Mayor Adrian O. Mapp has confirmed that Eric Watson is acting director of the Department of Public Works & Urban Development, starting today (Monday, Sept. 15) at an annual salary of $110,000.
Watson can serve up to 90 days in acting capacity before Mapp needs advice and consent of the City Council to make the appointment permanent. If confirmed, Watson's term will be concurrent with the mayor's, ending Dec. 31, 2017.
Watson served in the role previously before becoming the first executive director of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority when it was created in 1995. His PMUA leadership was detailed in this newsletter published in Spring 2011, when, it says, Watson decided to "pass the torch." Watson, the late Lou Jones and David Ervin all served the city before becoming executives at the authority, and the transition also included a large number of employees from Public Works to staff the new entity.
At present, the DPW&UD, one of three departments mandated by the city's special charter, includes the following divisions: City Yard, Recreation Division, Economic Development, Planning Division, Inspections Division, Building Division and Community Development. The department was most recently headed by Eric Jackson, who resigned effective June 30 to become mayor of Trenton. Jackson had served as director since September 2011 and was kept on when Mapp took office on Jan. 1, 2014. City Administrator Rick Smiley became acting DPW&UD director after Jackson went out on unpaid leave in March 2014.
In contrast to the PMUA history as described in the Spring 2011 newsletter, the authority engendered a high degree of public mistrust at times. Resident Philip Charles began encouraging property owners to "Dump PMUA" and opt out of the authority's mandated citywide trash collection program. Charles and others uncovered exorbitant travel and dining expenses, which have since been curtailed.
After Watson and Ervin announced they were stepping down in 2011, supporters came to a City Council meeting to allege Watson had been pushed out. In January 2012, three PMUA commissioners approved a settlement with the pair which brought new controversy. In July 2012, former city Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson became executive director of the authority.
Among items Watson will oversee as returning department head are the restructuring of Recreation programs with new Superintendent of Recreation Roni Taylor, a surge in development that involves Planning and other divisions and a call for Inspections to enforce property maintenance in the wake of a flood of foreclosures and abandonments.
--Bernice
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Mapp is a one term opportunist.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jerry.
DeleteWhatever words I could come up with to describe my reaction to this news would be an understatement. It is a slap in the face to everyone in the city, and anyone who has ever thought for a minute that a new administration might mean a new sense of accountability and fair-dealing.
ReplyDeleteFrom the solid waste cash flow reversal between the City and PMUA that was the formative fraud of the Inter Local Agreement, to the Authority's material misstatements and falsehoods in its financial statements, to its exorbitant spending, its massive overstaffing, and the payout of many $100,000s in illegal commissioner compensation that is still ongoing to this day, PMUA under its former Executive Director Eric Watson was the essence of municipal excesses, inefficiency, and disregard for the well-being of virtually anyone in the city who wasn't employed by it, or able to make a buck off it in some other way.
Watson paid himself royally, and paid thousands for a compliant Board. When he disgorges his ill-gotten parting gift, returns the thousands he rewarded commissioners with above and beyond statutory limitations, and recompenses the millions sucked out of Plainfielders pocketbooks, then we can take a new look at his management skills and dedication to the betterment of the city, if they exist at all.
Accountability has taken a backseat to an irrational hiring decision. It is impossible to believe there are no other qualified individuals with the skills and experience to guide DPW&UD, who come without baggage and a disregard and exhibited disdain for the public. If no other candidate has been found yet, keep looking.
Mayor Mapp has definitely made a turn towards his Waterloo. It may be a ploy to placate a recalcitrant City Council, or smooth the road with his Union County Democratic master, but it is no good for Plainfield.
We shall see. Too bad we don't have a more cooperative and responsible City Council.
Delete#O M G
ReplyDeleteAs usual, Alan makes sense.
ReplyDeleteAlan the council have nothing to do with the appointment of cabinet member's
ReplyDeleteTo 11:10AM. You need to go to council meetings. Mapp chooses the cabinet member, but it is dependent on the advise and consent of the council. Council says no, then they don't get the job.
DeleteI have been tormented with deciding to withdraw from the voting process in this country. I never trusted Adrian Mapp, always thought he was a political "climber". However, I assumed on his way to the top he would do
ReplyDeletesome good for the City of Plainfield. How wrong I am/was. I am so done with ever voting again for anyone.
What a slap in the face to the people of this city. This type of behavior is what breeds complaint for the political process. Time will tell what the political payback will be for Adrian Mapp and the rest of the old, new, progressive, republican blah blah blah CRIMINALS the electorates have to chose from.
Gloria Taylor will sing her Yesssss in her best opera voice. He's a resident after all regardless of what he did at PMUA.
ReplyDeleteGood choice Mayor Sharon.. I'm sure Jerry and Co are happy now and it ought to sail through City Council approval ASAP.. oh, typo...sorry Mayor Mapp
ReplyDeleteCitizens of Plainfield most of you have been drinking the Kool-Aid by the gallon that Jerry Green has been serving you all for years. If Plainfield wants to see a change and end the political corruption that has plagued the city and caused this city to decay. I am a Independent voter but this November I will vote for the Plainfield Republican because I want to send a message to Green that I am not going to support your lack of integrity and self serving was of your Democrat party.
ReplyDeleteMapp faked right and went left. All his supporters look stupid don't worry the egg on your face will come off.
ReplyDeleteBut the spot left on the heart will not.
DeleteThe democrats of Plainfield have been following Mr. Greens path for years. The path has been littered with corruption and patronage jobs.. like all of his kids working for the city or county. I do not know if Eric Watson is related to Mr. Green but I bet Eric has donated big time to the Green Team to get this job.
ReplyDeleteLOL you people want to blame Chairmen Green and the council for this appointment. WRONG ANSWER.
ReplyDeleteLets vote Republican! Lets actually see what they offer and im sure if one republican council member comes in, he would vote our way, the citizens way!
ReplyDeleteJust look how sure jerry green and co are that they will get the votes in november. Everyone in Plainfield vote democrat, and the primary is practically all they have to win! Gloria Taylor's ward could be a great way to send a message not just to Green but to the City officials that, We as Citizens are tired of this. My vote is Republican till i see change and no slaps to the face like this one!
ReplyDeleteJust look how sure jerry green and co are that they will get the votes in november. Everyone in Plainfield vote democrat, and the primary is practically all they have to win! Gloria Taylor's ward could be a great way to send a message not just to Green but to the City officials that, We as Citizens are tired of this. My vote is Republican till i see change and no slaps to the face like this one!
ReplyDeleteMr. Green and Mayor Mapp don't even get along people stop this was solely Mayor's Mapp decision. People in his own camp don't know what made him make this decision.
ReplyDeleteWill this cost us another million when he is done??
ReplyDeleteof course it will, he has to give Mapp his share, what do you think this crap is about, When Mapp was on the council he wanted to shut down the PMUA due to Watson and others mismanagement, now he is in bed with the guy, I can't wait to vote him out of office and you best believe if the recall petition come anywhere near me, I will sign in all caps. I won't stop voting all together but I am going to start voting republican until all these crooks are out of office or in jail and I vote for JAIL.
DeleteWow -- he gets a generous salary while at the PMUA, along with giving himself yearly bonuses and lavish trips having nothing to do with waste management. He gets a huge payout to leave.
ReplyDeleteNow he'll be back on government income and pension.
Mr. Watson has done very well off of the backs of Plainfielders.
I find it funny that the same people that cry about the poor in this town, the "poor children" -- find nothing wrong with rewarding someone who has screwed this town over by mismanaging the PMUA.
But, I guess he's part of the inner circle club, is the right race, and has kissed the right ring.
Rebecca Williams also have a republican running against her. Why do you continue to just pick on Mrs. Taylor. Adrian Mapp hired Eric Watson not the council or the chairmen people stop trying to push the blame and let the chip fall where they lay.
ReplyDeletePeople stop trying to place the blame elsewhere because you guys are sitting with egg in your face. Your master Adrian Mapp who said he have come to rule Plainfield made the decision to hire Eric Watson so deal with it.
ReplyDeleteGuess Dave Wynn will be putting in his request to come back. Oh that's right he already did. Guess it's just a matter of time. Plainfield is continuing its downward spiral.
ReplyDeleteHas any of you commenters even considered that Watson might actually know what he's doing, let alone be able to bring on board some powerful friends who can move along the mayor's agenda? Must the glass always be 7/8th empty?
ReplyDeleteObviously you do not know Watson's non work ethic or his history with the City or the PMUA. Plainfield continues to recycle the same people and get the same result. The residents really need to protest this appointment. This is nothing but bad news.
DeleteAnon 3:19 you are absolutely correct. Give the guy a chance.
ReplyDeleteHey Jeff the hungry are filled with laughter over this one.And we're not in Budapest.but east second st.
ReplyDelete@3:19.
ReplyDeleteRight, Watson sure knows what he's doing.
- He knows how to pay himself well. As a PMUA "executive" he got a big salary and yearly bonuses.
- He knows how to rack up debts for the PMUA (bonds) that the citizens are on the hook for.
- He knows how to demand big payouts, that the citizens have to pay for.
- He knows how to build an agency that charges Plainfield 2X what any other town pays for garbage removal.
- He knows how to charge for expensive junkets for black-related networking with $300/night hotel rooms and expensive meals.
Yeah, you're right. He knows what he's doing.
As a municipal employee under the supervision of the mayor and city administrator Watson will not be able to do any of the above. What else you got?
DeleteWhat makes you think he won't be able to do these things, he going along with the good time crew that Mapp brought on board with the big salary. Who is supervising Mapp and his administration? Please trust that all hands are in the pot, when the council said get rid of his little buddy Stewart, he just moved him into another department with the same fat salary, he is worst that SRB, out of the pan, into the fire Plainfield.
DeleteThe point is how do you hire someone who was under financial scrutiny because of his payoff. Was the investigation ever completed. Did he actually get that huge payoff. I believe Mapp was set up for this backlash which will make it easier to either recall him or limit him to one term. Checkmate!
ReplyDeleteLet's reiterate the point made by 3:00pm-
ReplyDelete"When Mapp was on the council he wanted to shut down the PMUA due to Watson and others mismanagement..." This is an insult to the division heads at DPW and a betrayal of his constitutents.... unless he wants to get enough people to vote Republican in the 3rd Ward to defeat Taylor (look for October confirmation), or he USES Watson to bring PMUA back under the DPW.
unless he wants to get enough people to vote Republican in the 3rd Ward to defeat Taylor -
DeleteFrom your mouth to God's ears
I thought of that possibility; utilizing Watson to bring PMUA back under the DPW. But then I thought to myself, why would you need Watson at all to do that? Does he have some sort of secret powers? What would be needed is the agreement of both the City Council and the Board of Commissioners, as well as taking on about $18 million in debt which may or may not be fully supported by quality capital assets. So I'm discounting the possibility there might be an undisclosed endgame with all this. If there actually was one, I would think that any smart operator would have talked it out beforehand, particularly with PMUA critics, of which I count myself as one. No, this was just an arrogant move and a major misstep. It speaks volumes about the City's hiring practices that there is no individual employed by the City who has risen through the ranks and can be entrusted as a department head.
DeleteThere should now NOT be a spot of garbage or litter anywhere in the City, as Mr Watson will have complete command of how does what in the DPW & PMUA. This will be a flawless operation, no more passing the buck!! Sewers, streets, downtown containers, ball fields should be First Class with the amount of $$'s that MR Watson will have amassed over the years.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Mr. Watson will quit under the pressure of complaints and well deserved mistrust of his unsavory work ethics like he did with the PMUA, then cry that he was pushed out so he could con the City out of a million dollar settlement. who knows it worked once, might work again.
DeleteIt is about trust for me. Just look at what the Democrats large and in charge have done to this city. I hope Mr. Watson can prove to the citizens of this city that he can and will do not just a good job but a great job for the tax payers of Plainfield. The Mayor is giving him a second chance I just hope it will work out for us all.
ReplyDeleteDidn't Watson manage Sharon's campaign? Maybe he' ll bring her in as his secretary. The mayor has really opened Pandora's box.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant !
ReplyDeleteI’m in a state of stock like everyone else. The betrayal I feel is unbelievable. For all the obvious reasons, the Mayor appointing Watson to this position or any position in the city seems like political suicide and a slap in the face to all his supporters. We all know that Watson was not hired because he was the best man for the job, no one is indispensable. The Mayor is a very intelligent man and surly he has to know what this move will do for his career. For this reason, I don’t believe he did this to try and mend fences with the council or to show the county that he can be a team player. The more I think about this, the more I’m convinced that Green must have something extremely damaging against the Mayor. Why else would he put his career on the line like this? Mayor please fix this before it’s too late. Having Watson over the Planning department…. need I go there??
ReplyDeleteRB
This will surely be Adrian "wanna-be Obama" Mapp's ONLY term! He cares NOTHING about this town, the residents and certainly not the children. His one and ONLY driving force is HIMSELF. If he really took seriously the position he holds, he wouldn't keep doing the crazy things he does. You know a sign of insanity is when you keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. What has he done but bloviate? What has the council done? They don't even uphold the ordinances they put in place!
ReplyDeleteLike Jerry, Sharon, Rivers, Taylor, or Reid care. Let's be real.
Delete