Thursday, October 15, 2015

Regarding "Best Practices"

Finance Director Ron West said Tuesday the city scored 41 of 50 on the state "Best Practices" questions, meaning Plainfield will receive all its state aid for 2015.

Had the city only been able to say "yes" to 39 or fewer questions, some aid would have been withheld. The Local Government Services division of the Department of Community Affairs issues the checklist. It is a download, but well worth the computer space of anyone who is running for City Council or who is interested in better government.

The current Best Practices checklist offers much food for thought about how the city is being run or should be run. I am a shameless fan of Ron West and Al Steinberg and must applaud their work in cleaning up fiscal operations. The Best Practices checklist sets the bar for municipalities. Take a look and see what you think.

--Bernice

7 comments:

  1. Is there a breakdown of the current administration versus the previous administration

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    1. Best Practices began in 2010 and the results showed Plainfield said "yes" to 45 of 81 questions, resulting in a 2 percent holdback of final state aid in the amount of $5,398.74. Not a lot, but a reflection of the need to improve. Subsequent scores are on the Best Practices site, but not in such a handy format.

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  2. Interesting questions on the checklist. Quite a few I could think of that weren't included. In my quick review of the questions I don't recall one that asked "do you post the final version of the best practices checklist on the city website for all to see". That would seem to be a good idea a large them of the list is transparency. My guess is that we just barely made the cut on this - with some of the yes answers.

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  3. Good news about the Best Practice Checklist. There is only one indispensable person in Plainfield, and that is Bernice Paglia, but Ron West, among others, is close in my book! Mary Burgwinkle

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    1. Instead of blushing, just take a bow!!
      Mary Burgwinkle

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  4. Ditto from me Mary. -Jeanette

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