Wednesday's special meeting to appoint a PMUA commissioner fell through when only two of seven City Council members showed up.
The nominee was listed on the resolution as Jacinth Clayton-Hunt and she was named to an unexpired term replacing Commissioner Harold Mitchell, a holdover since 2011. Had she been approved, Clayton-Hunt's term would have expired Feb. 1, 2016.
Only Rebecca Williams and Cory Storch attended the meeting and after 15 minutes elapsed with no quorum, Deputy City Clerk Sherri Golden declared the meeting adjourned.
Clayton-Hunt was known as Jazz Johnson when she served as Plainfield's public information officer for about two years, ending in 2008. Before that, she served in a similar role at the PMUA. In 2009, she briefly posted a blog about Plainfield called The Plain View. According to her LinkedIn page where she goes by Jazz C., she has been the director of a public relations firm called Creative Blitz since 2009.
Mitchell, a former Plainfield councilman and mayor, was an alternate on the board before being appointed to an unexpired PMUA term in 2008 succeeding William Reid. He has served as chairman and remains as a holdover as permitted by state authority law. He also represents Plainfield on the board of the Plainfield Area Regional Sewerage Authority.
The PMUA board's next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. June 9 at 127 Roosevelt Avenue. Check the PMUA web site for any updates.
--Bernice
Friday, June 5, 2015
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Commentary on Independents for Council
Of just three Union County independent filers Tuesday for the Nov. 3 general election, two are from Plainfield. John Campbell is running for the Second Ward City Council seat with the slogan, "Young Bold Leadership" and Norman E. Ortega is seeking the First & Fourth Ward council seat with the slogan, "Change for Plainfield."
So John Campbell the younger - who doesn't use "Jr." - has politics in the blood. School board elections are supposed to be nonpartisan, but if the Campbell clan files a school board slate on July 27, young John Campbell's run may benefit from extra campaign energy.
Ortega ran for the school board in 2014 on a slate backed by Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Green. In 2010, he was an original member of the Plainfield Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs, which soon disbanded and was only reorganized in 2014. He is involved in Plainfield Latino and the Tri-County Latino Coalition of New Jersey. For the record, I have had disputes with Norman Ortega.
Whether either "independent" is truly independent or merely a power broker's sub rosa candidate remains to be seen.
--Bernice
Screen shot of John Campbell on Facebook
Campbell ran for a District 22 Assembly seat in 2013 as a Republican and made a respectable showing for a newcomer. See 2013 District 22 results here. He is the son of Plainfield Board of Eeducation President Wilma Campbell and former Councilman John Campbell Sr., who left elective office saying he would rather be "kingmaker" than king. He has since backed successful candidates for council and school board and recently was appointed a school board member himself.So John Campbell the younger - who doesn't use "Jr." - has politics in the blood. School board elections are supposed to be nonpartisan, but if the Campbell clan files a school board slate on July 27, young John Campbell's run may benefit from extra campaign energy.
Norman E. Ortega at a City Council meeting
Ortega ran for the school board in 2014 on a slate backed by Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Green. In 2010, he was an original member of the Plainfield Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs, which soon disbanded and was only reorganized in 2014. He is involved in Plainfield Latino and the Tri-County Latino Coalition of New Jersey. For the record, I have had disputes with Norman Ortega.
Whether either "independent" is truly independent or merely a power broker's sub rosa candidate remains to be seen.
--Bernice
Progressive Dems Win Committee Seats, Council Lines
Mapp's candidates ran as "Union County Progressive Democratic Organization" against party chairman Jerry's Green's Regular Democratic Organization of Union County slate.
Incumbent Councilman Cory Storch will be on the Nov. 3 ballot seeking re-election for a fourth term, having bested Green's candidate Charles Eke in the Second Ward, 803 to 272. In the contest for the First & Fourth Ward at-large line, PDO candidate Barry Goode garnered 532 votes to 500 for RDO choice Steven Hockaday.
Storch called the sweep "a referendum on (Mapp's) mayoralty."
"What did the people say? We are doing a good job. The people want progress," he said.
Obviously elated at winning on his first run for elected office, Goode said he had told Mapp he would "go in and go in hard" on the campaign trail.
"I'm just overjoyed," he said Tuesday.
Mapp called the voters' endorsement of his local slate " a repudiation of what has been happening at the City Council in the last several months."
Green had backed Mapp for mayor in 2013 over incumbent Sharon Robinson-Briggs, but no sooner did Mapp take office on Jan. 1, 2014 than Green made up with Robinson-Briggs and condemned Mapp. Of the seven council members, a majority followed suit and frequently blocked Mapp's initiatives, with Robinson-Briggs egging them on in public comment at council meetings
All results Tuesday were considered unofficial. Official primary results, including provisional and absentee ballots, must be certified by Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi Monday.
--Bernice
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Get Out and VOTE!
There is no president or governor at the top of the ticket, so some think this primary is not significant. For Plainfield, perhaps the greatest significance is at the bottom of the ticket - your most grassroots elected representatives, the male and female candidates in the city's 34 voting districts. This year, they are all Democrats and on the Monday after the primary the winning majority will choose a party chairman for the next two years. As anyone who is paying attention can tell you, there are two committee slates. One is the Regular Democratic Organization of Union County at the bottom of Column A and the other is the Union County Progressive Democratic Organization at the bottom of Column C.
The current chairman is Jerry Green, who is also running for re-election to the state Assembly. Green is at the top of the ticket on Column A. Depending which slate prevails at the bottom of the ticket, he may or may not retain his chairmanship.
There are two City Council seats up this year. In the Second Ward, incumbent Cory Storch is in Column C, seeking re-election for a four-year term. Charles Eke, a PMUA alternate who lost a bid for the Second & Third Ward at-large council seat last year, is the Second Ward candidate in Column A. For the First & Fourth Ward at-large council seat, Green is fielding first-time council candidate Steven Hockaday on Column A and Mayor Adrian O. Mapp's Union County Progressive Democratic Organization is backing first-time council candidate Barry Goode on Column C.
So this year, voters in Wards 1, 2 and 4 can vote in the primary for City Council candidates as well as their committee choices at the bottom of the line. Voters in the Third Ward have no council candidates this year, but do have committee choices on Column A and Column C.
In case you are wondering, the sequence of local elections is this:
Ward 1 and Wards 2&3 at-large
Ward 2 and Wards 1&4 at-large (this year)
Ward 3 and Citywide at-large
Ward 4 and Mayor.
I suggest a "bottoms-up" approach to the ballot this year. Some at the top are running unopposed, though there is a freeholder contest. You don't have to vote for any candidates other than those you deem most important to you in whatever column. If you don't like a politician who is the only choice in a given category, just don't vote for that person. But please check your sample ballot, make up your mind, go to your polling place and vote accordingly. Please do not squander your precious right to vote on anyone who tries to buy it from you with "street money" or some promised benefit.
Democratic committee candidates take office immediately and vote on June 8 for a local chairman and on June 9 for a county chairman. Other primary winners and unopposed candidates, along with any independents who file today, go on to the November 3 general election.
--Bernice
The current chairman is Jerry Green, who is also running for re-election to the state Assembly. Green is at the top of the ticket on Column A. Depending which slate prevails at the bottom of the ticket, he may or may not retain his chairmanship.
There are two City Council seats up this year. In the Second Ward, incumbent Cory Storch is in Column C, seeking re-election for a four-year term. Charles Eke, a PMUA alternate who lost a bid for the Second & Third Ward at-large council seat last year, is the Second Ward candidate in Column A. For the First & Fourth Ward at-large council seat, Green is fielding first-time council candidate Steven Hockaday on Column A and Mayor Adrian O. Mapp's Union County Progressive Democratic Organization is backing first-time council candidate Barry Goode on Column C.
So this year, voters in Wards 1, 2 and 4 can vote in the primary for City Council candidates as well as their committee choices at the bottom of the line. Voters in the Third Ward have no council candidates this year, but do have committee choices on Column A and Column C.
In case you are wondering, the sequence of local elections is this:
Ward 1 and Wards 2&3 at-large
Ward 2 and Wards 1&4 at-large (this year)
Ward 3 and Citywide at-large
Ward 4 and Mayor.
I suggest a "bottoms-up" approach to the ballot this year. Some at the top are running unopposed, though there is a freeholder contest. You don't have to vote for any candidates other than those you deem most important to you in whatever column. If you don't like a politician who is the only choice in a given category, just don't vote for that person. But please check your sample ballot, make up your mind, go to your polling place and vote accordingly. Please do not squander your precious right to vote on anyone who tries to buy it from you with "street money" or some promised benefit.
Democratic committee candidates take office immediately and vote on June 8 for a local chairman and on June 9 for a county chairman. Other primary winners and unopposed candidates, along with any independents who file today, go on to the November 3 general election.
--Bernice
Monday, June 1, 2015
Locate Your Polling Place
Tomorrow is the primary, do you know where your polling place is?
You should have received your sample ballot by now if you are a registered voter. If you didn't keep it, here is information on where you should vote
Also on the left side of the page there are links to more voting information. People died for your right to vote, don't miss this opportunity to exercise your right.
If you go to the polls and find anyone pressuring you to influence your vote, report the incident to the Municipal Clerk's office, (908) 753-3222.
.
You should have received your sample ballot by now if you are a registered voter. If you didn't keep it, here is information on where you should vote
Also on the left side of the page there are links to more voting information. People died for your right to vote, don't miss this opportunity to exercise your right.
If you go to the polls and find anyone pressuring you to influence your vote, report the incident to the Municipal Clerk's office, (908) 753-3222.
.
Election Advisory
One thing that won't happen on June 2 is filing for school board seats, which was moved last year to a later date. For 2015, the date is Monday, July 27. Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi has posted information on how to gather petitions and file for the school board election.
Be sure to read David Rutherford's comprehensive analysis of last year's election numbers.
The primary winners and independent candidates, as well as the school board candidates, will be on the ballot for the Nov. 3 general election.
Be sure to read David Rutherford's comprehensive analysis of last year's election numbers.
The primary winners and independent candidates, as well as the school board candidates, will be on the ballot for the Nov. 3 general election.
Liquor License Renewals Coming Soon
Did you know that you as a resident have a say on liquor license renewals?
Every bar, social club and liquor store must renew licenses annually, by June 30. License holders must be up to date on sales tax payments to the state and must pass police inspections for compliance with state Alcoholic Beverage Control laws. The City Council acts as the local ABC board to approve renewals and hold hearings on renewals where the Police Division recommends denial,
As a resident, you are invited to share your concerns about a particular establishment before renewal. The council may still approve an application for renewal, but it may be at some political peril if a large number of residents object to a particular establishment.
In case you don't read those small-print legal notices in the back of the newspaper, here is the relevant one (enlarged, with emphasis added) that encourages citizen input. Please note that the objection must be in writing and should go to the municipal clerk. For Plainfield, that would be Municipal Clerk Abubakar Jalloh, 515 Watchung Ave., Plainfield NJ 07060
Sec. 10:7-6. Drinking intoxicating liquors prohibited under certain circumstances.
Sec. 10:7-7. Drunkenness in public.
Every bar, social club and liquor store must renew licenses annually, by June 30. License holders must be up to date on sales tax payments to the state and must pass police inspections for compliance with state Alcoholic Beverage Control laws. The City Council acts as the local ABC board to approve renewals and hold hearings on renewals where the Police Division recommends denial,
As a resident, you are invited to share your concerns about a particular establishment before renewal. The council may still approve an application for renewal, but it may be at some political peril if a large number of residents object to a particular establishment.
In case you don't read those small-print legal notices in the back of the newspaper, here is the relevant one (enlarged, with emphasis added) that encourages citizen input. Please note that the objection must be in writing and should go to the municipal clerk. For Plainfield, that would be Municipal Clerk Abubakar Jalloh, 515 Watchung Ave., Plainfield NJ 07060
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSES 2015-2016 LICENSE TERM Notice is hereby given that applications to renew all annual alcoholic beverage licenses will be filed with the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control or the municipal local license issuing authority and may be approved on or after May 1st of this year. Objection to any renewal should be made immediately in writing to the Municipal Clerk of the municipality where the license is located if that license sells alcoholic beverages to consumers, or the Director, Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, P.O. Box 087, Trenton, New Jersey 08625 for any other type of alcoholic beverage license. No individual notices will be published with respect to license renewal applications. MICHAEL I. HALFACRE DIRECTOR DIVISION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL
One general issue over here on Block 832 is the proliferation of small liquor bottles tossed on lawns. I am sure other blocks have the same problem. This is a separate issue from license renewals, but in some communities attempts have been made to limit sales of single cans of beer and mini liquor bottles. They tend to be used for open-air drinking, which is prohibited in public places, including parking lots.
From the Municipal Code:
Sec. 10:7-6. Drinking intoxicating liquors prohibited under certain circumstances.
No person shall drink any intoxicating liquors on any street, highway, parking lot or in any motor vehicle not on private property or upon private property without the express consent of the owner.
(R.O. 1957, 10:4-3, as amended Aug. 5, 1963.)
Sec. 10:7-7. Drunkenness in public.
No person shall be in a drunk or intoxicated condition in or on any public place or in any place open to the public.
(R.O. 1957, 10:4-3 (d).)
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