So sometime this week the City Council may hold a special
meeting on temporary emergency budget appropriations, an item that did not make
it to last Thursday’s agenda because a majority of council members said they
wanted a review with a budget consultant first.
A three-month temporary budget expires March 31. Until
budget passage, the city relies on temporary emergency appropriations month to
month after the initial three-month period. Mayor Adrian O. Mapp offered the
governing body a resolution for appropriations through June, representing half
a year’s budget. But he wants more for certain line items, including 68 percent in salaries
for his office. That line includes pay for the chief of staff, a title the
council approved, along with a salary range, after Mapp won the November general election.
Mapp did not need council confirmation to hire a chief of staff once he took office, but apparently a council majority does not like his choice. It appears that he is including the extra funds for his office in order to secure the job for the person he chose, someone whom he considers essential to his team. He also included 77 percent in salaries for the Recreation Division, which needs a new superintendent.
Council President Bridget Rivers said the governing body needs to meet with the budget consultant over the appropriations in order to assure "a sound temporary budget,' but three-term Councilman Cory Storch said Thursday he never heard of a consultant dealing with the temporary budget. Historically, a consultant assists the governing body in its deliberations after budget introduction. The council unanimously agreed to introduce the budget Thursday, but has not scheduled any budget deliberations nor has it named anyone to the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee.
What is this all about? Is it a case of the executive branch messing with the legislative branch, or vice versa? Will a newly-hired budget consultant want to get in the middle of a politically-charged situation over temporary appropriations before budget deliberations on the introduced budget begin?
Action on appropriations for the coming month or months must take place by March 31, or the city will not be able to operate. Employees, even those with Legal Shield payroll deductions, will not get paid. Rivers vowed Thursday that the council will not allow the city to shut down, but when and how will this issue be resolved? There are important community meetings on Wednesday and Thursday, leaving only four possible dates for a special meeting if the matter goes all the way to the last minute.
Whatever the reason may be for the temporary budget stand-off, it must be resolved, even if the parties don't want to state publicly why it came to this juncture. In fact, if a rumored prejudice is involved, better to resolve it without letting the world know how low things have sunk around here.
--Bernice
prejudice ??? I'd never go that far out on a limb..unless of course the prejudice is against City Taxpayers who aren't on the RDO gravy train.... Why then, the gang of 5 have proven quite eloquently, they are against those people at every turn.
ReplyDeleteI'd trust Jack more after coming home with the magic beans than those 5 "looking after" the regular citizens.
Hey... since they aren't afraid to look like fools for fools sake.. Maybe we can get Dave back in recreation ?? Or promote him to Chief of Staff? .. NOW THAT'S AN IDEA THEY WOULD TRIP OVER THEMSELVES TO JUMP ON.
Those Republicans are at it again !!! What we need in this town is a Democratic Party majority who will .... oh wait ....
ReplyDeleteIn evaluating the cost of newly created positions, or for that matter existing positions, we should not forget that public employees receive a benefits package that is rarely matched in industry, The employer (CITY) side contributions are for Social Security, State and Federal Unemployment, Health Benefits Insurance, Disability Insurance, Workman's Compensation Insurance, General Liability Insurance Retirement Fund, and several other minor employer contributions, plus the cost of administering these benefits. So, when we talking about an $80,000 or 85,000 salary
ReplyDelete( which presumably is the lower end of a range which will be established for these new positions ) in reality we are talking about those sums as direct compensation plus 35 or 40% additional employer side contributions, A total taxpayer cost of about $100,000 to $115,000 for each employee. In addition to that people in these positions undoubtedly incur some travel and meal expenses in the performance of their duties.
I can clearly recall when Larry Bash was the City Administrator, and Paul O'Keefe was the Mayor, that each had a secretary. A total staff of 2 capable gals that fielded everything that came into the office. These women were the Chief's of Staff', personal secretaries, aides-de-camp, and part time psychologists. And, it all ran well. What has happened that now we have a Cecile B. DeMille production in order to run government...a cast of thousands? Bill Kruse
I wonder why the five stooges were more than willing to pass a Sharon budget with many holes in it, but want to spend money on a consultant. This city is in a deep hole due to Sharon and the stooges who loved her and they aren't helping get this city back on track. Maybe they're afraid the terrible job they did for eight years under Sharon will come to light. Surprise, we already know that. Why do you think we're calling you Stooges.
ReplyDeleteLike I said ! O'Keefe was one of those bad Republicans !
ReplyDeleteBob you are right prejudice that you are, and childish,insulting,and of no good to plainfield.Why don't you just run for office so we can really see what a real fool looks like.
ReplyDeleteI have run for office and am duly elected to the Plainfield City Committee and say what I think is right. I love this town and will fight anyone who trys to cause harm to it. Maybe you want Sharon back? Too bad, but the voters are too smart for that.
DeletePeople what Mapp is proposing will raise your mortgage and rent.
ReplyDeleteI must admit, I was fooled, thinking Mapp would work with/for the people of Plainfield but the arrogance took center stage and now it's " I will show all of you that I will do a better job of running PLFD into the ground than fat cat Sharon did" I am better than her, you'll see, well we see right out of the gate with the crap, I guess that's why he no longer needs the CBAC. To anon @ 1pm, I hope I don't run you over getting to the polls to vote him out.
DeleteAdrian Mapp is well on his way to being a ONE term Mayor. He appropriates funds and wants no questions asked. He has created 2 million dollars in salaries for new positions. He asked for $100,000 in a budget line but doesn't want to be asked why. When Sharon spent only $10,000 on the WBLS scandal, they hired a lawyer to sue her. This will be his last term, I would bet money on it.
ReplyDeleteIf hiring Ron West as his Finance Director is not a clear indication of how Mapp operates then I don't what is! Ron West single handedly spearheaded the closing of Muhlenberg then he gives this man a high paying position! Thanks for being concerned about your constituency Adrian!
ReplyDeleteI knew that this administration was going to be a bad one when Mayor Mapp gave his friend a high paying $90,000 plus benefits and the White House Title as Chief of Staff. I also thought that he was going to bring back the Police Chief position back so that the Police Dept. would get back in working order. What happened to doing more work with less people to get our budget back in order? SRB and King Green and their council gave us the royal screw and now Prince Mapp and his team are just giving us a bigger ROYAL SCREWING.
ReplyDeleteTo 1:00pm - Sharon spent nothing on the WBLS scandal. She refused to talk to the council, which costs nothing, and forced the council to hire a lawyer because she hired a lawyer. She then avoided talking to the council lawyer which ran up legal fees before the matter was settled. And, by the way - you paid for the lawyer. The council voted on paying her legal fees. You may recall that if the council did not pay her legal fees, her attorneys were going to sue the city. Great example.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I don't agree that he does not want questions asked, but at least you see the funds. You have no clue what Sharon spent the city's money on. Have a peek at the audit findings for the city for the past 8 years.
She left this city in a mess, and by the way, had it not been for Mapp, your taxes would have been even higher for the 8 years Sharon was in office.
You may note that your % increase this year is less than when Sharon was in office last year.
Before people speak, you really should get all your facts, and know what you are talking about.
Example if 12:34pm - your tax increase is less than last year when Sharon was in office. Did you care about it then? And what exactly are you talking about? I guess you don't want things to increase every year - like taxes and salaries.
WOW, a message from PLFD's Chief of Staff
DeleteThe title Chief of Staff identifies the leader of a complex organization. If Mapp did not want the responsibility of being a Mayor then he should of just let his best friend John the Chief of Staff run for Mayor. We don't need more new titles and jobs created what we need is a honest well run city government with the taxpayers getting some long needed relief!
ReplyDeleteThe only way well get real tax relief is by bringing in businesses to take the burden off homeowners. Mapp has stated this over and over and has hired people for positions that will do this. Won't happen overnight but as it does every citizen of Plainfield will benefit
DeleteBob, Some of the council people were not elected yet during the last administration, or was only on a short time.Maybe Mapp should just raise your mortgage since you are so in love with his policies.
ReplyDeleteIt was nice that someone was appointed who isn't in touch with what Plainfield really needs and doesn't owe her loyalties to the people in Plainfield, but elsewhere. I'm not naieve and neither are you. Get real and get over the fact that Sharon was an albatross around our neck and cost us a lot. Maybe we could compare her to Christine Whitman. If the shoe fits.
DeleteWilliam always defends Mapp, everybody knows she says what he tells her to say.
ReplyDeleteMost of these post sound like they are coming from Jerry Greens camp. Especially this one. At this point Jerry will say and do anything to discredit the Mayor so as the three people running in ward 3, 2&3 at large and ward 1 look like bad choices. Let the games begin. Jerry Greens choice for these seats will leave us with more of the same or worst, most likely worst. It is way past time that we begin loosening the grip that Green has on this city by not voting for his three stooges, especially one that ‘make back room deals’ with Green. IT IS WAY PAST TIME FOR JERRY GREEN TO BE GONE. In all seriousness, in order for any real change we need to do two things, one get rid of Jerry Green (although we are stuck with him for two more years) or at the very least, vote for a city council that is not hand-picked by Jerry Green.
DeleteFor Mayor Mapp, was your picking Ron West for his position a pay-off for Jerry Green giving you the line? Let’s hope not!
KS
To 4:32pm - it was not the chief of staff who wrote that. It is an informed Plainfield citizen who makes sure the facts are known before saying something.
ReplyDeleteSure sure, all these Informed Plainfield Citizens that know all the facts, now that you know all the facts, speak on them with the Assemblyman, Mayor, Council, PMUA etc., maybe then this City will avoid going further into the Sewer.
DeleteSpeaking does less than voting. I have spoken, but Jerry Green appoints the council (he appointed Reid, Greaves, Taylor and Brown before elections) and supplies jobs to the PMUA. So obviously speaking does no good, Jerry Green has got to go!
DeleteThank you Bernice for letting us all vent.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is and always has been jerry. It should be obvious to even his most koolaid drinking followers that its time for him to go. Remember june 2015 is coming soon. It starts by beating his completely unqualified council candidates this year then next year the real work will begin. Beating him in the primary and then removing him as union county and plainfield democratic chair. Its time that the vocal minority become the voting majority by beating him in next junes primary.
ReplyDeleteThis cities future needs to start this june and continue that momentum all the way through next year.