Dr. Yood's commentary on Asm. Green's legislation led me to review the "Muhlenberg Moving Forward" report that is still online.
Click here to see an image from the report. Is something like this envisioned in the legislation?
This is the year when the emergency room is supposed to close. Pay close attention, as they say on WBAI.
See the full report here.
--Bernice
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Comment on PMUA Situation
On Tuesday, it was revealed that the final destination for storm debris, a disposal company in Lawrenceville, had stopped accepting the waste in November. The PMUA had lowered its rate for dumping vegetative waste on Sept. 11, before the storm, and had contracted with other municipalities to drop off such waste at the Rock Avenue facility. The disposal company was bound by a contract to accept all the waste for a flat rate.
Going back over the information, Plaintalker found that in the Sept. 11 discussion preceding the PMUA commisioners' vote to lower the rate charged at Rock Avenue to garner more business, several errors were made. Two were minor - the name of the disposal firm was wrong and numbers were slightly transposed in the stated disposal charge per month - but the third one misstated the term of the disposal firm's contract. It was not three years, but one year. So instead of having a locked-in rate for another year and a half, just a few months were left in the one-year contract approved in February 2012.
Executive Director Dan Williamson only came to the post on July 1, 2012. But others, including staff, legal counsel and commissioners, were there when the disposal contract was approved. Too bad the rate change was proposed and approved on what appears to have been an incorrect premise.
Ironically, during the same discussion Williamson had projected a more aggressive stance going forward on analyzing factors affecting PMUA rates and costs.
Things may work out once the unanticipated volume of storm debris is processed and the flow of waste takes on a normal pattern. One hopes so, for the sake of the ratepayers. The situation simply points up the need for that which Williamson had in mind - a firm grip on the facts before action.
--Bernice
A Pretty Plant
Plant propagation is so much fun for me. I grew up in an urban setting where the only wild flowers were weeds that grew in a vacant lot. We never had plants in the house. As an adult I discovered the joys of nature study and passed a lot of it on to my children, who still know the names of many flowers and birds. A large part of it was learning how plants grow and reproduce.
Over the years I have populated my gardens with lots of plants grown from cuttings or divisions rather than expensive nursery plants. I recommend it both as a way to save money and also to enjoy "plant parenthood" by growing your own.
--Bernice
Crazy Weather
The big storm arrived much later than initially predicted. It is raining hard at this hour (nearly 1 a.m.) but the high winds have not started.
If it's 65 degrees in January, what will it be in July? I shudder to think.
--Bernice
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Sandy Slams PMUA Plans
"Hurricane Sandy changed the scenario."
It's something a lot of people across the state might have said about their plans after the Oct. 29 storm struck. On Tuesday, PMUA officials cited the tree-toppling event as the cause of a legal battle with a disposal company that balked when the normal flow of "vegetative waste" - brush, branches, and such - became tons of storm debris.
Just weeks before the storm, the authority changed its rate to drop off Type 23 vegetative waste to $6.50 per cubic yard, down from $28.54, in a bid to increase business from other municipalities, landscapers and contractors. From the PMUA facility on Rock Avenue, the waste went to Britton Industries in Lawrenceville for final disposal under a February 2012 contract that set a flat rate of $2,408.33 per month for the service.
The new rate was hailed in the authority's Winter newsletter as "a successful catalyst for new business" and the authority welcomed Garwood, North Plainfield and Green Brook as customers for drop-off of vegetative waste. But the same newsletter also said the facility had been "inundated" with 104,100 tons of trees, brush, branches and leaves from the storm.
As PMUA officials recounted Tuesday, Britton Industries stopped accepting such waste on Nov. 28, causing the PMUA to use another outlet, Generated Ltd., at a higher rate after a judge refused to grant immediate relief. Britton proposed a new rate of $20 per ton, which the PMUA countered with an offer of $15 per ton. No settlement has been reached and the PMUA board of commissioners authorized attorney Leslie London and Executive Director Dan Williamson to ask for a rate of $12 per ton, but empowered them to settle for the higher rate if necessary.
The proposal also includes extending Britton's contract for 45 days.
The commissioners present Tuesday - Alex Toliver, Carol Brokaw, Cecil Sanders and Malcolm Dunn by speakerphone - held an executive session before emerging to answer questions from the public.The proposed rate will generate about $2 less per cubic yard than the authority had been charging. Dunn expressed concern that the change could affect what the authority can "give back" to residents and also urged a tough stance in the negotiations. Williamson said there is always some give and take in negotiations, but Dunn said with a deep laugh, "I'm more interested in the 'take.' "
The contract with Britton Industries would have expired in February, not months later as mentioned at the Sept. 12 meeting. After the proposed 45-day adjustment, the contract for disposal of vegetative waste will be put out to bid.
Meanwhile, plans outlined in the PMUA newsletter include outreach to all nearby municipalities for drop-off of vegetative waste and another category known as bulk waste that includes household castoffs.
The PMUA will meet next at 6 p.m. on Feb. 12 at 127 Roosevelt Avenue for the annual reorganization, when officers including a chairman will be selected.
--Bernice
It's something a lot of people across the state might have said about their plans after the Oct. 29 storm struck. On Tuesday, PMUA officials cited the tree-toppling event as the cause of a legal battle with a disposal company that balked when the normal flow of "vegetative waste" - brush, branches, and such - became tons of storm debris.
Just weeks before the storm, the authority changed its rate to drop off Type 23 vegetative waste to $6.50 per cubic yard, down from $28.54, in a bid to increase business from other municipalities, landscapers and contractors. From the PMUA facility on Rock Avenue, the waste went to Britton Industries in Lawrenceville for final disposal under a February 2012 contract that set a flat rate of $2,408.33 per month for the service.
The new rate was hailed in the authority's Winter newsletter as "a successful catalyst for new business" and the authority welcomed Garwood, North Plainfield and Green Brook as customers for drop-off of vegetative waste. But the same newsletter also said the facility had been "inundated" with 104,100 tons of trees, brush, branches and leaves from the storm.
As PMUA officials recounted Tuesday, Britton Industries stopped accepting such waste on Nov. 28, causing the PMUA to use another outlet, Generated Ltd., at a higher rate after a judge refused to grant immediate relief. Britton proposed a new rate of $20 per ton, which the PMUA countered with an offer of $15 per ton. No settlement has been reached and the PMUA board of commissioners authorized attorney Leslie London and Executive Director Dan Williamson to ask for a rate of $12 per ton, but empowered them to settle for the higher rate if necessary.
The proposal also includes extending Britton's contract for 45 days.
The commissioners present Tuesday - Alex Toliver, Carol Brokaw, Cecil Sanders and Malcolm Dunn by speakerphone - held an executive session before emerging to answer questions from the public.The proposed rate will generate about $2 less per cubic yard than the authority had been charging. Dunn expressed concern that the change could affect what the authority can "give back" to residents and also urged a tough stance in the negotiations. Williamson said there is always some give and take in negotiations, but Dunn said with a deep laugh, "I'm more interested in the 'take.' "
The contract with Britton Industries would have expired in February, not months later as mentioned at the Sept. 12 meeting. After the proposed 45-day adjustment, the contract for disposal of vegetative waste will be put out to bid.
Meanwhile, plans outlined in the PMUA newsletter include outreach to all nearby municipalities for drop-off of vegetative waste and another category known as bulk waste that includes household castoffs.
The PMUA will meet next at 6 p.m. on Feb. 12 at 127 Roosevelt Avenue for the annual reorganization, when officers including a chairman will be selected.
--Bernice
Monday, January 28, 2013
Cicadas Are Coming in 2013
Don't ask me why the 17-year cicada was on my mind today when there are so many other things to think about, but guess what? This year, 2013, is when Brood II is due to emerge in New Jersey. They were here last in 1996. Remember the noise? The piles of shells when they molted?
Click here for more information.
--Bernice
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Baseball Plan Needs Budget, Management
Heaven knows I hope the new baseball plan works out for the 2013 season, but the registration announcement does raise a few questions.
For those who haven't heard the story so far, an all-volunteer youth baseball league claimed in 2009 to be facing problems with the city Recreation Division regarding use of municipal fields and other arrangements. The controversy continued in 2010.
Although city administrative staff changed, the issues persisted into 2012. As the season approaches in 2013, the public has been assured that an answer has been found in a single league under the city's aegis.
The first and most obvious concern for 2013 is that there is no superintendent in charge of Recreation, as former Superintendent Dave Wynn left the post last year. The registration flyer notes a $25 fee that includes a uniform and use of equipment. Looking over past Plaintalker posts on the subject, one in April 2011 notes that $3,000 was spent on baseball uniforms for the city league without prior authorization and funds had to be found after the fact. If that's how things went with a superintendent in place, how will fiscal matters be handled without one? The purchasing agent at the time noted that such lapses occurred despite reminders of fiscal rules. There is a new purchasing agent as of this month, but still no full-time chief financial officer to guide the budget process for 2013.
In another post, the volunteer group, Queen City Baseball League, noted a large enrollment. How big can the merged league be? There are nine 14 city teams listed on the flyer. How many uniforms will be needed by April and how will they be procured?
It certainly was reassuring after all the fuss since 2009 to hear of the 2013 merger. Both Karen Glencamp-Daniel of the Queen City Baseball League and former city league organizer Roland Muhammad expressed somewhat guarded hope at the Jan. 22 meeting. Glencamp-Daniel said she hoped there would be "no power play" and Muhammad said he hoped "that can be true."
Plaintalker just hopes the new plan's fiscal and managerial aspects will be addressed properly, so the young players will not have to witness adult squabbles as in the past.
--Bernice
For those who haven't heard the story so far, an all-volunteer youth baseball league claimed in 2009 to be facing problems with the city Recreation Division regarding use of municipal fields and other arrangements. The controversy continued in 2010.
Although city administrative staff changed, the issues persisted into 2012. As the season approaches in 2013, the public has been assured that an answer has been found in a single league under the city's aegis.
The first and most obvious concern for 2013 is that there is no superintendent in charge of Recreation, as former Superintendent Dave Wynn left the post last year. The registration flyer notes a $25 fee that includes a uniform and use of equipment. Looking over past Plaintalker posts on the subject, one in April 2011 notes that $3,000 was spent on baseball uniforms for the city league without prior authorization and funds had to be found after the fact. If that's how things went with a superintendent in place, how will fiscal matters be handled without one? The purchasing agent at the time noted that such lapses occurred despite reminders of fiscal rules. There is a new purchasing agent as of this month, but still no full-time chief financial officer to guide the budget process for 2013.
In another post, the volunteer group, Queen City Baseball League, noted a large enrollment. How big can the merged league be? There are
It certainly was reassuring after all the fuss since 2009 to hear of the 2013 merger. Both Karen Glencamp-Daniel of the Queen City Baseball League and former city league organizer Roland Muhammad expressed somewhat guarded hope at the Jan. 22 meeting. Glencamp-Daniel said she hoped there would be "no power play" and Muhammad said he hoped "that can be true."
Plaintalker just hopes the new plan's fiscal and managerial aspects will be addressed properly, so the young players will not have to witness adult squabbles as in the past.
--Bernice
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