
Council President Adrian Mapp laid blame for the impasse at the feet of Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs and advised the QCBL officials and others who spoke in support of the league to contact the mayor with their concerns.
"We all know where the problem lies - the problem is the mayor," he said after Councilwoman Annie McWilliams said, "This can't go on all season."
During her two terms as council president, McWilliams found herself dealing with baseball league issues at numerous meetings. She agreed with Mapp that the issue resided with the mayor.
Resident Roland Muhammad, who works with the city-run league, spoke late in the evening.
"We're tired of going over the same things ourselves," he said.
He accused Mapp of having a "double standard" and said, "It bothers me when I see people sit up here lying."
Muhammad's remarks prompted Williams to ask City Administrator Eric Berry about rules of decorum for city employees.
Councilman Cory Storch said there was a difference between saying something is untrue or nonfactual and calling a person a liar.
"How do you address employees who call people liars?" Storch asked Berry.
"I never had it happen before," Berry said, adding he did not know Muhammad was a city employee.
The initial discussion concluded with Storch saying the only way the situation was going to get resolved was to ask the mayor to attend the May 14 council meeting and say how she will resolve the matter.
--Bernice
This is just so typical of the merry-go-round style of city government we are accustomed to day-in and day-out. 'Stuff' never gets resolved, everything festers, time goes by, and we wake up next month, or next year, and it's all the same.
ReplyDeleteIt's all the more reason why a great deal of city government activities would be better handled by a community-based non-profit. Plainfield Action Services should be the designated organization handling its current function, and include managing the WIC program, senior services, and recreation. With a strong board of directors, with no more than 1/3 city officials sitting on it, it would provide more effective services that reach many more people.
Nothing is served by the current structure, save the ability of various political hacks to shuffle piles of money around, buy votes with public sector jobs, and give the hustlers and scammers grist for the mill.
I'm hoping, but certainly not expecting, that this election season will bring forth some serious dialogue about restructuring city government. More likely will be some combination of "I love Plainfield, and if it weren't for him/her everything would be just ducky." That's more or less what we hear every year from the personalities who run for office with no ideas, who really are living in the past, only motivated by ancient political slights, or narrow personal interest.
This is the reason why after all the dust-ups nothing ever changes or is resolved.
please, Please, PLEASE stop writing about this!
ReplyDeleteIt's bad enough that both sides continually abuse the public comment privilege to waste the time of the council and administration with this trivia but they've highjacked your blog as well.
The Mayor is going to make a decision? There is a lack of organization in City Government which results from the dearth of mature thought from those "in charge".
ReplyDeleteThe only thing more laughable than these events unfolding is that there are people surprised that it is..
ReplyDelete@Bob: I can't post your comment due to your use of the vulgar slang word you used. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteWhat is Muhammad's role? Check this excerpt from a January 2011 post:
ReplyDeleteRoland Muhammad, another Wynn supporter, said he missed the annual reorganization where he heard there was talk of unity, “But I don’t see it.”
“I see a divided city,” he said. “New Dems, old Dems. I live in the Fourth Ward. I represent the poor. This is our city,” he said, shaking a fist at Storch. “Look what happened in Washington. You act like Republicans to me.”
“You’re a joke,” Muhammad said to Storch, continuing his remarks and growing louder.
Finally McWilliams cautioned him, “Don’t yell,” but Muhammad said, “That’s my voice.
Again turning to Wilkins, he said, “I’m not afraid of the Fourth Ward, but I’m a little afraid of the Second.”
To Queen City Baseball League leader Karen Glencamp Daniel, he said, “My war is not with you.”
Muhammad went on to describe his 40-year friendship with Wynn and added, “I say things the mayor can’t say.”
“You’re a public servant,” he said in a final shot at Storch.
As the meeting adjourned at 12:25 a.m., the mayor thanked Muhammad.
@ 10:22am...We have such "trivial" problems because people voted for this "mayor" again.
ReplyDeleteWould you have the children doing something positive with their time or would you rather have them roaming the streets trying to find something to get in to????
Sharon is not for Plainfield or the children, she is for self and everyone who voted for her are just as guilty as she is.
muhammad is dave wynn's flunky and the mayor's personal protector. The budget should be checked for how many jobs he is actually being paid for. I know of at least 3. His true intentions were revealed when he tried to chase away QCBL 4-6 year olds from practing Tball on a school field where rec. was using only one of the 2 fields. Does that mean his fight is not with Ms Glencamp Daniel but with the kiddies. How sad is that. I'm sure the mayor gave him brownie points for that too.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous May 8, 2012 10:22 AM...If you are annoyed on how the public is speaking about this...how do you think I feel when I am trying to provide a service to the community that doesn't cost the tax payers anything? QCBL is trying to do good, But DAMN why do you have to fight to do right?? Help....What do you expect QCBL to do? Or go about it, to end this saga??? hmmmmmmm
ReplyDelete