The nominees are:
-- Vera Greaves, who ran for the Fourth Ward seat with party backing in the June 2009 primary, but lost by six votes to Bridget Rivers, who went on to win a four-year term in the general election and took office Jan. 1, 2010. Greaves was hailed by Party Chairman Jerry Green as a tireless campaign worker. In her remarks to the committee, Greaves said she wanted to “bring Plainfield back where it used to be.” She said the Plainfield of 40 years ago was “not the Plainfield it is today.”
-- The Rev. Jason Greer, who called himself “a product of Plainfield” who had helped the city in programs along with the late Mayor Richard L. Taylor, former Mayor Harold Mitchell and the late Rev. Burton C. Cathie. He also praised activist Agurs L. Cathcart Sr. “who helped young men,” including Greer himself. Greer said he wanted to bring the city back to what it was in the ‘60s and ‘70s, “before it began to go downhill in the’80s.” Noting that Plainfield is known as the Queen City, Greer said, “It was there and we can bring it back.”
--Union County Police Officer Willie Faulks, who said he would bring his experience in law enforcement countywide to council service if selected. Originally from Elizabeth, he said he has lived in Plainfield for 10 years. Faulks said everybody talks about Plainfield, “but Plainfield is not that bad.” Faulks said the city does not “get recognized like Clark,” adding, “They have a little bit more money so they can keep things out of the papers.”
The appointee selected by the council will succeed former Councilwoman Linda Carter, who resigned Dec. 27 after winning a Union County freeholder seat in the November general election. Carter had one year remaining in her term. The appointee will have to face any opposition that emerges in the June primary and if successful, will have to win the November general election to keep the seat for a full four-year term.
New Councilwoman Rebecca Williams sought committee approval to allow any interested individuals from the First or Fourth wards to seek nomination for the vacancy, but committee members voted 33 to 26 to choose a slate. The split echoed factions within the party that have persisted for about a decade and which have resulted in victories at the polls for several “New Democrats” over those on the party line. The slate was approved by a split voice vote, with Green declaring, “The ayes have it.”
The council meets Monday for an agenda-fixing session and the vacant seat could be filled by a vote at the Jan. 18 regular meeting, if council members can agree on an appointee.
--Bernice Paglia
Assemblyman Green sits up front of the meeting like some sort of tribal chieftain enthroned by 33 committee members who shirk their democratic responsibilities and mortgage theirs and our decision making in the process. For those three prospective Council members who each seemed to lament the direction Plainfield has taken over the past few decades, mind you that one of the constants around town has been Green himself.
ReplyDeleteWe clearly need leadership that ministers for us, and not to us, and it's a shame that a majority of the PDCC would rather kowtow to the old boy/girl network and keep us all as supplicant beggars.
If Rebecca or any of the people in those wards wonder why Jerry Green quite simply don't give a damn about what they think or want I know the answer:
ReplyDeleteThere is no incentive to court your vote or do what you want when you are going to vote for Jerry Green anyway. Go ahead, be mad, feel neglected, pushed aside...Jerry Green KNOWS Rebecca and the rest of the voters in those wards will vote for him. That's why he does what he does.
So can we now drag out all the "surprised" people again ...?
JG and how he runs this committee is both embarrassing and amusing. At one point he was actually yelling at the committee, as a father would yell at a child.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, 33 members took it, thinking his actions were right and showed leadership. The other 26 members were insulted by being treated like children, and felt it showed a weak leader who only knows how to bully.
I also laugh when I see JG up there as the PDCC leader knowing that the reason he is up there is because of the PDCC by-laws because he could't even be elected in the district where he lives.
The request for nominations from the floor was not in favor of any particular individual--it was about seeing whether any other folks from the 1st and 4th wards had an interest in coming before the committee. The democratic process was circumvented by the chairman's picks--many of those in the audience didn't even know 2 out of the 3 candidates--they were just told to show up and vote for a slate. Even Green acknowledged that his process was wrong--here is a direct quote: "We've discussed this issue long enough, I know where it's headed. Bottom line, come back next year, we'll make some changes, and then we'll do it the right way." So, basically, he was saying, let's do it the wrong way this year. There should be nothing to fear from an open process--I wonder why Green feared it.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
Plainfield is not that bad? Holy cow! Poor Plainfield.
ReplyDeleteThe decision to go for a slate was made by a public roll-call vote of the members. It's been done by slate since the late Al McWilliams started it back in 2004 when he was committee chair, and the committee approved by a voice vote. So this time they approved it again, but on a roll call vote. Democracy was served by a majority vote and open voting. So what's Rebecca's problem? I thought she wanted "transparency" and she got it.
ReplyDeleteToo bad Jerry didn't allow people in the 1 and 4 wards to not only speak up and ask to be considered. Some of the people living there are out of work and are qualified and could have used and extra 7K with benefits. Seems as though Jerry could care less about Plainfield. Just cares about maintaining his dictatorship on Plainfield.
ReplyDeleteFirst we had Cher, one name, then Madonna, then Rosie, and now we have 'Rebecca' , (who signs one name).
ReplyDeleteBut the Mayor has three names and the former head of the Planning Department has three names Jenny Wenson-something or another.
What ever happened to just having two names, first and last?
signed,
no name
To (first name) "no" (last name) "name"
ReplyDeleteI am a follower of Bernice's blog, and many of her local readers know me by my name. If you think my use of my given name is an affectation, please consider the following before you throw stones:
"e.e. cummings"
"bell hooks"
REBECCA
Anonymous at 2:08 pm is attempting to rewrite local history. In 2004, when Ray Blanco wanted to be considered for the line, he went to all the committee people and received enough endorsements in advance of going before the committee, as did Donald Davis. Ask the Cathcarts and the other people who were on the committee at the time. And the "husband, wife, and son" slate (as well as others since) was done under Chairman Green many years before McWilliams got the chairmanship in 2003. As others who were at the meeting said, slate or non-slate, it has been done both ways for the past 20 or more years. As Chris Estevez said, that doesn't make it right. And Chairman Green himself acknowledged that it was wrong, but said that he was the chairman and he was going to do it HIS way.
ReplyDeleteRebecca (as in "Colette")
Rebecca has her facts wrong. What was referred to above (2:08 pm) was submitting three names to the Council as replacements. When Ray Blanco contacted the committee people in advance, he was seeking the line for a primary election. Likewise Don Davis.
ReplyDeleteBig difference.
back and forth - back and forth...
ReplyDeleteHow many of you voted for Jerry Green ??
If you are a Democrat...probably most of you. He has ZERO incentive to perform well...you can all scream and wail. But who will the Democrats vote for next election...........JERRY GREEN.
Why??? "VOTE DEMOCRAT"..."Vote Line X"..that's why.
Try this next election Rebecca when stumping for people..."Vote Smart"..for Candidate A( Dem ), Candidate D ( Republican ), Candidate Y ( Ind ), Candidate x ( Democrat ) and Candidate S ( Republican ).
You would be amazed how the fear of God would start running rampant through the Democratic Party in NJ if some people started doing that. Because all of you do the blanket, "Oh let's get along" support thing at the election is why Jerry Green IS IN POWER. Not office..POWER. All the blind party voters EMPOWER him and he knows it. So while you complain, he laughs at you. Not behind your back, but right to your faces.
The next time anyone wants to kick the sand, put their hands in their pockets and moan.."Jerry is mean" just repeat the campaign slogan --- VOTE DEMOCRAT ON NOV. etc.