Looking through the December 2 packet at the Plainfield Public Library revealed once again that the outgoing administration has never quite understood the appointment process.
Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs submitted nominations for the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority that mirrored a roster she offered in August. See Plaintalker post here. The idea was to switch terms around to give the longest ones to Malcolm Dunn and Cecil Sanders and replace Commissioner Harold Mitchell with former mayoral aide Barbara James The ploy failed in August. It seems doubtful that the City Council will move it to the Dec. 9 agenda at Monday's agenda-fixing session. These terms start and end in February, so the timing is off anyway.
The appointments listed above are for the new Community Emergency Response Team. As readers can see, the terms are not specified. How can the council intelligently discuss such a vague proposal?
Nominees for the Plainfield African Caribbean Commission have staggered terms, as is normal for a new commission, but because the mayor apparently wants to push them through before her term ends, some members will only serve a couple of weeks in 2013, despite the terms being billed as two- or three-year terms. The most confusing is a one-year term ending in 2015.
In addition, the question arises whether Charles Eke will have to give up his alternate's seat on the PMUA in order to serve on this new commission, as Plainfield has a prohibition on dual office-holding.
The worst attempt at appointments involves the Shade Tree Commission. The term "mayoral designee" means someone meant to serve during the current mayor's term. But the proposed nominee is listed as serving to 12/31/2014. Then there an alternate designee with the same term, and another individual listed as succeeding herself for a two-year term.
Disclosure: I was an original member of this commission and served as its secretary, but did not seek a second term in part because I was appalled at how mixed-up appointments to this brand-new commission became. Duplicate nominations, wrong terms and successions - you name it. Applicants also had their information lost multiple times.
If residents are willing and qualified to serve, the mayor's office should at least be able to name them in a timely and appropriate way. One hopes the new mayor will work with the City Clerk to fill vacancies on boards and commissions properly.
Click here to see the application to serve on a board or commission and note the rules. Regarding years of service, I happened across a city calendar from 1985 that listed members of all the city boards and commissions. Most of the individuals and even some of the boards are gone now, but one person on a land use board is still there after 28 years. Time to give somebody else a chance?
--Bernice
who oh who is going to flip ??? TICK TOCK TICK TOCK... time will tell.. will there be outrage at the umbrage, or umbrage at the outrage ? Pounding on the pulpit or a simple folding suit ?
ReplyDeleteIsn't there supposed to be in the City Clerk's office a list of all boards and commissions, qualifications, terms, and vacancies--and applications for anyone interested in serving?
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