Jackson Files for Mayor in Trenton

Eric Jackson

Plainfield's director of Public Works & Urban Development was among candidates who met a filing deadline today in Trenton to run for mayor in the May 13 election.

It was no secret to many here, as Jackson has been campaigning for several months in Trenton.

Jackson narrowly missed becoming mayor in 2010. The winner, Tony Mack, was found guilty last month of bribery, fraud and extortion.

Since becoming a department head in Plainfield in October 2011, Jackson oversaw a transformation of City Hall and its grounds and gained the regard of many residents for his leadership of the department. Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, who took office Jan. 1, named Jackson to serve in his administration in the same role and the City Council approved the nomination.

Asked last week whether it was true that Jackson was stepping down on Friday as department head, Mapp said Jackson was taking an unpaid leave for personal reasons that had nothing to do with Trenton politically. Mapp said City Administrator Rick Smiley would be acting department head, in addition to being in charge of day-to-day operations of the city, until Jackson returns.

--Bernice

PMUA Meets Tuesday

Hey PMUA fans! Your favorite solid waste and sewer authority meets tomorrow with budgets for both operations up for passage!

I thought I was having a slow week, but then through the miasma in my brain caused by multiple snowstorms came the thought - if this is the second week of the month, there must be a PMUA meeting. At least this month I won't have to deal with arctic air or frozen precip (weather slang).

The meeting is 6 p.m. at 127 Roosevelt Avenue and here is the agenda for your perusal. If I am remembering rightly, budget passage may bring news about rates, which were held at 2013 levels for the first quarter of this year. See you there!

--Bernice

About the Beautification Committee

To the person who wants to see a new effort to keep the city beautiful and clean, here's how it might start:

Sec. 3:2-1.    Beautification Committee, functions.

    (a)     Within the Department of Public Works there shall be established a Beautification Committee, the functions of which shall be:

        (1)     To render advice to the Mayor,  City Administrator, the Council, and Director of the Department of Public Works concerning the regulation, planting, care and control of shade and ornamental trees, shrubbery and other landscaping upon and in the streets, highways, public places, parks and parkways within the City;

        (2)     To recruit and direct organizational and individual interest in and support for the esthetic improvement of the City;

        (3)     To provide a vehicle for continuity of the beautification and anti-litter effort in the City; and

        (4)     To provide a coordinating agency for successful organizational corporate and individual beautification efforts within the City.

    (b)     The Beautification Committee shall consist of not more than forty (40) members to be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council.  They shall serve for terms concurrent with that of the Mayor appointing them.  From the membership, the Mayor shall annually designate a chairman and four (4) additional members to serve on  an executive sub-committee of the Beautification Committee.  The executive subcommittee alone shall have the power to authorize the expenditure of budgeted funds, the requisition for which shall be signed by the chairman.  Each project shall be approved by the Director of the Department of Public Works after authorization by the Beautification Committee.

    (c)     The Beautification Committee may receive, turn over to the City Comptroller for administration and  investment by  the  City  as  provided by Chapter 2, and disburse for stipulated purposes such funds as may be donated to the City for the advancement of specific projects or the general purposes of the Committee.

(A.C. 1969, 7.9, as amended May 5, 1969 and Jan. 19, 1970)

Women's History: Barbara Sandford

Women's History Month

Barbara Sandford as Aunty Litter

Barbara Tracy Sandford devoted much of her life to the beautification of Plainfield. She portrayed "Aunty Litter" in parades to promote anti-litter campaigns and guided innumerable plantings of flowers and shrubs around the city, both as a member of the Plainfield Garden Club and the city's Beautification Committee. She also fought against billboards that marred the beauty of local roads. The club now has an extensive archive on her life and work which all may view (click here). She was an inspiration to all of us on the newly-formed Shade Tree Commission in recent years and serves as an example to all who want to keep the Queen City clean and beautiful.

Life Can Be So Sweet ...

I have been trying to post a report on interesting items from Wednesday's Board of Adjustment meeting, but every day brings some distraction and I just haven't got it together.

Meanwhile, may I suggest another topic?

Walking home from PNC Bank Sunday, I encountered one of the lingering effects of the snowstorms - a section of sidewalk near the Park Avenue railroad overpass that was still a sheet of ice. I chose to step into the street rather than risk (and fail) an impromptu bone density test.

It points up the need for special attention to shady spots where ice resists melting. We have a stretch of our driveway that only gets brief sun in the morning and late afternoon, so ice simply remains long after the rest of the driveway is clear. I chipped ice several times, but had to salt it every time a plow or cars left slush that froze.

The image above is the Park Avenue ice patch. I was not the only one who decided it was better to dodge traffic in the street than slip on the sidewalk.

 This image shows why the ice isn't melting - no sunshine.

Take some musical advice and "just direct your feet" to the Sunny Side of the Street.

--Bernice

Reader Says City Photos Flout Flag Rules

A reader suggests that without the need for a council preview, I could fill the space with a blog post on proper flag display.

Specifically, the reader refers to portraits of officials on the city web site.

"How about doing a column on display of the American Flag. The Mayors picture on the City website has the flags improperly displayed as do the Council pictures.

The American Flag should be on the Mayors right audience left and the State flag should be on the Mayors left audience right.

Usually the Vets see this right away."

Councilman William Reid
This photo was done last year and was credited to DuCret School of Art. The flag is properly displayed.

Councilwoman Gloria Taylor
This photo and others done this year show the U.S. flag on the viewer's right, which according to the federal code is incorrect. The other flag in the City Hall Library is one with the city seal and it is incorrectly positioned on the viewer's left. I don't know who took the photos of the mayor and council to which the reader refers.

Here is a proper photo of Mayor Adrian O. Mapp that is posted on the "Mayor's Corner" link on the city web site:


The one on the home page is incorrect:

For a full summary of flag display rules with instructive images, click here 
The rules uphold the commenter's point that the flag should be on the viewer's left and any other flag should be seen on the right. Whoever took the incorrect photos should do them over properly, as violation of flag rules is offensive to veterans and citizens at large..

--Bernice

Bloggers' Holiday

Monday's City Council meeting will be rescheduled to March 20 due to council members' attendance at a National League of Cities conference in Washington, D.C. from March 8 to 12. Bloggers will neither have to pester the Reference librarian at Plainfield Public Library for the packet nor to hear one more thing about Legal Shield Monday.

Considering that the council members agreed to attendance at the conference on Jan. 27, it seems to me they could have planned accordingly and not rescheduled so late. People who have an interest in business that was to be conducted Monday, or who wanted to comment on items from the March 3 agenda-fixing session before they come up for a vote, may not see a last-minute legal notice over the weekend.

When asked on Jan. 27 who wanted to go, several of the seven council members raised their hands, prompting this writer to ask during public comment whether the speakerphone could handle it. The use of the speakerphone for participation of members not present has become increasingly common, but not for more than two at a time.

The council will also reschedule to March 20 an advertised public hearing on the Comcast franchise renewal.

Those who will be attending the conference are Councilwomen Vera Greaves and Gloria Taylor and Council President Bridget Rivers.

CORPORATION NOTICE

CITY OF PLAINFIELD

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2014 HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE ON THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2014 AT 8:00 P.M. AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT/COUNCIL CHAMBERS LOCATED AT 325 WATCHUNG AVENUE.  

BY ORDER OF THE PLAINFIELD

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

BRIDGET B. RIVERS, PRESIDENT

/S/S/   ABUBAKAR JALLOH, RMC  

     MUNICIPAL CLERK 

DATED:    PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY

       MARCH 7, 2014.