Council Brief

If I get anything wrong in this report, blame it on the heat, not having my usual computer and unresolved household distractions. Maybe by the regular meeting date things will sort themselves out and I won't have to feel so out of it.

Regarding Monday's agenda fixing session, for one thing, I share Dr. Yood's curiosity about how the proposed chief financial officer is now the proposed treasurer. The agenda item up for discussion is a resolution to hire Diane Sherry-Buono and waive the residency requirement. One hopes there will be an explanation of the difference and whether that title will satisfy the state requirement for a CFO.

The agenda-fixing session is 7:30 p.m. in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave.

An important item is settlement of the Police Benevolent Association contract. The union has been without a contract since the end of 2009. For 2010, there is no increase. In 2011, the increase 2.25 percent, followed by 2.50 percent in 2012 and 1.25 percent for 2013. The superior officers will have the same schedule and will also have a prescription co-pay.

The city has seven bargaining units, according to my records. I believe the United Service Worker Union Local 255, the Firemens Mutual Benevolent Association and the Plainfield Municipal Managers Association have settled recently. In past years, after the unions settled, the unrepresented staff (cabinet members) got similar salary adjustments by ordinance, but recently it has not been done that way.

Maybe I have this wrong, but it appears that the $1,920,208.43 for the FY 2012 Road Improvement Program is coming from a bond ordinance listed on the certification of funds statement by CFO Glenn Cullen as being intended for "resurfacing of Park Avenue." The resolution covers 10 other streets. Maybe that will also be explained Monday.

There are several resolutions covering liens for cleanups. A couple of the names of property owners sound very familiar, but I will have to verify their identity by visiting the tax assessor's office.

The matter of the extra space behind the steel wall of the police firing range, also commented on by Dr. Yood, is intriguing. I hope the closed circuit television cameras are working and any further renovations in the basement of poice headquarters will not interfere with the long-awaited start of the ShotSpotter program.

--Bernice