Art Lofts Groundbreaking Next Week

Landmark Development is holding a groundbreaking ceremony next week on Gavett Place for a project combining apartments, commercial space and an entertainment venue across from the main train station.

The building will rise on the former site of Romond's Garage. Developer Frank Cretella received approvals in 2011 for the project, which he expected to pair with redevelopment of 12 apartments in the former Miron's warehouse across the street on Gavett Place. By last year, Cretella's roster of projects totaled eleven, in various stages of progress.

Art Lofts I will have 20 apartments. Originally Cretella proposed adding three stories to the garage, but since then the structure has been leveled for all-new construction.

May 6, 2014

May 21, 2014

Walking to the bank last week, I happened upon a rendering in the front window of the Courier News building. Of all Cretella's proposals, this one was perhaps the most exotic - a French bistro right on Park Avenue.

Maybe we'll get an update on that one soon.

--Bernice

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"Break" Was Over on June 23

Someone took my June 18 "Time for a Break" post seriously enough to stop reading the blog!

Let it be known that I resumed posting on June 23 and have put up 31 posts since then. Please, take a look at the June and July listings and see what you may have missed, if you also thought my break was indefinite.

--Bernice

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Council Passes Ordinance Despite HAP Withdrawal Request

"The only thing that's transit-oriented about this proposal is that it is being railroaded."

--Councilman Cory Storch

In an unprecedented action last week, a council majority decided to move to the July 14 agenda an ordinance submitted by the Housing Authority of Plainfield that had been listed as only a discussion item. The ordinance had to do with conveyance of city-owned land to HAP "either by sale or long-term lease," the site having been the topic of a conceptual Planning Board hearing last year regarding development of 86 apartments. At last night's regular meeting, the ordinance was passed on first reading, despite a request from HAP Director  Randall Wood that it be withdrawn. The rationale given by Council President Bridget Rivers was that Wood had no authority to tell the council what to do with its agenda, just as the council has no say over HAP agendas.. 

Councilman William Reid said the ordinance could be amended before final passage to resolve whatever issues were outstanding. But Wood himself, in his letter asking for withdrawal, said he had only expected the "draft ordinance" to be reviewed by Corporation Counsel David Minchello. That would be the more normal process than just accepting out of the blue a prepared document from an outside entity.

In the discussion as recorded by Plainfield View's David Rutherford, one can see Deputy City Administrator Carlos Sanchez backing up Wood's request to withdraw the ordinance until such time as his concept for a project on city-owned property can be discussed with the administration, as per a Friday meeting.

Once it was clear that action was about to take place despite Wood's request, Councilman Cory Storch made a motion for it to be tabled. Rivers seconded the motion, but when the roll was called and Councilwoman Vera Greaves was clearly unsure of what was going on, Rivers told her erroneously that the vote was to "take it off the table." Greaves abstained, Storch and Rebecca Williams voted "yes," Reid, Gloria Taylor and Rivers voted "no." Short of the necessary four votes, the motion to table failed.

The motion to pass the ordinance passed 4-2, with Williams and Storch saying "no" and Reid, Greaves, Taylor and Rivers voting "yes."  The next regular meeting is Aug. 18, at which time it could be passed on second reading and final passage.

Storch pointed out that the proposal for residential housing only was not in keeping with the mixed-use format for downtown development that can be seen all along the Raritan Valley Line. While construction may yield jobs for a time, commercial use is the key to adding permanent jobs, he noted.

Other points were made during this discussion. I urge the public to take 20 minutes and view the entire excerpt at the link above.  

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Muhlenberg Closing Marked Aug. 16

From Dottie Gutenkauf:

As you know, Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center was closed by JFK/Solaris in August, 2008.  Since then we have held annual commemorations of its closure.  Muhlenberg served Plainfield and the surrounding communities for more than 130 years—so we longer have a full-service acute-care hospital in our community, something that is sorely needed.

This year’s commemoration will be held on Saturday, August 16, at 3 pm at Park Avenue and Randolph Road, across from the Muhlenberg campus, and I hope you will be able to attend and that you will invite your pastors, friends, relatives, and neighbors to join us.

This is not a demonstration or a rally—it is a commemoration of what we have lost and an expression of hope for the future.  I hope to see you there!

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Is Open Space Tax Needed?

Among new items on Monday's agenda is an ordinance proposing that an Open Space Trust Fund should be established through a ballot question in the November general election.

The meeting is 8 p.m. in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.

The suggested rate is two cents per $100 of assessed value, which would be $20 per year on a home valued at $100,000.

There is no special reason given for proposing the open space fund at this time. One hopes there will be an explanation at the meeting. I most likely cannot attend the meeting, but among questions that arose in my mind were how this relates to the Union County Open Space Trust Fund, what amount of open space now exists, how this fund might benefit the Green Brook Trail or the proposed parkland linked to the Lampkin House and whether activating the Environmental Commission might be a better first step.

The Environmental Commission was established by ordinance in 2001 but no members were ever named. Its duties were described in this section of the ordinance:

Sec. 3:36-7.  Powers and duties of Commission.

    Subject to the availability of duly appropriated funds by the Governing Body, the Commission shall have the following powers and duties:

    (a)     To conduct research into the use and possible use of the open land areas of the municipality and may coordinate the activities of unofficial bodies organized for similar purposes.

    (b)     To study and make recommendations concerning open space preservation, water resources management, air pollution control, solid waste management, noise control, soil and landscape protection, environmental appearance, marine resources and protection of flora and fauna.

    (c)     To advertise, prepare, print and distribute books, maps, charts, plans and pamphlets which in its judgment it deems necessary for its purposes.

    (d)     To keep an index of all open areas, publicly or privately owned, including open marsh lands, swamps and other wetlands, in order to obtain information on the proper use of such areas and, may from time to time, recommend to the Planning Board plans and programs for inclusion in the City Master Plan and the development and use of such areas.

    (e)     Subject to the approval and appropriation of funds of the Governing Body, to acquire property, both real and personal, in the name of the City of Plainfield, by gift, purchase, grant, bequest, devise or lease, for any of its purposes and to administer the same for such purposes subject to the terms of the conveyance or gift. Such acquisition may be to acquire the fee or any lesser interest, development right, easement (including conservation easement), covenant or other contractual right (including a conveyance on conditions or with limitations or reversions) as may be necessary to acquire, maintain, improve, protect, limit the future use of, or otherwise conserve and properly utilize open spaces and other land and water areas in the City.

    (f)      To appoint such clerks and other employees or consultants as it may from time to time require, provided that the cost of such appointments are within the limits of funds appropriated to it by the Governing Body.

(MC 2001-42, December 3, 2001.)

In recent years, a small budget has been allotted to pave the way for the commission's activation (as I understand it - Bill Nierstedt can explain the particulars).

Open space has to be designated and accounted for according to certain rules. In 2008, a so-called "pocket park" on West Front Street didn't quite meet all the criteria, reminding people of a similar snafu that held up development of the Park-Madison lot for a while.

I came across an excellent report for West Orange on open space. It is long and very comprehensive but well worth a look if this is an issue that interests you.

--Bernice

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Garden Pix

These flowers are just so cheery! Click image to enlarge for a slide show.

Lilies are so reliable. When I look at catalogs, I just want to order them in dozens.

Pale peach with green throats - pretty lilies.

Neglect has allowed the berry canes to run rampant, producing a treat for the birds.

Triple-flowered lilies, a legacy from our dear former neighbor Edna.

We have yellow Cosmos and orange Cosmos and a few that look hand-painted.

Along with the first cicada song and sighting of goldfinches this week, we had the first purple spires on the Butterfly Bush.

Hope your garden is providing you with enough enjoyment to make up for all the work of tending it!

--Bernice

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Jerry's Piety Party

I was surprised this week when Assemblyman Jerry Green deviated from posting canned press releases to reacting to my post on the Union County Improvement Authority. I read it over and even printed it out, but found his post to be such a stew of platitudes and non sequiturs that I just didn't know what to say in response.

Meanwhile, blogger Dan Damon took a try at deciphering it and concluded it was just "Jerryspeak," the assemblyman/head of housing/ party chairman's own argot. Councilwoman Rebecca Williams found it to be "stunningly hypocritical" when she read it, offering seven of her own past posts documenting examples of Green's smarmy tactics.

Perhaps the most puzzling part of Green's post was this:  "If you cannot say anything positive about any elected officials, such as the Mayor, Council members and myself personally, please place that negativity somewhere else, but not in Plainfield. We do not need that here." Could this be the same Jerry Green who condemned Mayor Adrian O. Mapp as "every bit as bad for Plainfield as I feared" even though he supported him in the 2013 primary and general election?

My point about time passing without a complete resolution of the August 2013 UCIA settlement kind of got lost in the rhetoric. "It has taken ten years to get to the point that we are at now with this issue," Green admits. Why so long? According to this 2006 Plaintalker post, the issues date back to 2001. The city finally has a document and a check, but not full compliance with terms of the settlement. Green heads the local Democratic Party and the Regular Democratic Organization of Union County. Surely he could use his power to speed the process. I think it is a fair question to ask why it is not happening.

Recent events have left Green with a public image of his own doing. Browbeating bloggers as negative will not get him the new political clothes he needs for re-election in 2015. I must agree when he says, "We need to hold our community in high regard and not lower it to gutter-style politics." Let's see whether he can live up to his own advice.

--Bernice

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BOE Filing Coming Up

The filing date for November school board elections has been changed from Primary Day to July 28. Candidates must submit petitions to the Union County Clerk's Office by 4 p.m. on July 28.

For more information, including a link to the Candidates' Kit from the New Jersey School Board Association, see the 2014 Instructions for Annual School Election Petitions.

There are three three-year terms up for election each year. Incumbents holding seats expiring this year are Dorien Hurtt, Jameelah Surgeon and Alex O. Edache. The winners on Nov. 4 will take office on Jan. 1, 2015.

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Park Hardware Opens Larger Store

Park Hardware has a new location, a new logo and a special offer to welcome customers.

As previously reported in Plaintalker II, the Cardona family took over the longtime business after it was put up for sale three years ago. Brothers Rich and Doug Borchers both passed away after 30 years of serving customers.

The new owners added equipment rentals and were also bilingual, a plus as the city's Latino population had increased 67 percent from 2000 to 2010. But the store itself became cramped as many new items were added. When another longtime family business, Williams Surgical, vacated its store on the same block, the Cardonas decided to take the larger space.

Contractors and home handypersons alike will find what they need at the store. Local customers say they appreciate having a hometown hardware store right in the Park & Seventh shopping district.

Business retention is key for any community, but operations manager Jhon Cardona said staying in Plainfield was an easy decision for the family.

"This is where we come from," he said, explaining that he and his father, Luis Cardona, made Plainfield their home after moving from Colombia.

To welcome customers to the new location at 623-627 Park Avenue, the owners are offering a one-time 20 percent discount to those who give an email address. They will receive a coupon which can be printed out and submitted to receive the discount. Jhon Cardona promises "no spyware, no promotions," just a discount.

Jhon Cardona

"We have a set group of customers who are very loyal," he said. "We're starting to see a lot of new faces, which is good."

Park Hardware
623-627 Park Ave., Plainfield
Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Phone: (908) 754-9137

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Gooaal!

My goal in summer is to have a pretty garden, but I am finding the neighbor children's soccer practice to be a menace. At first, I couldn't figure out how my Hosta was getting smashed. But then I saw a soccer ball come sailing over a garage roof and forcefully bouncing onto the plants.

As much as I tried to get excited about the World Cup, I took a dimmer and dimmer view of soccer practice by these aspiring young players. In a "Hey, you kids!" moment, I asked them please to be more careful, but they denied any culpability. I thought of seizing the ball the next time it landed on a plant, but I was never outside at the right moment.

So here's how I like the Hosta to look:

and here's how some of it looks now:

Defeat! Neighbor kids 1, me nil.

Oh well, it will grow back next year, I suppose.

--Bernice

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The Hazards of Finger-Pointing

Dr. Yood's account of an exchange at Monday's council meeting reminded me of a cultural lesson learned many years ago.

As related on Doc's Potpourri, Housing Authority Director Randall Wood and Deputy City Administrator Carlos Sanchez got a "time out" ordered by Council President Bridget Rivers because Sanchez allegedly pointed his finger at Wood.

It brought to mind the reaction of one of my charges at a special needs school where I worked in the 1970s. No matter what was going on, everything had to stop if a finger was pointed.

"Don't point at me, my momma ain't dead!" my student exclaimed.

I never learned the origin of this perceived offense and in recalling it last night, I found I am not alone in being mystified. Writing in The`Dallas Weekly, Vincent Hall says he knew the consequences of the act, but not the exact basis for it. He raised the cultural significance of the act in relation to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's finger-wagging in the face of President Barack Obama in 2012.

"Brewer is lucky she didn't get her 'skirt dusted' for such a despicable and tasteless display of political incivility," he remarks.

In a city that values diversity as much as we do here, the corollary is to learn the cultural do's and don'ts so that civility does not take an unnecessary hit during important discussions.

--Bernice

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Dispatcher Training Offered

Plaintalker is posting this information as a public service.

Dispatcher Training Made Available to Job Seekers

The John H. Stamler Police Academy is pleased to announce a special Alternate Route course option for individuals with no prior experience who are interested in becoming trained as 9-1-1 dispatchers.  The required nine days of training, which includes the five-day Emergency Communications Operator (ECO) Certification and four-day Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) Certification courses, are open to individuals who currently are not employed by a law enforcement agency.  The courses will run consecutively from Monday through Friday, August 25-29, 2014 and Tuesday through Friday, September 2-5, 2014, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“The courses will provide the basic level of certification required by the state for personnel working for a police department or other dispatch agency where 9-1-1 calls are answered,” said Eric G. Mason, the John H. Stamler Police Academy Director.  “Students who successfully complete this training will possess the fundamental skills required to begin working as a 9-1-1 call taker and will be eligible to be certified by N.E.C.I., a national 9-1-1 training agency, and the New Jersey Office of Emergency Telecommunications.”   

The five-day ECO course content includes an overview of dispatch procedures, legal and liability issues, techniques for handling 9-1-1 calls, handling a caller with special needs, and the history of the New Jersey 9-1-1 System. This course includes a full day of role-playing involving simulated 9-1-1 calls.

The four-day EMD course provides the next level of certification for personnel who are already certified as an Emergency Communications Operator (ECO).  This course is required for anyone working for a police department or other agency that receives 9-1-1 medical calls. Topics covered include responsibilities of the Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD), legal/liability issues, giving medical instructions by telephone, and the use of emergency medical dispatch guide cards. The course includes more than a day and a half of role-playing involving simulated 9-1-1 medical calls.  

To attend the EMD certification course, students must already hold a valid CPR card from the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. The course tuition, which includes payment for the manual and certification fees, must be paid in full prior to the first day of each class. Tuition for civilian job-seekers is $475 for the ECO course and $450 for the EMD course.

Course registration forms are available online at www.ucnj.org/policeacademy, or call 908-889-6112.
                                                                               

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A Cat Tale

Mau at ease

Mau, the feral cat who joined our household in 2008, put on quite a dramatic show when my daughter arrived to help me out with my hospital visit. The minute Audrey entered the apartment, Mau began yowling as if his world was ending on the spot. He ran to to deepest corner of a hall closet and began literally to climb the wall.

No amount of cajoling or chiding could make him stop. Finally I dragged him out and put him on the enclosed porch, where he managed to disappear. We put his food and water out there in hopes that he would feel safe enough to eat and drink. Oh, and the litter box went out there, too.

We were all mystified. People say Audrey and I sound alike when we speak, so it wasn't her voice that set him off. It's true that I have visited Audrey in Seattle more often than she has visited us since Mau arrived, and when she and Peter arrived the last time, Mau was also inhospitable, but still, such drama seemed excessive. When someone spent time in the apartment to install a wireless system recently, Mau looked on with interest and did not disgrace himself with such bad manners.

After Audrey left, Mau emerged by degrees, warily peeking into the front room and skulking away at the slightest noise. Eventually he sat down and relaxed, though with much tail-twitching to show he was still on high alert.

I knew it was the old Mau when he went from being excessively demonstrative and lovey-dovey to coming up behind me and attacking while I was trying to blog. A cat expert explained this play-fighting (which feels like actual fighting) by saying Mau thinks of me as a litter-mate.

Mau using the netbook as a pillow.

Unlike Audrey's beloved cat, Ichiro, Mau does not sit on laps or otherwise act as a companion, though he has one endearing trick, meowing a little song while bringing me a trophy such as a toy mouse or bird.

Ichiro

  Ichiro became ill and died recently after 13 years of loving companionship with Audrey and Peter. They miss him very much.

--Bernice

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Arlington Heights Remediation on Monday's Agenda

A vacant lot at Randolph Road and Arlington Avenue may be nearing the end of a long environmental remediation project.

The City Council will be asked to approve a final payment of $1,811.97 to Brownfield Redevelopment Solutions Monday to close out the Arlington Heights project, bringing the total to $97,714.11.

Some may recall that the lot once was the site of a gas station and remediation plans date back decades to when Gunthild Sondhi was in the Planning Division. The parcel is catty-corner to a lot where twelve condos were built. Six more were planned for the 0.4 acre vacant lot. The developer withdrew in 2007 and according to my notes, the site needs a redevelopment plan as well as a developer.

The site is among eleven project areas that the Union County Improvement Authority was supposed to guide through redevelopment. However, little progress took place during the past eight years and now the administration of Mayor Adrian O. Mapp is revisiting some of the project plans.

The regular council meeting is 8 p.m. Monday in Municipal Court.

--Bernice

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More`Summer Events Awaiting Council Approval

Groups are seeking permission for another batch of summer events, ranging from the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority's annual Environmental Fair to processions honoring an Ecuadoran saint, Our Lady of Cisne.

Approvals may be granted at Monday's regular City Council meeting, 8 p.m. July 14 in Municipal Court.

Events include:

- A Community Concert on from 4 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 6 in Plainwood Square Park on South Avenue.

- Processions from 5 to 6 p.m. on Aug. 29 and 30 conducted by St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in honor of Our Lady of Cisne.

- A Customer Appreciation Day outside Hugo's Lounge from 3 to 11 p.m. Aug. 9 on Church Street.

- Also a Community Health Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 9 on Church Street, sponsored by Iris House Inc.

- The Plainfield Fire Division's Annual Community Appreciation Day, from noon to 8 p.m. on Sept. 1 (Labor Day). Location not indicated on agenda.

- Fourteenth Annual Hispanic Heritage Festival sponsored by the Latin American Coalition, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 6 on North Avenue between Park and Watchung. Flor Gonzalez, president of the Latin American Coalition, describes it as an alcohol-free cultural event.

- PMUA's 15th Annual Environmental Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 6 in Library Park.

- Community Expo sponsored by Chosen Generation Community Center, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 20 in Library Park. According to background material in the council packet, the program is a "youth job readiness initiative."

Several of the groups requested waivers of the daily fees. I did not attend the council meeting Monday, so cannot say whether those requests were granted.

--Bernice

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A Year Later, UCIA Settlement Terms Unresolved

Being only halfway through my mandated four weeks of restricted activity, I was reduced to simple tasks such as filing papers and came across the much-vaunted settlement with the Union County Improvement Authority.

The City Council approved the settlement last August, clearing up some issues dating back to 2001.

UCIA Chairman Daniel Sullivan, the former freeholder who replaced Charlotte DeFilippo as head of the authority, presented the $1.09 million check to the council in December, in a supposed show of a new age of cooperation between Plainfield and the UCIA.

However, conditions of the agreement, such as installation of a street clock and city use of the UCIA parking deck, are still unresolved as the one-year anniversary of the settlement approaches.

Has Sullivan, now also head of the Union County Utilities Authority, become as inimical toward the Queen City as his predecessor, who was also chairman of the Union County Regular Democratic Organization? Or is the current chairman, Assemblyman Jerry Green, dissing the city as part of his campaign against Mayor Adrian O. Mapp? If so, the rest of the population just becomes collateral damage in the political wars.

And that is too bad.

--Bernice

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Minchello Adds Trenton Title

Plainfield Corporation Counsel David Minchello was named acting director of Trenton's Law Department Tuesday, according to nj.com reports.

Formerly the city solicitor, Minchello began serving as Plainfield's corporation counsel following the departure of Dan Williamson in 2012 to become executive director of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority. His firm, Antonelli Minchello, received three payments of $75,000 in 2012. In January, he was appointed corporation counsel by incoming Mayor Adrian O. Mapp.

His LinkedIn page now lists both the Trenton and Plainfield titles. 

Jackson served as Plainfield's director of Public Works & Urban Development since September 2011. He took an unpaid leave of absence in March and ran for mayor of Trenton. He was the top vote-getter in the May primary and won a June run-off against Paul Perez to take the mayoralty. He was sworn in Tuesday and made several cabinet appointments. According to nj.com, Minchello attended the inauguration, but declined to comment about his appointment

According to Trenton's Municipal Code, the head of the Law Department is not a director but is the City Attorney, with duties similar to those of Plainfield's in-house corporation counsel. Plainfield's code describes the corporation counsel as a salaried employee, though Minchello's firm has been paid for his services here. 

From Plainfield's Municipal Code:

Sec. 2:4-2.    Corporation Counsel; powers and duties.

    The Corporation Counsel shall be the chief legal advisor to the Mayor and to the Council. He/she shall be compensated with a fixed annual salary as established by ordinance. He/she shall be, subject to the provisions of Sections 2:4-3, 2:4-4 and 2:4-5, prosecute and defend all legal or equitable actions or proceedings in any court in which the City or any office thereof may be a party. He/she shall draft ordinance, resolutions, legislative bills and other documents and agreements required by the Mayor or a member of the Council. He/she shall advise the administrative departments, boards and commissions of the City other than the Planning Board and the Board of Adjustment (which are authorized and required to appoint separate counsel) as to all legal matters within their jurisdiction.

(A.C. 1969, 4.2, as amended by MC 1998-01, § 1, January 28, 1998.)

--Bernice

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What's in a (Nick)Name?

Hearing someone on the radio refer to "Los Ticos" made me recall a quiz I intended to post on national nicknames.

Can you identify the homeland of a Catracho? A Boriqueno? A Quisqueyano? Or a Bajan?

Here is a colorful compendium of World Cup team nicknames.

Meanwhile, hum a few bars of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" for the U.S. on the Fourth!

--Bernice

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Council to Discuss City Lots Coveted for Development

Monday's agenda includes discussion of possible conveyance of two city-owned lots targeted last year for very diverse development proposals.

The agenda-fixing session is 7:30 Monday in Municipal Court.

The Housing Authority of Plainfield and related entities proposed 86 apartments on the two lots, on a block bounded by Madison Avenue, West Second Street, Central Avenue and West Front Street. Developer Frank Cretella outlined plans for a "green market center comprising of a food incubator, a brew pub and artisanal distillery."

Neither plan got as far as applying to any land use boards, most likely because the city owns the lots.

See Plaintalker's October post on the Housing Authority proposal here

Read about Cretella's concept here

The Housing Authority request for the lots was up for discussion in March, but then dropped from the agenda. Monday's agenda does not state a proposed recipient for the lots.

--Bernice

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Scientist is Parade Grand Marshal

It may well be that Plainfield picked the better day for a parade, if the weather reports are to be trusted. Heavy rain is forecast for Friday, July 4 but the sun will shine on Saturday, July 5 when Plainfield's parade steps off at 10 a.m. on East Front Street.

The Grand Marshal is Dr. James West.

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Pool Report

Councilwoman Rebecca Williams, who serves on the council's Recreation and Public Safety committees, passes along an update on the status of city pools:

The following Municipal Pools have passed the required Health Inspection and will open at 12:30pm today Saturday, June 28, 2014.

 

1.        Rushmore Pool:  Kiddie Wading Pool only.  The main pool pvc liner is unrepairable, the liners will be removed and pool restored to concrete.

2.       Seidler Field Pool will open main and Kiddie Wading Pool.

 

Failed Inspection

3.       Hannah Atkins:  Both pools failed due to the drain covers not meeting code.

Pools will be drained Monday and repaired. 

 

Sign up for Free “ Learn to Swim” lessons are scheduled 12:30pm – 2:30pm  today at Hannah Atkins for the week of July 7^th – 18^th and Seidler Field for July 28^th – August 8^th.

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First Festival Opens Friday

Friday may prove to be a test of whether large festivals can do better this year with noise and crowd management.

Nightclub owner Edison Garcia received city approval to use lots 8 and 8A for his festival celebrating the Independence of the United States. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, it will run from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m..Since the festivals began about six years ago, the city has increased daily fees to $2,500 and this year requires organizers to hire six police officers in addition to whatever private security may be used.

Residents requested tighter controls around the beer stations this year to prevent young people from being too close and to manage cases of public intoxication. But despite a lot of talk about noise, no specific guidelines on volume were imposed. The sound carried a mile, according to some who complained. The music is to cease at 10 p.m.

Garcia will also hold a three-day festival in September, celebrating Central American Independence. Another nightclub group will hold one the same weekend in September, in addition to a parade from Rock Avenue to Roosevelt Avenue. The events attract thousands of visitors to Plainfield and both organizers say they create good will and get people to know the welcoming side of the city.

--Bernice

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Jackson Assumes Mayoralty

Eric Jackson's Inauguration is today.

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July 4 Parade, Fireworks Are On July 5

Don't haul your lawn chairs down to Front Street Friday for the 91st Central Jersey July 4 Celebration, unless you plan to stay overnight. The parade will step off at 10 a.m. Saturday and the fireworks will start at dusk Saturday in Cedar Brook Park.

Old-timers may remember when the "Central Jersey" part referred to a joint effort by eight or nine municipalities to organize and fund the celebration. A committee worked year-round to make the arrangements. All their terms expired in 1993 and although legislation passed in 2006 to establish an all-Plainfield committee, no members were ever named. I'm told that may change for 2015, ending the practice of ad hoc planning for the event and a bit of mystery about the costs involved.

The city has budgeted $52,400 for the event this year. In 2012, a request for details of the costs did not get a response until January 2013. But as noted in this post, the issue of cost disclosure went back to 2006.

The issue of costs came up also when a contribution from Investors Savings Bank for the event in 2010 was apparently diverted to a controversial "Town Hall" radio show featuring Rev Al Sharpton.

All in all, the celebration is overdue for some rigorous planning with full disclosure of costs and it seems that will be the way it goes next year. The reason given in the past for not holding the event on July 4th was extra pay for employees. Maybe an analysis can pinpoint the difference and adjustments can be made so that the 92nd Central Jersey July 4 Celebration will be on July 4.
--Bernice

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Mapp Answers Q&A on Jackson's Successor

Mayor Adrian O. Mapp has responded to my request for a Q&A on Eric Jackson's successor. Jackson, the city's director of Public Works & Urban Renewal since September 2011, won the May 10 mayoral runoff election in Trenton and will take office July 1.

Jackson was so popular and highly regarded here that he was asked to stay on in his post after Mayor Mapp took office on Jan. 1. Among his accomplishments were several departmental improvements, such as a review of the capital improvement process. He also oversaw the renovation of City Hall, including restoration of the original 1917 seal on the rotunda floor. Working with several commissions, he planned and executed a transformation of the grounds of City Hall as well, a visible legacy that all can admire and enjoy.

Here is Mayor Mapp's response:

Will you be making a search for a new Public Works & Urban Development director now that Eric Jackson has become mayor of Trenton? Yes, I will be advertising for Eric Jackson’s replacement very shortly.

The department has two aspects, one being Public Works (maintenance of roads and fields and seasonal tasks such as snow removal and various pickups}. But the Urban Development aspect is now front-and-center with the Transit Village designation, new TOD zones and a cabinet-level director for economic development who will rely on Planning to work with developers. In light of this, what talents or skills will you seek in candidates for the PW&UD post at this juncture? Eric’s replacement has to be a highly skilled professional, preferably with an engineering background and some urban planning experience. The person must be able to hit the ground running. The individual must have very good communication skills and must be able to communicate in an assertive and effective manner with the governing body and the public.

This is an advice-and-consent position. How soon do you hope to present a nominee to the council? My goal is to nominate a candidate for advice and consent within the next 30 – 60 days.

--Bernice

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Health Fair Today

Lenin Aguirre writes to say, "There is a 'Health Festival' this Sunday - June 29 from 10:00AM-4:00PM in Plainfield! It will be held behind Supremo Supermarket-249 East Front Street, Plainfield NJ. I strongly recommend everyone to attend and show your support in this great cause."

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Summer Flowers

One of the prettiest sights upon returning home was the Catchfly in bloom. My neighbor had planted wildflower seeds last year and after they bloomed, my seed-gathering urge kicked in. Catchfly seeds are a little bigger than dust particles. I was not sure they would germinate. What a nice surprise to see these flowers! And yes, they do have stalks with a sticky substance that could catch a fly - well, a little fly.

The gift that keeps on giving, these Black-Eyed Susans are the newest generation from a bag of seed heads that the owner of Schmiede's Nursery permitted me to collect from the bank in front of his business many years ago. Early on, the show was spectacular. Later, the flowers popped up so ubiquitously that they were practically weeds, as in the old definition that a weed is just a flower in the wrong place.

A handsome flower and a handsome bug. The Purple Coneflower, beloved of cold remedy illustrators, is always pleasing to see in the garden. It is not as quick to spread as some of its fellow composites, so a little lifting and re-planting is in order. I have moved them around to spots where they are easier to view when it's showtime.

I thought the feathery leaves of Dill would set off other plants nicely, so I gathered seeds and scattered them in maybe too many other places than the original site. The umbel of tiny yellow flowers is nice to contemplate while making a mental shopping list including a piece of salmon.

Nasturtiums are one of my favorites. I had an early success (or nightmare) with a climbing Nasturtium that pooled out six feet over the lawn for lack of a trellis. I had purchased a pricey compost bin after interminable fretting over the cost, and when I pulled up the prolific Nasturtium at the end of the season, it filled the entire bin! Luckily it wilted down to make room for my other compostables.

Hope you enjoyed the images! I sure was glad to be in the garden to see them. After the only major surgery in my life, I was, as the joke goes, glad to be anywhere!

--Bernice

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Ramadan Greetings

Ramadan Mubarak

to all our

Muslim 

friends and neighbors

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Gold and Rules

In these tough economic times, cleaning out the jewelry box to raise cash may sound like a good idea. But as a story in the Courier News notes, one must be aware of the rules for buying and selling gold or run the risk of being cheated.

Five Plainfield stores were among 21 cited for possible violations of "cash for gold" consumer protection laws. They are Electronic and Jewelry Spot, Gold Breeze Jewelry, Gold Star Jewelry, Dia Jewelers and Bong Jewelers.

According to the story, "The violations range from failing to post prices for precious metals to failing to keep scales in plain view and failing to maintain receipts."

The only gold jewelry I own is a $12 wedding band purchased in 1958 from Bamberger's, but if you have valuable pieces that you are thinking of selling, first read this state-issued brochure, "Selling Your Precious Metals and Jewelry."

--Bernice

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SID Party Tomorrow

To see some of what you can expect at Saturday's Special Improvement District Block Party, here is a post from 2011. 

The event is from noon to 4 p.m. on East Front Street between Park and Watchung in the city's original downtown.

Every household should have received the SID magazine, Positively Plainfield, that has a schedule of music and dance performances. There will also be a car, truck and bike show, local vendors and a patriotic opening ceremony.

The SID is marking its 10th anniversary of promoting Plainfield's shopping districts, so if you see any of the board members (pictured on Page 3 of the magazine), wish them well for another decade and more!

--Bernice

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A New Look at Plainfield

Plainfield is a very old city and its residents greatly value longevity. I have been here since 1983, so to many I am still a newcomer. But changes are always taking place, and it's good every so often to see the city through another's eyes. Hence my suggestion that you take a look at a new blog that features people and places you might find interesting.

Using the big-city formula of creating names for districts, the creators are calling it "Plai-do," for Downtown Plainfield. You can find it here
.
Recent posts feature artist Gerry Heydt, a new Tex-Mex restaurant, the Boys & Girls Club and, because it is backed by developer Frank Cretella, posts about the Courier News Building and some other renovated buildings clustered around the main train station.

Some may recall when Plainfield's blog roster swelled from just a few to nearly thirty. Blogs are time-consuming to maintain and over the years many fell away. But here is a new one! So take a look!

--Bernice

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The Intolerable Mr. Toliver

Four months after Alex Toliver exploded in anger at being replaced on the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority, he now claims he resigned.

In his Feb. 10 outburst where the City Council voted 4-3 to replace him with mayoral nominee Charles Tyndale, Toliver became so angry he had to be escorted out by a police officer.

Before the vote, Toliver and his wife, Diane, both lashed out at Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, saying they worked hard for him, presumably in the effort that won Mapp the mayoralty in November. Toliver suggested Mapp "may be temporary" and claimed the mayor was giving away the city to "carpetbaggers." He predicted a breakdown of PMUA systems like a "tsunami" and said, "The city is going to collapse right before your feet."

See full post here.

While a commissioner, Toliver joined Malcolm Dunn and Cecil Sanders in a 2012 vote to give former PMUA executives Eric Watson and David Ervin additional settlements that pushed Watson's total to $901,000, up from $151,000 and Ervin's to $424,000 instead of $124,000. Toliver  now claims he was just one of six commissioners, but it only takes three votes to pass PMUA resolutions and his was one.

Now Toliver is on a rampage against Councilwoman Rebecca Williams. As reported on her blog, there was a time when he sent her flowery, flirty messages. Now he suggests she should be beheaded.

Also on Sunday,I received two similar "anonymous" replies to comments by Williams on a May 3 Plaintalker post, "About That Mailing." I published one, but then removed it. I did not publish the longer one. Here they are:


I GUESS JERRY GREEN KEEP PICKING THE WRONG MAYORS FROM THE LATE MCWILLIASMS TO THE NOW MAPP WHO SWORE THAT HE WAS A REGULAR DEMOCRATE ASSY GREEN LESS YOU FORGOR BACKED YO M? WILLIAMS TO RUN FOR THE COUNCIL SEAT!! IT WAS HIS FUND RAISEING MONEY THAT PUT YOU INTO OFFICE!! AND IT WAS YOU THAT PUT YOUR HAND ON THE HOLY BIBLE TO SWEAR THE OATH OF OFFICE THAT NOW YOU SOMEHOW DENY IT WAS THE DEMOCRATIC REGULAR PARTY [NOT THE REJECTED BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT TURN YOU INTO THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY ] AND THIS TIME THE PEOPLE ON PLAINFIELD CAN SEE YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE ?? NO THANKS TO THE PERSON THAT PUT UP THE MONEY FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO GET YOU AND MAYOR MAPP INTO OFFICE WHAT A REGRET HE MUST HAVE !! A PERSON THAT LIE AND CLAIM THAT SHE BELONG TO A JEFFERSONSTOIN CULT WILL NOT HONOR THE COUNTRY THAT GAVE HER SO MUCH NOR WILL U REBECCA WILLIAMS SALUTE ARE PUT YOUR HAND OVER YOUR HEART TO SHOW PRIDE TO THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE GAVE YOU SO MUCH MAYBE IF YOU WAS BORN IN THE MIDDLE EAST YOU WOULD KISS OUR FLAG JUST MAYBE IF YOU LIVED LONG ENOUGHT TO DO SO I HOPE ALL OF YOU SUPPOSE FOLLOWER WILL READ THIS AND THINK [ALSO YOU ONLKY WON YOUR SEAT BACK ON THE CITY COUNCIL BY 56 VOTES OVER SOME THE THAT WAS NOT BORN IN THIS COUNTRY I THINK YOU ARE THE WORST CULPIT THE JUST SOMEHOW THINK] YES YOU NEED TO BE REMOVED BY OUR TRUE AMERICANS THAT DO LOVE THIS COUNTRY OF THE [FREE] 

a good liar is not a great liar this you should have learn from what ever your studies 1/e lesson 101 you would bite the hand that fed you !! WOW NOW ALL OG PLAINFIELD IS COMING FOR YOU AND ALL OF YOR SDUPPOSE FRIENDS YOU CANT BE TRUSTED

These comments have Toliver's M.O., even if posted anonymously. Maybe he realized verifiable threats are actionable.

The Plainfield Democratic situation is bad enough without anyone suggesting it advance to people "coming for you" or that "you need to be removed." Such individuals may preach political loyalty, but as one can see in "About That Mailing," dumb loyalty often leads to regret.

--Bernice

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Thanks to All

Hi, everybody.

I have been sidelined for medical reasons and will probably be recuperating for a while. I wasn't going to specify the reason for my "break," but apparently enough people have heard about it by now. I am not going to share details, but I had to have surgery and it turned out to be more complicated than expected.

Anyway, I expect it will be a while before I can traipse around and put up with long meetings.Blogging will be curtailed but I will post as able.

So thanks for all your nice comments and I will be up and about as soon as possible.

--Bernice

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Time for a Break

Plainfield Plaintalker began in June 2005, out of my desire to inform city residents and Barbara Todd Kerr's willingness to devise a way. Few people knew what a blog was then. Initially, I didn't either. Barbara set the whole thing up, with a "soft launch." As people became aware of an online source for news about Plainfield, readership picked up. One early reader told me he read the "blob" every day.

I had been a reporter, retiring in 2003, around the time that the newspaper industry began major shifts in focus. One editor decided coverage should be based on the mantra, "eat, shop, work, play." I felt there were things readers needed to know beyond that, such as how their tax money was being spent and how well their public servants were serving. This meant going to public meetings, researching documents, explaining what the City Council was voting on. My hope was to engage citizens in local decision-making.

Barbara was in charge of production and I provided most of the content. Initially, we both had free time to work on the blog, but Barbara later had demands on her time that led to my learning how to wrangle the posting. In January 2007, it became a solo operation. I gathered content, took photos and put up the posts myself. Once Plainfield Plaintalker became large and unwieldy, I created Plaintalker II. Readers can search either blog by putting a keyword in the box at upper left.

When Barbara was in charge, we did not take comments. In March 2008, I decided to allow comments. Initially, readers stuck to the issues, but especially in political season, some comments got out of bounds. As moderator, I decide what gets posted. Last month, I made a mistake. I apologized. For some, it was not enough.

Anyway, I moved on. This month marks nine years of blogging, with more than 500 posts per year. Please be advised that I will be taking a break and will resume as soon as possible. Thanks for all your support and encouragement over the years.

--Bernice

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Shade Tree Commission Event Saturday

Please note: I usually do not post events but as a former Shade Tree Commission member, I am making an exception:

Plainfield Shade Tree Commission is presenting a free community event in the Anne Louise Davis Room
at the Plainfield Public Library from 10 to noon on Saturday, June 21, 2014.

NJ Certified Tree Expert Pam Zipse of Hometown Forests, LLC will cover such topics as:
- Choosing the right tree for the right place on a residential property
- Choosing the appropriate tree species
- What to look for at a garden center when choosing a tree.

Also, how to plant, water mulch and do developmental pruning to prevent structural defects in trees.

There will time for a Q&A on other tree topics as well.

The event is free of charge, with first come, first served seating in the Anne Louise Davis Room, so claim your seat early! Hope to see you there,

Plainfield Shade Tree Commission

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Jackson Names Transition Team

Check out Eric Jackson's transition team - a couple of familiar names are included.

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Some Background on IT and Media

One advantage of having written a blog for nine years is that an archive now exists that may shed light on current city issues. Rather than expound on the present state of affairs in IT/Media, I direct your attention to past posts such as this one from 2010 titled "IT: Info Technology or Incessant Turmoil" which has links to other relevant information..

Among other quirky things that happened along the way in videography decisions, there was the time the council approved paying $100 per hour for taping meetings and events.

Questions arose in 2011 on council coverage, which is currently the topic of a perceived political tug of war between the administrative and legislative branches.

Initially former Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs wanted Chris Payne to report directly to her, but the division had to be placed under one of the three departments mandated in the City Charter. It ended up under Administration, Finance, Health & Social Services, which had become a catch-all when former Mayor Mark Fury rearranged divisions under the three departments in the 1990s. The department now has 17 divisions. Click here and roll over the division headings to see the array.

--Bernice

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Media, Liquor Licenses Dominate Council Meeting

Residents had an hour to chat at Monday's City Council meeting while the governing body met in closed session to discuss a personnel matter. When the meeting opened, Lamar Mackson Sr. led off public comment with a diatribe on the June 4 firing of his son, Lamar David Mackson, the former producer of PCTV programming.

The elder Mackson had railed against the firing last week, along with more than a dozen other supporters of his son, and Council President Bridget Rivers called it a "travesty." She called last week for a closed-door session on the spot to discuss the issue; presumably that was what happened Monday.

Besides praising his son's work at the local television channel, Mackson Sr. alluded Monday to a "biased" transition team report on the media division that he said did not take his son's accomplishments into account.

"It was completely negative," he said.

A member of the team later became the city public information officer and competed for his son's job, he said.

Complicating the subject further, the agenda for Monday's meeting included a resolution for $17,499 to hire a local firm for videography services. The firm includes the person taping the meeting and she had previously worked with the younger Mackson in the same capacity. Finance Director Ron West said there should have been a contract for the services drawn up at the beginning of the year and the action Monday was to "legitimize" the service.

"There should have been a resolution all along," West said.

Councilwoman Gloria Taylor questioned whether the videographer had been getting paid all along.

Rivers said the council and administration were "still in discussion in reference to the future of the media department."

In amending the budget last month, a council majority took funds out of the media salary line specifically for the title of public information officer.

The closed session, along with 49 resolutions and five ordinances, pushed the meeting to nearly four hours.

Many of the resolutions had to do with liquor license renewals, which must be approved by June 30. The roster of proposed renewals last week included three club licenses, eight bar or restaurant licenses and seven liquor store licenses. The council did not receive police reports in last week's packets, but upon review of the number of incidents requiring police response, resolutions for three bars and three liquor stores were tabled Monday.

Councilman Cory Storch began the move to table by noting that a Front Street night club, Faraones, had 148 incidents. Police Captain Steven Soltys said the reports were on non-criminal incidents, such as fights and disorderly conduct, but Storch said the club owner was in effect using the city police force as security. He called for a hearing on the license renewal, but Corporation Counsel David Minchello explained that the governing body, acting as the local Alcoholic Beverage Control board, could impose conditions without a hearing.

"A number of these reports are very troubling," Storch said, and the council went on to table more resolutions for renewal, even though police had approved them.

In public comment later, La Bamba Inn attorney Robert Ferb said putting the resolution off until July would mean his client's license would expire as of June 30. Minchello said the license holder could obtain an ad interim license, but Ferb said it would cause his client an expense.

"Very sorry, Mr. Ferb," Minchello said.

According to the state ABC Handbook, the temporary ad interim license is $75 plus $5 per day. The next regular council meeting is July 14. The other tabled resolutions were for El Palacio Latino Corp., Ben Franklin Liquors, San Homa Liquors and Pickwick Liquor Store.

A resolution to renew the license for Plainfield Liquors was added as a new item and passed, leaving 13 others still not ready for renewal by the June 30 deadline.

The council voted to deny renewal for Arlington Liquors/Clinton Grocery &Deli, based on a police recommendation. Minchello said that action will trigger a hearing.

The next council meeting is an agenda-fixing session at 7:30 p.m. on July 7 in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.

--Bernice

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City Needs Updated Table of Organization

Over recent months, new city titles have been created and older titles have been revived. It's time to spell out the current organizational set-up, even if some of these posts are vacant right now.

For example, does anybody recall passage of a resolution permitting hiring of two deputy police directors? Where do they fit in with the present structure of the Police Division? During the previous administration, the number of captains changed several times, most recently to five in charge of seven bureaus but previously as low as three and as high as seven.

The title and salary band for the chief of staff position were approved last year, although the City Council rejected the mayor's appointee by cutting the 2014 budget. There is a new deputy city administrator for economic development, even though no one held the position foe eight years and it is not presently reflected on the city's web site.

Divisional changes have resulted in a split-off of Media from Information Technology and there is confusion over job titles there. Is the person in charge an "audio visual specialist" or media director?

The title of Public Information Officer goes back many years, although it was vacated by way of defunding it for several years, revived and most recently defunded again. There is also some confusion over whether it is a cabinet-level post.

The city has six bargaining units, including the Plainfield Municipal Managers Association and the Plainfield Municipal Employees Association, as well as a rather long list of non-union or non-represented employees. With changes in recent years, it would be good to know for planning and budgeting purposes who reports to whom across the organization.

These basic structural considerations may have gotten lost in the political brouhaha that has reigned since the beginning of 2014. A chart of the titles and chain of command can be drawn up and made public despite the controversies, so that when and if the dust settles, at least the framework of the administration will be known and recognized.

--Bernice

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