Today (Monday, April 3) is filing date for Democratic and Republican June primary candidates. The primary election is June 6 and winners will have the party line in the November 7 general election.
Local seats up for election this year include Mayor and Fourth Ward for four-year terms, an unexpired term for the Second & Third Wards at-large and 68 two-year terms on the Democratic City Committee.
On the larger stage, Democratic and Republican candidates for Governor, State Assembly and State Senate must file today.
Independents file on June 6.
--Bernice
Monday, April 3, 2017
Saturday, April 1, 2017
Peter and Libby Price To Be Honored
Peter and Libby Price will be honored on Saturday, April 29 "for their generous and continued support" for the Plainfield Symphony.
Click here for full details on the concert and the Conductor's Circle party at which the Prices will be honored.
ABC Board Nominees Revealed
Nominees for the new Alcoholic Beverage Control Board will be considered at Monday's City Council meeting for possible approval at the April 10 meeting.
The April 3 meeting is 7:30 p.m. in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave.
Licenses for bars, restaurants, liquor stores and social clubs were formerly approved or denied by the seven-member governing body, but the three-member board is expected to review annual licenses starting this year. License holders are subject to inspections by the Police Division and several other city agencies and must be up to date with city fees and sales tax due to the state. The City Clerk's office handles much of the preparation for renewal, including correspondence with licensees and verification of compliance. Most licensees conform with all requirements, but police sometimes recommend denial for infractions such as sale of liquor to minors. The process may then involve hearings.
The three initial nominees have staggered terms. Successors will all have three-year terms. The ordinance also requires one of the three to be of the opposite political party. They are:
- James Perry, who cites extensive board service on his resume in addition to being the founding Chief Financial Officer of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority, serving from 1996 to 2013. His board affiliations include 23 years with Union County College,and 28 years with King's Daughters Day School. He was former chair of the Plainfield Redevelopment Authority and a founding member of the Plainfield Business Development Corp. A Democrat, he is nominated for the initial three-year term.
- David Graves, a repairer with the State of New Jersey, having previous managerial and technical positions in entertainment and manufacturing. Though not noted on his resume, Graves is well-known for community activities as well. He is a Democrat and is nominated for the two-year term.
- Oscar Riba, who is now vice president of Two Sigma Investments, LLC but who gained knowledge of ABC regulations as owner/operator of a New York bar for a decade ending in 2012. According to the resolution, he is a Republican and is nominated for a one-year initial term.
See more details on the ABC board in my January preview.
License renewals are supposed to take place by June 30, but may be held up if licensees have not paid fees or taxes or if hearings are involved.
See the April 3 meeting agenda here.
--Bernice
The April 3 meeting is 7:30 p.m. in
Licenses for bars, restaurants, liquor stores and social clubs were formerly approved or denied by the seven-member governing body, but the three-member board is expected to review annual licenses starting this year. License holders are subject to inspections by the Police Division and several other city agencies and must be up to date with city fees and sales tax due to the state. The City Clerk's office handles much of the preparation for renewal, including correspondence with licensees and verification of compliance. Most licensees conform with all requirements, but police sometimes recommend denial for infractions such as sale of liquor to minors. The process may then involve hearings.
The three initial nominees have staggered terms. Successors will all have three-year terms. The ordinance also requires one of the three to be of the opposite political party. They are:
- James Perry, who cites extensive board service on his resume in addition to being the founding Chief Financial Officer of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority, serving from 1996 to 2013. His board affiliations include 23 years with Union County College,and 28 years with King's Daughters Day School. He was former chair of the Plainfield Redevelopment Authority and a founding member of the Plainfield Business Development Corp. A Democrat, he is nominated for the initial three-year term.
- David Graves, a repairer with the State of New Jersey, having previous managerial and technical positions in entertainment and manufacturing. Though not noted on his resume, Graves is well-known for community activities as well. He is a Democrat and is nominated for the two-year term.
- Oscar Riba, who is now vice president of Two Sigma Investments, LLC but who gained knowledge of ABC regulations as owner/operator of a New York bar for a decade ending in 2012. According to the resolution, he is a Republican and is nominated for a one-year initial term.
See more details on the ABC board in my January preview.
License renewals are supposed to take place by June 30, but may be held up if licensees have not paid fees or taxes or if hearings are involved.
See the April 3 meeting agenda here.
--Bernice
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Unused Back Pay Impacts Municipal Budgets
Today nj.com is featuring an NJ Spotlight article on NJ municipalities and school districts owing almost $2 billion in unused sick and vacation pay.
Plaintalker pointed out Plainfield's situation regarding Compensated Absence Liability in 2008 ("The Big I.O.U"). The past administration was not putting away anything toward the cost of payouts, but this one has been doing so. Last year, $150,000 was allotted for accumulated absence and $67,300 was paid. This year, the administration wants $75,000 set aside.
As of 2010, new employees can only receive a maximum of $15,000 in unused sick or vacation pay. For a municipality with a mature workforce at the top of the pay scale, a bunch of retirements can cost a bundle in payouts. By contrast, some towns don't allow carryover of sick and vacation pay and so have no problem.
I could not find a page in the 2017 Municipal Data Sheet that showed Plainfield's total liability. In past data sheets, it was spelled out by categories and stated both the number of days and the amount owed. Update: Finance Director Ron West says the amount is in the User Friendly Budget and it is $3,882,593.35.
I was surprised to see this article, because the topic might be considered a bit arcane. Perhaps there is a new interest in how public money is spent, or maybe a wish for even greater reform.
--Bernice
Plaintalker pointed out Plainfield's situation regarding Compensated Absence Liability in 2008 ("The Big I.O.U"). The past administration was not putting away anything toward the cost of payouts, but this one has been doing so. Last year, $150,000 was allotted for accumulated absence and $67,300 was paid. This year, the administration wants $75,000 set aside.
As of 2010, new employees can only receive a maximum of $15,000 in unused sick or vacation pay. For a municipality with a mature workforce at the top of the pay scale, a bunch of retirements can cost a bundle in payouts. By contrast, some towns don't allow carryover of sick and vacation pay and so have no problem.
I could not find a page in the 2017 Municipal Data Sheet that showed Plainfield's total liability. In past data sheets, it was spelled out by categories and stated both the number of days and the amount owed. Update: Finance Director Ron West says the amount is in the User Friendly Budget and it is $3,882,593.35.
I was surprised to see this article, because the topic might be considered a bit arcane. Perhaps there is a new interest in how public money is spent, or maybe a wish for even greater reform.
--Bernice
Repairs May Cause Spotty Blogging
Finally some action on the Friday, Jan. 13, leak that wrecked the kitchen ceiling!
The super scraped the ceiling in the kitchen and living room, but said repairs will take a week, starting Monday. This is a very small apartment and we can't move everything out, so it will be Dropcloth City until things are fixed.
Mau the cat spent most of Wednesday in hiding. He's a pretty tough guy, except when it comes to having strangers in the apartment. After much cajoling, he emerged and became his usual bossy self instead of being a fraidy-cat.
The leak that went on for more than an hour starting at 5:30 a.m. on Jan. 13 came from a broken pipe in the apartment upstairs. We used every receptacle possible to catch the leaks, but water was coming through in so many places that it was impossible to avoid the damage. The super was in transit from somewhere and could not immediately respond. A lot of our stuff got damaged and had to be thrown out, even though we tried to cover things with plastic drop cloths.
.A new property manager took over at the end of February, so maybe things will improve. We hope so! This location is perfect for us and we really don't want to move.
--Bernice
Blogging will be impacted by this situation. Unfortunately for me, it is one of those weeks with several meetings - City Council agenda-fixing Monday, Zoning Board of Adjustment Wednesday, Planning Board Thursday.
Mau the cat spent most of Wednesday in hiding. He's a pretty tough guy, except when it comes to having strangers in the apartment. After much cajoling, he emerged and became his usual bossy self instead of being a fraidy-cat.
The leak that went on for more than an hour starting at 5:30 a.m. on Jan. 13 came from a broken pipe in the apartment upstairs. We used every receptacle possible to catch the leaks, but water was coming through in so many places that it was impossible to avoid the damage. The super was in transit from somewhere and could not immediately respond. A lot of our stuff got damaged and had to be thrown out, even though we tried to cover things with plastic drop cloths.
.A new property manager took over at the end of February, so maybe things will improve. We hope so! This location is perfect for us and we really don't want to move.
--Bernice
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Checks and Balances
It's this time of year that politicians tend to be focused on checks and balances - no, not the ones you learned about in Social Studies, the other ones: How many checks are being written and how big a balance there is in the campaign war chest.
Some local candidates have been holding fundraisers for months already, but Monday is filing day for the June 6 primary and candidates will strongly urge you to put your money where your mouth is.
In Plainfield, a Democratic primary win highly correlates with success in the November general election. This year the field is crowded and voter backing means a lot on the way to the primary as well as at the polls. So check your bank balance and see whether you can spare your favorite candidate a few bucks for fliers and buttons. Voter apathy may have played a role in the 45th presidential election. Don't let it happen here!
--Bernice
PNC Bank Sets Round Two With HPC
A inconclusive haggle Tuesday over how much green space to put around the Titsworth-Sutphen House will mean PNC Bank representatives must return to the Historic Preservation Commission next month.
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The pre-Civil War structure sits on a portion of the bank's parking lot on West Second Street. Plans to subdivide three lots to create two new ones include adding some green space around the building, but commissioners wanted more and suggested reconfiguring the proposed lots to allow as much as 20 feet of "greensward" around it. Commissioners also suggested relocating two proposed ATM machines to make more room around the building.
Attorney Diane Hickey of Riker Danzig said the plan included a "facelift" for the building, mainly a new coat of paint. The suggested changes in lot lines led to Hickey asking for two recesses to confer with engineer Robert Streker and project manager Joseph F. Haley.
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The pre-Civil War structure sits on a portion of the bank's parking lot on West Second Street. Plans to subdivide three lots to create two new ones include adding some green space around the building, but commissioners wanted more and suggested reconfiguring the proposed lots to allow as much as 20 feet of "greensward" around it. Commissioners also suggested relocating two proposed ATM machines to make more room around the building.
At times the discussion veered off into what might become of the former Appliance-Arama building adjacent to the parking lot, now that a proposal for 148 apartments on the lot is defunct. On another topic, Larry Quirk wanted the bank's proposed ATMs to look more historic.
"The drawings look rather futuristic," he said.
It was revealed that the bank will relocate to the large office complex across West Second Street and close the ornate building that once was the headquarters of United National Bank, Developer Frank Cretella had in 2010 proposed retail use for the bank's first floor, with nightclubs above
Cretella's 148-unit apartment complex was to have required use of eight parking lot parcels, while the bank wanted just three melded into two for the ATMs. The PNC Bank team hinted Tuesday at possible development on the rest of the sprawling parking lot, but gave no details.
"The ultimate vision is a viable development on the property," Streker said.
After more back-and-forth over how much green space was sufficient, HPC Chairman Bill Michelson suggested that the team "articulate or come back" next month. Hickey first raised the issue of having to meet April 5 with the Zoning Board of Adjustment, but later said she would ask for the matter to be carried to the Zoning Board's May 3 meeting. The HPC agreed to carry the matter in turn to their April 25 meeting for further discussion and possible approval.
--Bernice
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