Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority - A New Direction?

I attended the PMUA Board of Commissioners meeting last Tuesday. Duane Young, the interim Executive Director, introduced the annual budget and there was some good news for rate payers. Solid waste charges remain the same and sewer charges will go down 2.6%. Solid waste charges to the PMUA are rising and a re-organization of staff was needed to keep solid waste rates level. 15 staff positions were eliminated. The budget is up for adoption at the December meeting.

Mr Young acknowledged that that the PMUA has public relations problems and needs to change its ways to regain the confidence of the public (my words - can't recall exactly how he said it). One improvement would be to hold the meetings at a time more convenient to the public. Last weeks meeting was at 6 pm and on election day no less. That creates a bad impression, like the commissioners are trying to avoid the public.

Time will tell if this is a new direction for the PMUA, a move towards responsiveness to its customers. Further rate reductions would do a lot to ease rate payers minds as well as the burden on their family budgets.