Green Brook Sub Basin
With all the photos of flooding in the news, can someone explain why Plainfield has had no representative attending the Green Brook Flood Control Commission meetings for what appears to be a couple of years, according to their minutes?
This is one of those assignments that has been taken as perfunctory, but every so often (like when floods close East Front Street) it comes to the fore. Yes, the meetings involve a lot of technical stuff and yes, they are a bit out of the way compared to other committee assignments, but as one can see on the graphic above, the Upper Portion is where the local floods start and who is advocating for projects there?
The lower portion has had flood control projects, though not all agree with the U.S. Army Corps' approach, such as the flood walls that some say only concentrates the velocity of flood water. But this project has been underway for decades. If, as one hears, there is resistance from some of the Upper Portion communities, all the more reason to have someone represent Plainfield, preferably in a knowledgeable way, to bring back to the city information that can guide a strategy to get something done.
The other important agency lacking representation currently is the Plainfield Area Regional Sewerage Authority. Correspondence from Mayor Adrian O. Mapp regarding this appointment was mentioned at the last PMUA meeting. The issue of how appointments are made needs to be settled so the city can be represented along with the other seven municipalities.
--Bernice
Ask Greaves. Shes's supposed to go to those meetings, just another thing she's failed to do for her first ward constituents who got the worst flooding. She's been a no show at council meetings on an endless vacation. Is her county job a no show?
ReplyDeleteAs a former member of the GBFCC [along with Frank Meeks] I know that Plainfield's real problems come when the Green Brook floods beyond the high point around East Second Street and makes a B-line for the Cedar Brook basin. It overwhelms the underground storm water concrete culvert [built during the 1930's Depression by Roosevelt's WPA] along with ALL the sanitary sewers backing up into homes and then running from Milt Campbell field to the rear of the High School and floods homes like there is no tomorrow. Aug 2, 1973 was the "Flood of Record" [6.2 inches of rain in 4 hours] when several people were killed in the North Plainfield/Plainfield area, and let me tell you, there were crowds showing up at Council Meetings like haven't been seen in a long time! Then it just sort of fades from memory [until ... you get hit with the increased Flood Insurance Premium]
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