Friday, May 2, 2014

Commentary on May 5 Meetings

I received word Wednesday of two meetings Monday, both at 7 p.m.

One is a Town Hall with Congressman Rush Holt (NJ-12) at the Plainfield Public Library. According to an advisory, "All residents of central New Jersey are invited to attend to share their views and hear updates on issues affecting the community, including health care, job creation, college affordability, and more."

Assemblyman Jerry Green is named as "moderator."

Also on Monday, there will be a special meeting called by Mayor Adrian O. Mapp at Municipal Court, preceding the agenda-fixing session. The special meeting has only one item, listed in the meeting notice as "RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL OF A SECOND AMENDMENT, ASSIGNMENT, ASSUMPTION, MODIFICATION AND REINSTATEMENT ON A PILOT AGREEMENT TO LIBERTY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATES TO URBAN RENEWAL ENTITY, LIBERTY VILLAGE ESTATES URBAN RENEWAL, LLC."

Those who have been reading the blog will recall this item coming up at the April 7 meeting, where it failed to gain consensus to move it to the April 15 regular meeting agenda. On April 15, it did not get enough votes to bring it on as a new item

Next came the call for an Emergency Town Meeting at Ruth Fellowship Ministries and then the tumultuous meeting itself and a follow-up article

Despite all the rhetoric and drama, there has been no resolution. Green attended the "emergency" meeting at the church and challenged the explanation given by Deputy City Administrator Carlos Sanchez .

"I'm starting at Washington to find out whether they failed to negotiate," Green said, telling the residents, "I asked Congressman Rush Holt to find out what rights you have."

So ... even though the May 5 Town Hall has a general tone, one wonders whether Green will try to make it specific to the Liberty Village controversy. As far as the mayor's call for a special meeting, it may go through or, in the pre-primary climate of DefCon 2, Green's Regular Democrats might just boycott the special meeting.

Having not yet learned to perform bilocation, I will probably pick the council meeting, as the Citizens' Budget Advisory Committee is supposed to give its report and I want to see what else comes out of the agenda-fixing discussion. I hope someone who goes to the May 5 Town Hall will report whether Liberty Village came up as a main topic.

Sanchez and others have said there is a deadline for the sale of Liberty Village to a new owner, as the Section 8 contract is due to expire in early May. The transfer of the PILOT, or "payment in lieu of taxes" agreement, is integral to the deal. Green wants to get Holt involved first. The situation has become a sort of test of allegiances instead of a simple transaction. The bottom line seems to be that Green wants to put his stamp on this deal. Although it probably has passed through several levels of approvals, including those of HUD, Green has stated he is "head of housing" in New Jersey and as such, wants to bring in Holt.

For the sake of those living in the 96 units at Liberty Village, I hope there will be a positive outcome soon. I found many of the remarks by residents at the emergency meeting to be quite astute and if they are being used politically, they will remember when it's time to vote.

8 comments:

  1. Of course they are being used politically, and by someone who has power because they gave it to him.

    Jerry Green is asking Rush Holt - who is retring - what he can do.

    In my opinion, if Jerry Green did not coerce people into voting for him through bullying and fear, he would have nothing. What a way to get respect - through bullying and fear. Whadda guy, Jerry.

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  2. This is a Plainfield issue and I wonder what all the posturing is about. I think its about making political hay or money from this and has nothing to do with what's best for the residents of Liberty Village. I guess the Sharon supporters are afraid we'll notice what a terrible job Sharon did for eight years if Mapp does something This is a Plainfield issue and I wonder what all the posturing is about. I think its about making political hay or money from this and has nothing to do with what's best for the residents of Liberty Village. I guess the Sharon supporters are afraid we'll notice what a terrible job Sharon did for eight years if Mapp does something positive for the city. We already know that Sharon and her supporters made a mess of Plainfield and with nearly 3/4 of voters letting them know in the primary, they still don't have a clue. Sharon will never be mayor again and I don't think be able to run for any public office.

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  3. What I don't understand is how Rivers, Reid and Taylor can be controlled by Jerry Green. They get elected by us, we the people and then turn into puppets? If they do not vote for the PILOT then they should go door to door to Liberty Village and explain to all 100 families why their allegiance to Green is more important than saving affordable housing in Plainfield.

    Steven Brownings

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  4. Dearest City Council,

    Please RISE ABOVE this petty political fight between Jerry Green and the new administration.

    Lets do what is right for your constituents and the community who elected you into office.

    The residents of Plainfield who need affordable housing are not your pawns. You have played enough with their lives, lets vote for Pilot and move on.

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  5. She would be great as head of the town welcoming committee - seriously.

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  6. Will the real live bodies be the CONGRESSMAN or his STAFF.

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  7. My mother always said that you get what you pay for. The voting citizens of Plainfield keep putting Green and his team in office. This Political mess in Plainfield is not going to change till Plainfielders stop voting for Green and his team.

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  8. I look forward to listening to Council woman Taylor's screed when I watch the Council meetings. I then spend the week attempting to decipher what she said. It is far more difficult than the Times crossword puzzle.
    My sympathies go to the residents of Liberty Village,suspended in time, awaiting to be told what instructions Mrs. Taylor, Ms. Rivers and Mr. Reid have received form Mr. Green.

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