Three City Council Town Hall Meetings have been simple affairs, with members of the governing body making themselves available to hear citizen concerns. The final one is breaking the mold with a theme - "Partnering to Build Community" - four topics, nine "Collaborative Community Partners" to provide information and eleven "community co-sponsors" including a Scotch Plains restaurant.
Click here to see the flyer for the Third Ward Community Meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight (Dec. 10) at Hubbard Middle School, 551 West Eighth Street. It is hosted by Rev. Gloria Taylor, who represents the Third Ward on the City Council.
While the administration of Mayor Adrian O. Mapp is currently somewhat at odds with the school district over cancellation of a long-planned Youth Summit, Taylor's flyer lists the Plainfield Public Schools as a co-sponsor of the Third Ward event.
As reported here and on David Rutherford's blog, Plainfield View, the Youth Summit cancellation led to charges and counter-charges between the mayor and Superintendent Anna Belin-Pyles. The friction had actually started on Oct. 31, when a picnic for Second Ward Independent candidate John Campbell at a park on Cook School grounds was shut down for lack of a city permit. The Halloween hassle may or may not have led to the Friday the 13th bad-luck brouhaha, although Belin-Pyles said she merely asked for the event to be held the next day. Her argument weakened a bit when she identified the "next day" as the 13th.
After Belin-Pyles condemned Mapp's use of a citywide messaging service to say she shut down the summit by "executive decision," Taylor, a retired school administrator, stuck up for the superintendent and chastised Mapp on camera at the Nov. 23 council meeting.
Those who read tea leaves or entrails may see a new challenge in the scheduling of a "listening session" on planning a 2016 Youth Summit at 6 p.m.tonight at the Plainfield Public Library. Blogger Dan Damon, a sometime Mapp operative, listed the Youth Summit session and a Planning Board meeting as happening tonight, ignoring the Third Ward meeting. There had already been a "listening session" scheduled at the library this past Saturday. I was ill last week and I don't know whether it happened or not.
Anyway, the "Community Meeting" promises to be an event on the scale of former Mayor Sharon Robinson's Briggs' Aug. 1, 2010 forum that had a wide array of topics and panelists. The grand format of Taylor's meeting may portend a 2016 run for re-election, as her term expires next year. Listen carefully for the sound of a hat being tossed into the ring.
Click on the links below to read about the City Council's three prior Town Hall Meetings.
Fourth Ward on Sept. 29
Second Ward on Oct. 14
First Ward on Oct. 26
--Bernice
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Fortunately for us, Gloria doesn't have Jerry picking the candidates anymore... bye Felicia.
ReplyDeleteI received the flier you noted in my email and was asked (on behalf of Councilwoman Taylor) to distribute it to my "constituents"--she has the SAME constituents as I do--since when is it my job to distribute this kind of thing, and without even the courtesy of being asked by the councilor? It was sent to me by the clerk's office. It is completely unlike the standard fliers that were approved and sent out for the other city council town halls. I am troubled that Councilwoman Taylor would attempt to distribute a flier for a city council town hall meeting by misinforming Plainfield residents that 1) it is a "3rd Ward Community Meeting" and, 2) that SHE is "hosting" it.
ReplyDeleteI also represent the 3rd Ward, as does the citywide council representative. The governing body clarified twice that these were CITY COUNCIL town halls at the city council meeting back in September and again in October. They are hosted by the city council AS A BODY, not by an individual councilor.
The town hall meetings are placed in the different wards so as to bring the council out to the various areas of the city. This flier is misleading and completely misrepresents us. This is why I am surprised to see that she was sending this out as if it is "her" meeting.
Further, there is a "presentation" agenda listed--at no point did the council discuss any agenda being presented. Again, the POINT of the town halls is to hear from the public--THEIR questions, comments, and concerns. She lists the administration and the city council, among other entities, as her "partners"--this is not the format.
Residents have up to 5 minutes to speak on whatever topics THEY choose to discuss. At a 2 hour town hall, that allows for about 24 residents to speak--with the back-and-forth of town halls, there will likely be fewer speakers. How, then, will the public be able to speak, if Councilwoman Taylor hogs the meeting with her agenda? It certainly smacks of campaigning--these town halls are not about that. She is free to set up and host her own community meeting, but this meeting was advertised already. I hope that those residents who come to the meeting disallow her from trying to control the meeting.
Perhaps if she had bothered to attend one of the other three town halls, she would have known the format. That said, I hope that residents have time to speak.
Rebecca
What?! Me omit a meeting on purpose! It's been rescheduled so many times it must have escaped my attention. Mea culpa.
ReplyDeleteBTW, looks like the only thing missing is a guest appearance by the Rockettes. Perhaps they are otherwise engaged. ;-)
I have a question? I Gloria Taylor really an ordained, legitimately ordained, and by whom. I know she acts holier than thou most of the time, not a good Christian characteristic, but really? I wouldn't believe it by her actions on the City Council.
ReplyDeleteIf Taylor decides to run again, I can't see the Democratic City Committee putting her on the ballot. If someone pushes for it many of us will push back very hard. She has done little to be rewarded in this fashion.
ReplyDeleteMy question would be to Councilor Taylor, why all the pomp and circumstance? I ask this question in light of the Mayor, who is doing a excellent job of keeping the city informed and just having a town hall meeting last week that covered most of these topics.
ReplyDeleteBeing a 3rd ward resident all I really want to know is what is happing in my ward, what have you done to improve the 3rd ward and why didn’t we have a ward fun day this summer?
The flyer states – “together with community co-sponsors” is co-sponsors really necessary for our elected 3rd ward council person to address the 3rd ward residents on her representation and accomplishments concerning the 3rd ward?
Co-Sponsors –
City of Plainfield – are you saying the entire city of Plainfield is sponsoring this opportunity for the councilor (in my opinion) to grand-stand?
Plainfield City Council – why would the other council members show up in support of you when you were not present at any of the other ward meetings?
Angeles in Action – don’t count on them getting you re-elected.
Central Jersey Clergy Assn. – now would this be all Clergy in Central Jersey or just the ones that was in favor of having the Muhlenberg site turned into a 600 unit apartment project?
Plainfield Public Schools – we know this is just a political ploy to further your political ambitions.
Plainfield Dairy Queen – I’m surprised at this one, since Donna was in favor of the South Ave Gateway project and we know you were totally against it. Moreover, the owner of Dairy Queen doesn’t even live in Plainfield let alone the 3rd ward.
Plainfield Area NAACP – Sharon Robinson whose husband is President of the Plainfield Area NAACP, are we going back to the Briggs Robinson ERA.
Van Wyck Historic District - doesn’t this area now consist of a fair amount of, to use your favorite term, “CARPET BAGGERS”.
As for the rest of your quest – are you having someone from the Plainfield’s Department of Economic Development to discuss new development projects?
Will our Police Director be giving a report on public safety? After all you were totally disrespectful to him at a council meeting when he spoke against renewing the liquor license for the “GO-GO Bar” on Richmond and 3rd. You went as far as to imply he was presenting fabricated evidence and then voted in favor of the GO-GO Bar owner conducting business as usually.
ONE LAST THOUGHT, THE PLAINFIELD PLANNING BOARD IS HEARING FROM UNION COUNTY THIS EVENING ON IMPROVEMENTS AND OTHER CHANGES TO CEDAR BROOK PARK, WHICH IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 3RD WARD, WHY WERE THEY NOT INVITED?
IS THIS A TRUE COUNCIL SPONSORED TOWN HALL MEETING DESIGN TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF 3RD WARD CONSTITUENTS OR JUST A POLITICAL PLOY!!!
Concern 3rd ward resident - Robin B
Public School ploy?
DeleteThe meeting is in a school. By default the school is a Co-Sponsor, I assume.
Nice try. Yes a ploy, you scratch my back and I’ll do the same for you. As evident last night, the superintendent and the Campbell’s was front and center in support of Gloria and Sharon. The sad part is when the superintendent was asked about the success rate of students taking the Parcc examine she skirted all around the question without providing a real answer. She also skirted around the fact that they spent over a million dollars on Samsung tablet last year that they can’t use.
DeleteThe Van Wyck Brooks Historic District declined the opportunity to"sponsor" this meeting. Gloria has balls.
ReplyDeleteThey weren't the only so-called sponsor that was a figment of Goria's imagination. She is very deceptive.
DeleteEach ward had a meeting this year and I thought this one for the 3rd ward was nice. People were allowed to ask questions . The policeman answered my questions about my area and was sorry the it was not better attended. Cedarbrook School has a play the same night. I hope people in all thw wards will attend the meetings the next time they have them.
ReplyDelete