Foremost among the nominees are three from whom the council will select one to fill the one-year unexpired term of former Councilwoman Linda Carter, representing the First and Fourth wards at-large. The Democratic City Committee voted for a slate of candidates Friday including former Fourth Ward candidate Vera Greaves, The Rev. Jason Greer and Union County Police Officer Willie Faulks.
Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs has also submitted numerous names for boards and commissions and also for the Housing Authority of Plainfield and the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority. The council will conduct interviews Monday with nominees for the council seat and for the two authorities.
The proposed Board of Recreation Commissioners grew out of the governing body's desire to find a new approach to use of city playgrounds, parks and play fields. According to MC 2011-01, "after a review and analysis of the management of recreation programs and the facilities of the city," the proposed entity was deemed "in the best interest of the City."
At present, Recreation Superintendent Dave Wynn administers all programs. Under the new ordinance, the commission's seven appointed members and two alternates would have broad powers over programs, facilities and a budget. The board would "appoint the Recreation Coordinator and recommend his/her salary" to the mayor and council for review and approval and would also appoint other personnel as needed.
The board would formulate a detailed budget for council approval and would have a checking account for expenditures.
Members of the current Recreation Advisory Committee, reconstituted in 2010 to provide oversight to the existing Recreation Division, would become the initial members of the new board "to ensure continuity" until mayoral nominees receive council advice and consent to serve.
Concerns over management of the Recreation Division emerged in October 2009 when representatives of the Queen City Baseball League spoke at a City Council meeting at Hubbard Middle School. Click here to read Plaintalker's post. Allegations that the volunteer league was mistreated continued through early 2010, embroiling City Administrator Bibi Taylor and other officials in the matter. Here is a post on the situation as of May 2010.
Supporters of Wynn, youth baseball volunteers and Recreation Advisory Committee members gave the council conflicting views throughout 2010. Among its recommendations for the SFY 2011 budget, the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee suggested restructuring the Recreation Division to eliminate the full-time director's position in favor of a Recreation Commission and a part-time director. In December budget amendments, the council shifted a portion of the superintendent's salary and wage funds to the budget line for seasonal workers who staff programs, but denied they were cutting Wynn's job.
As in past discussions of the Recreation Division, the proposed ordinance is liable to spark heated reactions from those who feel its operations are fine just the way they are.
The meeting is 7:30 p.m. Monday in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave. The agenda is posted on the city web site. Click here and scroll down to Jan. 10.
--Bernice Paglia
Correct me if I am wrong but if the Coucil cuts or eliminates an employess salary appropriation, it conficts with a host of other things. First, you cannot eliminate an employee just by de-funding the position. You cannot cut the position to part time unless it was first discussed with the union or approved by way of a Layoff Plan approved by NJ Dept of Human Services. The City should have learned a lesson when they tried cutting another employees position to part time and loss in the appeal process. So is the City in for another law suit?
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