News Roundup

This oppressive heat is slowing me down. With the demise of the old Dell PC, I should be busy reconfiguring the computer set-up to make the Toshiba laptop the main resource and maybe acquiring something new as back-up. But I can't think! Anything above watering the plants seems to be too taxing for my brain. A lot of afternoons are being spent just dozing off in siesta mode.

Having made that disclaimer, I will offer some odds and ends of news and observations, none of which add up to a whole news story.

- On Monday, the City Council approved  the mayor's nomination of Diane Sherry-Buono as treasurer from Aug. 1, 2012 to July 31, 2013. No salary figure was stated in the resolution.

- A group of residents from Lawrence Gardens asked the City Council for help, claiming their landlord is not addressing problems including mold, roaches and mice. The former Netherwood Village site was once managed by the Housing Authority of Plainfield, but was later acquired by Connolly Properties and is now owned by a successor, Pentium Properties. Councilwoman Annie McWilliams, serving as acting president in the absence of Council President Adrian Mapp, directed Public Works & Urban Development Director Eric Jackson to look into the matter.


- Former school board member Joseph Ruffin, who also served as chairman of the PMUA Task Force, was named a commissioner of the Housing Authority of Plainfield, succeeding Ken Scott in a direct appointment by the governing body.


- Alex Toliver was recognized for his work in organizing the "Returning Heroes" parade on July 7. Councilwoman Rebecca Williams read into the record a resolution of appreciation for Toliver's efforts. Councilman William Reid called the parade the best in years.


- A new item Monday was permitting a street encroachment for National Night Out on August 7. No details were available. The city's web site has a link, but it is to the National Night Out information page, not specific to Plainfield. 


On another topic, a sheriff's sale notice caught Plaintalker's eye, as it included the former Cozzoli site that was acquired by RTN LLC of Elizabeth. It was to have been part of a huge development that fell through in 2008. Now the portion owned by the investment firm is up for sale for $1.2 million. The sheriff's sale notice includes a number of liens on the property, for taxes, sewer and Special Improvement District charges plus penalties. The development was one of about 18 that were in the works in 2006, most of which never materialized.


Regarding the heat, I hope we get some relief soon. I will be very interested to read the state climatologist's report when this month is over. July 2012 is shaping up as an extremely hot month.

Please note, I cannot answer questions in the Comment section because this laptop is not recognized by Blogger. Anyway, Joseph Ruffin Sr. was a school board appointee who ran for a full term an unexpired two-year term in 2009, but did not win.
bp

--Bernice