Leadership is the most important variable that will determine the future of Plainfield. In our town no-one gets more so say about that than our local party leader and our Mayor.
The former has a huge but not sole influence on who gets elected as Mayor and council members. The Mayor has huge but not sole determination for appointment of cabinet members, Planning and Zoning Boards, the PMUA and the like.
Monday is a crucial day for deciding the quality of leadership in city hall. The Council will interview the Mayors candidates for Planning and Zoning Boards and the PMUA. These are usually done in private. If a majority of Council members are favorable to a nominee, his/her nomination will be moved to the Special Meeting agenda for advice and consent. If not, that name will not appear on the agenda.
The Special Meeting agenda also has nominations to the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Commission, the Library Board, Human Relations Commission but these positions are not traditionally interviewed by the Council. They are given consent by the Council unless there is a valid objection stated by Council members voting in the negative.
Carl Riley, the Mayors nominee for Police Director, is also back on the agenda. This deserves some comment. Many of my constituents have expressed the belief that the City Council will not work with Mayor Mapp. But the re-appearance of Riley's nomination is an indication that an agreement has been reached. Am I saying that every Council member will be co-operative on Monday night and also going forward? The realistic answer is no. However, those that are concerned about a 5-2 Council are premature in their judgement. I do not believe the Council President would allow Riley back on the agenda if she was a puppet or an automatic anti Mapp vote. I do not believe that Gloria Taylor or Tracey Brown are closed minded about Mayor Mapp's agenda. For example, the Council wisely consented to the appointment of Carlos Sanchez as the cabinet member in charge of economic development and to Joylette Mills-Ransome on the Plainfield Housing Authority Commission.
Time will tell, beginning on Monday.
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Story, Since the Mayor called the Special meeting, I believe that he not the Council President is responsible for the agenda.
It will be a disservice to the public given the time parameters involved if action is taken on any of the items at the Special meeting other than a motion that they be presented as new business at the scheduled business meeting.
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