Sunday, August 15, 2010

Dear Assemblyman Green – Cease and Desist in Your Actions to Smear a Non Profit Agency that Helps People in Need.

In light of the fact that Assemblyman Green has inexplicably brought my employer, Bridgeway, and its internal personnel transactions into the public arena, my Board of Trustees has asked me to respond on behalf of Bridgeway.

It is unfortunate the Assemblyman’s political agenda would lead him to attack a leading organization that champions the rights of disadvantaged people to lead lives worth living. Every person served by Bridgeway has a diagnosis of a serious mental illness. These individuals deserve the same respect and opportunities as everyone. Additionally, most of Bridgeway’s clientele are poor with a high percentage of people representing minority groups.

Bridgeway is dedicated to the rights and equal opportunities of minorities, advocating to eliminate disparities based on disability, gender and sexual preference as well as race. Bridgeway’s services continue to be cited as “exemplary” by both the State of NJ and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, the international agency that accredits mental health providers. The NJ Association of Mental Health Agencies named us as the Mental Health Provider of the Year in 2007. To maintain those standards, Bridgeway strives to recruit and retain the best employees in the field and ones who can relate to persons served because they look and speak like them.

It is true that 3 people, myself included, who helped build Bridgeway over many years to what it is today, are not members of minority groups. But we at Bridgeway are proud of the fact that our employees truly represent the communities we serve. Our most recent Affirmative Action Report (AAR) shows that of 167 full time employees, 54 were African American, 25 were Hispanic and 10 were Asian. So the minority employees totaled 89 or 54% of all Bridgeway employees. The total number of promotions for the most recent reporting period shows that of 4 promotions, 1 was African American and 2 were Hispanic. None of the most recent promotion information is contained on the AAR. Of the last 5 promotions, one (Assistant Director) was African American, one (Quality Improvement Director) was Asian. Four of the five were females. They bring the total number of current minority employees who are managers and supervisors to 13, of which 6 are African Americans. We are proud of the efforts made to recruit and promote minority employees but we will continue to push for more minority employees to climb the career ladder at Bridgeway.

Bridgeway does not use a civil service system approach to promoting staff. Our system is merit based with seniority being an additional factor. This ensures that Bridgeway’s service recipients, who have been discriminated against and have frequently been denied opportunities, receive the very best in services.

11 comments:

Bernice said...

A very rational response - but don't think JG will take it to heart.

Rob said...

Intelligently written, well thought out, informative, factual ( offering figures that can be backed up or refuted ) and not petty and full of personal attacks. Hmmm...the answer Bernice..no Jerry Green will not take it to heart, nor will it sink into his head how pathetically partisan, childish and irresponsible it truly makes him look. I am appreciative of the fact that comments can be posted on your blog Councilor as I keep trying to post comments on Jerry Green's bully pulpit with no such luck. That only shows his take on democracy...HIS WAY, HIS OPINION or NOTHING.

Anonymous said...

Jerry will not take it to heart because reasonable and rational have nothing to do with how he operates. Fear and ignorance is his MO.

I wouldn't even give him the time of day. While your response was well written and cogent, you spent a wonderful week end composing it. A waste of your time. Too bad because JG doesn't deserve it.

Anonymous said...

Bridgeway House is a very commendable not for profit operation providing a valuable service to those in need of guidance/assistance. And further it is unfortunate that the assemblyman would choose to target someone's place of employment which clearly has nothing to do with the running of the municipal or state government. JG is not really interested in his constituent's complaint as you are well aware I am sure; but rather in doing harm to you personally. Pure and simple he obviously does not care who he hurts when trying to gain his own twisted, personal satisfaction.

Rebecca Williams said...

Cory,

I am glad that you posted the data in a dispassionate way. Unfortunately, the assemblyman's insistence on trying to incite/fan flames of race/class conflict will continue. I looked up the word demagogue, and next to it was a photo of the assemblyman! Keep up the good work--Bridgeway is desperately needed in these tough times.

Rebecca

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, this has nothing to do with you -Cory. Nor does it have anything to do with Bridgeway.

This has to do with a combination of Rashid Burney losing under the support of Jerry Green, Rebecca Williams winning, and anonymous people or person placing Rebecca Williams lawn signs all over the perimeter of Jerry Green's property.

Perhaps JG's attorney has given him better advice than he gave to your employee since he has been a lil bit quieter than usual. I would like to believe we won't be hearing from JG for a while . . . but then again we are speaking of JG.

H m m m m . . . What is mean Jerry Green up to next?! He is like the Eveready Bunny - he AIN'T STOPPING.

But whatever JG does next . . .

I am of African American descent and I support Cory Storch 100Plus Percent!

Anonymous said...

Uh oooooh!!!

I think Jerry Green is fired up and ready to EXPLODE!!!

A song comes to mind by McFadden and Whitehead, but I will change the title a bit . . . "Ain't No Stopping Him Now"

Nat Singleton said...

Since I doubt that Jerry Green will have the courage to publish this response in his blog, I am sending this post to other relevant blogs in the Plainfield community.

This is from Jerry Green's Page of 08/19/10 http://jerrygreenspage.blogspot.com/

'...I can understand why Dan is bitter, when the last administration lost, he lost his job that paid over $50,000/yr, his partner was let go from the PMUA...'

My response.

I don't normally respond to political invective. But when a person systematically distorts the facts -Jerry Green, I feel duty bound to correct those distortions.
Here are facts:

1. Dan Damon did not lose his job. He retired and was asked to stay by Mayor Briggs.

2. I was not let go from PMUA. I never worked for them. I served as a commissioner for approximately 8 years and received $400 per month for my time as did every other board member. When my term was up, I was not reappointed (I think this was illegal, as I thought my term had another year but why argue, I could be wrong.)

3. As to what I cost the citizens during that period of time in terms of trips, conferences, etc., I doubt if over a the period of 8 years that my total expenses exceeded $1000.00 ( I think they were much less but we did have a cell phone for a while.) This can be checked by an OPRA request, just make sure you request expenses for each commissioner and compare them to mine. I will bet no one has a lower expense record.

4.This year, I was asked, by a member of the city council, if I would be interested in serving as a commissioner(not Cory, Annie nor Adian.) My answer was no (who the hell wants all that grief)
but if they could absolutely get no one they could put my name forward.

These are the facts.

Anonymous said...

The real problem is that JG is so old, and been in that job for so long, he feels that he is entitled to it and doesn't know what else , if anything to do, other than to complain about others, to take the heat off of himself!He honestly believes that he is needed to make key decisions because the rest of us just aren't intelligent enough to do it!

Bob said...

Thank you for your service and I hope continued service. I have been at City Council meetings and appreciate your balanced approach to things and your firm stand against the cloudy misinformation that comes from the administration.

Bob said...

I agree with Rob. I have posted several comments on Jerry's blog and the "no comments" is still there. Perhaps people will think that no one cares about what Jerry says, pro or con. I know I don't.