Plainfield Municipal Utility Authority commissioners voted Monday to keep a summer intern program for 2013, rejecting Commissioner Harold Mitchell's concern that it should be dropped in light of layoffs and furloughs.
For this summer, $28,000 had been budgeted to provide summer internships for eight young people, down by half from last year's program.
"The employees themselves need that money," Mitchell said, also citing public perception of the expense.
But PMUA Executive Director Dan Williamson defended the program as "desirable," "effective" and "useful," and said it had gone on in the past despite furloughs. Williamson said every PMUA employee, including himself, will be taking five unpaid days off in order to prevent further layoffs. He called it "untrue" and "irresponsible" to link the intern program and furloughs.
Commissioner Carol Brokaw, participating by speakerphone, asked about the selection of interns and whether it would be advertised citywide. A discussion revealed that most interns in the past had been relatives of PMUA commissioners or staff, but Williamson said the program will be conducted differently this year and in the future.
Brokaw also questioned what work the interns did, saying last year "most ended up in the conference room." In answer to another of her questions, Williamson said the savings from furloughs would be $100,876.
Williamson described a range of tasks involving interns and said only four worked in the Roosevelt Avenue building last year, but most had lunch there, possibly giving an incorrect impression.
Mitchell repeated his concern that employees' sacrifices were "not their choice" and called for the intern program to be sacrificed for 2013.
"You did a good job of tap-dancing," he told Williamson.
Williamson said he had heard no objections from the public to the intern program, but Commissioner Alex Toliver backed Mitchell's view that it should be dropped this year.
Commissioner Malcolm Dunn said he was "kind of shocked" to learn that last year's interns were all relatives of the board and said the program had been "blemished by the nepotism that was practiced." But he cited the benefits of intern programs for young people, noting he had helped them in his own business for 14 years.
Williamson defended the program as a "community give-back" that builds a work ethic and business knowledge in young people and said the "see other folks that look like them" working hard.
Commissioner and Board Chairman Cecil Sanders summed up the discussion, saying the $28,000 was already in the budget, dropping it will not change the budget and the perception of jobs going to family members will be "totally stopped."
After further lengthy discussion and rehashing of the details, the board voted 3-2 to retain the intern program for 2013. It was scheduled to begin next Monday, but at Brokaw's insistence, the board agreed to postpone the start for a week to have the personnel committee review applications "so we don't have the problem we had last year." She also asked for proof that the internships were "generally advertised."
Mitchel and Toliver voted "yes" to drop the program for 2013 and Brokaw, Sanders and Dunn voted "no."
PMUA operations take place at the Rock Avenue transfer station, at offices on Park Avenue and Roosevelt Avenue and at facilities on Cottage Place. Interns may be working at any PMUA location, officials said.
--Bernice
