Budget Hearing, Road Repair Bond On Agenda Tonight

Tonight's City Council meeting includes a public hearing on the 2015 budget as it was introduced in April, and a vote on a $4 million bond issue to support road repairs.

The budget process includes requests from city departments and divisions which may be modified by the administration before being handed off to the governing body with budget introduction. The next step is review and possible amendment before another public hearing and final passage. The council is in the midst of talks on the budget, with amendments expected later this month. Tonight's hearing is on the administration's budget as described in the link above, not the final budget after council modifications.

The bond ordinance was the subject of a special meeting on April 27 that fell through for lack of a quorum. One crucial factor is timing on a Community Development Block Grant that, along with state Department of Transportation funds and proceeds of the bond issue will permit repairs of several city roads. If not used before a June 30 deadline, the CDBC funds could be lost.

On May 4, the administration also wanted to add a related item, hiring an engineer for the road work. Council President Bridget Rivers bristled at Mayor Adrian O. Mapp's request to consider adding that and the hiring of a redevelopment specialist, saying there was a firm deadline of noon Wednesday to submit agenda items.

Rivers reminded Mapp of his opposition to "walk-on" additions to the agenda when he was council president. The agenda is set by the council president for discussion at a meeting prior to the regular session at which the council votes on resolutions and ordinances.

"I'm asking my colleagues not to support any walking-on items," Rivers said on May 4. Mapp can pitch to have his requests added tonight as new items, but five of the seven council members must agree to do, and a majority has been inimical to the administration since it took over in January 2014.

Rivers pooh-poohed the need for a redevelopment specialist, saying Economic Director Carlos Sanchez could do the work, Sanchez said the role involved preparation of redevelopment plans.

"I don't think I have the capacity to do that," he said.

In terms of an engineer for road projects, Mapp said, "We do not have an engineer."

Road projects were previously managed by engineer Jackie Foushee of Remington & Vernick, who left the firm to become the first African-American female head of Public Works in Trenton. Foushee had an almost encyclopedic knowledge of Plainfield roads and the repair schedule, which apparently is not matched by a successor from the firm.

In the midst of the discussion, Councilwoman Gloria Taylor said, "I have never see a mayor come in and take over a council meeting,"

As Rivers banged her gavel, Taylor asked Corporation Counsel Vernita Sias-Hill to review protocol, but she had been absent briefly with a coughing fit and missed the discussion  City Clerk Abubakar Jalloh then cited the option of adding new items by a two-thirds vote of the council at the regular meeting.

Ciouncilman Cory Storch argued that a mayor has the right to attend council meetings and request additions to the agenda.

"That's a lie," former Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs said from the audience as Storch said she had routinely done so.

Councilwoman Rebecca Williams warned that the city could lose an opportunity by not taking action, but Rivers said, "This council will not delay any streets being paved."

Councilwoman Diane Toliver reviewed what she had learned about the road project process as a new member and said, "Every ward is going to have something done this year, based on money."

Rivers went back to confronting Mapp, calling his request "very disrespectful," which Mapp refuted by quoting the city's charter on mayoral rights, but Storch's bid to add the engineering item failed when only he and Williams supported it.

Tonight's meeting is 8 p.m. in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave. View the May 11 agenda here.

--Bernice