Council Backs Mapp on Staff Initiatives

Explanations from Mayor-elect Adrian Mapp turned the Nov. 12 tide of opposition to concurrence Tuesday as his City Council colleagues approved a salary increase for chief financial officer as well as creation of the title "chief of staff" and a salary range to go with it.

The new salary range of up to $155,000 for the chief financial officer passed 6-0 after Mapp, a CFO himself in another municipality, had Personnel Director Karen Dabney come to the table to discuss salary ranges for the title. Dabney cited a range of $168,088 to $120,000, with an average of $135,000. The information countered objections by resident Alan Goldstein, who did his own survey and found the range excessive.

Before the vote, Mapp called Plainfield a complex city with many challenges that needs a "highly skilled, highly competent" CFO.

"This position will more than pay for itself," he said.

Council members Cory Storch, Vera Greaves, Mapp and President Bridget Rivers were present in City Hall Library and Rebecca Williams, Tracey Brown and William Reid took part by speakerphone, although Reid's line in South Carolina dropped out early. The salary ordinance passed, 6-0, a pattern that continued with establishment of the title of chief of staff and passage of a salary band for that title of $60,000 to $95,000.

Mapp's pitch for the chief of staff was based on what he said was the need for someone to interface with all levels of government.on the city's behalf. He gave a personal anecdote regarding his ability to get his mortgage re-financed in a time of dire need only after he sought help from a representative in Washington.

"The next day, I got a call from the president of Bank of America," he said.

Mapp told his colleagues he needed their support for the title, which was not the same as city administrator.

"You can call it any name - I chose to call it 'chief of staff,' " he said.

Brown said, "I'm glad Mayor-elect Mapp cleared that up, because we had some serious concerns."

On Nov. 12, .the measure had failed 4-3 and the salary band ordinance was then moot. Both passed,  6-0, on Tuesday.

The budget transfer resolution that went off the rails on Nov. 12 passed, as several police officers looked on. The sticking point on Nov. 12 was initially $131,091 for controversial police promotions by lame duck Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs. The council ended up funding only $51,000 in Recreation shortfalls out of the 17-item, $1.1 million transfer request. On Tuesday, Acting City Administrator Al Restaino briefly answered residents' questions about some of the budget transfers and Mapp explained why he was dropping his objections to it.

Besides declaring the handover of $163,085 in FEMA funds to the PMUA "improper," Mapp cited "irresponsible behavior " of the outgoing mayor in making the promotions. But he said if the budget transfers were not made, the city would go into the 2014 budget year with the $1 million shortfall as a "deferred charge."

"I will not allow anything to get in my way of being a successful mayor," He said. "It pains me that the mayor has put us where we are."

But he added, "My concern is not about being right, it is about being successful."

Williams objected Tuesday to an additional $45,000 for the Media budget line. Restaino chalked it up to coverage of numerous city events, but said he has now "streamlined" the schedule. The transfers passed, 5-2, with Williams and Storch voting "no."

The final item on the special meeting agenda was conveyance of city-owned land to the Housing Authority, but Corporation Counsel David Minchello deemed the ordinance "not legal" and in need of further review. He said city redevelopment counsel Robert Renaud concurred.

First, he said, the ordinance read "like an attempt to enter into a redevelopment agreement," but it referred to an area not designated for redevelopment. Secondly, terms, such as a price for the turnover, were lacking.

Wendy Monahan, an attorney for developer Cecil Sanders, said the property was being conveyed to the Housing Authority.

"In my legal opinion, there is nothing illegal about this ordinance," she said.

But the council sided with Minchello and voted to table the ordinance.

In public comment, Goldstein raised several potential conflicts of interest regarding various public officials in connection with the proposed ordinance and said, "None of this is on the table."

Randall Wood, director of the Housing Authority of Plainfield, objected to the characterization and said anyone on his board with a potential conflict "always recused themselves."

Minchello said his reasons for advising the council had nothing to do with Goldstein's comments, but were "purely related to process."

For background on the proposal to build on the city-owned sites, click here.

The next City Council meeting is an agenda-fixing session on Dec. 2, followed by a regular meeting on Dec. 9.

--Bernice