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Council President Bridget Rivers said Monday she is not in favor of an Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission.
"We are the ABC board," she said.
The council annually considers all city liquor licenses and can renew or deny them. A discussion item Monday was an ordinance to establish a commission instead. Rivers said she wanted more information "or it's rejected."
"I haven't seen no ordinance," she said.
Corporation Counsel David Minchello said state law permits either the governing body or a stand-alone three-member board to deal with liquor licenses.
"At this time, we can serve as the stand-alone body," Rivers said.
More than 30 licenses come up for renewal by June 30 annually. Minchello suggested that the proposed board could meet more regularly than the council to deal with the licenses.
Rivers also balked at the nomination of Thomas Crownover as an alternate on the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority board of commissioners. She said the state is investigating the authority and the results might be known by May 1. She recommended no action until the state report is issued.
"What's the reason to make changes?" she asked.
Councilwoman Rebecca Williams said Crownover was only nominated to fill a vacancy.
"I stated my case and my answer is no," Rivers said.
Previously, Crownover and others were named to replace holdover PMUA commissioners.
A consensus to move the item to the April 15 agenda failed, with Williams, Cory Storch and William Reid agreeing and Rivers and Tracey Brown in the negative.Vera Greaves was absent and Gloria Taylor came in late.
Crownover was nominated to the Alternate No. 2 seat, the only vacancy on the board of five commissioners and two alternates. An alternate does not vote unless needed to make a three-member quorum.
--Bernice
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I am very disappointed in Council President Rivers' stance on the need for new PMUA commissioners. She uses the same sad excuse about waiting on the State investigation that also has been voiced to me by Assemblyman Jerry Green, Plainfied and Union County's Democratic Party chairman. I fully believe it is intended only as a means to deflect attention from PMUA misdeeds that are obvious and well-documented.
ReplyDeleteWhy Corporation Counsel Minchello permits Councilwoman Brown to participate in these proceedings is also a mystery. She has a distinct conflict of interest in the outcome of any Council action relating to PMUA, as she was a recipient of many thousands in illegal commissioner compensation while a member of the Authority's Board. The personal financial interest is clear as day, which puts her in a slightly different class than former commissioner Bill Reid, or Rivers, whose son works there. What is the purpose of an Ethics law if it is continually disregarded?
Mr. Crownover, for his part, is a successful attorney and Executive Director of the Metuchen Parking Authority. He was a member of the Council's PMUA Task Force, so he knows a great deal about the Authority, and has the requisite professional skills to bring competency and needed oversight to the Board. However, this isn't what the Council wants. It much prefers to neglect its fiduciary role and promote cover-up and obfuscation.
PMUA stalwarts should be happy with the RDO Council candidates. They're the best bet that the fun and games which have cost city residents millions will continue. Think of it, if instead of being siphoned out of our bank accounts to fund years of PMUA's massive and abusive budgets the money had been put in escrow, we'd have enough to buy Muhlenberg Hospital. That would be too good an outcome for those who say "Suck On It Plainfield"! That should be their campaign slogan.
"I haven't seen no ordinance," she said. ---- Your grammar alone is one of the many reasons you shouldn't be deciding who should and shouldn't be selling alcohol.
ReplyDeletePMUA... Obstructionism at its finest... High Five for corruption Rivers...what do you see when you look in the mirror?? ( other than someone with a poor grasp of English )
Sometimes the use of language is a cultural difference. Who are we to judge?
DeleteWhy can't we just attack the policies?
Grammar is or isn't correct... pointing it out is not an "ATTACK" , Jim. Were this the backwater of Tennessee I'd probably roll right along with it. By NJ standards, I'm a hick or hayseed from the mountains.
DeleteIt's not correct................and even this hayseed educated in the rural mountain school districts can see it and say it.
Sorry Rob but Spears is right you said " Your grammar alone is one of the many reasons you shouldn't be deciding who should and shouldn't be selling alcohol". That's an attack.
DeleteAnd here's some advice - not every insult needs a response.
Bernice this is incorrect Bill Reid voted no for cronover Also I was at the meeting last year when Bill Reid ask to create a ABC board and Mayor Mapp said there is no need to create a ABC board we the governing body can serve as the ABC board. So now as a resident I am very confused at this administration everything Mayor Mapp was against to help move the City forward he blocked now he is doing the same things that he blocked. I don't understand this.
ReplyDeleteRob just show walking around plainfield with the sheet on your head. All you did in the past was complain about the honorable Mayor Sharon Robinson Briggs whom I must say did a better job then this mayor spending Plainfields money. You are as raciest as they come. The only reason your supporting Mayor Mapp is he;s trying to change the culture of the City to what you like. He have a chief of staff spending $600.00 dollars on chair for his office. Tax payers dollars. He have A PIO decorating her office like she's home. He have spent over 1 million dollars in campaign paybacks. No one will ever talk about that. Mr. Rob you will never have your wish of taking plainfield backwards. I know you would like to live in 60's all over again but as long as I'm living in Plainfield it will never happen. I am going to get more involve so I can make sure people like you are silenced.
ReplyDeleteWhere is your proof of the spending of COS and PIO offices?
DeleteAnd really, you think SRB did a great job of spending Plainfield's money. You should kiss the current mayor, because if the council approved SRB's budget as she presented it, you would be paying twice as much as you do now. Look at the budgets she presented and her bottom line, compared to the council's bottom line.
The only reason your taxes have not doubled is because of Mayor Mapp. Be informed when you make accusations - people in Plainfield are pretty lazy when it comes to validating what has been said. You are an example.
And, what is the culture here now, and what are you afraid it will change into? Perhaps there is a bit of racism attached to that statement?
ok....... So let me get this straight.....having a problem with someone who is NOT only fiscally irresponsible, tries to repeatedly rape the library budget, personally stands up for and behind an employee who abused the recreation department, treats the city government as her personal purse and openly used the phrase "I'm the f$#king Mayor" to city employees makes me a racist??? LMAO
DeleteI proudly stand behind my choice of voting for the BLACK Mayor Mapp because he wants everything your "honorable" Sharon wasn't.
And if having a problem with improper grammar is racist well then I'll proudly wear that too lol....
The Cooper's truck has made several furniture deliveries lately to City Hall, though I wouldn't pre-judge the Mapp Administration based on the chairs it sits on, or pull the rug out from under it unless the chairs are so comfortable the newly hired just fall asleep in them.
DeleteReally..... Sharon bought flowers, food for the seniors any chance she could, Barbara James, Elaine Todd, WBLS, her boyfriend at the PMUA to name a few. Get real!
DeleteGood to see they are at least supporting a local business with items that are needed.
DeleteAnonymous 9:48am why do you lower your standards to someone like Rob. If your are African American and truly a African American you will never do the right thing in this man's eyes. Please don't waste your time on people like that. It's only a select few of them. As you stated you are going to get more involved. I suggest to you that you focus on that and don't waste your time on people like him.
ReplyDeleteLOL... see above.. you are as ignorant as the person you are attempting to placate or riding the gravy train of corruption in this city..
DeleteI voted for you Mayor Mapp you are a great disappointment.
ReplyDeleteRenee
Renee - Seriously? He has been in office for 98 days including week ends? Pray tell, what did you expect?
DeleteAlready we have developers flocking to the town building - we have a police chief who has arranged for emergency contact of the citizens of Plainfield. We still has a council with politics as their main goal instead of Plainfield - maybe that is your disappointment. Seriously - what did you expect?
anon 10:45 there is proof just go look for yourself. Look at the salaries of them all. Your Mayor Mapp would not let Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs have a secretary in her office. When she hired a PIO he fired that person. He took the money out of the budget. There is your proof is in black and white.
ReplyDeleteERROR! First - Mapp was not the lone person to take away the secretary - there were 4 others. And, SRB had not only 2 PT secretaries, but a full time personal assistant. Add up the salaries of all of them and they are less than the COS.
DeleteSecond - SRB hired the PIO before having a salary approved - Mapp did not take away a salary, SRB never put in for one.
Last - Any comments about your taxes? Did you look at the mayor's budget for the past 8 years vs. the council's budget?
Again, look at facts, not just what you think or feel. You may not like Mapp - that would be a truer comment rather than giving out all this misinformation.
Rob yes you stand behind Black who thinks he's White Mayor Mapp whom have rapped the City in just over 3months in office. Take a walk down to his office it is insane heck he thinks he's in the White House oh yeah I forgot to say this is tax payers dollars
ReplyDeletenow who is the racist. Seems whenever you don't get what YOU want you play the race card. Getting old don't you think!
DeleteWhat everybody said about Rob is true.I have been saying it for along time.Just about every Black person in town thinks him to be a racist.He is not a good person, he criticizes every Black person and helps divide the city.To criticize Rivers grammar is just wrong and racist.
ReplyDeleteDO WE KNOW WHO ROB IS? IS HE BLACK, WHITE, YELLOW, MAN, WOMAN WHAT. WHO KNOWS WHO THIS ROB PERSON IS. REALLY PEOPLE, WE HAVE WAY BIGGER ISSUES IN PLAINFIELD
DeleteAnonymous, 12:11AM, You are the one that is in error, where are you getting your facts, Oyeah, from your boy MAPP.
ReplyDeleteNot hardly. And calling names is really not necessary.
DeleteAnon 12:14 I usually would not respond but I have to respond to this. 98 days of spending millions of dollars on his political paybacks.
ReplyDeleteI voted for the one Plainfield that I thought we would achieve through Mayor Mapp boy was I fooled.
I was just told that he didn't even get the approval from the City Council to approve this PIO positions. That is illegal.
Why is the council allowing this person to sit in office with no approval from the council????
I was there at the budget hearing when Mayor Mapp stated he have already dipped in the surplus, SURPLUS may I add that was left by the previous administration whom let Mayor Mapp tell it they wasn't doing a good job.
Yes he had me fooled developers are flocking to come here now WHY Mayor Mapp and his cronies Storch, Williams, and McWilliams at the time painted a very negative picture of the previous Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs so bad that I fell for it.
Why I didn't see this coming let me just blame it on not being more educated to the Politics Played in Plainfield.
I wish I can turn the clocks back to June and November of 2013 and I will tell you the sitting Mayor would have never gotten my support. That's water under the bridge now.
4 year's and he's OUT
Renee
Renee, The Council does not approve the PIO position. It is a position like recreation. The council does not approve the head of recreation. Like it or not, it is not illegal. Whoever is giving you this information is absolutely incorrect.
DeleteIf you are angry at Mapp for dipping into the surplus you may want to think it is to keep your taxes lower due to the last mayor's inefficiency. And, if you are angry at Mapp for digging into the surplus, I assume you are glad that last year he found one million dollars that was overlooked by the former mayor. Hopefully you will give him some credit for that.
Perhaps if you spent more time doing your job in the Division of Inspections that writing on this blog the City might just be a bit better and cleaner. Late lunch perhaps.
DeleteYes I work for the City and Yes the trucks have been delivering furniture, Oh Yeah I forgot about the hardwood floors the Mayor now have. Oh yeah don't forget about the flat screen TV's. Oh wait what about the cherry oak desk. Plainfield go figure
ReplyDeleteYou work at City Hall? Why are you writing on a blog on city time. Perhaps you should be writing tickets for all the trash in the streets and other violation that are not cited.
DeleteThere is no such wood as "cherry oak" and hey miss rocket scientist did you ever think that the carpets may have been removed from the Mayor's office to expose the existing hardwood. I think not. YOU HAVE TOO MUCH TIME ON YOUR HANDS DO SOME WORK, DO YOUR JOB.
People play nice. How did we get to name calling and degrading the character of people. How is this productive, can't we all just get along, black, and white,eastend, and westend. Most of you really love plainfield, but the only way we will make this place a better place is to stop insulting each other,and talk to each other with respect.Let's try.If you don't agree with someone's vote or position,that does not make them a horrible person, that is just their opinion based on variables that you may not be privy to.Let's give each other the benefit of the doubt.
ReplyDeleteMost of these comments are ridicules and this back and forth so unnecessary. I’m certainly not a fan of the Mayor, not because of his ability to run this city, but I find him to be arrogant, condescending, somewhat of an elitist. Do I think he can move this city forward, yes I do. As far as politicians go, he just doesn’t have that people appeal that most politicians have. I do believe he is intelligent enough to get the job done and we should at the very least, allow time to show us his real abilities; after all, you gave Jerry Green 22 years and look what Plainfield has become under the leadership of the man that “runs this &&&& city”. These negative post that are attacking the Mayor appear to be coming from Jerry Greens’ camp, they will do and say anything to have their slate on the city council. Enough is enough, just say NO TO JFK’S PROPOSAL FOR A 600 UNIT PROJECT ON THE MUHLENBERG SITE AND ANYONE THAT ENDORSE IT.
ReplyDeleteWoooooo ..... the race card has been drawn. Just unsure if calling someone name is a sign they are a friend or foe of the other person. At least no one has thrown in the 19th Amendment is the reason the City is going to ____ in an _____ .
ReplyDeleteAnon 3:50 pm you need to do your homework. THE COUNCIL MUST APPROVE THE POSITIONS OF THE PIO. Where ever your getting your information go back and tell them to do their homework so you would not be misinformed.
ReplyDeleteIt's 9:00 pm at night, and I am just finishing up some grading work in Newark before I head back to Plainfield. To the anonymous commenter who said that I posted some anonymous comment here--I did not. I don't even have a chance to read this stuff until I am done with my job--perhaps you have time on your hands--I don't. Also, I sign my name to my commentary. I find it interesting that a blog post by Bernice about the PMUA immediately turned into a bashing of Mayor Mapp, who has been in office for three months. The post was focused on appointing Mr. Crownover to a vacancy as an alternate on the PMUA. The ongoing investigation has nothing to do with filling a vacancy--clearly, this is all about politics.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
from a vocal supporter of yours.. this racist ( in case you've missed that I am, lol ) appreciates your refocusing the anonymous name callers, I mean commentators, back toward the subject of the post
DeleteThanks Rebecca and Rob for getting this back on track
ReplyDeleteTo 10:51AM - thank you. Now, once again, why did the council not appoint Thomas to a VACANT seat, which has to be occupied regardless of the audit report?
ReplyDelete