Both Cecil Sanders and Charles Eke were interviewed previously to serve as PMUA commissioners. Sanders was approved as an alternate on the PMUA board in December 2011, but Councilman Cory Storch said it was before he took part in a vote that led to an "outrageous settlement" with former PMUA executives. As an alternate, Sanders was able to vote on the matter because one of the five voting commissioners, Tracey Brown, was absent that night.
The mayor has now nominated Sanders to fill the vacancy caused by Brown's election as as the citywide at-large council representative. Brown took office on Jan. 3 and will be eligible to vote on her successor.
Eke and Sanders were both previously rejected for PMUA seats in January 2011. Read Plaintalker's post here. Eke subsequently returned to lash out at the "New Democrats" who voted against him, callling their votes "very shameful" and labeling them as "obstructionist" and "unfit for public office." In December 2012, he ended up sitting among those he condemned when he became a temporary appointee for the citywide at-large seat following the resignation of Councilwoman Annie McWilliams. At an interview preceding the vote, Councilwoman Rebecca Williams reminded Eke of his past behavior. The vote failed and the choice of an appointee fell to the Democratic City Committee, which had offered the names of Eke and two other candidates. The committee chose Eke to serve through December.
Eke reveled in the role and a group of his supporters photographed and taped him and also came to the microphone on Dec. 17 to praise him.
"No doubt he's going to be a big asset not only to the City Council, but to the city of Plainfield," one suppporter said.
It was unclear whether the group knew Eke was only serving as an appointee for a month. Another supporter said he expected Eke to be of great service to the city, calling him "humble, yet confident and assertive" and saying all were happy "to see him on his first day in office."
Eke himself gave thanks on Dec. 17 for what he called "a test run" and made a speech about leadership qualities and "the way people carry themselves." He said the city needs leadership, "but it must not be a strident leadership."
The mayor has proposed Eke for a vacant alternate's seat on the PMUA board. Sanders, if approved, would move to Brown's former seat as a full voting comissioner.
On Monday, Councilman William Reid, acting as chairman of the committee of the whole, interrupted the discussion of interviews for Sanders and Eke by listing a large number of cabinet vacancies as well as on the PMUA. He said the council needs "'comfort" to know "that we are dealing with a whole deck." City Solicitor David Minchello halted the speech by reminding Reid that the council's own rules of order "limit debate to the question before the body."
Reid insisted he had the right to bring "anything up" that he deemed important to council business.
The council agreed to interview Eke and Sanders again at next Tuesday's regular meeting, 8 p.m. in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Avenue.
--Bernice
Brown should recuse herself from any vote on Sanders, as Sanders' negligence and malfeasance as a PMUA alternate has directly permitted Brown and other commissioners to extend by the length of term of his office the illegal taking of compensation in violation of our Municipal Code. Sanders, meanwhile, is up to his ears in violations of the state's Local Government Ethics Law, and should be rejected on that basis alone.
ReplyDeleteEke, who has been friendly to me on the few occasions our paths have crossed over the past four years, should take this friendly advice- it will take only one or two meetings, and one billing cycle, before you too become complicit and culpable in the fraudulant and illegal activities of PMUA. As much as you aspire to public office, you would be wise to ask that your name be withdrawn from consideration. Why would you want to take on significant personal liability when none yet exists?
Interesting evening. It is obvious that the council, with its 4 votes solidly in the mayor's pocket, is going to be the mayor's cheerleader.
ReplyDeleteWe should have known that this council will have little professionalism considering how the council president had a "campaign" for her seat.
While Plainfield will still remain mired in politics, which means nothing will happen, it looks like it will be interesting.
The 5-ring circus really began at the council meeting. The president displayed a level of rudeness and unprofessionalism that was a cut above the rest.
ReplyDeleteIt was clear and obvious that she is definitely in the mayor's corner...seeking her approval on the way she presided over the meeting.
The mayor has her four votes now. It remains to be seen what tricks she and the council will perform for Plainfield this year.
Step right up and get your tickets to this circus. Guaranteed to please!
I have to agree with the others commenting here that the council meeting was unprofessional and that was caused by the coucil president, Bridget Rivers. Obviously, the mayor thinks that having the coucil stacked in her favor will help her re-election aspirations. Sorry Sharon, this city is beyond being tired of you. If last night's meeting is any indication of what will happen in the future, I will miss the civil and professional way meetings have been run in the past few years. Thank you Annie and Adrian. It was obvious that Rivers was the mayor's cheerleader and I don't think Reid or any of the others were comfortable with it or her trying to control what the other council members were saying. They are all equal and her job is to just move things along in an orderly manner. I guess we better send her a copy of Robert's Rules, since she doesn't have a clue.
ReplyDeleteWhomever the Mayor nominates will be elected as Commissioner. Fait accompli. The PMUA will continue in its customary manner, unabated. Extraordinary effort to obtain the basis on which the attribution of costs was made to Household Collection and Shared Service remains unrewarded. They ain't telling! Why?
ReplyDeleteThe conspicuous answer is that the distribution of costs is inequitably weighted heavily in favor of Shared Services so as to punish those who have OPTED OUT. And, the revenue must come from some source. If the Household Collection fee were increased, as it should be, and the Shared Service fee reduced, as it should be, it would result in an exodus from PMUA collection to private haulers. The loss of revenue would be devastating. Hence, the PMUA has dug in hard, and the method by which they have proportioned these charges is more closely guarded than the Pentagon computer access code. Until a State Agency intervenes, which may never happen, the only effective form of protest to all these shenanigans is to OPT OUT. Mr. Sanders affirmative vote to award the million bucks, and his follow up statement that,..." Had he had his way he would have awarded more" makes his imminent appointment all the more discouraging. Bill Kruse
So Eke praising all his great qualities and being one of the Mayor's pocket pals... Isn't that kind of like how the Mayor proclaims herself to be a good Christian while reminding everyone "She's the f-ing Mayor" ???
ReplyDeleteHey.. They've all got the Magic Letter "D" in front of their names..You all know who to blame ( please don't stray too far from the mirror Plainfielders )
Speak out. Speak loud. Speak often. The message that residents are not satisfied and/or complacent will eventually pierce them.
ReplyDeleteOne way to begin demobilizing these machines IS to speak out and the other is to OPT OUT -- of PMUA. Once they start feeling it in their wallets, hopefully their arrogant attitude will subside to a more humble one.
Go to a Council meeting. Go to PMUA meeting. Be heard.
Thanks to all for helping get the Mayor re-elected. Plainfield is extremly tired the negativity. This is only January 2013 and here we go.
ReplyDeleteSomebody is doing something right. Change the (Fear)of Plainfield moving forward.
We need a real canidate to step up and run for Mayor i will even support a republican Mayor as long as he keeps the issues of Plainfield in front of the bull brap.
Renee
who will replace harold mitchell as the chair person at pmua surely he dont know what he is doing in that position he is the one that should be the alt commissioner at pmua this man do not know how to call to order at any meetings that i have been to why is he still there.don't he have other relations that work for pmua where are the 7th man board member that are to sit on the board of commissioners of pmua i do beleave under dan williamson they are trying to revamp i/e mr watson was the man that taken plainfield from the trash dumps!! and did make the city a much better place to live for everyone plus with a cleaner city sleepy hollow should be happy now that they have move back to plainfield after leaveing it to the skunks and rats from their not picked up garbbage by priviate haulers thank u mr watson for a job wll done!! sleepy hollow!
ReplyDeletejust think where would plainfield be today if mr,eric watson was the mayor look at what he did with jus a cell phone and rented trucks to give us a cleaner place to live i beleave plainfield would at this time with his savvy and and know how to court major business alongwith state assemblyman gerry green this city would have anchor stores major businsee clear schools/streets most of all loewr home taxes are stable taxes eric warson with a cell phone have brought bach the 500.000 home owners he and the stateassemblyman working to gather can bring this city into the 22nd century now!this is the type of people with small minds and smalller thinking make themselves feel good over less the a few 100.000 gripe when they want something someelse had the guts to do alone i call them carpetbaggers plainfield will not let this happentwo great leaders can see to that and we know who they are PMUA have lead the way that is why others cities will agais call us the the queen city once again but more advince!!
ReplyDelete