Mayoral candidates D. Scott Belin, Adrian Mapp, Mustapha Muhammad and Sandy Spector fielded questions Sunday on crime, the city's image and finances and the Muhlenberg property before an audience of 75 residents at the annual NAACP candidates' forum.
Spector heads the local Republican committee and is the only female candidate. Mapp, a Democrat, serves on the City Council and was a Union County freeholder. Belin, chairman of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and Muhammad, a community activist, are independents. One of the four will emerge as mayor in the Nov. 5 general election, which will also decide who represents the 4th Ward and which three of six school board candidates will serve, all taking office on Jan. 1, 2014.
On Muhlenberg: All agreed the city needs a health care facility of some sort since Muhlenberg regional Medical Center closed five years ago. JFK Health Systems has proposed an upgraded emergency room along with 600 residential units on the site. Spector said the city should not be "held for ransom" by such a deal and awaits results of a city-sponsored study on best uses for the 17-acre campus. Mapp suggested a "medical enterprise zone" that would offer benefits to practitioners and resemble the Summit Medical Group, saying an emergency room alone is not enough. The JFK apartment project is "not in the best interest of the city," he said.
Muhammad warned against "party politics" in finding a solution for what he saw as a nationwide issue on hospitals and approved the study, saying "information is power." Belin agreed that 600 new apartments is not a good plan for Plainfield and endorsed a Summit-style "medical mall" with a 24-hour care component.
On crime: Answering the question on how to curb crime without adding more police officers, Mapp called for "the right leadership." (The city has had a police director since the title of police chief was abolished in 2008.) Mapp also suggested more walking "beat cops" and better technology, including surveillance cameras in more locations than just downtown. Muhammad recalled the days when officers lived in the community and "knew our parents." He also saw a need for different leadership. Belin said "the mayor alone" can't bring back the chief of police, but as mayor he would work with the City Council to do so. He said more police on the street as well as increased traffic patrols would make the city safer.
"Turn the lights on - brighten up the night," he advised, "so we can see things before they happen."
Spector deplored having a police director who not only lives outside the city, but does not even live in the state. She said the city should "go back to the system we had ten years ago."
On the city's image: Spector said an improved school system, much safer streets and more industry, achieved through "hard work and diligence," would result in "not the Queen City of 50 years ago, but the Queen City of the new millennium." Mapp said the city must have "zero tolerance for things we see happening on a daily basis," especially among young people. He said he would work on "recasting the image of Plainfield" through advertising and other promotion. Muhammad said the city does have a very negative image, but saw it as "by design" to disenfranchise and gentrify the people. Having lived in Plainfield for over 50 years, he said, he believes if there were more youth opportunities, people would make much more "wholesome choices" and the city's image would change. Belin said electing him, an "educated, qualified, homegrown, positive mayor" instead of voting the party line would improve the city's image, though he said people know the city for its beautiful homes and do not hold a negative image.
On improving the city's bond rating: Belin said the city must reduce debt and look for ways to fuel revenues by spuring economic development and showing that "Plainfield is ready to do business." Muhammad suggested reviewing audit reports for the last four years, but said Plainfield is not doing badly as far as business is concerned. The problem is creating an environment to attract the kind of business that would change Plainfield, he said, warning of "hidden powers, hidden hands" that manipulate conditions.
"Plainfield business is not in the red, it is in the black," and bound to go up, he said.
Mapp said those who give bond ratings look for "warning trends" such as the tax collection rate and debt as a percentage of the budget. He said he intends to pursue a "forensic audit." Spector said the city is "hemorrhaging money and we don't know from where." City entities need to sit down together and "all need to put their cards on the table." She said the city needs the prestige of a good bond rating in order to attract business.
On the budget: Spector called the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority, which provides solid waste and sewer services to the city, a "cash cow" that should be tapped even though it "has the protections of an authority." Mapp said under the city charter, the mayor is responsible for the budget, "but it is a collaborative process" with the governing body. He said of the PMUA "there is too much fat in that organization" and said he wants homeowners to receive one bill from the PMUA as part of the tax bill.
Muhammad said the bottom line is transparency and accountability and called for sacrifice across the board. Belin said in the budget process the mayor presents the budget and it goes to the council, but the mayor needs to present a budget that is "even."
On how long it will take to name appointees: Belin said if he wins he will start a transition in which some current administrators may stay. he said he brings no gripes about Regular Democrats or New Democrats, so it should be a smooth decision. Muhammad said he has a campaign team that is already working on "exploratory outreach" and he has started vetting a team with a view toward selecting people with Plainfield's interests at heart. He said he hoped it would happen "sooner rather than later" and invoked his slogan, "Plainfield's new beginning." Spector said she has already spoken to people regarding the process, not specific people. She said she would start the process on Nov. 6 and will present 'quality persons" who will be "well-vetted" with the residents' best interests at heart. Alluding to a high turnover in the present administration, she said she will aim for "not a revolving door" but those who will serve the four full years of her term. Mapp said he will start immediately after the election to have a new government to begin on Jan. 1. He said he wants to be able to present a slate at the annual reorganization. (The mayor seeks advice and consent from the council for city administrator, three department heads, chief financial officer, corporation counsel and other titles, concurrent with his or her four-year term.)
In closing remarks, Spector called for voters to "step out from under the machine" and "bring everybody to the table." Mapp promised to surround himself with "decent, qualified people" and said his leadership style is to "make people feel they are part of the administration." Muhammad said "leadership means everything in this case" and said the mayoralty is a "full-time job, 24/7." Belin said much of what was said at the forum imitated what is on his campaign website and concluded, "I am the best candidate to take Plainfield into the future. I am the best candidate to negotiate for Plainfield."
Peter Briggs, president of the Plainfield Area NAACP and husband of present two-term Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs, ended the session with a call for prayer for the families of the candidates.
"Nobody knows what it's like to be in public office," he said. "It really takes a toll on everybody."
Voters can learn more about the candidates at their websites and also at the Plainfield League of Women Voters candidates' forum on Wednesday (Oct. 30), 6:30 p.m. at Emerson School. View the League website here.
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