Window Workshop Saturday

The information below was provided to Plaintalker by the Historic Preservation Commission. This event is a good example of the kind of practical outreach needed in a city whose main asset is its housing stock.

Saturday, Oct. 15, 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Workshop on Historic Wood Windows, a program aimed at homeowners whose dwellings have wooden windows, and are trying to decide whether to repair and preserve them, or do something else.

Developed by John Favazzo, an architect certified in historic restoration and a member of the Plainfield Historic Preservation Commission, the session will include practical advice from two local contractors who also specialize in restoration.

Favazzo said, “The purpose of this workshop is to provide property owners with the technical information you need to make cost and energy efficiency decisions when considering performing repair or upgrades to your windows.

“Even if you are not in an historic district, this workshop is intended to be helpful in planning for maintaining, repairing, and weatherizing your wood windows.

“If replacement with new windows cannot be avoided, you will be better equipped to make an aesthetically pleasing, cost efficient, energy efficient purchase that will be a wise investment and add value to your home.”

Presented by the Plainfield Historic Preservation Commission at the Plainfield Public Library, Park Avenue and Eighth Street, the event is free and open to the public.
For further information, please contact Scott Bauman at Plainfield City Hall, (908) 753-3580.

Oct. 11 Council Notes

Eric Jackson

The city's new director of Public Works & Urban Development met the public at his first City Council meeting Tuesday. Since taking office Sept. 26, Eric Jackson said he has been getting to know his staff and starting to set direction for the department. Click here for a list of its divisions and its mission.

The council met in closed session to discuss personnel, specifically the Public Safety director and city administrator. Upon returning to open session, Council President Annie McWilliams said the governing body "asked questions and got some answers" from the Union County Prosecutors Office. Asked for a fuller explanation after the meeting, she said the discussion had to do with a new crime-fighting strategy. No mention was made of any city administrator nominees.

In ceremonial matters, the council recognized efforts of the "I Have A Dream" project which provided mentoring and support to students at Clinton School and is now getting ready to help 60 2012 graduates launch college studies. The group will hold a "Celebrating Our Dreamers" event on Oct. 25. The council also congratulated the Jam Steppers drill team on 30 years of training and competition.

Planning Director Bill Nierstedt gave a brief pitch for a study of flood maps that could result in savings for homeowners. Maps from FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers do not agree on flood areas and clearing up the designation could release as many as 245 current policy holders from the burden of carrying flood insurance.

Public hearings were held on the Special Improvement District and the six-month Temporary Year 2011 municipal budget.

The governing body reappointed Owen Fletcher to a five-year term on the Housing Authority of Plainfield Board of Commissioners. The vote was 6-1, with Rebecca Williams voting "no." Fletcher is also the newly-elected chairman of the board.

Council members split, 4-3, in passing a resolution to allocate $5,000 more for the investigation into payments made to WBLS for an Aug. 1, 2010 "Town Meeting." Those voting "yes" were Cory Storch, Rebecca Williams, Adrian Mapp and Council President Annie McWilliams, with Vera Greaves, William Reid and Bridget Rivers voting "no." The investigation will continue at a special meeting on Oct.19.

Bids for media, photography and videography services were rejected, as all were deemed "above reasonable cost," Acting City Administrator David Kochel said. Requests for proposals or bids will be sought in the 2012 calendar year. For the six-month transition year, the city will seek informal proposals from qualified individuals, Kochel said.

This is just a quick look at some highlights from the meeting. No doubt other bloggers will round out the reports. Mark Spivey wrote a comprehensive story on the "I Have A Dream" program last week.

--Bernice

Council Meeting Includes Closed Session

Tonight's City Council meeting will include an executive session of up to 45 minutes where the public will be excluded while the governing body discusses personnel matters.

The meeting is 8 p.m. in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.

Plaintalker attempted to review the council packet Saturday at the Plainfield Public Library, but staff there could not locate a packet for the Oct. 11 meeting. The agenda may be seen here, but as bloggers know, the documents related to agenda items often tell much more than the agenda listings. This week, there are several new items that were not discussed at the Oct. 3 agenda-fixing session, so bloggers will have to check the packet in the City Clerk's office for background.

The personnel matters are not specified on tonight's agenda, but the city will need a new city administrator in early November as Acting City Administrator David Kochel's term ends. Kochel is the third person this year to serve as acting city administrator. With any luck, the city could get someone to serve as "permanent" city administrator through the end of the mayor's term on Dec. 31, 2013. Otherwise, expect to see more hand-offs to temporary appointees to cover day-to-day operations of the city.

If in fact there is someone in the wings who is under consideration as city administrator, the council could add the appointment to tonight's agenda or could take action at a special meeting to name a new city administrator. On Oct. 3, Council President Annie McWilliams made an appeal to the administration to share plans for the transition of Kochel to his successor. Time is of the essence if there is to be a smooth transition.

Meanwhile, council watchers are advised to bring a Kindle or somesuch to while away the time waiting for the council to emerge from closed session.

--Bernice

Material World

Detail of the worn-out moccasins

It's a good thing for retailers that there are people like my daughter Audrey and my late mother, Jean, both shoppers par excellence, while I am the opposite. My mother's shopping forays on Central Avenue in East Orange during the 1940s were marked by her eye for quality and her quest for bargains. Audrey has the same traits and more, and I am the beneficiary without having to endure (for me) the ordeal of shopping.

The slippers she sent me one year were so nice that I would not even wear them for about a year, then gave in when I saw the identical pair on an obviously seasoned and fashionable traveler in the Newark airport. The slippers were luxuriously comfortable and would have made air travel tolerable instead of a trial. They certainly brightened up many a day for me, once I overcame my awe of the brand name.

As a young woman, my mother worked in Wanamaker's department store in Philadelphia. The legacy of her job in retailing was that she honored the marketing calendar that opened with January White Sales (invented by John Wanamaker in 1878) and rolled on through the year to winter holiday spend-o-ramas that made or broke a retailer's annual success.

I am more interested in marking the year by solstices and equinoxes and have never been a good consumer of retail goods, but Columbus Day reminded me of one of those made-up shopping holidays. I checked online and found that even now, the Columbus Day coat sale is observed at Lord & Taylor, J.C. Penney and all points between.

One of the worst assignments I had as a reporter was to cover Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when all good consumers are supposed to start their holiday shopping. My mood was as black as my turtleneck as I tried to interview consumers on their purchasing plans for the season.

Now we also have Cyber Monday, when in 2011 sellers will be anxiously totting up sales of the Kindle Fire and the latest iPhone.

But also in 2011 retailers will have to recognize that hard times will be sidelining a lot of would-be shoppers. No matter what the marketing ploy, those who are unemployed or on fixed incomes will most likely be skipping holiday spending this year. Even those who still have jobs may be chary of spending money until they see what the future holds. The line used to be, "When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping," but before retailing there was another great American tradition called thrift: Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without. Which concept will prevail as 2011 draws to a close?

--Bernice

Enjoy the Day

Firethorn berries on Block 832

Today the temperature is supposed to rise through the high 80s, with sunshine to grace whatever outdoor activities you may have planned. Even if you haven't planned to be outside, take a walk or sit in the sun while you can. Chilly, rainy Autumn weather will return by mid-week.

--Bernice

No Holiday for PMUA

From the PMUA web site:

10/10- Holiday No Collection
PMUA will be closed due to the Observance of Columbus Day. Residential garbage collection will be suspended and the regular pick-up schedule resumes Tuesday, 10/11.

From Plaintalker:

As usual on a so-called holiday with no collection, a big, noisy PMUA truck pulled up in the wee hours to collect the garbage. This time it was 3:25 a.m. at the big apartment building next door. What's up with that?

--Bernice

Columbus and Kay

Anyone who attended City Council meetings in the last decades of the 2oth Century probably has Columbus Day and the late Kay Cotignola inextricably entwined in their memory.

Kay revered her Italian heritage and saw it reflected in the world-famous Albert Bierstadt painting, "Landing of Columbus," a city-owned painting that hangs in Municipal Court.

There was plenty of controversy over the painting as well, but Plaintalker offers this remembrance of Kay on Columbus Day 2011. If you want to see the painting for yourself, attend the City Council meeting at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the courtroom at 325 Watchung Avenue.

--Bernice