Thank heavens Courier News reporter Mark Spivey has posted a definitive story on the issue of creating a suitable memorial for baseball star Joe Black.
I struggled with this story today, but being a sports illiterate and also having a hard time following the nuances of the efforts to honor Joe Black, I was at a loss to explain the details.
So read Mark's story here and be informed.
--Bernice
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Seen on the Street
OMG! My favorite car, the SmartforTwo! I love this car and would have gladly bought one if not for fear of Escalades and other giant vehicles that might have squashed me like a bug on one of Plainfield's unofficial raceways.
Oh dear! Perhaps the driver was not so Smart ... check out the parking ticket.I still love this car. I know there is a mid-life crisis where people (mostly men) go wild and buy red cars. If there is a female late-life equivalent, I still might cast caution to the winds and get one (maybe in lavender or luna-moth green, if such is available).
What is your dream car nowadays?
--Bernice
Council Wants Posts Filled, Costs Curbed
Tension between the governing body and the administration was an undertone at Monday’s City Council meeting as the two branches continued to spar over appointments and finances.
The appointments in question are those of a certified municipal finance officer and a director of the Department of Administration, Finance, Health & Social Services. The finance issue involves curbing discretionary spending by the mayor for such things as flowers, food and employee parties.
The city has had no chief finance officer since 2007. In October 2009, the state Division of Local Government Services sent Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs and the council a stern letter warning the use of acting or interim CFOs would not be tolerated and requiring a status report on the appointment of a CFO within three weeks. Since then, the city has received three extensions, the latest one to expire on July 19. The council is now considering a resolution to ask the state to appoint a CFO, but City Administrator Bibi Taylor and Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson said the mayor considers that an infringement on her powers.
On Monday, Councilman William Reid said the resolution “kind of pits the council against the mayor” and called for a joint request for state assistance “so it looks like we are concerted.” The dissension may be deterring applicants for the post and reflecting on the future of city development, he said.
Reid said the council could take “boxing gloves and guns” to work things out with the mayor, warning of a possible state takeover if the impasse continues.
“We just have to tell the mayor she has to do her job,” he said.
The finance director post has been vacant since Jan. 31 and before that, had a high turnover in the mayor’s first four-year term. Taylor has been informally covering AFH&SS responsibilities in addition to managing day-to-day city operations, but council members questioned the workload as well as a possible lack of checks and balances.
The city’s municipal code limits acting appointments to 90 days, but when Councilwoman Bridget Rivers asked, “Are we out of compliance?” Williamson said there was not a yes-or-no answer. When Rivers repeated her question, Williamson drew a laugh from the audience when he said, “The answer is a hybrid of yes and no.”
Despite the 90-day rule, he said, “We have to get things done.”
Taylor said without someone in the post, if she didn’t carry out the functions, nothing would happen. The department is the largest of three mandated by the city’s special charter. She said the administration takes exception to the council’s proposed resolution urging the mayor to appoint a director and in turn urged the council not to act on it.
Unless removed from the agenda, both resolutions will be up for a vote at the council’s regular meeting, 8 p.m. July 19 in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.
A proposed council resolution on discretionary spending follows the administration’s declaration July 1 that the city will forego special state aid in FY 2011. Although the reason given was to speed budget passage by not having to wait for the announcement of extraordinary state aid (now called transitional aid), some council members perceived it as a way to dodge constraints on spending now tied to acceptance of such funds.
In FY 2010, the mayor had to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the city to accept extraordinary state aid, agreeing to limit spending on travel, food and employee celebrations. On Monday, Taylor said the administration took exception to the proposed resolution that would limit purchases of what Councilman Adrian Mapp described as “flowers, food, water, gifts, hosting of employee picnics and those kinds of things.”
Taylor said the governing body was “overstepping,” but Council President Annie McWilliams asked whether it was stepping into day-to-day operations or setting policy. Williamson equivocated, but Councilman Cory Storch called it policy, saying such restrictions are now actually being promulgated by the state.
Reid said he agreed with the idea of restricting spending and hoped the mayor was already doing so. He said “sodas and waters and candies” should not come out of city funds.
“By us saying we don’t want it, the mayor should at least listen to us,” he said.
In a related proposed ordinance, the council is seeking review of the city bills list.
‘We’re not voting to approve bills, we just want to look at them,” McWilliams said.
Taylor said the municipal code already allows for bills review “after they are paid,” but Mapp said most governing bodies in New Jersey review bills before payment. Taylor said such a change would slow down payment and create a backlog. But McWilliams said if the governing body sees a pattern of spending in the reviews, it could then have a discussion with the mayor and administration.
The proposed legislation is expected to be on the agenda next Monday.
--Bernice Paglia
The appointments in question are those of a certified municipal finance officer and a director of the Department of Administration, Finance, Health & Social Services. The finance issue involves curbing discretionary spending by the mayor for such things as flowers, food and employee parties.
The city has had no chief finance officer since 2007. In October 2009, the state Division of Local Government Services sent Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs and the council a stern letter warning the use of acting or interim CFOs would not be tolerated and requiring a status report on the appointment of a CFO within three weeks. Since then, the city has received three extensions, the latest one to expire on July 19. The council is now considering a resolution to ask the state to appoint a CFO, but City Administrator Bibi Taylor and Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson said the mayor considers that an infringement on her powers.
On Monday, Councilman William Reid said the resolution “kind of pits the council against the mayor” and called for a joint request for state assistance “so it looks like we are concerted.” The dissension may be deterring applicants for the post and reflecting on the future of city development, he said.
Reid said the council could take “boxing gloves and guns” to work things out with the mayor, warning of a possible state takeover if the impasse continues.
“We just have to tell the mayor she has to do her job,” he said.
The finance director post has been vacant since Jan. 31 and before that, had a high turnover in the mayor’s first four-year term. Taylor has been informally covering AFH&SS responsibilities in addition to managing day-to-day city operations, but council members questioned the workload as well as a possible lack of checks and balances.
The city’s municipal code limits acting appointments to 90 days, but when Councilwoman Bridget Rivers asked, “Are we out of compliance?” Williamson said there was not a yes-or-no answer. When Rivers repeated her question, Williamson drew a laugh from the audience when he said, “The answer is a hybrid of yes and no.”
Despite the 90-day rule, he said, “We have to get things done.”
Taylor said without someone in the post, if she didn’t carry out the functions, nothing would happen. The department is the largest of three mandated by the city’s special charter. She said the administration takes exception to the council’s proposed resolution urging the mayor to appoint a director and in turn urged the council not to act on it.
Unless removed from the agenda, both resolutions will be up for a vote at the council’s regular meeting, 8 p.m. July 19 in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.
A proposed council resolution on discretionary spending follows the administration’s declaration July 1 that the city will forego special state aid in FY 2011. Although the reason given was to speed budget passage by not having to wait for the announcement of extraordinary state aid (now called transitional aid), some council members perceived it as a way to dodge constraints on spending now tied to acceptance of such funds.
In FY 2010, the mayor had to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the city to accept extraordinary state aid, agreeing to limit spending on travel, food and employee celebrations. On Monday, Taylor said the administration took exception to the proposed resolution that would limit purchases of what Councilman Adrian Mapp described as “flowers, food, water, gifts, hosting of employee picnics and those kinds of things.”
Taylor said the governing body was “overstepping,” but Council President Annie McWilliams asked whether it was stepping into day-to-day operations or setting policy. Williamson equivocated, but Councilman Cory Storch called it policy, saying such restrictions are now actually being promulgated by the state.
Reid said he agreed with the idea of restricting spending and hoped the mayor was already doing so. He said “sodas and waters and candies” should not come out of city funds.
“By us saying we don’t want it, the mayor should at least listen to us,” he said.
In a related proposed ordinance, the council is seeking review of the city bills list.
‘We’re not voting to approve bills, we just want to look at them,” McWilliams said.
Taylor said the municipal code already allows for bills review “after they are paid,” but Mapp said most governing bodies in New Jersey review bills before payment. Taylor said such a change would slow down payment and create a backlog. But McWilliams said if the governing body sees a pattern of spending in the reviews, it could then have a discussion with the mayor and administration.
The proposed legislation is expected to be on the agenda next Monday.
--Bernice Paglia
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Shame on You!
No sooner did our new SID sign go up at Park & Seventh than some misguided person scrawled graffiti on it. Come on folks, can't we do better than that? I'm hoping the signs are made so that they can be cleaned. The broken-heart image echoed how I felt to see this petty mischief.--Bernice
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Money Matters on Monday's Agenda
Monday’s City Council agenda session includes a proposal to commit $1 million in Urban Enterprise Zone funds to a $1.8 million revolving fund for redevelopment loans in the city.
The other partners in the program would be private lenders and a third entity, possibly the New Jersey Redevelopment Agency, or a newly-created city entity.
Terms would allow loans of from $2,000 to $250,000, from six months to 84 months for repayment. (More later if it moves to the July 19 agenda).
Another proposed drawdown on the UEZ funds is $800,000 for the long-awaited CCTV program where strategically-placed cameras will assist public safety efforts. The new plan is to refit the Police Division basement for the surveillance operation. Previously, the former Tepper’s building basement had been considered.
My cursory study of the City Council packet in the Plainfield Public Library Saturday did not allow me to remember all the discussion items, but there are several. So all you council watchers, gird up for a long session.
There are a number of engineering items for Remington & Vernick, mostly for preliminaries. For example, the $140,875 tab for design and other preliminary services is for a $1.5 million reconstruction project on South Avenue. Council observers would have us believe that R&V is a favored firm for political reasons, but Plaintalker has no proof.
In other matters, JPMorgan Chase Bank has decided to drop municipal accounts, which in Plainfield’s case leave the municipality with more than $300,000 in checks that need to be canceled and put in the Budget Operations account. The check dates range from July 1, 2008 to June 15, 2010.
Another item would grant BC Productions of Plainfield a video recording contract at $100 per hour. Challengers included a Snellville, GA firm that wanted $173.25 an hour plus travel expenses. Not sure whether this is for regular City Council recording or something else.
Unfortunate that the public can no longer get the agenda online (Correction: Deputy Clerk A. Jalloh said Monday the link to tonight's agenda has been up since Friday. He suggests hitting the "refresh" button. Also links have been on the city web site all year, he said.)and especially the documentation that explains all. If you are able, the Plainfield Public Library council packet is now your best bet on getting advance info on the meeting.
--Bernice
The other partners in the program would be private lenders and a third entity, possibly the New Jersey Redevelopment Agency, or a newly-created city entity.
Terms would allow loans of from $2,000 to $250,000, from six months to 84 months for repayment. (More later if it moves to the July 19 agenda).
Another proposed drawdown on the UEZ funds is $800,000 for the long-awaited CCTV program where strategically-placed cameras will assist public safety efforts. The new plan is to refit the Police Division basement for the surveillance operation. Previously, the former Tepper’s building basement had been considered.
My cursory study of the City Council packet in the Plainfield Public Library Saturday did not allow me to remember all the discussion items, but there are several. So all you council watchers, gird up for a long session.
There are a number of engineering items for Remington & Vernick, mostly for preliminaries. For example, the $140,875 tab for design and other preliminary services is for a $1.5 million reconstruction project on South Avenue. Council observers would have us believe that R&V is a favored firm for political reasons, but Plaintalker has no proof.
In other matters, JPMorgan Chase Bank has decided to drop municipal accounts, which in Plainfield’s case leave the municipality with more than $300,000 in checks that need to be canceled and put in the Budget Operations account. The check dates range from July 1, 2008 to June 15, 2010.
Another item would grant BC Productions of Plainfield a video recording contract at $100 per hour. Challengers included a Snellville, GA firm that wanted $173.25 an hour plus travel expenses. Not sure whether this is for regular City Council recording or something else.
Unfortunate that the public can no longer get the agenda online (Correction: Deputy Clerk A. Jalloh said Monday the link to tonight's agenda has been up since Friday. He suggests hitting the "refresh" button. Also links have been on the city web site all year, he said.)and especially the documentation that explains all. If you are able, the Plainfield Public Library council packet is now your best bet on getting advance info on the meeting.
--Bernice
New Aggregator on Plainfield: "Wow!"
Saul Qersdyn's new venture, compiling all Union County blogs on one site, quickly turned up the fact that Plainfield alone has 21 blogs. Qersdyn was suitably impressed and made a separate link to Queen City bloggers. Click here to see it.
Not all of the 21 municipalities have listings right now. Qersdyn is inviting would-be bloggers to learn more about "citizen journalism" by taking The Citizens' Campaign's 25-minute course on the subject. Successfully completing the course can lead to "certification" as a citizen journalist.
Some Plainfielders may remember The Citizens' Campaign as the force behind passage of the Civic Responsibility Act of 2005. Click here to read Plaintalker's post from Aug. 20, 2005. The list of opportunities to serve on boards and commissions is still not available from City Hall. In fact, many of the rosters have become garbled over the intervening years and need to be straightened out. But that is another story.
Regarding Plainfield blogs, some are single-topic efforts such as Dr. Gregory Palermo's posts on Plainfield trees, while others are round-ups of information and opinions. Two are anonymous takes on the school district. Several are published by legislators. Qersdyn's format lays them out in alphabetical order, without additional comment.
Blogger Dan Damon is also an aggregator of online local news and blogs. He posts on Plainfield Today and aggregates on CLIPS. Jackie Schnoop's blog is mostly about television, with weekly summaries and photos on life in Plainfield. Maria's Blog includes masses of information on the workings (or not-workings) of the school district, along with more slices of life in the Queen City.
It is worth a new look at all of the blogs on Qersdyn's Plainfield link. Readers will see differences such as frequency of posting and proportion of news content. Quersdyn states his goal this way: "The purpose of this information warehouse is to have a centralized starting point where people can look for various issues and information to all the towns in Union County. It also allows for a network of numerous bloggers and citizen reporters to support and assist each other in their pursuits."
When Qersdyn first contacted me by e-mail about his intentions, I replied, "Personally, I think the idea of hyperlocal blogs is diluted by aggregating them on a county-wide basis. I think most readers just want to know about their own communities and can't really relate to issues in other municipalities. Just my opinion."
Very provincial of me, no doubt. Qersdyn, as stated above, sees a value in knowing how other towns address common issues. I still think readers have their hands full just digesting what their own elected and appointed officials are up to.
Qersdyn's format is still being worked out. For example, there are several local "Patch" sites that are in fact a "platform" of online media, with advertising and professional editors. Click here to see the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Patch. These sites are quite different from the solo blogs and while they share the hyperlocal function, they are not aggregated on Qersdyn's countywide "information warehouse."
The question of how "local" news must be to interest readers is one that caused a radical change in the front-page format of some daily newspapers, who now relegate world news to a one-page summary at the rear of the first section. Local stories about adopting lab beagles or the latest bank robbery now merit the A-1, above-the-fold spot. This has come about because by the time a daily newspaper hits the porch, everyone has already heard or seen the world news on other media. Still, both the Patch and hyperlocal blog format give the reader just the hometown news, not what happened in the next municipality or county, a possible advantage over a daily that attempts to give local news from dozens of towns.
As a reader, what captures your interest among all these possibilities? Do you spin through many sources on your Blackberry or is reading the paper with your morning coffee a must? Do you like to see Plainfield in contrast to 20 other Union County towns or do you want to zoom in on City Hall and the school board?
Would you want to be a citizen journalist or just a consumer of well-reported local news? There are so many choices today. What are yours?
--Bernice
Not all of the 21 municipalities have listings right now. Qersdyn is inviting would-be bloggers to learn more about "citizen journalism" by taking The Citizens' Campaign's 25-minute course on the subject. Successfully completing the course can lead to "certification" as a citizen journalist.
Some Plainfielders may remember The Citizens' Campaign as the force behind passage of the Civic Responsibility Act of 2005. Click here to read Plaintalker's post from Aug. 20, 2005. The list of opportunities to serve on boards and commissions is still not available from City Hall. In fact, many of the rosters have become garbled over the intervening years and need to be straightened out. But that is another story.
Regarding Plainfield blogs, some are single-topic efforts such as Dr. Gregory Palermo's posts on Plainfield trees, while others are round-ups of information and opinions. Two are anonymous takes on the school district. Several are published by legislators. Qersdyn's format lays them out in alphabetical order, without additional comment.
Blogger Dan Damon is also an aggregator of online local news and blogs. He posts on Plainfield Today and aggregates on CLIPS. Jackie Schnoop's blog is mostly about television, with weekly summaries and photos on life in Plainfield. Maria's Blog includes masses of information on the workings (or not-workings) of the school district, along with more slices of life in the Queen City.
It is worth a new look at all of the blogs on Qersdyn's Plainfield link. Readers will see differences such as frequency of posting and proportion of news content. Quersdyn states his goal this way: "The purpose of this information warehouse is to have a centralized starting point where people can look for various issues and information to all the towns in Union County. It also allows for a network of numerous bloggers and citizen reporters to support and assist each other in their pursuits."
When Qersdyn first contacted me by e-mail about his intentions, I replied, "Personally, I think the idea of hyperlocal blogs is diluted by aggregating them on a county-wide basis. I think most readers just want to know about their own communities and can't really relate to issues in other municipalities. Just my opinion."
Very provincial of me, no doubt. Qersdyn, as stated above, sees a value in knowing how other towns address common issues. I still think readers have their hands full just digesting what their own elected and appointed officials are up to.
Qersdyn's format is still being worked out. For example, there are several local "Patch" sites that are in fact a "platform" of online media, with advertising and professional editors. Click here to see the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Patch. These sites are quite different from the solo blogs and while they share the hyperlocal function, they are not aggregated on Qersdyn's countywide "information warehouse."
The question of how "local" news must be to interest readers is one that caused a radical change in the front-page format of some daily newspapers, who now relegate world news to a one-page summary at the rear of the first section. Local stories about adopting lab beagles or the latest bank robbery now merit the A-1, above-the-fold spot. This has come about because by the time a daily newspaper hits the porch, everyone has already heard or seen the world news on other media. Still, both the Patch and hyperlocal blog format give the reader just the hometown news, not what happened in the next municipality or county, a possible advantage over a daily that attempts to give local news from dozens of towns.
As a reader, what captures your interest among all these possibilities? Do you spin through many sources on your Blackberry or is reading the paper with your morning coffee a must? Do you like to see Plainfield in contrast to 20 other Union County towns or do you want to zoom in on City Hall and the school board?
Would you want to be a citizen journalist or just a consumer of well-reported local news? There are so many choices today. What are yours?
--Bernice
Thursday, July 8, 2010
From the Farm to You
Farm stand next to Salvation Army.Fresh produce will be available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. this summer every Monday and Thursday on Watchung Avenue near East Seventh Street, and qualified residents can receive vouchers for fruits and vegetables.
After a short break for the July Fourth holiday, the farm stand will now be open until Thanksgiving. While anyone can shop there, participants in the federal Women, Infants & Children nutrition program will be eligible for $20 vouchers for produce, excluding white potatoes, which are considered a starch, not a vegetable.
The program's educational component seeks to increase knowledge of nutritional values of various foods. Participants can take lessons in English or Spanish at special kiosks in the WIC office in City Hall Annex, 510 Watchung Avenue, or online at www.njwiconline.org
As a frequent buyer for several years, I can say it is a pleasure to have this opportunity. The farm stand also has flowers and one of my all-time favorites was a pot of gorgeous "wave" petunias for my topiary basket.
Pay a visit! You may find it quite useful.
--Bernice
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