The recommendations came in a session Tuesday billed as "feedback" from the committee and the consultant, but some council members later turned to a probe of vehicles for the mayor and city administrator and a charge that the mayor is banning broadcast of the budget talks until after the June 2 primary.
Media won support for a planned makeover of the city web site, in collaboration with IT, that the committee said "should have a necessary and positive impact on the city's image." The group backed IT's plans to upgrade systems to link departments and increase overall efficiency. The Health Division overcame a backlog of restaurant inspections, assisted residents in applying for Affordable Care Act and generally re-established its mission.
Support for the Purchasing Division's budget was based on its tightening of control over spending public money, and the committee backed the increase for Public Works after hearing of economies in snow removal, road repair and reducing the number of supervisors. Inspections is streamlining its permits process and performing greater code enforcement throughout the city, the group found.
Among cuts, the committee recommended de-funding the "Recreation Leader" position, though in public comment longtime youth sports advocate Nancy Jordan said the action would leave only two people in the department. The committee also called for an increase in participation, as only 200 of the city's 16,000 households are currently taking part in programs and activities.
Police overtime must be reduced by 10 percent and Fire overtime by 8 percent, the committee said, through use of contract negotiations, more stringent control and scheduling by department heads and "more active oversight and monitoring by Administration and City Council." The group also wanted a "cost-benefit/risk analysis" for outsourcing 9-1-1 calls to Union County and said the budget for the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system should be reduced to $15,000. (The last annual bill for the service was $120,000.)
With removal of the salary for the chief of staff, the committee said, the mayor's 2015 budget should be $115,000. (The budget request was for $199,050.) Kaercher said the committee found "no evidence" of the value of the job.
City Administrator Rick Smiley presented the budget for the office of the mayor on May 13.
"It would be helpful if we heard from the mayor," Kaercher said.
As happened on May 13, the discussion turned from the 2015 budget to the subject of two black Explorers purchased in 2014 with police funds but designated for use by the mayor and city administrator. Councilwoman Diane Toliver repeated her view that the two should have at most shared one vehicle, because both were working all day. Councilwoman Gloria Taylor said, "it's illegal," and called on Corporation Counsel Vernita Sias-Hill for support. Sias-Hill said her office is not involved in day-to-day operations and the finance officials are the experts (on fiscal matters), but she can give an opinion on an issue brought to her by the council.
Council President Bridget Rivers quizzed Chief Financial Officer Al Steinberg on the transaction, which she characterized as "unethical." (I do not have Steinberg's reply verbatim, though he did say items bought out of public safety should be for public safety. He added, "One of the premises you have to go by, last year's budget and this year's budget are two totally different things."
Taylor and Rivers continued to condemn the purchase and Steinberg continued to explain the process.
Later Taylor alleged that the grants coordinator, recommended for elimination by budget consultant Lawrence Caroselli, was writing the mayor's online newsletter. Finance Director Ron West said the chief of staff was in charge of the newsletter. The grants coordinator had brought in $1 million and eliminating the job would save only $35,000, he noted.
(to be continued)
you know..if we had a few of Jerry and Sharon's homies in some of these positions putting the screws to the public and public money, this would all go much faster with much less scrutiny from Jerry's Kids and be a lot less politically motivated.. oh for the good ole days of SRB's administration, when public money was simply meant to lavish the few on "the in" with no show jobs with loose financial accountability and cake and penny candy for the rest of the taxpayers...
ReplyDeleteThe chairmen of the CBAC committee need to become an employee of the Mayor's Mapp administration.
ReplyDeleteI DON'T GET IT ! (about the fuss for the two new cars for the Mayor and the City Administrator that is).
ReplyDeleteFirst of all that was LAST years budget not 2015. Why are they debating last years budget this year - sounds like Politics and not Budgetics.
And doesn't the Council approve cars for the Mayor, City Administrator, Public Safety director, Public works supervisor, etc. every year? What gives?
So. . . . I guess they're questioning that they got NEW cars, REALLY? isn't that silly. They purchased new more efficient FORDS, and took advantage of the pricing that the Police department gets. Pretty smart I think.
And I give the Mayor a lot of credit for finding the funds in the Public Safety Budget (which accounts for 60 percent of the budget). So in reality they didn't cost us anything cause those funds were a gonna!
I am happy that we have a Mayor with an Accounting background.
One has to wonder why the Mayor will not present his own budget?
ReplyDeleteStill attacks from Jerry's kids, a consultant who doesn't know jack, members of the committee who couldn't balance a budget if their lives depended on it and politics putting Plainfielders in the line of fire. Why attack positions that were fine under Sharon, even if she didn't fill them, but attack the new administration and bring up things that have nothing to do with the budget. What a sham. I hope people vote and get rid of Jerry this time and we can start having a Plainfield for Plainfielders and not the politicians and their cronies.
ReplyDeleteHey Bernice. To be clear I said there would be one superintendent, one secretary and one recreation leader. They are supplemented with a seasonal worker which doesn't make for continuity. But also you need just as many people to prepare and produce for 200 as you would for 600 so they can't afford the cut. Another point that I didn't bring up is that I hope this GET THIS MAYOR AT ALL COSTS will be over after the election. It's sad to witness and does nothing to move Plainfield forward.
ReplyDeleteNancy Jordan
Nancy, that's exactly what is happening - "GET THIS MAYOR ....." There are only 2.5 council members who care about Plainfield, the other 4.5 do what their told
DeleteJune 2nd can not get here fast enough
ReplyDeleteThank you for covering the Budget Hearings. As a long time Plainfield citizen, I find the process to be discouraging. It appears to me as though all of the Green controlled City Councilors and CBAC members were on their usual mission to attack the administration. It looks to me as though many of those people have had election campaigns financed by Jerry Green, worked for him or have gotten jobs from him. So much for their claims that the Mayor is hiring his cronies, they are the cronies!
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I hope that CBAC qualifications will be changed to exclude former elected officials. If direct conflict of interest does not disqualify those people from serving, the appearance of impropriety due to bias should. They are only human and likely to try to justify or repeat what they did in office rather than being completely open minded. Why did we need the former Mayor (who brought us the Negative outlook from Moody's in 2011that cost us plenty) on CBAC?
Finally, what is the big deal about the confidential aide/chief of staff ? So far as I recall, Mayors going back to Mr. Lattimore have had Public Information Officers and Confidential Aides. Mayors in other places have had them for years. Whatever the title, that person can work with all levels of government (Federal, state, and county) to acquire resources for the City of Plainfield, attend meetings, make and maintain contacts, arrange workshops, handle newsletters, do constituent work and other things for the Mayor that benefit the city. That is what the current person in the job does, among other things. And here are some of the results of work done by that person - 100 Plainfield residents hired for full time jobs because of the partnership with USPS and 1500 Plainfielders who registered for Obamacare. I am positively disgusted at the public abuse that is being heaped on him in this process. If everyone in Plainfield would be as active and would make the substantial financial investment that he and his partner have made in their neighborhood, Plainfield would be lucky, indeed. In the interest of full disclosure, he is a close friend, who gets my thanks on a regular basis for his involvement, as does Mayor Mapp.
Mary Burgwinkle
It is such a misnomer that people bring in money. It is our Taxes, local sate of federal that just get passed around to pay political debts.
ReplyDeleteForgot to mention in the comment above that I heard through the grapevine that Mr. Kaercher did a great job as Chair of CBAC. Thanks, Tom.
ReplyDeleteMary Burgwinkle
The only reason this mayor is going thru this is because Jerry Green hates him with a passion and has told enough people he is out to destroy him. He doesn't care if he destroys Plainfield in the process. His minions are so indebted to him that they have to keep up this nonsense until Jerry is satisfied. It doesn't matter that Jerry's loudest and most dangerous weapon on the council seems to be taylor. She has been hateful ever since she got on. She as a so called minister will have to answer to a higher power to see the light. You can't sell your soul without consequences. But this is a sign of the times we live in. The only way this is going to change in Plainfield is to vote them out. Jerry has to be denied any other desperate flunkies. Those that get it will have to educate those that suck up that negativity as truth.
ReplyDeleteWe do not need to spend $98,000. On a chief of staff. The city should not have to pay for the Mayor's friends to get jobs just becouse they loaned the mayor money and helped out during his campaign.We need to find a way to cut our taxes before we all can not afford to live in this beautiful city.
ReplyDeleteFor your information the USPS jobs were posted and anyone could apply for the job. The Mayor and John Stewart did not create jobs for Plainfielder's .
ReplyDeleteBravo Mary Burgwinkle, I totally agree with you. I will add that residents who are delinquent in their property taxes and/or PMUA payments should not be members of CBAC and that City Council members who are delinquent should recuse them selves from the budget deliberations.
ReplyDeleteJan Massey
Mary makes a valid argument about changing the qualifications to serve on CBAC. The commissioners are suppose to be lay persons representing the interests of their fellow residents.
ReplyDeleteCase in point is the Chief of Staff position. The City Council created this position and the appointed CBAC members with "conflicts of interest" suggest not funding it. It's Politics not Budgetics!
If you attend any city council meetings, or CBAC meetings, or development meetings the majority of the Councilors YELL for JOBS for Plainfield residents.
Am I right or am I right?
How could the City Council now take the advice of the CBAC to eliminate funding again for this position that has brought so many job opportunities (over 100) for our residents. All in just 17 short months.
YOU the Councilors created this position, fund it! If the results don't stack up, take it away. But to take it away now just hurts opportunities for our residents and proves that the pundits are right - that you serve yourself and not your people.
In full disclosure, I too am a friend of the confidential aide/chief of staff. His interest and love of Plainfield goes far beyond any Plainfield paid position. He took two years of his own time (pre-paid position) in getting a national magazine and television company to come to Plainfield to recognize not only the beautiful restoration done to his home, but also expose the nation to the wonderful Plainfield community. Positive press. Now, I can hear the nay sayers saying that it benefited his home value and was not altogether altruistic. Perhaps. However, did it ever occur to you that any positive press also benefits ALL of Plainfield-including the nay sayers?
ReplyDeleteTo the people of Plainfield - what have YOU done for Plainfield to make it a better place? How have YOU invested in Plainfield?
City Council members, what have YOU done in your wards to bring about jobs? What have YOU done to further business opportunities in Plainfield so taxpayers can have some relief and Plainfielders can be put to work?
It is a shame that politics and personal gain is the driving force in this city. And more of a shame that the people of Plainfield don't wake up, take a stand, and vote out the very people who are holding us back. It is...a shame.
Jeanette
Mr. Kaercher did and outstanding job. Ms. Jan Massey just because residents or should I say humans fall behind in their bills do not mean that they are not competent enough to make strong decisions.
ReplyDeleteI find your comments bias.
We do not need a chief of staff what we need is a clean downtown for us to shop in and our property taxes not to go up!
ReplyDeleteLet it be perfectly clear that CBAC's voting was not unanimous. I nominated Mr. Kaercher to be chairman and thank him for accepting the challenge. He did an impeccable job presenting the recommendations. However, I stand by my conviction that Mayor Mapp, just as any other elected official, deserve to have his cabinet members and that include the Chief of Staff/Confidential Aide. As I stated, I don't support anyone losing their job. But it is not my decision to be made.
ReplyDeleteI don't have time for the political rhetoric which has divided our city and is ripping it to shreds. It's disgusting to see the political factions sling dirt and mud at each other. If we are to continue to move the city forward then this nonsense must cease. What kind of an example are we setting for our young and upcoming politicians, activists, etc.?
I have not been offered any political favors nor will I accept any. By so doing, you only sell your soul to the "devil" and I'm more valuable than that.
We all should have one objective in mind and that is to do what's best for the residents of Plainfield. I will continue to volunteer my services and do my due diligence for Plainfield. Like it or not, we're all in this together.
Dee Dameron
Well said, Dee.
DeleteBravo Dee Dameron! The mudslinging and political rhetoric must stop. We are all in this together. There are many who have the attitude, "If I can't have it, nobody will."
ReplyDeleteMs. Dameron or Dee you did ask for a job from Mayor Mapp. That's why you read that letter.
ReplyDeleteI wish more would think like yo Dee. The nastiness and lies have gotten worse. But there has been an agenda to destroy this administration.
ReplyDeleteI'm like you. I'm for Plainfield
Nancy Jordan