Mayor Adrian O. Mapp has proposed three nominees to serve on the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority, according to the agenda for Monday's City Council agenda-fixing session.
The meeting is 7:30 p.m. in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Avenue. Any nominations moved to the regular meeting agenda will be up for a vote on Tuesday, Oct. 14.
Nominees are Thomas Crownover, Michelle Graham-Lyons and Carlos Ponton. The agenda does not specify which seats are involved, so Plaintalker will be checking the packet at the Plainfield Public Library for background on the nominations.
At present, there is a vacancy in the seat for Alternate No. 2 and two commissioners are in holdover position. PMUA terms begin in February and because Malcolm Dunn's term was not renewed this year, he is a holdover who can be replaced. Chairman Harold Mitchell is also a holdover, as his term expired in February 2011. Under state authority law, commissioners may serve as holdovers until a successor is qualified. Terms are five years, so it would appear that a successor to Mitchell would serve an unexpired term to February 2016. The alternate's term is two years and expired in 2013, according to records on the city web site, so a new person would serve until February 2015.
Although not updated on the city web site, the term held by Alex Toliver expired in February 2012. Mapp appointed Charles Tyndale to replace Toliver and the council approved Tyndale's appointment the night before the PMUA's reorganization in February of this year. Commissioner Carol Brokaw was reappointed in January to serve on the PMUA until 2017. Crownover was among four appointees rejected by the council in January.
The PMUA has five commissioners and two alternates. Only three votes are needed for action and in January 2012 Sanders, then an alternate, joined Toliver and Dunn to approve a controversial settlement with former Executive Director Eric Watson and Assistant Executive Director David Ervin. Mitchell and Brokaw voted "no" and Commissioner Tracey Brown, now a council member, was absent.
--Bernice
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Free Firewood at Historic Lumber Yard
Need firewood?
The owner of a North Avenue lumber yard is giving firewood away for the asking.
Kenneth Hart came before the Zoning Board of Adjustment Wednesday seeking a "certificate of non-conformity" for the business, which he said dates back to 1854. A zoning change does not permit the use, so Hart was there to prove it has existed on a continuous basis. He did not have with him proof that the business being there before the zoning change, which board Chairman D. Scott Belin said was necessary before the board could grant the certificate of non-conformity, so he will have to come back.
Planning Director and Zoning Officer William Nierstedt said there are "fire-related issues" at the site, but the fire inspector cannot go there until the certificate of non-conformity is issued. The site also needs screening for its outdoor storage of wood, which includes stacked firewood as well as tree trunks left over from the milling of lumber.
Hart said he had already had 12 truckloads of tree parts removed and was giving the firewood away free.
After the meeting, Hart told Plaintalker people can call (908) 755-7000 between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday to arrange pickup of the free firewood. The business is located in the 700 block of North Avenue.
--Bernice
The owner of a North Avenue lumber yard is giving firewood away for the asking.
Kenneth Hart came before the Zoning Board of Adjustment Wednesday seeking a "certificate of non-conformity" for the business, which he said dates back to 1854. A zoning change does not permit the use, so Hart was there to prove it has existed on a continuous basis. He did not have with him proof that the business being there before the zoning change, which board Chairman D. Scott Belin said was necessary before the board could grant the certificate of non-conformity, so he will have to come back.
Planning Director and Zoning Officer William Nierstedt said there are "fire-related issues" at the site, but the fire inspector cannot go there until the certificate of non-conformity is issued. The site also needs screening for its outdoor storage of wood, which includes stacked firewood as well as tree trunks left over from the milling of lumber.
Hart said he had already had 12 truckloads of tree parts removed and was giving the firewood away free.
After the meeting, Hart told Plaintalker people can call (908) 755-7000 between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday to arrange pickup of the free firewood. The business is located in the 700 block of North Avenue.
--Bernice
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Jewish Holidays Observed
This blog post never got published! It should have been up on Sept. 23. Now it is too late for Rosh Hashanah, but Yom Kippur will be observed Friday night.
Much of the world's strife today is based on religious differences. Here in Plainfield we have a wide array of cultures and religions that generally get along. As recently documented in a Plainfield Public Library exhibit, the Jewish community provided leadership in many aspects of city life throughout the 20th century. While the synagogues have closed or relocated to nearby suburbs, many of our friends and neighbors will be observing the Jewish New Year starting at sundown Wednesday.
Thanks to the internet, it is easy to learn more about the important religious holidays of our fellow Plainfielders. See more here about Rosh Hashanah and learn about the holiest day of the Jewish calendar at this page about Yom Kippur.
--Bernice
Much of the world's strife today is based on religious differences. Here in Plainfield we have a wide array of cultures and religions that generally get along. As recently documented in a Plainfield Public Library exhibit, the Jewish community provided leadership in many aspects of city life throughout the 20th century. While the synagogues have closed or relocated to nearby suburbs, many of our friends and neighbors will be observing the Jewish New Year starting at sundown Wednesday.
Thanks to the internet, it is easy to learn more about the important religious holidays of our fellow Plainfielders. See more here about Rosh Hashanah and learn about the holiest day of the Jewish calendar at this page about Yom Kippur.
--Bernice
HAP: Elmwood Gardens Will Become Townhouses
The Elmwood Gardens saga took another turn Thursday when Lewis Hurd, representing the Housing Authority of Plainfield, told the Planning Board that the proposal for age-restricted housing to replace the complex had been dropped in favor of townhouse development.
The notorious housing complex on West Second Street has been vacated and is awaiting environmental remediation and demolition. The site was declared in need of redevelopment in 2011.
Hurd said the townhouse decision was based on board comments at a previous meeting and other indications that there was a "greater need for family housing." He said HAP Executive Director Randall Wood, who could not attend Thursday's meeting, will appear at the Oct. 16 Planning Board session to discuss the plans.
In September, Wood had presented the age-restricted plan when the board was expecting an update on the previously-approved townhouse design (see link above).
Hurd said he thought they had an "either-or" option, but heard the board's concerns. The 55 townhouse units will each have separate entries, he said. HAP is still in negotiations with the developer, who was not named, but Hurd said the authority will make sure the design "meets what's best for the city of Plainfield."
The turnaround left board member Ken Robertson pondering.
"I'm still not sure what you're doing," he told Hurd.
Hurd again assured the board on the family townhouse use.
Marty Bernstein, introduced by Hurd as the authority's consultant on funding options, named sources including federal housing loans, mortgages based on rental assistance and "Sandy money."
In answer to Councilman Cory Storch's question on whether Section 8 vouchers will be accepted, Hurd said 50 of 54 units will be eligible. There will be one unit for a superintendent.
The board asked for a planner and an architect to be part of the HAP presentation on Oct. 16 and Storch added, "It would be nice to have at least one commissioner here."
--Bernice
The notorious housing complex on West Second Street has been vacated and is awaiting environmental remediation and demolition. The site was declared in need of redevelopment in 2011.
Hurd said the townhouse decision was based on board comments at a previous meeting and other indications that there was a "greater need for family housing." He said HAP Executive Director Randall Wood, who could not attend Thursday's meeting, will appear at the Oct. 16 Planning Board session to discuss the plans.
In September, Wood had presented the age-restricted plan when the board was expecting an update on the previously-approved townhouse design (see link above).
Hurd said he thought they had an "either-or" option, but heard the board's concerns. The 55 townhouse units will each have separate entries, he said. HAP is still in negotiations with the developer, who was not named, but Hurd said the authority will make sure the design "meets what's best for the city of Plainfield."
The turnaround left board member Ken Robertson pondering.
"I'm still not sure what you're doing," he told Hurd.
Hurd again assured the board on the family townhouse use.
Marty Bernstein, introduced by Hurd as the authority's consultant on funding options, named sources including federal housing loans, mortgages based on rental assistance and "Sandy money."
In answer to Councilman Cory Storch's question on whether Section 8 vouchers will be accepted, Hurd said 50 of 54 units will be eligible. There will be one unit for a superintendent.
The board asked for a planner and an architect to be part of the HAP presentation on Oct. 16 and Storch added, "It would be nice to have at least one commissioner here."
--Bernice
Zoners Uphold Denial of Pharmaceutical Recycling
Plainfield's Restaurant Row is no place for a firm that receives expired pharmaceutical samples from physicians for return to manufacturers, the Zoning Board decided Wednesday.
EMES Pharmacy LLC sought an appeal of Zoning Officer Bill Nierstedt decision that locating the business in South Avenue's "neighborhood commercial" zone was improper. The board spent some time discussing where such a business might fit in, settling on a "light industrial" zone as most likely.
The applicant, named only as Sham, was not present to explain the business, but commercial property manager Teresa Clark said it involved accepting sample medicines from physicians, documenting them and returning them to manufacturers. Clark said pharmaceutical recycling has "grown exponentially" as a new business and that the applicant sought approval as an office use. The location at 1405-79 South Avenue would be in a rear portion of a 6,000-square-foot space that was being divided into three 2000-square-feet segments. The recycling operation would have four employees.
Nierstedt called the operation "a use I am not familiar with" and said he followed the zoning maxim, "when in doubt, deny."
Board members agreed the use did not fit definitions for office or retail operations. Board member Mary Burgwinkle read from a 2011 article on "reverse distribution" that mentioned the danger of possible diversion of the pharmaceuticals. She said she did not see it as office use.
"I see it as medical waste," she said.
Board member Charles McRae named several nearby restaurants and deplored having expired drugs in proximity.
"The whole area is food," he said.
But board member Jim Spear looked more favorably on the nonconforming use, noting past approval of a business that he said has "explosives." He was referring to the Zoning Board's 2011 approval of a research lab on South Avenue where small amounts of explosives including TNT, nitroglycerin and dynamite are kept. He called the pharmaceutical recycling application "ambiguous enough" that he might allow it.
Although Clark explained the application, board members said they wanted to hear from the business owner himself.
In the end, the board upheld Nierstedt's decision, with Robert Graham, Rich Sudol, Burgwinkle and McRae voting "yes." Spear first voted "yes" with some hesitation, but after Chairman D. Scott Belin abstained, Spear changed his vote to "no."
Belin suggested to Clark that the applicant might seek a variance. Clark said she would call Nierstedt's office today (Thursday) and would try to have Sham on the phone as well to discuss the matter.
--Bernice
EMES Pharmacy LLC sought an appeal of Zoning Officer Bill Nierstedt decision that locating the business in South Avenue's "neighborhood commercial" zone was improper. The board spent some time discussing where such a business might fit in, settling on a "light industrial" zone as most likely.
The applicant, named only as Sham, was not present to explain the business, but commercial property manager Teresa Clark said it involved accepting sample medicines from physicians, documenting them and returning them to manufacturers. Clark said pharmaceutical recycling has "grown exponentially" as a new business and that the applicant sought approval as an office use. The location at 1405-79 South Avenue would be in a rear portion of a 6,000-square-foot space that was being divided into three 2000-square-feet segments. The recycling operation would have four employees.
Nierstedt called the operation "a use I am not familiar with" and said he followed the zoning maxim, "when in doubt, deny."
Board members agreed the use did not fit definitions for office or retail operations. Board member Mary Burgwinkle read from a 2011 article on "reverse distribution" that mentioned the danger of possible diversion of the pharmaceuticals. She said she did not see it as office use.
"I see it as medical waste," she said.
Board member Charles McRae named several nearby restaurants and deplored having expired drugs in proximity.
"The whole area is food," he said.
But board member Jim Spear looked more favorably on the nonconforming use, noting past approval of a business that he said has "explosives." He was referring to the Zoning Board's 2011 approval of a research lab on South Avenue where small amounts of explosives including TNT, nitroglycerin and dynamite are kept. He called the pharmaceutical recycling application "ambiguous enough" that he might allow it.
Although Clark explained the application, board members said they wanted to hear from the business owner himself.
In the end, the board upheld Nierstedt's decision, with Robert Graham, Rich Sudol, Burgwinkle and McRae voting "yes." Spear first voted "yes" with some hesitation, but after Chairman D. Scott Belin abstained, Spear changed his vote to "no."
Belin suggested to Clark that the applicant might seek a variance. Clark said she would call Nierstedt's office today (Thursday) and would try to have Sham on the phone as well to discuss the matter.
--Bernice
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Mapp: Biometrics on the Payroll Horizon
Allegations of time-sheet cheating reminded Plaintalker that in 2010 the City Council asked for a biometric system, which the administration of former Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs rejected.
From May 2010:
--The administration withdrew a resolution to hire Automatic Data Processing to provide time, attendance and payroll services after council members asked for a biometric system rather than a time clock plan to replace an outmoded manual human resources management system. The issue came up on May 3 and the governing body was told there might be objections from unions over biometrics. But council members said they want to get the latest system if there is to be a conversion.
In July 2010, the city issued a Request for Proposals for a biometric system. In 2012 a new payroll system was approved, but it was not biometric.
Biometric systems use a person's actual characteristics such as fingerprints, iris or facial scans or even "hand geometry" to record work time and attendance. ADP, one of the largest providers of payroll services, explained the rationale for use of biometrics in a 2008 publication that cited cost savings as the main factor. One element is the elimination of "buddy-punching," or the ability of one employee to sign in or out for another.
Mayor Adrian O. Mapp spoke in favor of biometrics when he was council president in 2012. Asked for a comment Tuesday, he said he is a "big proponent" of biometrics time and attendance systems.
"Rest assured that biometrics will be coming to the City, in the not too distant future," Mapp said. "This is an administrative decision that does not need approval from collective bargaining units. The process is already in motion to make this a reality. My administration will continue to work on improving processes and putting better controls and greater safeguards in place for the benefit of our customers."
--Bernice
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