Monday's Council Topics: Roads, Taxis, Cleanups, Crime

The city's capital improvement plan for 2017 will consist solely of $5 million for road repair, Planning Director Bill Nierstedt said when called upon Monday to explain a resolution that will be up for a City Council vote on Dec. 12.

Capital improvement plans can include equipment for long-term use and major improvements to municipal properties as well as infrastructure, as described in this 2006 post.

The city 's 2005 five-year plan for road repair faltered several years ago. In 2008, the governing body declined the administration's request to pay an engineering firm $1 million to assess and re-prioritize road repair needs. The current administration has been attempting to revive a program of road repairs.

 In other matters at Monday's agenda-fixing session, Norman Muhammad of the Plainfield Anti-Violence Coalition thanked Police Director Carl Riley for his efforts to reduce violent crime, but challenged Councilman Barry Goode to be more active in combating violence. Goode, who represents the First and Fourth Wards at-large, said he forgave Muhammad for "your lapse of memory" regarding his involvement and added Muhammad can call him at any time.

"I am approachable," Goode said.

A large group attended the meeting to support out-of-town taxi drivers who are facing the possibility of having their vehicles towed after final passage of an ordinance next week. Speaking in English and Spanish, supporters said the owners and drivers, mostly based in North Plainfield, are just trying to make a living. Several alleged it takes an hour or more for city-licensed taxis to answer calls, so they have to call the out-of-town taxis to get to medical appointments and such on time.

Resident Timothy Priano, whose Queen City Pride group has held numerous cleanups, said city Code Enforcement needs to be stepped up to address derelict buildings he has seen along the cleanup routes. Priano alleged courts were not helping and no one was obeying rules or codes.

Council President Cory Storch said Code Enforcement has been an ongoing concern and asked City Administrator Rick Smiley to comment. Smiley said the city will soon have a new director for abandoned property.

"I'm not going to blame it on the courts," Smiley said.

"I just don't find that response acceptable," Storch said.

Muhammad also asked whether a South Avenue developer was hiring minority contractors, as promised when the project was approved. Economic Development Director Carlos Sanchez said the project is in the demolition phase and a local contractor is doing the work.

In the absence of Chairwoman of the Whole Gloria Taylor, Councilwoman Tracey Brown filled in and rapidly received council approval to move all 35 resolutions and four ordinances to the agenda for the regular meeting at 8 p.m. Dec. 12 in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.

Walking Around on My Break

Click any image to enlarge

What a surprise to see this paisley-painted signal box on Park Avenue as I walked downtown!

I had written about Union County's "Art Outside the Box" initiative and other public art in 2015 and thought this was  a continuation, but an online search turned up nothing new, Finally, I contacted a county spokesman who said there was no new art this year. The artwork is signed, so maybe the artist will come forward to collect compliments. I saw another signal box design by the same artist while I was taking a taxi home from the Stop & Shop, but I can't recall the exact location.

It was a bit of cheer in an otherwise gloomy week for me, so thanks, Pedro Baez!

After doing my errand downtown without any mishaps, I decided to walk further. A vacant lot on West Front Street reminded me of its unfinished story. First cleared for construction of 12 condos, it became a "pocket park" in 2008, cleaned up and beautified by Lucent volunteers (top photo). Later, it was supposed to become part of another project with office space and an adult day care center, but it's still a bit of green space sans benches (bottom photo).

October 2008

November 2016

The much-painted-over west wall featured a scary monster and a flamboyant tag. I recently bought a fountain pen and was trying not very enthusiastically to brush up on my cursive writing skills, but the tag made me realize that creative is better than cursive.

On West Second Street, I thought about the 148-unit development project proposed for the PNC parking lot area. It was approved in 2010, with preservation of the Titsworth-Sutphen building discussed as a goal. The building is (correction: one of very few) the only pre-Civil War structure in Plainfield.

The sign on the building was hanging down and rear windows were boarded up. I had heard about vagrants getting in recently. One hopes action on the building's relocation will happen sooner rather than later.

 

December 2013

November 2016

On East Second Street, I saw new black fencing installed at Municipal Parking Lot 6, with complementary fencing at the  corner of East Second and Gavett Place, where an entertainment center is planned.

Municipal Parking Lot 6

New venue on Gavett Place

Glancing up at a window, I recalled some of the many improvised window treatments I have seen around the city. This one looked like a sheet. I have also seen black contractors' bags, cardboard, contour sheets, newspapers, blankets and towels (scroll down here to see an example).

Across Gavett Place, the other part of the envisioned entertainment center is getting the final details. It has 20 apartments and commercial space along with grounds for gatherings across from the main train station.

Art Lofts I

I ran into two very interesting people on North Avenue, both with vital interest in Plainfield, and we dished for a while on city topics. It reminded me of what I used to call "journalism by walking around," because the conversations were revelatory and only needed a little more work to produce stories.

The colors on this building were brighter than I remembered. Turns out it was just re-painted. The aqua details really stood out. I was telling one person about a theater that had been on the block, in the spot that is now just a vacant lot. If you weren't here in 2010, check out these demolition images.

Back home to the six-family building that was once the home of Joseph Yates, a member of Plainfield's first council. The Oak tree out front might even date back to those days.

The current City Council will not meet again until Dec. 5, when an agenda-fixing session is scheduled. The regular meeting is Dec. 12 and on Dec. 19 there will be an agenda-fixing session for the council reorganization in January. By the way, official results of the Nov. 8 election show 11,224 votes for Rebecca Williams, currently representing Wards 2&3 at-large but starting a four-year term as the Citywide at-large representative in January. Charles McRae won the Third Ward seat with 2,544 votes to 995 for former Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs. The council will choose an appointee to serve in Wards 2&3 at-large until the next general election.

Hope you enjoyed coming along on my walk!

City Seeks New Engineering Firm

A new engineering firm is up for City Council consideration, at a tab not to exceed $90,000 for 2016.

If approved at the March 14 regular meeting, Pennoni Associates would succeed Remington & Vernick as city engineers. Terms include a maximum of eight office hours per week as needed, at $160 per hour. The firm would be responsible for plan review, budget preparation for capital improvements, grant applications, equipment and services specifications, mapping and signing off on documents, among other tasks. The engineer would also attend meetings as required by Public Works director Eric Watson or his designee.

Up until about 10 years ago, the city had a full-time in-house engineer, but later outsourced the duties. One of the major concerns has been a road repair program that began as a five-year project in 2005, but morphed into "phases" after the schedule fell behind.

For several years, the engineer assigned from Remington & Vernick was Jacqueline Foushee, who developed an exhaustive knowledge of city infrastructure and a congenial working relationship with city staff and land use agencies. Foushee left the company in 2014 to become the first female African American Public Works director in Trenton, shortly after former Plainfield Public Works Director Eric Jackson was elected mayor of Trenton.

Another engineer was assigned to Plainfield, but apparently did not have the same affinity for the city.

The contract with Pennoni Associates, if approved by the governing body, runs to Dec. 31.

Also on Monday's agenda is a $2.3 million bond ordinance for capital improvements described as:
"Providing for various capital acquisitions and improvements within the City including, but not limited to, the improvements to Seidler Field, Municipal Lots 6 and 8, Department of Public Works salt and sand storage silo, Department of Public Works City yard and Police Headquarters, the acquisition of vehicles for the Department of Public Works, the acquisition of police vehicles and the acquisition of a fire engine pumper, and the purchase of property."

The bond ordinance will be up for first reading on March 14 and if passed, will be up for second reading and final passage on April 11.

Other items include a lien for $114,000 to be placed on 117-125 North Avenue for the March 21, 2015 demolition that went wrong and destroyed a neighboring restaurant. The owner is not identified.

Click the link to view or print your own copy of the Monday, March 7 agenda.

--Bernice

Mapp: 2016 A "Break-Through Year"

image from slide show

Since taking office in 2014, Mayor Adrian O. Mapp has set his sights on re-establishing the city's fiscal health and challenged his team to improve operations across the board.

"If I had to describe the past year in only two words, those words would be change and progress," he said

With increasing interest from developers and investors, he sees 2016 as a time to "re-brand" the city and build on the accomplishments of the first half of his four-year term. Noting the city's historic districts and two train stations, he said through re-branding and marketing "our ability to attract more investors will expand exponentially."

"We have to see ourselves as we want others to see us," he said, calling 2016 "poised to be a breakthrough year."

Mayor Adrian O. Mapp

Mapp delivered his State of the City address before a large crowd at the Senior Center Thursday, having chosen to separate it from the annual reorganization that took place on Jan. 4.

The crowd assembles

Among the good news he could report:

On Public Safety
-Violent crime is down by 17 percent, non-violent crime is down by 9 percent.
-Police are more interactive with the community
-30 real-time security cameras are monitored at police headquarters
-Seven new officers have are on the job as of January and nine new recruits are in academy training
-Police body cameras are in use
-The Fire Division has 12 new firefighters and the American Red Cross is working with the division

On Public Works & Urban Development
-Mapp called the Public Works Division "one of the finest" for their dedication and most recently their response to the Jan. 23 blizzard
-The Recreation Division and Senior Center are now joined in providing all-age activities and held 15 culture-based field trips

Mapp switched to goals, recalling his aim to prove Plainfield is economically viable, safe and a great place to live, work and invest. He told the story of Abraham and Maria Ramos, who had built up a following for their restaurant that spanned the metropolitan area. After their North Avenue location suffered structural damage during a demolition in March 2015, city officials offered help that resulted in a new North Avenue location by November. Mapp praised the "Plainfield Open for Business" loan program's help for the couple.

Citing participation in 15 new business openings, Mapp said there are now also 56 development projects in progress, representing investments of over $135 million. He highlighted the two largest, a 212-unit residential development in the Second Ward and a 90-unit affordable housing plan in the Fourth Ward, coupled with warehouse construction that will allow a successful business to expand and stay in the city.

"This is what I call real change and progress," Mapp said.

City Council members

Another big push was for improved communication, which included electronic documents for the governing body, a revised website for ease of use and social media outreach including the "Mapp App" in recognition of residents' increased reliance on their phones for connecting to the world.

Turning to care for the needs of residents, Mapp quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.:
"Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle."

Calling it "not unreasonable nor unattainable to seek prosperity for every one who lives here," Mapp said his administration is committed in 2016 to expand and promote opportunities opportunities for Plainfielders "in the fields of nutrition, housing, health, income stabilization, criminal justice and improved community life."

He named Plainfield Action Services as the entity to help low- and middle-income residents empower themselves and achieve self-sufficiency. A partnership with Rutgers University School of Social Work will lead to a 10 percent increase in case management. Other assistance will include tenant/landlord advocacy to prevent eviction and homelessness, as well as financial empowerment workshops.

The Community Relations division will also expand its services to help nonprofit organizations and offer consumer education.

The city will also seek means of improving re-entry of parolees into the community, aiding homeless veterans and preventing foreclosures. Municipal photo IDs will be made available to any residents who need them.

Mapp covered all the above topics and more in his 50-minute address,with some deviations from the print version. The full State of the City Address is online and the event was also recorded for viewing on local cable channels. His closing words were a call for togetherness, again quoting Dr. King: "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."

Plaintalker sought comments from attendees Thursday after the speech. Several declined, but resident Norman X. Johnson spoke about the re-entry program, saying he would prefer a "no-entry" program. He said help for those returning to the community is greatly needed, but so are education, vocational training, job skills and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) knowledge for young people "on the front side rather than on the backside of release." 

--Bernice

Sights on a Walk

Sunday's unseasonably warm weather inspired me to walk downtown and I came across a number of interesting sights.

On Park Avenue, I spied a honeycomb structure on the sidewalk and looked up to see where it had fallen from a building. It might have been a wasps' nest. These intricate insect homes are amazing no matter where they turn up.

I could hear drumming and chanting from a new occult shop across the street and on the way back saw people dancing to the rhythms.

After visiting the ATM at PNC Bank, I went to the Dollar General store on West Front Street to look for some things and made a few purchases. Next, I checked the progress of murals in the Queen's Courtyard, behind the former Queen City Savings building,

"One Plainfield"

A tribute to development

City Hall (with the old yews?)

On East Second, I saw that the rehabilitated Mirons Warehouse, now 12 apartments with commercial space at ground level, has new shutters.

In Municipal Parking Lot 6 (where a parking deck may be in the future), I snapped a photo of my favorite tree, behind the former Elks building. I believe it is an Elm.

Here is the same tree in December 2013.

Going across East Second Street on the way back, I heard a bunch of kids screaming excitedly and saw them running down an alley and clambering over a big construction lift.

 Urban children will make playthings out of any object, I remembered from my own childhood where kids on my block routinely trespassed and climbed all over things. Later I saw this group on the second story of a North Avenue mosque, but they also saw me and I got a few catcalls for looking at them.

On Gavett Place, I noticed that the old Budget Rent-A-Car building had been demolished. It was part of the site of Art Lofts I, which will have 20 apartments and an entertainment center.

Passing the demolition site on North Avenue, I marveled once again at the crooked Mafia wall, so different from the precise ones I saw online when I looked up the term. it is meant to hold landfill in place

Nearing Park & Seventh, I was dismayed to see trash in the planters. This has been a chronic problem ever since the planters were installed many years ago. What will it take to get people to use the nearby trash receptacles?

The afternoon had been sunny to that point, and then as if to mark the sad ending of my walk, the skies darkened and big raindrops fell.

--Bernice

What Were Plainfield's Top Stories in 2015?

I am looking for suggestions on Top Stories of 2015.

The list will no doubt include the North Avenue demolition fiasco, changes at PMUA, development including the 212-unit Sleepy Hollow Developers deal and the YMCA project for young people aging out of foster care, the canceled outsourcing of the Planning Division ... and what else?

This blog began in June 2005 as Plainfield Plaintalker and in 2010 became Plaintalker II, together reaching a 10-year milestone this year, a personal top story for me..

If you have a minute to spare between shopping and other holiday preparations, please share your opinion on the year's top stories.

--Bernice

Update on North Avenue Demolition Site

So this must be the "mafia wall" that we heard about. (Please, no jokes about it being crooked.)

It is made of very heavy blocks and the purpose is to hold fill at the North Avenue demolition site. The building that was demolished had a shared "party wall" with the building next door, so filling the excavated hole might place pressure on that wall (or so I understand it). The mafia wall will now take on the weight of the fill, sparing the wall from possible collapse.

The demolition took place on March 21 and caused damage to the building next door.

This story began in December 2011 with a fire in the vacant three-story building. There was talk of demolition at the time, but nothing happened.

Three years later, Plaintalker called attention to the damaged structure and asked what it would take to resolve the situation.

On March 21, the ill-fated effort to tear down the building created even more problems which are still being worked out.

--Bernice

Notes on First Ward Town Hall Meeting

Attendance was sparse but the issues were many at Monday's First Ward Town Hall Meeting. Council members Diane Toliver, Vera Greaves, Tracey Brown and Council President Bridget Rivers heard residents' concerns about development, dangerous intersections, a controversial bar, police handling of loitering and council bickering, among others.

As per guidelines for the town hall meetings, residents from any of the city's four wards could speak at any of the meetings.

Resident Alan Goldstein expressed concern about Mayor Adrian O. Mapp and council both hiring attorneys in a dispute over a nominee to the Plainfield Area Regional Sewerage Authority.

"I hate to see the either the mayor's office or the council spend money on this kind of bickering," he said.

The council approved spending up to $20,000 on legal representation, with the mayor presumably allocating a like amount. Goldstein also raised concerns about the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority and costs of a North Avenue building demolition, among other topics.

Rivers said the mayor "launched the suit," although the action sought is seeking a judge's opinion on the rights of the parties in a dispute, not initiating a lawsuit.

Resident Sherice Koonce asked Toliver about her vote in favor of a liquor license for a controversial Richmond Street bar. Toliver said it had been a go-go bar but was now a sports bar.

"It's supposed to be a decent kind of place," she said. "If the city did not want it, they should have rezoned it."

Councilwomen Diane Toliver, Vera Greaves, Bridget Rivers, Tracey Brown

Toliver said her vote was based on fairness. Rivers also supported granting the liquor license renewal and said she spoke to every nearby resident, hearing no objections. Goldstein said police had recommended denial and said the council could have held a hearing, but rejected it. Rivers said the hearing was only discussed in closed session and challenged Goldstein on how he knew about it. (Actually, the hearing was discussed in public but was rejected.).

Norman X. Johnson raised the issue of police telling African-American men to move off a certain First Ward corner and asserted that police do not make men of different ethnicities disperse in other parts of the city. He questioned whether there is a "phantom law" on loitering. or one that should be enforced citywide.

Reid said Johnson was correct, there is no loitering law, but there is a "failure to disperse" law. He said police respond to residents' calls about people even sitting on porches where they don't reside.

But in another turn at the microphone, Johnson said although he respects the job the Police Division does, "quality of life enforcement is not being done fairly in the city of Plainfield."

Several speakers talked about Monday's tragic collision at Arlington Avenue and West Ninth Street that resulted in the death of a 10-year-old girl and injuries to several others. (See separate post.)

Speakers disapproved of using "payment in lieu of taxes" deals to entice developers, but resident Maria Pellum contrasted the adversarial behavior of city leaders with that of officials in other towns who work together to attract investors.

"People say, did you see what happened at the last council meeting? We need the council to take the lead - do the homework."

Pellum said, "We're stuck because we focus too much on race."

She warned that many large companies are moving out of the area and tax abatements can be the "hook" to bring investment.

Pellum also saw the city's "Abbott district" status as a detriment. The school district receives about 80 percent of its revenues from the state and around 20 percent from taxpayers, based on poverty levels. She said investors are not going to come to a poor district.

Though only about a dozen residents attended, the meeting was recorded for broadcast on local cable channels. The Third Ward Town Hall Meeting is the last and is scheduled for Nov. 12 at Hubbard School.

--Bernice

Downtown Sights & Commentary on Development

Work is in progress at the building next to the March 21 North Avenue demolition site. The crane is over on Gavett Place.

Paramount is experiencing turnover at some Park Avenue properties.

 Spotted this sign and learned that Appliance Arama was in business for 73 years!

Took a fast snapshot of the new equipment at the PSE&G station on West Second Street. It looks better than the old setup.This upgrade was mandated by the operators of the power grid. The old equipment was about 50 years old and had reached the end of its useful life.

This lot is next to the site known as West Second Street Commons, a mixed-use project that received approvals in 2010. See Plaintalker's post on West Second Street Commons. For all the ballyhoo at the time, nothing has happened yet. At last count, developer Frank Cretella had eleven projects in various stages. Two on Park Avenue are complete, as are some on North Avenue. The rehabilitation of the Mirons warehouse and the new construction replacing the Romonds Jeep building are underway. Will we be enjoying outdoor entertainment on Gavett Place by next summer?

Plaintalker posted an overview of Cretella's projects in 2013. Many have progressed since then, but West Second Street Commons is yet to be realized.

--Bernice  

LWV Forum Draws Crowd for BOE, Council Races

If the audience enthusiasm at Tuesday's candidates' forum is any indication, it will not look like an off-year election here on Nov. 3.

Four candidates each for the Board of Education and the City Council spoke at the forum held by the Plainfield League of Women Voters. The audience applauded repeatedly, despite a request to hold it until the end, and broke into applause and screams of delight when BOE candidate Richard Wyatt recited an inspirational poem.

Wyatt, John Campbell and Jackie Coley are all incumbents running as a slate. Coley is seeking a second three-year term and Campbell and Wyatt are recent appointees seeking full three-year terms. Emily Morgan is making her first run for a board seat. Voters must choose three to begin serving as of Jan. 1, 2016.

While some gave generic answers to questions from the audience, Campbell quipped that the answer to increasing parent involvement was "fry some nice chicken and fish." It was sort of a joke on himself, as he is well-known and sometimes criticized for his efficacious political fish fries.

"I have tried it, and it works," he said.

On what can be done for children struggling to get into college, Wyatt's answer was, "Put pressure on guidance counselors."

To get state officials to back full funding for Plainfield, Morgan said the district must organize and lobby legislators.

"They need to know we are going to hold to a standard in Plainfield," she said.

In her closing statement, Coley said serving on the board "is no longer new territory for me." She said the district has been taken off the Focus list and the graduation rate has increased.

"Families are coming back to Plainfield because they are hearing great things," she said.

Campbell also listed positive changes in closing, such as a new STEM school and a "home-grown" superintendent after several outsiders.

"I believe every child can be successful," Morgan said. "We can do better with the money we have."

Wyatt said he is the father of three and is not trying to get into politics. He said all can have a hand in making sure children succeed, and then launched into the recitation that brought down the house.

Organizers tried to clear the room for the next segment on the City Council, but the energized crowd took almost 10 minutes to stop congratulating the candidates and conversing about the forum.

The City Council candidates are incumbent Second Ward Councilman Cory Storch, a Democrat seeking a fourth term, and John Campbell, who ran for state Assembly as a Republican but is now an Independent challenging  Storch for a four-year term starting Jan. 1, 2016. (Campbell is the son of the BOE candidate John Campbell.) For the First & Fourth Ward at-large seat, former BOE candidate Norman E. Ortega is running as an Independent against Democrat Barry Goode, who is seeking elective office for the first time.

In his opening statement, Ortega said the role of the city is "to be a successful city for all residents."

Storch opened by saying Plainfield is "finally on the right track" for development, but said the missing ingredient is "a council that is cooperative with the mayor."

Goode pledged to fight hard for Plainfield and said he will seek sustainable solutions and an improved quality of life for all residents.

Campbell named impoverished seniors and "a business climate we can barely patronize' as among failures of the city and said the council "deserves a fighter who will fight for what's right."

The first question from the audience was "What are you going to do for the Latinos?" The city's Latino population shot up 67 percent between 2000 and 2010, counting in 2010 as 40.4 percent of its 49,808 residents.

Goode said he will treat each constituency the same.

"It's all one city," he said.

"A good question," Ortega said, "and that's why I'm here."

Storch said Latinos are not represented in city government, but are well-represented in the businesses downtown and in the population increase.He noted that the Economic Development director is Latino and the city has translators.

"This is your City Hall," he said, but added, "A lot of Latinos do not feel that way."

"I would argue that the Latino community is as much a part of our community as anyone else," Campbell said, complimenting their "sticktoitiveness and entrepreneurship."

On city budgets, Storch called for a council retreat where "measurable goals" would be set and then talking about what's right for the citizens instead of having a political struggle."

"I don't think we can settle for a tax increase," Campbell said, citing seniors who can't afford it.

Goode said it takes a great deal of experience to balance a budget.. Alluding to a "can't and won't" attitude, he said the issue is "How much goes where and why is it going there."

Ortega responded by listing several allegations against Mayor Adrian O. Mapp that were published on the Plainfieldlatino blog, regarding a North Avenue demolition, the Plainfield Bilingual Daycare Center and a liquor license. Alluding to recent Plainfield Advisory Committee on Hispanic Affairs events, he said,"Throwing little parties is not enough. He has to respect us."

Storch said people don't get development by just saying, "I want a Starbucks" or "I want a jazz club." He said there are many steps that must be understood, one being a tax abatement, or payment in lieu of taxes.

Ortega asked, "How many of you have seen or read the master plan?"
Someone in the audience yelled, "Have you?" Ortega said the city should publicize it.

"If you don't share,then you have resistance," he said."You've got to be careful - you can't give the house away."

In closing statements, Campbell deplored a Facebook post by a council member where he was shown at Republican functions and now labeled an Independent in sheep's clothing. He named several politicians who  had switched party labels

Goode said he has always been consistent. "I have not changed. In fact, I'm stronger than I have ever been."

Storch repeated his pitch for cooperation with the mayor, saying otherwise there will be no momentum.

Ortega traced his life in Plainfield and said his candidacy was a good thing, "not just for me but for all Latinos."

See more candidate information on the Plainfield LWV website and remember to vote on Nov. 3!

Photo Roundup

Fall means seed-saving time for me. On the left, some seeds and chaff from a small form of Black-Eyed Susan. On the right, the tiny seeds with some chaff above. The pin is for reference to the size of the seeds. My garden yields a wide variety of seeds in all shapes and sizes and gives me something to look forward to during winter.

On a walk downtown Monday, I saw new chairs and tables inside the relocated Mi Buenaventura Restaurant. The sign predicted a May opening, but it took a lot longer to get to this point. The restaurant's original North Avenue location was damaged on March 21 during a demolition of an adjacent building. This is also on North Avenue, across from the main train station on the side closest to the post office.

One of the most nerve-wracking parts of being a pedestrian is dodging bike riders on the sidewalk. If I see them coming, I stand still at one side until they pass so as not to get knocked down. At my age, a fall can lead to a broken hip! But when they come from behind, the most I can do is vent with a few unprintable words as they zoom by. Two single riders had passed me before this pair came from behind. Whatever happened to bicycle bells?

This passageway from East Front Street to Municipal parking Lot 6 was damaged in Hurricane Sandy, but has now been restored and beautified with landscaping. The City Council approved a contract to create a mural at the site and I went to see whether any work had been done.

Oops! No mural yet, but one of the city's taggers has already defaced one wall. The Special Improvement District association has a graffiti-removal program, so maybe they can deal with this one.

--Bernice

Regarding Sept. 8 Discussion Items

Regarding the four discussion items on the Sept. 8 agenda:

City Council Newsletter - Council President Bridget Rivers asked Corporation Counsel David Minchello about it and Minchello said it will obviously depend on budget constraints. No further discussion took place.
Rivers previously brought it up in August and Plaintalker posted some details on the council's budget line.

Outside Counsel - Minchello said there is no separate counsel, only one corporation counsel (himself). The governing body can only have an outside counsel for a specific investigation or if the council is being sued. Councilwoman Gloria Taylor questioned the status of a request for proposals for special counsel, and Minchello asked, "What is the purpose?" Taylor said it was for an investigation of the March 21 North Avenue demolition, which she said was ongoing.
(Minchello was formerly Plainfield's corporation counsel in 2014, but left to become law director in Trenton in mid-year. He returned in July of this year after Mayor Adrian O. Mapp removed Corporation Counsel Vernita Sias-Hill.)

Crossing Guards - Rivers said crossing guards told her they only got a 22-cent raise.City Administrator Rick Smiley said the guards were included in a recent salary ordinance, but Rivers said the guards said they had not gotten a raise. Councilwoman Vera Greaves said if they only got 22 cents, it was an insult. Councilwoman Tracey Brown said they provide a vital service  Rivers again insisted the raise was 22 cents.
No one was present from the crossing guards to clarify the matter. In May, a large number of crossing guards came to a council meeting to protest not having a raise, but were informed of the salary ordinance that increased their maximum pay from $14.30 hourly to $19.

Ward Meetings - Rivers said the council used to hold meetings in each ward in past years and will resume with one on Sept. 29 for herself and Greaves. Rivers represents the Fourth Ward and Greaves holds the First and Fourth Ward at-large seat.
Greaves' term ends on Dec. 31 and one of the contests in the November 3 general election is for her seat, with Democrat Barry Goode and Independent Norman E. Ortega vying for a four-year term. No time or location for the meeting was announced.

So overall, the items were not conclusive and we must wait for further developments.

--Bernice

Outsourcing, Outside Counsel, Out with Night Club: Notes on Tuesday's Agenda-Fixing Meeting

I did not see anything on Tuesday's agenda regarding the rumored outsourcing of the Planning Division, nothing regarding layoff notices and nothing about Mayor Adrian O. Mapp explaining the rationale for any such action, as he said he would in a statement last week.

It is possible that the administration proposed something that did not make it to the agenda, either because the deadline to submit items was missed or because Council President Bridget Rivers exercised her right to decide what goes on the agenda. Tuesday's meeting is an agenda-fixing session for the Sept. 14 regular meeting, but the deadline to submit items is noon of the prior Wednesday.

There are four discussion items, none of which pertains to the topic of outsourcing. They are City Council newsletter, outside counsel, crossing guards and ward town hall meetings. There is a provision in the city's special charter for the mayor to "take part in discussions of the Council" but not to initiate any. While he has spoken at times, collegiality does not always prevail and Rivers has cut him off at times, saying, "Moving right along ..." So we must wait to see how things go Tuesday.

The notion of dismissing the in-house Planning Division in favor of an outside consultant did not
 sit well with the Planning Board. In a discussion last Thursday, members questioned how it would work and agreed to send a letter to the governing body voicing their concerns. The board had not been informed of any such proposed action. Besides  the support the Planning Division gives the board in dealing with development applications, its staff also assists with the Capital Improvement plan, Community Development Block Grants, road work and related shade tree matters, other land use boards and general questions from residents.

I jumped the gun on another matter, thinking the Muhlenberg "in need of redevelopment" study would go to the council for possible action this month, but again due to the deadline for agenda submissions, it would have to wait until next month or be added with council approval as as a new item.

The discussion items noted above  could take a while Tuesday. The council newsletter came up last month as a concept, with few details. The "outside counsel" issue may be related to an investigation of the March 21 demolition on North Avenue that was halted when portions of the building being demolished fell on a restaurant next door. Crossing guards received a pay raise earlier in the year, but may have other issues. Town Hall meetings in each of the city's four wards are a tradition, though not usually held so late in the year.

Tuesday's agenda also includes annual liquor license renewals, which may cause some discussion, especially on the controversial former Richmond Beer Garden, now named Express Night Club. The Plainfield Police Division has recommended denial of the license renewal, as it did in April. In May, a council majority approved the license renewal, but later advertisements contradicted owner Luis Penaloza's claim that dancers would wear bathing suits.

The deadline for liquor license renewal was changed this year from June 30 to Sept. 18 to allow time for a conversion from paper documents to an electronic renewal system. More later on city liquor license renewals.

--Bernice

More North Avenue Photos

June 24, 2015

As of last week, there was still a lot to be done at 117-125 North Avenue, the site of a botched demolition on March 21. Yanuzzi Group was approved on June 16 to complete the demolition and work began at the end of the month. Here are my most recent photos.

From July 3

From July 7

--Bernice