Though sparsely attended, Tuesday's First Ward Town Meeting covered a lot of topics, including the 2012 budget, the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority, the June primary, road repairs, senior concerns and the perennial question, raised Tuesday by resident Eric Graham, "What about the youth?"
Graham said there are a lot of young people who need to be involved in some activity, prompting First Ward Councilman William Reid to remind him of the many offerings of the Recreation Division. But Graham specified that he wanted the council to make a commitment to help youth acquire "leadership skills." Reid mentioned the annual summer employment program, funded this year at $91,000, that gives young people jobs in city offices and sites where they can learn the workings of municipal government. He also mentioned an ordinance aimed at having young people attend public meetings to learn more about government.
At that point Freeholder Linda Carter and I looked at each other. When she was a city councilwoman, Carter fostered passage of two ordinances aimed at developing the skills Graham had in mind. One was the student liaison program mentioned above and the other was to be a 15-member advisory committee on issues affecting young people. Carter asked the council members whether they had made any appointments to the two commissions and I was recalling blog posts I had made to encourage implementation of the two entities.
One was never activated. The other received four members several years ago but all terms have since expired, so all 15 seats are vacant. Is it time for a revisit to this legislation? Click here to read Plaintalker's post from 2008.
Another speaker, Rev. Wyatt of Church of the Living God, announced plans for a youth center in the former O'Connor's Meat Market building at 200 Garfield Avenue. He also advocated leadership training and said of city youth, "We want to let them know they are not just a group of people we will throw away."
Councilwoman Rebecca Williams named a number of existing resources for youth, including the YMCA and the Boys & Girls Club. Williams said many churches also have mentoring programs.
An interesting aside: Reid said he thinks "the baseball drama" is settled, referring to a three-year spat between a volunteer-run league and the Recreation Division, which developed a competing league with paid coaches and a lower sign-up fee. Officials of the volunteer-run league complained as recently as this month of being harassed in various ways over use of municipal ball fields. (Let us hope it is really resolved.)
Other hot topics Tuesday included the 2012 budget, which will be discussed Thursday (May 31) by the council after revelation of a $1.5 to $2 million shortfall on May 24. The council is hoping to formulate amendments in time for a hearing and final passage by June 18.
Reid gave details of an accelerated road repair program and assured residents that the cost will not come out of the operating budget, but will be covered through bonding for capital projects. In answer to carter's question on what First Ward roads will be included and Williams read the entire list out from a file on her iPad 2.
The PMUA came in for some heat over what residents called higher rates than people in other towns pay for sewer and solid waste services. Resident Dee Dameron said the rates were "killing" her mother, 81, and vowed to take her complaint to Gov. Chris Christie if nothing is done locally.
"The PMUA is killing me financially," resident Andre Bailey chimed in. He also felt it was a deterrent to new businesses coming to the city.
Reid, who served seven years as a PMUA commissioner, also complained about the rates. He and Councilman Cory Storch also sparred verbally over the need for a study on possible dissolution of the authority. Storch said such a study, involving various experts, is necessary for the state Local Finance Board to determine whether dissolution should take place. Reid wanted just a task force and a meeting of PMUA, administration and council representatives to work out the issues.
Storch said the mayor did not want to do the study required by the Local Finance Board, but wanted a "pre-study before the real study." He urged residents to call the mayor directly with their concerns about the PMUA.
Rev. Tracey Brown, a PMUA commissioner who is now running in the June primary for the citywide at-large council seat, came in for criticism over where she stood on a $1 million settlement with two former PMUA executives. Brown was present for most of the meeting, but left after resident Jean Black objected to a political flier for Brown, depicting her in a pulpit flanked by men including Sen. Robert Menendez with his head bowed, and an apparent likeness of President Barack Obama. The flier urges voters to re-elect Obama, Menendez, Rep. Rush Holt and to elect Brown.
The final Town Meeting is for the Fourth Ward and will be held at 7 p.m. June 26 in Jefferson School, 1700 West Front Street. It will be a joint meeting with the Housing Authority of Plainfield. Although it is primarily for the Fourth Ward, any city resident may attend and speak on specific concerns.
Williams reminded residents Thursday that although the governing body desires to hear from residents, the council cannot get involved in day-to-day operations of the city and so must convey concerns to the administration. She expressed hope that more representatives of the administration, including the mayor, will be on hand at the next meeting to answer questions.
--Bernice
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CARTER 2013 !!!
ReplyDeleteCouncilman Reid considers the baseball drama settled by the Mayor offering QCBL only 2 days a week versus every other week that they got last year, joining with Recreation or just not playing at all. QCBL accepted the measly 2 days but according to some of the Rec. player parents, they have had quite a few forfeits. If they had the 300 kids they profess to have, this would not be happening. A forfeited game is a waste of field time. but nevertheless QCBL will continue to PLAY BALL! I thank Councilman Reid for pointing out that Recreation is PAYING coaches while QCBL coaches are all volunteers. In these days of tight budgets and now the miscalculation of the budget what do our taxpayers think about spending money for a duplicated program that is already offered by a volunteer one, especially when it’s not strongly structured or run very well. What the Mayor should have done was offered to add support to QCBL to help them lower their prices. But that would have been too much like doing the right thing for the children, community and taxpayers. In 2010 Mr. Wynn said in a Council meeting that his league would not cost the taxpayers anything but yet it goes up more and more each year. I guess if Councilman Reid thinks this is ok then it’s ok!?
ReplyDeleteReid did not describe the leagues, I did by way of background.
DeleteUnfortunately the summer youth programs throw too many teens into a few offices for a few weeks where there is a lack of meaningful work for them to really learn anything but busy work. They can not be fired, allowed to use power tools or even requested to take the music ear buds out. If this is preparing them for real employment in corporate America you are seriously misinformed. They are prepared only to work at the PMUA [if they are related to some connected] ....GB
ReplyDeleteIt's passing out candy to buy votes. Nothing sustainable, just plenty of rotted teeth. Don't look too closely though because it's a horror show. These are enemies of the people running city hall. Serf City, USA.
ReplyDeleteReid seems to ignore the needs of our kids to make our mayor look good, since it is her job to make sure this is settled, and it is not. We need to make sure we put the blame where it needs to go, city hall and the PMUA commissioners.
ReplyDeleteWell Bernice I thank you for bringing this out. Reid you get no credit.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to give the youth opportunities and prepare them for a very competitive workforce, especially in these troubled economic times; however, the basics of preparing the youth for the future starts at home with family.
ReplyDeleteWhether it's Mom, Dad, Uncle, Aunt, or another influential member of the family, the support structure starts at home; that's where a young person should be able to rely on encouragement and a support network to build their confidence and sense of self that will make them a productive member of the work force and society.
Of course, it's not always cut and dry; we can all use help at times. However, those constantly seeking to initiate another tax payer funded programs should, first, consider why Plainfield always has a need for another publicly subsidized program; why Plainfield has so many youth at risk. Look inward to find the answer, not outward. Once the root of problem is defined, then work towards fixing the problem. The answer is not another publicly funded program!
The school budget in Plainfield is $150 million! That's a lot of money - of which even a very small percentage can be used to initiate a mentoring/training/leadership program for youth, including younger and older children. I'm sure that if the funds were properly administered a very good program could be devised; instead of putting the tax payer on the hook for more money for more public programs -- enough already!
It is not the responsibility of the tax payer to further subsidize progams because a couple did not properly plan or consider the obligations associated with having an extended family.
No person should rely on the rest of society to take care of our personal obligations.
Bottom line: don't keep trying to solve other peoples' problems with my money!
Rev. Brown should be ashamed of herself for that mailer. It is insulting to think we could be fooled into voting for her because of that clearly doctored photo. If she wasn't responsible for it, she should say so and condemn it. If she was, then she will answer to a higher authority and have to be judged accordingly. It never ceases to amaze me that politicians in this city think the residents are idiots!
ReplyDeleteThe summer jobs program is a joke, if you are not the child/relative/friend of a friend of a high ranking (administration)city employee, you do not get to work in the program. Take a survey and see how many of the young people working has a parent or relative working for the city making a high salary off the backs of the lower income families. The program should be for the children of lower income family, this way they can at least purchase what they need for the coming school year and help the family.
ReplyDeleteBernice & City Residents,
ReplyDeleteThere are PLENTY of Jobs avaialable this Summer !! Okay most are volunteer and need a little elbow grease, but look around. Neighbors lawns to be trimmed, leaves raked from shrubs, garbage picked up and of course heavy duty cleaning inside of apartments and homes of those elderly and unable to physically do it. Yes it means cutting into your TV watching, but believe me [I was young once] there is still plenty of time to talk about the boys/girls at night with your friends!!! Come on now lets admit it your Aunt, Mother, neighbor can certainly think of something for you to do M-F 8 to 2 for the summer!! Just ask them !!