Mayor's Budget Prompts Queries

Deliberations on the budget for the mayor's office Wednesday centered largely on Mayor Adrian O. Mapp's wish restore the "chief of staff" position at a cost of $83,255.

The City Council approved the title of chief of staff in November 2013, but after Mapp took office, the position was cut in May amendments to the 2014 budget. The administration then placed the individual who had been serving as chief of staff in the title of "assistant municipal clerk."

City Administrator Rick Smiley presented the mayor's budget Tuesday to the council and the Citizens' Budget Advisory Committee. Among questions, CBAC member Pamela Razo, former chief of staff to Assemblyman Jerry Green, asked about the recruitment  process and whether the administration had someone in mind. Smiley had explained that the administration wanted to use the title "confidential aide" for the job, which he said was essentially the same as "chief of staff."

Smiley said a "uniquely qualified" individual was being considered. Razo asked whether the candidate spoke Spanish and Smiley said he did not. CBAC member Delois Dameron asked whether the person was doing the mayor's weekly newsletter and Smiley said he was, though Council President Bridget Rivers said, "That's not true."

Rivers said she was informed that a grant supervisor was doing the newsletter.

"That's not my understanding," Smiley said.

As the discussion veered back to what happened in 2014, Finance Director Ron West said, "We are talking about the 2015 budget."

Smiley also reminded speakers to discuss the budget by job titles, not by names of employees. When former Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs turned the discussion to who was driving two new city-issued vehicles and what happened to the old ones from her administration, Smiley said, "Please tell me what that has to do with the mayor's budget."

It had been made public recently that two Explorers were purchased with police funds transferred to the city administrator's office and they were assigned to Smiley and Mapp. Robinson-Briggs asked about a Durango and Explorer assigned during her tenure. After she accused Smiley of not wanting to be "fully informative," CBAC member Richard Stewart said, "These budgets are supposed to be about transparency," and expressed disappointment.

As Smiley appeared to become annoyed, Stewart said, "Do you know who is using the cars?"

"I actually don't know who is using the cars," Smiley said.

After further remarks, Stewart told Smiley he was being "combative for no apparent reason," to which Smiley retorted, "Oh, there's a reason."

Stewart also asked why the mayor or chief of staff wasn't present and Smiley said he chose to make the presentation.

"Wow," Rivers said as Robinson-Briggs chuckled.

Later Robinson-Briggs returned to questioning the transfer to assistant municipal clerk and the funding source for the job, but CBAC member Jan Massey said, "That's last year's budget, not this year."

Councilwoman Diane Toliver asked whether a teleprompter the mayor used for his 2015 State of the City address came out of his budget, but Smiley said it came from the Information Technology division.

In citizen participation, resident Jeanette Criscione said of the budget talks, "Something toxic is going on. I just don't think you are being kind to each other or civil to each other and I don't think you give a rat's patoot about Plainfield."

Budget deliberations continue at 7 p.m. Monday (May 18) in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave. Scheduled topics are budgets for the Public Works and Inspections divisions.

--Bernice