More on Jan. 11 Council Meeting

Latinos thronged Monday's council meeting in support of a long-desired municipal ID card, developed by the Plainfield Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs.

PACHA President Flor Gonzalez called it a "happy day" that should have happened a long time ago. She said it would have helped a man who was recently badly beaten and not found by his family until days later because he carried no identification.

The City Council agreed to put the ID card ordinance up for a vote at the Jan. 19 meeting and if approved, final passage could take place in February.

Carlos Ponton, vice president of PACHA, said the group had been researching municipal ID cards "for the better part of last year." The card will also be available for others who need identification, including seniors, young people, homeless persons and individuals who have a gender identity that differs from what is on their other ID cards.

See Plaintalker's previous post on the ID card ordinance here.

Monday's meeting also included a discussion on use of the city's mass communication system. Councilwoman Gloria Taylor said she was concerned over use of "robo-calls," "when they should be done and by whom." She said she was denied use of the system to publicize a meeting she was holding, and also alluded to "questionable" use of the calls.

Most likely Taylor was talking about a November incident in which Mayor Adrian O. Mapp used the system to say that Schools Superintendent Anna Belin-Pyles had made an "executive decision" to cancel a youth summit meeting. See Plaintalker's "He Said, She Said" post here 

Taylor spoke at length Monday on the need for a policy on use of the robo-calls. Corporation Counsel David Minchello said a draft policy had been prepared, allowing use of the system for both council and administration for events or emergencies. It is not to be used for political purposes, he said, but the issue is "what is political" and who should be the arbiter - the council, administration, or city clerk's office.

Taylor made several other points before City Administrator Rick Smiley said he believed the final determination on use of the call system should be made by his office.

Council President Cory Storch, looking on the sunny side, called it "progress" that the council and administration had agreed to discuss the matter. The discussion concluded with Minchello suggesting a small committee representing both branches of government could work on the draft policy and put it on the February agenda. The council agreed to the plan.

Storch, who will serve as council president for 2016, led another discussion item on council  meeting conduct. He said Robert's Rules of Order are "not that clear to the public" and maybe not to some council members. He asked Minchello to explain "point of order." Minchello said a "point of order" stops the meeting, but is "procedural, not substantive." The council president is the arbiter, he said. (An online definition says a point of order calls attention to a violation of the meeting's rules.)

Storch also commented on the use of extended time in public comment, which he said recently has been used more and more often. (Observers have noted that some speakers are held to three- or five-minute limits, while others are granted extra time.) When Storch asked Minchello whether giving extra time could lead to legal exposure, Minchello said limits should be uniform. Storch then advised potential speakers to keep to the limit.

"If you have a lot to say, practice ahead of time," he said.

The reminder resulted in all but one speaker adhering to the time limit Monday.

Another item Monday was Mapp's nomination of PMUA Alternate No. 1 Commissioner Robin Bright for a full five-year term, replacing Commissioner Jacinth Clayton-Hunt. The board of commissioners has five voting members and two alternates who only vote in the absence of  one or two of the five. A consensus to move the resolution to the Jan. 19 agenda failed in a 3-3-1 roll call, with Storch, Rebecca Williams and Barry Goode saying "yes," Taylor, Bridget Rivers and Diane Toliver saying "no" and Tracey Brown abstaining.

Clayton-Hunt, whose term is expiring on Feb. 1, will remain on the board as a holdover

The regular City Council meeting is 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 19 in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave. .

--Bernice