Keeping the next generation here, reducing political dissension and educating residents on city rules were topics that emerged at Tuesday's Fourth Ward Town Hall Meeting.
"I raised two children and I can't get them to come back," Barry Goode said, but added, "I believe we can get the city back to where it was."
Recent college graduate Isaiah Thompson said others his age are saying they are not coming back to the city, and asked what he could say to convince them to return.
"That's a good question, that's a great question," City Council President Bridget Rivers said. "We need to ask ourselves what we can do to get more young people to come back to Plainfield."
Mary Ann Anderson, a 63-year resident, said, "I have never seen Plainfield in such a state," and told the governing body to put dissension aside.
"The politics is sickening," she said. "It's just in a sad state."
A Myrtle Avenue resident complained that a neighbor has filled his driveway with cars under repair, with work going on "at all hours of the day and night." She said when she came to the city, she received a handbook of guidelines for upkeep of her property. Another problem is a trailer with no lights parked on her street.
"Something needs to be done about it," she said.
Among suggestions to improve the city, John Campbell said the city should "be more business-friendly" and invite industry to create jobs. Norman Ortega echoed that idea and called for investment across the city, not just certain wards.
Planning Board Chairman Ron Scott Bey pointed out the board's recent approval of an industrial expansion in the Fourth Ward, but Councilwoman Vera Greaves said the council didn't know about it and complained of a "lack of information."
With only about 25 residents in attendance, some took more than one turn at the microphone.Faye Clark spoke at length about her concerns for youth recreation and later called for better dissemination of information on recreation programs. Alan Goldstein called the proposed outsourcing of planning and zoning operations "a fairly hare-brained idea" and suggested a meeting of the council with officials of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority to re-examine the service agreement for solid waste and sewer services.
Goldstein also asked about a proposed investigation into the March 21 demolition that destroyed a Latino restaurant next door, but Public Works Director Eric Watson said the building owner had been compensated and the city had helped the restaurant owner to relocate.
Richard Hunt called for more jobs and advocated youth mentoring, invoking the "each one, teach one" adage. He also said the governing body has to "look at more ways to help the citizenry."
Although the meeting was.non-political, Goode, Campbell and Ortega are all on the November 3 ballot for City Council seats. Goode and Ortega are vying for the First & Fourth Ward at-large seat and Campbell is running against incumbent Councilman Cory Storch for the Second Ward seat.
The two-hour meeting was recorded for broadcast on local channels 34 and 96. Check the city web site for broadcast times.
Rivers announced tentative dates for three other ward meetings. The First Ward Town Hall Meeting is Oct. 20 at Emerson School, the Second Ward is Oct. 14 at Cook School and the Third Ward is Oct 27 at Cedarbrook School. Confirmed dates will be announced on the city web site.
--Bernice
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John Campbell speaks of job creation when it fits his needs, not the city's.
ReplyDeleteLast month he spoke out fervently AGAINST a $50 MILLION investment in the city. And practically got on his knees and congratulated his mother, the president of the school board, for doing the same.
They helped to defeat this development that had the potential to bring in up to $10 Million in real estate taxes. All because of their politics, not because it was bad for Plainfield.
So would you prefer that he leave Plainfield like all of the other young talent? I'm sure that's a viable option.
DeleteIt seems like every town that borders Plainfield is great. Fanwood, Scotch Plains, North Plainfield, Edison, South Plainfield. Plainfield eats their dust. Apartments do not equate to economic development. We need more enterprise. We need to build a demand for apartments. I'm not seeing it.
I do however see great people and beautiful homes that will rival any of these other towns but the buck stops there. And as long as we adopt the counter intuitive thinking that you are championing it will remain there.
Young talent that stays at home and feeds off mom and dad is not a big loss, sorry to say.
DeleteWhat do you expect from a register republican?
ReplyDeleteZoning matter related to code enforcement is an issue that this administration has not been very focused on - at least not focused enough. This is an integral part of presenting a new image to those interested in investing personally or commercial in the city. This will not improve through outsourcing of the planning department.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the 'investigation' of the North Avenue demolition, it seems this is now moot because it places Eric Watson in the crosshairs, but the City Council wants to take aim at the mayor while protecting its friend. After his years at the helm of PMUA, Watson never should have been hired as Public Works director. After the North Avenue demolition he should have been fired. But this being Plainfield, there is no accountability for misdeeds, we have a mayor who can never admit his mistakes, while profiteering and corruption are inbred in our brand of local politics.
ReplyDeleteRead through this document: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-51dYlart-_cUhEc05USzF0NG8/view?usp=sharing
We couldn't believe Watson at PMUA, he seems to be lying about the demolition, and we certainly shouldn't give him the time of day when it comes to any analysis pertaining to outsourcing the Planning Division, our only bulwark against greedy developers, contract-hungry consultants, and those who would jeopardize public safety in the name of economic progress.
Pages 1-2 is the last minute letter from the SHPO permitting an encroachment in the Historic District conditioned on no harm being done to surrounding buildings. Watson characterizes the destruction of the Mi Buenaventura restaurant as a regrettable error, and besides, it was almost immediately relocated to the Frank Cretella-John Stewart building down the block. Don't forget that connection. Stewart is the mayor's Chief of Staff and Cretella was in the process of foreclosing on the demolished property.
Pages 3 and 4 highlight the procedures for demolition. Note there are no precautions listed to shore up the adjacent building before work began in order to protect it from any potential damage.
Page 5 indicates that Yates did not have adequate insurance, which would not be unusual considering that Yates was not a demolition company. Such a deficiency is usually cause to reject a proposal outright. In any case, the Yates selection looks like a favor to a friend more than anything else, and a violation of public official ethics. Forget the law and rules, in Plainfield the game is to get away with whatever you can.
Page 6 and 7 is the proposal from Stilo Excavating. It was over $20K less than Yates', but supposedly received too late. Watson says the city only received two proposals, but this is a third one. To my eye, the All-Action proposal was used to ballpark a figure so Yates could underbid a few days later. The date of the Stilo proposal two weeks later, coming from an outfit with experience in emergency demolitions, hints that the immediacy of the work was not conveyed to anyone else, but was needed to make things 'look kosher'.
Page 8 is an after-the-fact email (dated March 23) from Watson to the mayor, in which he claims that the owner was contacted and said he would take down the building, but changed his mind a week later.
Page 9 contains an email from Inspections chief Philip Izzo to Watson, dated March 20th, the day before the demolition. Izzo writes that "Efforts to reach the last owner of record have been unsuccessful".
Should we believe Watson about this or anything else? I don't think so. Should Watson remain Director of Public Works and Urban Development? I don't think so.
Should City Council hold an investigation? Only if they want to do what's right for the City and its residents. But I don't think they will because promoting corruption and the easy way out is much more to their point.
I am sure Ms. Greaves means well but she is really not cut out for this position. If she wants information about the industrial expansion, she should stop into the planning department periodically and ask for an update. Stop into the construction and ask for an update. Attend a planning board meeting. Or read the blogs. But it is not the requirement of the city, administration or anyone else to constantly update the council on every single movement within the city. They need to do a little leg work and they also need to stop complaining about not being spoon fed.
ReplyDeleteSo much for a non-political meeting.
ReplyDeleteWhy would any young person choose Plainfield, at this point in time, when there are so many other surrounding communities that offer much safer environments, have a better education system for those starting families, and offer all of the things that would attract a younger crowd -- nice restaurants, cool pubs, hip coffee shops and all-around interesting retail stores. The potential for any of this was shot down, most recently, by Rivers and company when they voted down development pilot. Instead Rivers and her friends opt to vote in favor of strip joints, drug dens that front as liquor stores, and allows members of the public to denigrate fellow council members. Then with the same face they clamour about how the children need a safe place to play. Now, let’s try again, Ms. Rivers – ask yourself why young people will not return to Plainfield. Perhaps the answer is now a little more clear to you, perhaps not.
Today's young people are far more open, accepting and respectful than most of the individuals who spoke at last night’s meeting; including the very young Mr. Campbell who, most likely, only lives in Plainfield because he still lives with mom and dad who pay the bills; and, it’s so obvious dad’s trying to get him into a patronage job. As a Campbell, he should be embarrassed at what his mother has done for the educational system in Plainfield. Apparently they never had any faith in the system as they sent their young John to a private school.
Rivers, Ortega, Campbell and crew are all too busy playing race cards as a means to retain/gain power -- pitting Black against Latino, Latino against White and every other combination you can possibly think of. These are destructive individuals who have not only hurt the progress of Plainfield through their actions and words but will continue to hurt the very people they profess to represent through their greed and manipulation. In the end, it’s all about what’s in it for them and their wallets.
Whereas other communities have truly progressed and you can easily witness the integration of non-whites into the local population, Plainfield leadership is desperately seeking to prevent "other" people from coming to Plainfield for fear of a demographic and power shift.
Most of us are looking forward to the coming years as we clear the dead wood out of office and allow for a, truly, more progressive and educated group of people to lead the way for us all.
Amen to you. Well said.
DeleteVera still doesn't have a clue and Rivers is still the worst Council President we've had in many, many years. To allow someone to take over a meeting and disrespect the Council is not right. Oh, I forgot, Rivers gives people that disrespect the administration and council members she doesn't like all the time. That explains it. John Campbell is full of it and just wants to extend his family's control in Plainfield. Look at what his mother has done for our schools. Oh, she hasn't done squat unless it was good for her and her family. Does the apple fall far from the tree?
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:48 I am glad that the council shot down a million plus project on south avenue. That project was not good for this community. We do not need another apartment complex here in this great city of Plainfield. That project was none other than a political payback that went bad. It wasn't a project that would give anything to Plainfield it was a project that would suck the blood out the taxpayer's. and boost the surrounding communities economic growth. I agree with Mr. Campbell the council needs to invest in JOBS JOBS JOBS. This administration is the worst that I have ever seen. Rob or yes I forgot you call yourself Bob or what ever your name might be go somewhere and get a life.
ReplyDeleteThere are no programs for our youth or young adults. What is recreation doing. Nothing but hiring all of Mayor Mapp cronies. I am very dissatisfied with what is happening right here in Plainfield.
Wake up, 11:22 -- we're not living in the age of massive U.S. manufacturing factory centers or downtown strip malls. No one is coming to Plainfield, or anywhere else, to open up factories that will provide the jobs you're looking for.
DeleteThe JOBS, JOBS, JOBS are all in big box stores, malls, industrial parks not in a decrepit downtown like the one we currently have. If you think that people in other communities are surviving on minimum wage+ jobs they have at mom and pop shops in their communities you're out of the loop.
People everywhere, including Plainfield, wake up at the crack of dawn to commute far and wide to their jobs, blue collar and white collar. Those asking for JOBS JOBS JOBS in Plainfield don't really KNOW KNOW KNOW how it all works. Otherwise, they would approve development projects that create jobs, whether on a temporary or permanent basis. It does not work just because you wish it to do so.
And, the only person that Campbell is seeking a job for is members of his own clan, including himself.
Of course, all the other communities in and out of NJ with transit oriented development or otherwise that have succeeded in growing bustling town centers are the idiots. The true brains are the 40+ years of Plainfield leaders who have single-handedly dug this city into a hole, similar to once thriving communities like Irvington, Orange, East Orange and throughout Newark -- although those cities have really gone by the wayside.
There weren't any great programs for youth or young adults when many of us were growing up and it things were fine. We were satisfied with what we had and didn't turn into societal derelicts.
Life lessons start at home. Babies need to stop having babies and if they're going to have them, then they need to take care of them and raise them right. Stop relying on government and social services to raise the kids everyone else chooses to have.
Start by being accountable.
11:22 - What we do not need is more recreation facilities or games for our kids. What we need is good education so they can have choices for their lives. That's the problem with Plainfield. People are focused on activities for the kids, and don't seem to think that having a good education is an activity for them. It's no wonder they leave and don't come back. Why would any kid who manages to get a good education want to come here and put their kids in this school system.
DeleteThink about it, those who have an education and can help Plainfield leave. Why? Who do you think should be asked that question?
This Bob guys is defiantly a cartoon character.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'm glad someone is reading my comments.
DeleteLalo you are defiantly out of touch. At least the BOE is creating job's to keep individuals from loosing their homes. I think John Campbell will be a great candidate especially if he works like the gang over there on the school board. We might not like their politics but we have to respect them
ReplyDelete"have to respect them" no we don't have to respect them or even vote for them.
DeleteWonderful "creating" jobs over at the school board at the expense of tax payers, in line with all the PMUA jobs created for the sake of providing a job for which the rate payer is stuck with the bill --
ReplyDeleteConsidering the grammar and the typos I suspect you are product of Plainfield school system. Thanks for proving my point.
Lalo if you were smart you would understand the errors are done by design. You must be a product of Mayor Mapp going down on the sinking ship with the rest of his corrupt administration. Mayor Mapp have created jobs for his people so why can't others.
ReplyDeleteQuite smart with a very well paying job and a very nice and well-earned title to boot, in the private sector. I'm not on any political hack payroll and/or donor list.
DeleteAs for your tit for tat on the jobs front. I'm aware of this administration's poor choices. All of this nonsense is too bad for everyone who works hard, pays their fair share and is subject to all this nonsense on a daily basis.
Pathetic all around.
It takes little more than an overview of the events that lead to the minor disaster which occurred during the North Avenue demolition to conclude that an egregious impropriety occurred. The disaster during the performance of the work pales to insignificance as contrasted to the disaster which occurred in the contract award process. An examination of the events strongly suggests that Mr.. Watson channeled the contract to his buddy, Yates Realty. The bidding "procedure" if it can be called that, was not merely irregular, it was non-existent. Then too, consider the actual cost of the work as it eventually evolved. Yates billed for $50,000 for work complete to date, i.e. the demolition. The demolition debris removal was legitimately bid and contracted for an additional $75,000. The sum of the Yates billing and demo removal which completed the job aggregated to $125,000. The Yates contract price was $214,5000, some $89,500 more. For Mr. Watson to kiss these events off by stating that the City assisted the proprietor who rented in the damaged adjacent buildings falls light years short of providing a reasonable explanation.. There remain a host of unanswered questions. What additional sum did it cost to "help" Mi Beunaventura? Was, or will, Yates be paid the requisitioned $50,000. Will the insurance claim be satisfactorily settled? Was Mayor Mapp a party to the Yates award, or, an innocent bystander who had delegated the authority to Mr. Watson and Mr. Watson proceeded in a manner of which the Mayor was unaware? The only thing that seems certain is that Mr. Watson will not be held accountable for what occurred. In fact, no one is accountable. As Mr. Reid used to say when a controversial issue arose on the Council, " That was last year, let's move on."
ReplyDeleteBill Kruse