Celebration Will Honor Herb Green

Plaintalker has been asked to publish this press release:

CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF PLAINFIELD SCHOOLS LEADER SET FOR JAN. 12

Everyone is invited to a Celebration of the Life of Herbert T. Green, who died in the home where
his wife grew up on Evergreen Avenue in Plainfield, Saturday, January 12, at 2 pm at Emerson
Community School in the City.

Green, 87, a World War II veteran and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, lived in Plainfield since
1957. He died Nov. 9.

Among other tributes, his widow Marjorie Braverman Green will read excerpts from letters children in
Plainfield Public Schools who had known her husband as a Resident Reader at Clinton and Evergreen
Schools wrote to send their condolences.

Paul L. Tractenberg, the Board of Governors Distinguished Service Professor and the Alfred C. Clapp
Distinguished Service Professor of Law at Rutgers Law School – Newark, will conduct the ceremony.
Tractenberg founded the Education Law Center at the law school in 1973, and is considered the most
important figure in school funding equalization in the state, representing 350,000 urban students,
including those in Plainfield.

Although he started his career as sports director of Channel 13, then located in New Jersey, and went
on to be general manager there and at Channel 47, Green was most passionate about urban education.
He served as president of the PTA at several Plainfield public schools, two terms on the Board of
Education, was a Resident Reader, and was founder and director of the Public Education Institute at
Rutgers University, from which he retired in 2011.

Among other distinctions, Green, in 1978, became the first man to head a local League of Women
Voters chapter in New Jersey, in 1978, Plainfield's, then took on that role again 30 years later. He was
first vice-president of the group when he died.

During the ceremony, visitors will be asked to write recollections in notebooks placed around the room.
Emerson School is located on Emerson Avenue, at East Third Street, one block east of Leland Avenue.

In addition to his widow, Green is survived by two sons, Charles M. and Joseph B., a daughter-in-law
Janice, five grandchildren and a nephew.


The family asks that memorial gifts be made to the Plainfield Area Humane Society, 75 Rock Ave.,
Plainfield, N.J. 07063.

Further information is available on the blog spot of the Plainfield League of Women Voters.
There, too, will be an opportunity for people to leave comments. The Internet address is http://
plainfieldleague.blogspot.com/2012/12/celebration-life-of-herb-green.
http://plainfieldleague.blogspot.com/2013/01/herb-green-educator-and-activist-1924.html

IT In Focus For 2013

At the annual reorganization Thursday, both Council President Bridget Rivers and Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs held up the administration's Information Technology and Media division for special attention in 2013.

"I believe IT is the key," Rivers said as she announced plans for an Information Technology Committee.

The council developed a committee system in 2010, with three members each assigned to four committees, Administration & Finance, Economic & Community Development, Public Safety and City & Neighborhood Services. The former two consistently reported back to the governing body, while the latter two were more spotty in reporting. The council also had a system of liaisons to nine other entities, including the Cable TV Advisory Board, which is linked to the Media division. Assignments for 2013 have not yet been announced.

The mayor said IT and Media will have "press releases and updates" in 2013 and she also announced the possibility of a blog "to provide some factual city news."

The IT division is headed by Chris Payne, formerly of the Plainfield school district. He accomplished the long-awaited overhaul of the city web site, including a ".gov" designation. When hired, he was assigned to the mayor's office, but the council created by ordinance an IT division under the Department of Administration & Finance in order to conform to the city's special charter, which calls for all operations to fall under three departments. There is now a separate Media division, also under Administration & Finance, to cover the local cable channels, but schedules are out of date and recent council meetings were taped but not broadcast.

When he came to City Hall in 2010, Payne dubbed the new operation "DoIT," but not all promised has been done as yet. It became apparent that the broad range of technical, creative and administrative tasks could not all be done with the initial staff and equipment, and a consultant was brought aboard. The Media side got a boost when Lamar David Mackson became head of the Plainfield Cable Television Advisory Board, but its blog has not been updated since last June and the status of its membership is unclear. The last press release on the Media site dates back to November 2011.

So if there really is to be a focus on IT and Media as suggested Thursday, it appears some housekeeping is in order first - that is, if the divisions are to function as intended and not just to become PR arms for the mayor and council president, both of whom are seeking re-election this year. The board needs members, the TV schedule must be updated, Payne must state his present goals and budget needs and most of all, the purpose and chain of command needs clarification. And the IT Committee needs objective members who will act first as elected representatives to serve the people's interest. Anything less will perpetuate the current malfunction.

--Bernice 

Tiffany Tour Today at Grace

If you have never seen the Tiffany windows at Grace Episcopal Church, today is your chance.

At 3 p.m., the church at 600 Cleveland Avenue will welcome visitors for a lecture and tour by an expert on the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany, in conjunction with an exhibit at the Museum of Biblical Art in New York (click here for information on the exhibit).

Patricia C. Pongracz, the museum’s acting director and director of curatorial affairs, will give the lecture today. The church is at the corner of Cleveland Avenue and East Seventh Street.

I can personally attest to the remarkable beauty of these windows, which are made with the opalescent glass developed by Tiffany. It lends an ethereal quality to the depictions of Biblical figures. These windows are part of Plainfield's historic and cultural legacy. Go see them today.

--Bernice

Rivers Named President As Council Reorganizes

Council President Bridget Rivers

Officials preached togetherness and putting Plainfield first as the governing body reorganized Thursday for 2013.

Council members welcomed Rev. Tracey Brown to the citywide at-large seat and Adrian Mapp to another term representing the Third Ward. The council chose Fourth Ward Councilwoman Bridget Rivers to serve as president for 2013 and gave Councilman William Reid another year as chairman of the committee of the whole.

"We must set aside our differences," Rivers said.

In her State of the City address, Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs hailed the efforts of public safety and emergency personnel to help residents hit hard by Hurricane Sandy and the nor'easter that followed. While the city has begun to receive reimbursement for storm damage, she advised residents to prepare an "emergency bag" with necessities in case of a new storm.

As in the past, the mayor recounted accomplishments of all city departments, which she said will be posted online. Some innovations for 2013 include proposed formation of several new committees or commissions, including an African-Caribbean one led by resident Charles Eke, who is also a Nigerian chief. The mayor invited all to a "Meet and Greet" on Jan.26 with Chief Eke. She also proposed a women's committee, which she dubbed the "mayor's kitchen cabinet," and a grandparents "nurturing" committee.

She will seek new members for the Human Relations Committee and the Plainfield Advisory Committee on Hispanic Affairs as well in 2013, she said.

The council approved numerous appointments of legal staff and reappointments to boards and commissions in addition to setting a meeting schedule and selecting official newspapers for the New Year.

The large turnout included many members of Brown's church congregation, of which the mayor is also a member.

The next council meeting is an agenda-fixing session at 7:30 Jan.14 in Municipal Court. The regular meeting will follow at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan.22, also in Municipal Court.

--Bernice

One Council Venue In 2013

The City Council will reorganize at 7 p.m. Thursday (Jan. 3) in Municipal Court, which will be the new location for agenda-fixing sessions as well as regular meetings in 2013.

The council traditionally met in City Hall Library for agenda-fixing sessions, but both officials and residents have complained that location is too small and has poor lighting. In a discussion at the Dec. 17 meeting, the idea of using Municipal Court for all council meetings was broached, as it is brightly lit, larger and possibly safer, because the court shares the building at Watchung Avenue and East Fourth Street with the Police Division. The only drawback is a perceived lack of parking compared to City Hall Library, but because the locations are just two blocks apart, attendees can park behind City Hall and walk to the court.

The reorganization meeting will include swearing-in of Rev. Tracey Brown for the citywide at-large council seat and Adrian Mapp for re-election to the Third Ward seat. The council will choose a president for the year, expected to be Councilwoman Bridget Rivers, and a chairman of the committee of the whole. Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs will give her State of the City address.

Council business includes naming official newspapers, adopting a calendar, approving numerous appointments and setting a three-month temporary budget. Click here to view the entire agenda.

--Bernice

Want Change? Start at Grassroots

"Days after his favored candidates lost an intense primary fight, Assemblyman Jerry Green said he no longer wants to be chairman of the city's Democratic Party and will not seek re-election at Monday's reorganization meeting."

So read the opening sentence of an article I wrote nearly ten years ago before retiring as a reporter. Green's hiatus did not last long, and in 2013 he faces not only re-election to his Assembly seat but also the biennial election of the 68-member Democratic City Committee and his re-election as chairman of the party.

Over his long tenure, Green has only faced two serious challenges to his chairmanship. Former Mayor Harold Mitchell fielded a slate of committee candidates in 1989 and won enough seats to take the chairmanship, but chose not to do so. Mayor Albert T. McWilliams got a majority of supporters on the committee in 2003 and did take the chairmanship, but was dumped by Democratic higher-ups in 2005.
(Correct me if senescence made me get the dates wrong.)

With all the grumbling about control of the party, no one has since attempted a coup. So what would it take?

Of the 68 seats, only 14 have been held by the same Regular Democrats in 2007, 2009 and 2011. The only serious challengers, the New Democrats, had just seven candidates who won the same seats in all three years. The "churn," or turnover in the majority of seats, may indicate an opening for newcomers who want to attain these most grass-roots elective offices.

Candidates, a male and female for each of the city's 34 voting districts in four wards, must file in April and winners in the June primary theoretically pick the chairman at the party reorganization on the Monday following the primary. Those in charge tend to keep an eye on who picks up petitions to file for the primary and also take into account the past voting history of districts in forming a strategy to retain power. New Democrats have traditionally done better in the Second and Third wards than in the First and Fourth wards, so their challenge is to pick up more support in the latter if they want to prevail.

There is talk of a new population in the city that wants to invest in its future with a progressive outlook, in contrast to what is perceived as traditional party control through patronage and mediocrity in government. This faction may choose to align itself with the New Dems or could attempt an independent movement, but if serious about change, they will have to start aligning voters to their cause immediately. Within each district, like-minded individuals would have to be identified and persuaded not just to grumble, but to rumble - talk up the desire for change to neighbors, garner support and get out the vote on June 4.

One of the arguments for incumbents is stability and retention of positive links to party power on all higher levels. An argument against entrenched local power is almost the same - there can be no new blood without party permission, which leads to co-option and stasis.

Whatever people say they want, there is no substitute for organizing. Politicians here tend to keep the population divided by harping on class and race divisions. Those who envision one Plainfield based on a desire for growth across the city will have to inspire fellow residents to see the same thing and work toward it, or else be resigned to the status quo in 2013.

--Bernice 

2013 Is Here!

Happy New Year

Feliz año nuevo

Bonne année

Heri za Mwaka Mpya

and as my neighbor would say,

--Bernice