There are two sides to the Plainfield Earned Sick Leave ordinance. Both sides have expressed their positions at the March and April City Council meetings with passion. There is one more meeting in April at which the Council could approve the ordinance on second reading, which is the final step for an ordinance. The Council has options. We could approve it as is or we could approve with amendments. A third choice is to vote it down but no-one on Council has taken that position and I do not believe anyone will switch in this direction. In my opinion, the best outcome is a compromise through amendments.
Bridget Rivers suggested that there is still one week before the next April Council meeting for the two sides to come together for compromise.
After last Mondays Council meeting it was not clear to me that someone agreed to take the lead to convene a session between the two sides. So I made some phone calls, encouraging stakeholders to have one more working session towards a compromise ordinance. I suggested that 2 or 3 people represent each side and that, given Plainfield's unique job market and business environment, each side include local people, not just outsiders.
City Council members would be the natural and logical conveners of such a meeting (I was not volunteering because, in the limited time before Mondays Council meeting, my schedule makes it difficult for me to be one of them).
I hope this meeting takes place and a compromise is brought back to the April 13 Council meeting. If so, I will be very receptive to it. If not, I will propose amendments to create a balanced ordinance that works for Plainfield.
A working session is also an opportunity for relationship building within the business community and between them and local government. This is sorely needed. The Plainfield Chamber of Commerce, the Special Improvement District and the Plainwood Square Merchants do not always work well together. It appears that a new group, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, may be entering the Plainfield business scene. And the relationship between the business community and the Council and administration could stand improvement. This legislation is an opportunity to work together, a step beyond complaining about lack of cooperation.
One point needs to be clear. From the beginning, this ordinance was in the hands of the City Council. Councilwoman Rebecca Williams was the initiator and sponsor of this legislation. The Mayor and administration have recommended two amendments but have no vote on the subject. Will the Council step up and take legislative leadership?
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Monday, March 23, 2015
Demolition on North Avenue
As I was leaving the Plainfield Donut Shop Saturday morning, I noticed fire trucks everywhere. When I saw North Avenue blocked off between Park and Gavett Place, I stopped to observe the commotion on North Ave.
Directors Riley and Watson were on hand to oversee the demotion. It was halted when the building next door was damaged by falling debris. The restaurant occupying that space had no people instead. That is good because the damage was substantial.
I hope the restaurant owners have business interruption insurance because they will be out of commission for a while. They have suffered unfortunate consequences through no fault of their own. The city needs to do everything possible to help them turn this problem into a business opportunity.
The building to be demolished is now completely taken down. Other bloggers have covered this situation well. What I have to add is a planning perspective. These properties are 1/2 block from the train station. Renovations have taken place across the street and in the next block. This block has seen no development or renovation activity because of the eyesore/safety hazard that is now demolished. I called for its demolition 2 years ago but heard no response from city hall aside from the information that the property owner was "missing" for many years. This demolition opens up a redevelopment opportunity that our downtown needs very much.
The building next door may have to be replaced as well, depending on what the engineers have to say. It is an one story building in a zone allowing at least 4 stories (maybe 5, not more than 6). This property owner also may have a redevelopment opportunity.
The interested parties - property owners, restaurant owner, current developers with projects near the train station, the city, other local business owners - should be talking about the potential this demolition has created. A mixed use, transit oriented project belongs on this block. One with architectural features respecting the North Ave. Historic District. A project that could benefit all interested parties and Plainfield overall.
Directors Riley and Watson were on hand to oversee the demotion. It was halted when the building next door was damaged by falling debris. The restaurant occupying that space had no people instead. That is good because the damage was substantial.
I hope the restaurant owners have business interruption insurance because they will be out of commission for a while. They have suffered unfortunate consequences through no fault of their own. The city needs to do everything possible to help them turn this problem into a business opportunity.
The building to be demolished is now completely taken down. Other bloggers have covered this situation well. What I have to add is a planning perspective. These properties are 1/2 block from the train station. Renovations have taken place across the street and in the next block. This block has seen no development or renovation activity because of the eyesore/safety hazard that is now demolished. I called for its demolition 2 years ago but heard no response from city hall aside from the information that the property owner was "missing" for many years. This demolition opens up a redevelopment opportunity that our downtown needs very much.
The building next door may have to be replaced as well, depending on what the engineers have to say. It is an one story building in a zone allowing at least 4 stories (maybe 5, not more than 6). This property owner also may have a redevelopment opportunity.
The interested parties - property owners, restaurant owner, current developers with projects near the train station, the city, other local business owners - should be talking about the potential this demolition has created. A mixed use, transit oriented project belongs on this block. One with architectural features respecting the North Ave. Historic District. A project that could benefit all interested parties and Plainfield overall.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
NJ.com Headline Misleading and Unfair to Eric Jackson
Shame on you NJ.com or Star-Ledger editor who wrote the headline on the Plainfield fraud investigation. Yes, you have to grab the attention of the public in a competitive news media market. But you still have a responsibility when you write attention grabbing headlines not to make unfair implications about a persons behavior and ultimately his/her reputation.
I have no problem with the facts in the story itself and I want to add my perspective on Eric Jackson and the climate in city hall during the time he served Plainfield as head of the Department of Public Works and Urban Development.
First of all, I was grateful to be able to work with Mr Jackson in Plainfield. I shared the widely held view of him as a man of integrity and effectiveness. In fact, he stood out in the Sharon Robinson-Briggs cabinet, rising about the political divisions, dedicated to getting his job done well and raising the bar for performance in his department.
As Bernice Paglia stated in her blog, Eric Jackson oversaw many divisions. Some had been stuck using outdated tools and methods for many years. That is changing under Mayor Mapp but Jackson started the ball rolling in the right direction. Recreation in particular showed a lack of commitment to accountability and appeared to underperform with the approval and protection of Mayor Robinson-Briggs. In spite of this difficult situation, Mr. Jackson took steps to improve the Recreation Division.
In this situation and others, Eric Jackson stood for what is right at the risk of angering the powers that be. He passes the integrity test in my view.
What is happening now at city hall is an audit of transactions in the Department of Public Works and Urban Development. I cannot say more except to say that originally a majority of the City Council was opposed and now have approved funds for this audit. We have to wait for the auditors report. The firm hired is independent and from outside the city. They will not risk their reputation to give us anything but an objective finding of facts. I believe that when we have more facts, the positive views of Eric Jackson throughout Plainfield will be confirmed. Time will tell.
I have no problem with the facts in the story itself and I want to add my perspective on Eric Jackson and the climate in city hall during the time he served Plainfield as head of the Department of Public Works and Urban Development.
First of all, I was grateful to be able to work with Mr Jackson in Plainfield. I shared the widely held view of him as a man of integrity and effectiveness. In fact, he stood out in the Sharon Robinson-Briggs cabinet, rising about the political divisions, dedicated to getting his job done well and raising the bar for performance in his department.
As Bernice Paglia stated in her blog, Eric Jackson oversaw many divisions. Some had been stuck using outdated tools and methods for many years. That is changing under Mayor Mapp but Jackson started the ball rolling in the right direction. Recreation in particular showed a lack of commitment to accountability and appeared to underperform with the approval and protection of Mayor Robinson-Briggs. In spite of this difficult situation, Mr. Jackson took steps to improve the Recreation Division.
In this situation and others, Eric Jackson stood for what is right at the risk of angering the powers that be. He passes the integrity test in my view.
What is happening now at city hall is an audit of transactions in the Department of Public Works and Urban Development. I cannot say more except to say that originally a majority of the City Council was opposed and now have approved funds for this audit. We have to wait for the auditors report. The firm hired is independent and from outside the city. They will not risk their reputation to give us anything but an objective finding of facts. I believe that when we have more facts, the positive views of Eric Jackson throughout Plainfield will be confirmed. Time will tell.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
March 2 Council Meeting Became a Blame Free Zone (for a while)
Council meetings have had a lot of citizen participation in 2015. The March 2 agenda fixing meeting was no exception. The Council chambers were packed with people interested in the Earned Sick Days ordinance which is up this month for second reading. Here are some highlights:
There are a number of dividing points in Plainfield that we have to work our way through. Many emanate from the political world and manifest themselves through topics such as youth baseball discussions. That is for another blog. The business community is also divided. But they united around earned sick leave concerns. I hope they can stay together and work more closely with the city. That is for another blog also, a blame free one.
- the proposed ordinance creating a Manager of Motors (Fleet Manager) was not moved to the agenda. I believe we have seen the last of it. I previously did not support it. The administration did finally answer my questions and I was satisfied with the rationale for the position. Five Council members did not feel as I did.
- the anti-tethering ordinance for dogs was moved for a vote next week. I proposed an accompanying resolution making the ordinance effective immediately (normally there is a 20 day waiting period). Given the continuing cold weather, there is cause for limiting animals outdoor exposure time as soon as possible. I believe both will have the votes for approval.
- earned sick days ordinance - Its purpose is to increase benefits to workers who are not currently entitled to paid sick leave. An additional reason for this ordinance is to increase the likelihood that sick workers will stay home and not spread germs to co-workers and customers. These reasons make sense to me and I will vote in favor of the ordinance. There were several dozen business owners who attended and many of them spoke during public comment period. Representatives from the Special Improvement District, Plainwood Square Merchants Association and the Plainfield Chamber of Commerce had concerns ranging from the severity of penalties for non compliance to recordkeeping burdens. And of course the cost. Proponents of the ordinance included Working Families, who have taken the lead and have seen passage in nine New Jersey towns so far. An economist shared information on research demonstrating that businesses in cities that have the ordinance in effect, namely San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, have seen no ill effects from it. I wonder if those cities reflect conditions in Plainfield where many businesses are very small, have no capital and little beside the sweat equity of their owner and perhaps some family members. The Council, responding to the concerns of the business community, tabled the ordinance for one month to give time for input from local business people. I voted with the majority to table although I pledged and do so again in this blog to support the ordinance in April.
There are a number of dividing points in Plainfield that we have to work our way through. Many emanate from the political world and manifest themselves through topics such as youth baseball discussions. That is for another blog. The business community is also divided. But they united around earned sick leave concerns. I hope they can stay together and work more closely with the city. That is for another blog also, a blame free one.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Grand Opening of Farmers Insurance in Downtown Plainfield
Like signs of an early spring, new businesses are sprouting in downtown Plainfield. The newest one is Farmers Insurance at 110 East 4th Street. I attended the grand opening today. The business owner, Jayme Vinas, took an old shell of an industrial space and made it comfortable, attractive and modern.
Mayor Adrian Mapp and Deputy City Administrator/Economic Development Director Carlos Sanchez were on hand to celebrate with Mr. Vinas, his family and friends and yours truly.
Farmers Insurance is open for business. They offer auto, home, commercial and life insurance policies. Farmers can be reached at 908 205 8822.
Interestingly, the "Telephone Building" is directly across the street. This is one of Frank Cretella's residential projects, now completed and occupied. This part of downtown, although right next to the downtown train station (the Manhattan bound side), has had a vacant and deteriorated look, that is up till now.
Mayor Adrian Mapp and Deputy City Administrator/Economic Development Director Carlos Sanchez were on hand to celebrate with Mr. Vinas, his family and friends and yours truly.
Farmers Insurance is open for business. They offer auto, home, commercial and life insurance policies. Farmers can be reached at 908 205 8822.
Interestingly, the "Telephone Building" is directly across the street. This is one of Frank Cretella's residential projects, now completed and occupied. This part of downtown, although right next to the downtown train station (the Manhattan bound side), has had a vacant and deteriorated look, that is up till now.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Latinos rally at City Council Meeting
Monday, February 9, 2015. A big turnout of Latino residents at our City Council meeting. They were there to support a resolution urging the state legislature to allow undocumented state residents to have driving permits. I wonder if this was a sign of the future for Plainfield politics and government. But first let's take a look at some facts about Latinos in local government.
As many in Plainfield know, there are no current Latino City Council members. Ray Blanco was the last and he claimed to be the first. There have been a few Latino Board of Education members over the years. Christian Estevez was a example from the recent past. Orlando Gonzalez was another, from the 1990's (he was my running mate along with Beulah Womack and served one term). David Rutherford is the only current BOE member. None of Plainfield's three state legislators is Latino.
The Mapp administration appointed Carlos Sanchez to a cabinet level position but there have been few high level Latino officials over the years. There are a number of Latinos in the police department but I believe they do not approach 40% of the force. With over 40% of the population, Plainfield Latinos are woefully underrepresented in governmental positions.
As for politics, the Latino show of force quickly awakened the interest of local politicians and organizers in the audience. Along with sincere expressions of support for the Latinos at the Council meeting, there were some who worked strenuously to turn them against the Mayor. There were a few speakers who in the past year made negative and unsupportive comments about Latinos who on February 9 suddenly saw the light.
So after many years of disengagement, they were out in force and seemingly organized to voice their position. I said at the meeting that this was by far the most Latino residents at a City Council meeting over my nearly three terms in office. They were there, not to lobby for a special interest (like a taxi company) or to protest a violent crime against a Latino but to support legislation. And they are using social media to organize. This is different.
To repeat what I said at the end of the Council meeting to the Latinos in the audience, don't believe everything you hear from local politicians. Check the facts against the statements. Check me out also. As an ally of Ray Blanco and supporter who helped create the Plainfield Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs, I am not a recent convert to the cause. Although the Commission was ineffective, basically inactive, during the Robinson-Briggs administration, Adrian Mapp gave it a new life with his commission appointments in 2014.
There are many agendas in play in Plainfield, especially as we approach the June primary. I hope to see many of the new faces at future Council meetings. The more residents that get involved, the better our city government will be. But keep your eyes wide open as you step into Plainfield politics.
As many in Plainfield know, there are no current Latino City Council members. Ray Blanco was the last and he claimed to be the first. There have been a few Latino Board of Education members over the years. Christian Estevez was a example from the recent past. Orlando Gonzalez was another, from the 1990's (he was my running mate along with Beulah Womack and served one term). David Rutherford is the only current BOE member. None of Plainfield's three state legislators is Latino.
The Mapp administration appointed Carlos Sanchez to a cabinet level position but there have been few high level Latino officials over the years. There are a number of Latinos in the police department but I believe they do not approach 40% of the force. With over 40% of the population, Plainfield Latinos are woefully underrepresented in governmental positions.
As for politics, the Latino show of force quickly awakened the interest of local politicians and organizers in the audience. Along with sincere expressions of support for the Latinos at the Council meeting, there were some who worked strenuously to turn them against the Mayor. There were a few speakers who in the past year made negative and unsupportive comments about Latinos who on February 9 suddenly saw the light.
So after many years of disengagement, they were out in force and seemingly organized to voice their position. I said at the meeting that this was by far the most Latino residents at a City Council meeting over my nearly three terms in office. They were there, not to lobby for a special interest (like a taxi company) or to protest a violent crime against a Latino but to support legislation. And they are using social media to organize. This is different.
To repeat what I said at the end of the Council meeting to the Latinos in the audience, don't believe everything you hear from local politicians. Check the facts against the statements. Check me out also. As an ally of Ray Blanco and supporter who helped create the Plainfield Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs, I am not a recent convert to the cause. Although the Commission was ineffective, basically inactive, during the Robinson-Briggs administration, Adrian Mapp gave it a new life with his commission appointments in 2014.
There are many agendas in play in Plainfield, especially as we approach the June primary. I hope to see many of the new faces at future Council meetings. The more residents that get involved, the better our city government will be. But keep your eyes wide open as you step into Plainfield politics.
Monday, February 2, 2015
I am running for re-election
I am declaring my intention to run for re-election as 2nd ward City Councilman in the June Democratic primary. I care deeply about Plainfield and believe that I have much to offer city government as we work to make Plainfield a better place.
When I first decided to run for City Council, at the urging of Al McWilliams, I wanted to make a difference in a city government that was an impediment to progress in Plainfield, that there was tremendous untapped and frustrated potential waiting to be unleashed. Certainly the last administration limited Plainfield's progress but still I made a difference. I will share my accomplishments as a Councilman and goals for the next four years in future blogs.
Plainfield's potential is actually increasing with the one seat ride and a decreasing crime rate. Now, with a new and more capable administration, I am highly motivated to complete unfinished business. I have been an advocate for road paving, surveillance cameras and flood insurance rate reductions. I feel strongly that my experience and knowledge of our city government is needed to move these initiatives and others forward. I have been a positive influence on the City Council as it struggles to cooperate with Mayor Adrian Mapp.
The only reason I am running for Council is to make a difference for our city. I am beholden to no-one except my constituents. I hope the way I have conducted myself, ethically and with common sense, will gain me your support in the June election.
When I first decided to run for City Council, at the urging of Al McWilliams, I wanted to make a difference in a city government that was an impediment to progress in Plainfield, that there was tremendous untapped and frustrated potential waiting to be unleashed. Certainly the last administration limited Plainfield's progress but still I made a difference. I will share my accomplishments as a Councilman and goals for the next four years in future blogs.
Plainfield's potential is actually increasing with the one seat ride and a decreasing crime rate. Now, with a new and more capable administration, I am highly motivated to complete unfinished business. I have been an advocate for road paving, surveillance cameras and flood insurance rate reductions. I feel strongly that my experience and knowledge of our city government is needed to move these initiatives and others forward. I have been a positive influence on the City Council as it struggles to cooperate with Mayor Adrian Mapp.
The only reason I am running for Council is to make a difference for our city. I am beholden to no-one except my constituents. I hope the way I have conducted myself, ethically and with common sense, will gain me your support in the June election.
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