2010 Year in Review

Reflections on 2010

Every Council leaves their mark on the City of Plainfield. I believe the 2010 Council will be remembered for its focus on fiscal policy, movement towards long-term planning and efforts to reconnect elected officials with residents across the City.

The 2010 Council accomplished a number of items and I have highlighted a few below. I must recognize each and every Councilor for their contributions. This was a collective effort. I particularly want to thank Chairman Mapp and each of this year’s Committee Chairs – Storch, Rivers and Carter. Many of the decisions made this year started off as discussion items in Council Committees.

Accomplishments

Town Halls

In the spring, the Council visited each ward and listened to the concerns across the City. We heard concerns about issues ranging from leaf pick-up and safety to taxes and economic development. These town halls gave the Council an opportunity to hear the needs of residents and incorporate your ideas and suggestions into our discussions and decisions.

Fiscal Responsibility

The Fiscal Accountability, Integrity and Responsibility (FAIR) legislation package stands out as one of the most significant achievements of this Council. Three resolutions and two ordinances were approved and enacted that improve the City’s ability to responsibly manage your tax dollars. These Council actions helped fill key financial management positions, increased financial oversight and forced greater vendor competition.

Additionally, the 2010 Council was able to reduce last year’s budget by nearly 1 million dollars. Although the savings were great, the timing was not because the budget was not adopted until February of this year (FY ending June 30th). For this budget year, the Council and Administration were able to introduce, amend and adopt the budget in December. This timing improvement is valuable because any reductions in the budget are felt sooner and for a longer period of time.

Information Technology

The movement towards and investment in Information Technology is also an accomplishment. During this year’s budget deliberations the Council proposed a number of questions to each division head that presented. One of those key questions was: How can the Council empower you? The majority of all presenters expressed a real need for IT – either upgrades, software or training. Last year the Council approved the creation of an IT Manager. This year, the Council formally created an IT division within the City’s structure and approved an IT shared services agreement with the Board of Education. This 6-month agreement will allow the City to move into the 21st century in a cost-efficient manner.

Economic Development

The completion of the Rutgers NJIT Visioning Study has provided the Council and Administration with an understanding of development opportunities along the rail corridor - a valuable part of Plainfield’s marketable assets. Additional studies being put in place now will help shape conversations about economic development for years to come.

Thoughts for 2011

I was honored to be selected by my colleagues to serve as the 2010 Council President and look forward to continuing in that capacity for 2011.

As the City faces continued financial challenges, improved fiscal policy must remain a priority. Managing limited funds and resources well is half of the budget battle. The other half of the battle is improving our tax base through redevelopment. Redevelopment as part of a broader economic development discussion must become part of the long-term planning that the City is moving towards.

Just as we focused on a directed a path towards financial responsibility, so too must we make a commitment to understanding and improving the public safety needs facing our community. How can police and fire operate more effectively? What legislation – locally or otherwise – needs to be explored and advocated for? How do we ensure that Plainfield youth grow up in a healthy, safe environment? These questions and others need to be answered.

We must continue to work with colleagues, old and new, as we advance key agenda items for the City of Plainfield. In 2011 the Council will continue to put Plainfield First and work towards Positive Change.

Happy New Year!

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On the Removal of the City Administrator

As has been widely reported, a letter from the Mayor was filed with the Clerk's office shortly before 5:00 pm yesterday advising City Administrator Bibi Taylor of her separation of employment with the City of Plainfield.

The Council's main concern is the efficient and uninterrupted management of Plainfield. The City Administrator is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the City. Considering that the recent resignation of the Director of Public Works & Urban Development has left that role vacant and bearing in mind that the recently appointed Director of Administration & Finance and Certified Financial Officer are new in their roles, the City's management team is not yet positioned to run effectively. Furthermore, we have not yet adopted the budget and have relied heavily on the City Administrator's office in moving through this crucial process.

Plainfield needs now, more than ever, consistent and stable management. And we have always deserved the best. Mrs. Taylor has proven to be a true professional, very knowledgeable and thorough. To lose her at all, especially at this time, does not seem to be in the best interest of the City. However, this position is a Mayoral appointment. Understanding that, the Council has invited the Mayor to explain her decision and provide us with a plan of action. We need to understand why this action was taken and how the Mayor plans to meet the needs of residents without Mrs. Taylor as City Administrator. Based on the outcome of that discussion, the Council may consider a resolution disapproving of the Mayor's decision. If that resolution passes with 2/3 majority (5 or 7 Councilors), then Mrs. Taylor will be reinstated as City Administrator.

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Youth Master Plan

Our nation is facing an epidemic - young people are losing their lives to violence at unprecedented rates. Children are living in broken homes and learning in broken school systems. They live in a world that is short on love and long on empty promises. As a result, they are turning to gangs to provide the shelter, sense of belonging and opportunity that our community does not offer. This horrific national trend is being felt in our own backyards with the recent murders of two young men. The tragedy is that two lives were lost, the reality is that even more have been destroyed - as two coffins were made, two jail cells were prepared.

The challenges that our children are facing must be dealt with at a national level. Systemic overhaul is needed to ensure that every child - regardless of their background - has equal access to educational and economic opportunities. President Obama must take on this fight if we are to see large-scale change. However, local government is not powerless. We can take the necessary steps to save our children and the future of this City.

I have proposed that the Council spearhead an initiative to sponsor a Youth Master Plan (YMP). This has been done in communities across the Country and is considered a best practice. The YMP will bring together stakeholders at all levels - government, schools, non-profits, Churches, parents and youth - to set a vision for our City's young people. It will provide an evaluation of our current resources and set a strategy for how the City can best address the needs of our children going forward. In addition, it will arm community organizers and local officials with information on state and national legislation that best addresses those challenges unique to Plainfield. I will be working with the City Council and all of Plainfield's elected officials to pull together a strong team of community members who will lead this effort. In order for this to be successful, the entire community must work together - devoting time and talent for a shared goal. All stakeholders must unite for a worthy cause and invest in our most precious resource - our children.

Several years ago, my mother wrote a song entitled, "The Child Belongs to Me". This title is so timely and I had to share the song here. The words remind me that we can only help our young people if we take responsibility and take action:




Details and deadlines for the YMP will be spelled out soon.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

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Election Day

Be sure to vote today! The future of our Country depends on it!

I am voting for the party that will support our President -

Democrats (Line A):

Congress - Frank Pallone

Freeholder - Linda Carter

Council - Rebecca Williams and Bill Reid

and the rest of the Democratic slate.

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Below is some information about an event that Plainfield PAL's Youth Exposure is holding tomorrow (Saturday). Alrick Brown, a Film Director and rising star in the film industry, will be addressing Plainfield youth to talk about the challenges he faced growing up, his goals and his success. Alrick attended NYU Film School and his short films have been recognized internationally. Alrick was raised in Plainfield and has even filmed some of his work here. He is about to release his first feature length film called Kinyarwanda. This movie tells the story of Muslims that protected Christians during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Not only is this a timely film, but it's an inspiring story.

Alrick has shown his support of Plainfield by taking time out of his worldwide promotional tour to speak with our kids. It's critical that our community take the time to support him. One way to do that is by attending this event. The more attention that is brought to this event, the more coverage his film will receive.

________________________________________________________________


Contact: Lucy Sanchez-Abreu
Tel: (732) 397-4693
Email: youthexposure@gmail.com


FILM DIRECTOR ALRICK BROWN TO SPEAK AT PLAINFIELD PAL YOUTH EXPOSURE EVENT

“Plainfield’s Promise” Speaker Series to be held Oct. 30, 2010 at 11 a.m. at Washington School

Plainfield PAL’s Youth Exposure will host the first annual “Plainfield’s Promise” Speaker Series with Film Director Alrick Brown on Saturday, October 30 at 11:00 a.m. at Washington Community School in Plainfield, NJ. Alrick will show clips from his soon-to-be released movie Kinyarwanda, a tale about the complexities in Rwanda during the era of war and genocide. He will also share his insight regarding his journey to success. This event is co-sponsored by Wazito Freestyle and Omega Psi Phi Omicron Chapter. Performances will be made by En Pointe School of Dance and the Wazito Freestyle karate school as well. Local residents and film enthusiasts are invited to attend this exclusive and FREE event.

This event is geared to showcase success stories with Plainfield roots that have, and continue to make an impact on the community locally and globally. In addition, an invitation has been extended to local youth and community organizations to collectively “protect our youth, provide for our youth and prepare our youth.” Hence, on the stage and in the audience, organizations will be partnering to make a difference for the youth in Plainfield with our combined resources and wealth of knowledge.

Alrick Brown’s collective work has screened in over forty film festivals, national and international, and received numerous awards. He has written, directed, and produced narrative films and documentaries often focusing on social issues affecting the world at large. He and his co-producer, received the HBO Life Through Your Lens Emerging Filmmaker Award to produce their critically acclaimed documentary Death of Two Sons. In 2004, he was one of four NYU students featured in the IFC Documentary series Film School, produced by Academy award nominee Nannette Burstein.In 2007 he addressed the Motion Picture Association of America on C-SPAN. In 2009, he directed his first stage play “A Raisin in the Sun,” which was featured in Plainfield, NJ. At present, he is in post-production on his first feature film, Kinyarwanda shot on location in Rwanda and writing a feature thriller titled, The Shadows.
Alrick is a native of Kingston, Jamaica and was raised in Plainfield, New Jersey where he graduated from Plainfield High School in 1994. A fluent French speaker, he graduated from Rutgers University with a BA in English and a Masters in Education. He also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cote d’Ivoire. He has a MFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Plainfield PAL’s Youth Exposure is a mentoring and enrichment program for middle school students established in Plainfield, NJ. Founded in 2007, Youth Exposure’s mission is to empower middle school students, encouraging them to strive for high levels of success through pursuit of education, leadership development and community service. Mentees are youth, ages 11-14, enrolled in the Plainfield School District. Mentors are young professionals who are dedicated to their community. Youth Exposure’s vision is to create a village of supporters for these students by organizing a locally-based network of mentors and like-minded peers. Through mentoring, tutoring, exposure to new activities, and support for scholarships and job opportunities, Youth Exposure provides a wide net of guidance and avenues for personal enhancement.

Youth Exposure is able to offer this program at minimal cost to community members through Plainfield Police Athletic League (PAL). Plainfield PAL is proud to announce a grant award in the amount of $20,580.00 in support of the Youth Exposure Program for the 2010-2011 program period. Funding has been made possible in part by a sub-grant from the Police Athletic League of New Jersey Afterschool Initiatives, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Washington Community School is a key partner with Youth Exposure, offering space and support for our activities.

Youth Exposure meets every other Saturday at Washington Community School from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., unless there is a scheduled trip. There is a one-time fee of $50.00 for participating, however scholarships are available. Transportation and admission fees for all trips are free-of-cost. Breakfast and lunch is provided. There is limited enrollment.

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For more information please contact Nancy Jordan of Plainfield PAL (908) 753-9281 or visit our website at http://www.youthexposure.org/.

To learn more about Alrick Brown’s upcoming movie Kinyarwanda please visit the site at http://www.kinyarwandamovie.com/ .



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Budget Deliberations: Logistics + Structure

LOGISTICS

Budget Deliberations will begin this week. Dates were advertised this weekend. Here is some additional information:

Tuesday, October 26th, 7:00 PM, City Hall Library
Public Safety (Police & Fire), Signals, Traffic

Thursday, October 28th, 7:00 PM, City Hall Library
Inspections, Municipal Court, Corporation Counsel, Engineering

Wednesday, November 3rd
Public Works & Recreation

Thursday, November 4th
Social Services (Plainfield Action Services, WIC, Bilingual Daycare), Health

Monday, November 8th
Tax Assessor, Collector, Audit & Control, Purchasing

Tuesday, November 9th
Library, City Clerk, IT/Media

Thursday, November 11th
Capital Budget, Planning, Economic Development

**Times and locations for deliberations to be held after October 28th, will be announced shortly


STRUCTURE

I was not satisfied with last year's budget deliberations. The focus of the deliberations should be on goals and numbers. Poorly articulated goals, unavailable performance measurements and missing data are unacceptable. While I understand the effect that shrunken resources has had on City Hall, the Administration must be prepared so that the Council can make informed budget decisions.

I have requested that presentations be organized differently. Each division head has been asked to address a specified set of questions (see below) at the beginning of their presentation. I believe the answers to these questions will provide the Council with the data they need to make decisions and open up a dialogue on how we can do more with less in these economic times. I will grant an additional 5 minutes for any other information to be shared. Councilors and CBAC members will then have an opportunity to ask their questions. The public will also have an opportunity to address the Council.

1) Overview
What services do you deliver to the residents of Plainfield? What are your responsibilities within City Hall?

2) Performance Measurements
What quantifiable data can you provide that will give the Council meaningful information on how well you have delivered services?

3) Goals, Objectives
What are your priorities for the coming year? What are your short-term and long-term goals? What additional personnel or resources will be needed to achieve these goals. Please provide corresponding dollar amounts (estimates are fine).

4) Shared Services
What opportunities for shared services exist?

5) Grant Opportunities
What opportunities for grants exist?

6) Costs
What are your major costs? What opportunities exist to cut these costs?

7) Revenues
Do you generate any revenues for the City? What opportunities exist to increase revenues?

8) Lay-off Plan
How will the recently approved lay-off plan affect your productivity? Be specific.

9) Improved Productivity
How can the Council empower you to deliver better results?

.**minor grammatical changes made at 9:40am

Revisiting Positive Change

The blogosphere has been abuzz with views on what the Council's authority is, what the Administration's authority is and whether we are using our respective power appropriately. The underlying concern is whether we are working together and the implication is that we are not. I want to address that here.

When I ran for public office in 2008 my message was Positive Change. This message was chosen intentionally. I wanted to bring hope back to Plainfield and help move us in the right direction. I wanted to be part of a collective effort to ensure a brighter future for our community. I ran because the residents of Plainfield wanted solutions instead of promises and action instead of talk. At the beginning of this year, I was honored when my peers unanimously selected me to serve as Council President. At the first meeting, I spoke about putting Plainfield First, above political careers and above political agendas.

These messages - Positive Change & Plainfield First - have as much meaning for me today as they did at the beginning, and I hope they still have meaning for you. Today I continue to serve the residents of Plainfield, guided by these original intentions. Today I continue to carry out my responsibility as Council President, always staying true to these values and ensuring that the 2010 Council focuses on key policy issues, not petty politics.

Economic Development, Financial Management and Oversight and Quality-of-Life issues are crucial to the success of this City. Are there some residents who would rather the Council accept the status quo and just leave things as they are? Perhaps. But the vast majority have supported the priorities I identified for this year such as improving fiscal oversight, focusing on economic development and investing in our roads, IT infrastructure and youth. As the legislative branch, the Council has a responsibility and a right to pass resolutions and ordinances for the betterment of the community. As the leader of the executive branch, the Mayor has a responsibility and a right to veto items she disagrees with. This process is born out of a system of checks and balances created by America's Founding Fathers and documented in the Constitution and the Federalist Papers.

Yes, the Administration and Council have disagreed on some items, specifically Financial Oversight and Management. The Mayor has made it clear that she does not believe the Council needs anymore oversight. Some Councilors agree with her and others don't. And that's to be expected because it is a controversial, but necessary, conversation. And there will be more disagreements, especially as we move through the budget process.

This topic aside, we have worked together on most things. In fact, it is under the 2010 Council that the Visioning Study (a joint effort) was approved and took place. It is under the 2010 Council that both branches of government started real discussion on how to fund our IT improvements. It is under the 2010 Council that recent downtown development is moving forward. Even more recently, the Council and Administration have resumed discussion on how to best formulate and fill citizen committees with positive results. None of this was accomplished last year. So there have been improvements. In fact, of the 396 resolutions and 36 ordinances considered this year, 376 resolutions and 26 ordinances passed. And nearly all of those were put forth by the Administration. I believe this represents a healthy balance - a push and pull from both branches of government that steadily progresses the City at a speed we collectively determine.

I take my oath as Councilwoman At-Large and as Council President very seriously and have always considered myself a public servant, never a politician. I agree that we must continue to stray away from the blame game and strive for a more harmonious relationship. But our job is not to get along. Our job is to represent the people. The question is not, "Does the Council and Administration agree?" - we do that most of the time anyway. The question is, "Are we discussing and dealing with the critical issues that are facing our community?" I believe the answer to that question is yes. And that answer must always be yes if we are to make Plainfield the kind of City we know it can be.

Joe Black Field Dedication

Several residents asked that I post the words I shared at the Joe Black Field Dedication, a wonderful event that really unified the City:

__________________________________________________________________

Good morning,

On behalf of the Plainfield City Council, I welcome you to the dedication of the Joe Black Baseball Field.

To the friends, family and supporters of Joe Black, thank you for being here.

Today is a great day for the City of Plainfield. Today we honor one man – a baseball legend and an inspiration. Although Joe Black was before my time and I never had the opportunity to meet him, I feel as though I know him from the stories that have been shared about him. That is the sign of a great man – he touched so many lives that everywhere you go you gain understanding about who he was.

Joe Black is truly an example of what success looks like. During a much darker period in American history, when African-Americans heard “no” and “you can’t” or “not allowed” much more often than “yes” or “we believe in you”, Joe Black proved that hard work, dedication and raw talent can’t be stopped, even when facing what seem to be insurmountable odds. It is so fitting that this field – the very place where Joe Black the young player with potential was told he could never play in the Major Leagues– is now being dedicated to Joe Black the World Series Champion.

So, when our young people step on this field let them not only play the game as Joe Black would have, but let them remember what this day and this dedication is really about. Let this field represent the ability to break barriers and defy the odds. Let this field remind us of the power of focus, passion and drive. Let this field be symbolize greatness that has already come from Plainfield and greatness that is yet to come.

Thank you.

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Overdue Minutes - Taking Responsibility and Proposing a Plan

Responsibility
At last night's meeting a resident brought to the forefront a very important issue - the proper submittal and approval of minutes from Council meetings which are handled by the Clerk's office. Her point was well made - the Council has not received and approved minutes in many months. There is simply no excuse for this error on the Council's part. As Council President I accept full responsibility for not dealing with this matter sooner and intend to mend the situation by the November meeting.

Background
The Clerk's office is the hub of the City and is responsible for a myriad of responsibilities. It serves as the licensing bureau for the entire City, dealing with chauffeurs (i.e. limo/taxi licenses) and establishments with alcoholic beverage control licenses among others. It is also charged with overseeing local elections and maintaining public documents. It is responsible for research of and response to all City OPRA requests which can require many hours of effort at any given time. In addition, this office bears the extra weight of working with the Council to pull together agenda items, write resolutions, update the City's code book and keep minutes of Council meetings.

Following last year's budget cuts, the Clerk's office suffered severely with the loss of 4 long-time employees that were either laid off or displaced from the office. For the past 15 years, a consultant wrote and submitted minutes to the Council. The memorandum of understanding signed by the City in exchange for receipt of state extraordinary aide prevented the reinstatement of that consultant. Low on staff, the Clerk's office has been unable to submit proper minutes to the Council for many months. Thus, the Council has not had minutes to approve for many months. While this is not the way to conduct government business, to my knowledge there has been no request by the public of Council documentation that has gone unanswered.

Plan
This situation is completely unacceptable and must be rectified as soon as possible. I will be recommending to the Council that we hire a consultant to do the following:

1) Immediately write and submit for approval bare bones minutes.
According to state statute, minutes are only required to reflect the time that the meeting opened and closed, who was in attendance, items that were discussed, and a record of the votes. In the past our minutes have reflected more detail and included statements from Councilors on why they voted as they did. In order to meet our legal requirement as soon as possible, we should move quickly to meet the minimum.

2) Amend basic minutes to add details
Once we meet the minimum, we should amend these minutes to reflect the dialogue and statements made by Council. Although this is not required by law, in the interest of transparency it is important to include the reasoning for decisions made. This is beneficial not only for the public who can better understand the often complex nature of our decisions, but also for future Councils that may rely on minutes to understand why decisions with long term impact were made.

3) Require the consultant to maintain a complete log of minutes going forward
This is not a position that we should be in ever again. Minutes should be submitted for approval at each Regular Business Meeting so that we stay up-to-date.

Neither the situation nor the solution is ideal. However, I believe that the entire Council will support this effort and that this matter will be adequately addressed by the next meeting. In the meantime, videotape of all public meetings continue to remain available in the Clerk's office for viewing by any resident. In addition, minutes of Committee meetings that have been submitted are also available in the Clerk's office. These minutes often reflect a deeper level discussion of items that are eventually brought to agenda fixing sessions.

I will provide a status of this matter at the next Agenda Fixing meeting.

**I will be blogging about the budget shortly.

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Monday's Agenda, the Shotspotter Bond Ordinance and A New Policy

I have received numerous phone calls and emails from residents concerning the budget and the Shotspotter bond ordinance. I want to clarify some facts before Monday's meeting.

On The Budget:
Earlier in the week it seemed prudent to re-advertise Monday's meeting as a special meeting so that we could take action on the long-awaited budget. This was a planning and precautionary measure taken due to certain expectations. It became clear to me later in the week that the budget might not be introduced on Monday as hoped. As the public well knows, the Council has asked for a timely budget introduction all year, going as far as passing a resolution setting a budget timeline. The Administration has not adhered to this request; however, I do expect a budget introduction earlier this year than last year.

On the City’s Finances & the Spotter Bond Ordinance
At Thursday's Administration & Finance Committee meeting, the City's auditors reviewed the AFS documents with the Council committee. As expected, the City's financial situation has not improved. In fact, it has gotten worse. Based on this new information, it became clear that the Council could not responsibly move forward with Shotspotter at this time. At that committee meeting, I alerted the City Administrator, Corporation Counsel and auditors that I would urge the entire Council to table the Shotspotter bond ordinance indefinitely.

Yesterday the City Administrator informed the Council that the Administration wishes to withdraw the bond ordinance. This ordinance cannot be removed from the agenda by either the Council President or the Administration after being approved on first reading. The majority of the Council must agree not to move forward. I believe this will be the case on Monday.

On the "New Policy"
Given the information from the AFS documents, the still vacant CFO and Director of Administration & Finance positions, and the lingering concerns regarding internal financial procedures, the Council should no longer consider any Administrative item that is not essential to the day-to-day operation of the City.

As Council President, I am responsible for setting the agenda. Until the City is on a corrective course towards financial responsibility, I will not put any non-essential items on the agenda. I do not believe it is prudent for the Council to allow any additional expenses* to be made unless they are obligatory.

Furthermore, as you will recall, one of the FAIR ordinances voted down by four Councilors last month would have lowered the bid threshold to the pay-to-play level of $17,500. This would have ultimately meant that the Council would have had greater financial oversight. This month the Mayor proposed a resolution INCREASING the bid threshold which would DECREASE our financial oversight. I did not and will not place this item on the agenda for consideration. This proposal illustrates a flagrant lack of respect for the authority of the governing body and the officials elected by the public. It highlights a dangerous mindset that threatens the balance of power in this City which was created to protect the public. This makes the FAIR legislation package even more important to consider.

*word added at 7:45pm...it was inadvertantly left out
,*=

Plainfield PAL's Youth Exposure - Mentoring Program for Middle School Students

Below is a press release regarding Plainfield PAL's Youth Exposure, a mentoring program that I have been involved with for several years. Our orientation is this Saturday at 10:00 am at Washington School. All interested parents and students are welcome to attend. The application can be found online at www.youthexposure.org.



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Nancy Jordan
Tel: (908) 753-9281
Email: youthexposure@gmail.com


LOCAL MENTORING PROGRAM SEEKS PARTICIPANTS
Orientation to be held Sept. 25, 2010 at 10 a.m. at Washington Community School

Plainfield PAL’s Youth Exposure will hold orientation for potential mentees and their parents on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at Washington Community School. Any Plainfield residents interested are invited to attend. The application is available at www.youthexposure.org.

This year will be filled with exciting trips and interesting speakers. Participants will travel to New York City and Washington, D.C. They will tour a college campus, go horseback riding, ice skate at Rockefeller Plaza, see a Broadway show, explore museums, volunteer locally and enjoy an overnight retreat. They will also hear guest speakers address issues ranging from financial empowerment and environmental leadership to advancements in technology and living a healthy lifestyle. We are especially pleased to announce that we will be launching the first annual “Plainfield’s Promise” Speaker Series. Our first speaker will be Film Director Alrick Brown, a Plainfield native.

Youth Exposure is able to offer this program at minimal cost to community members through Plainfield Police Athletic League (PAL). Plainfield PAL is proud to announce a grant award in the amount of $20,580.00 in support of the Youth Exposure Program for the 2010-2011 program period. Funding has been made possible in part by a sub-grant from the Police Athletic League of New Jersey Afterschool Initiatives, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Washington Community School is a key partner with Youth Exposure, offering space and support for our activities.

Youth Exposure meets every other Saturday at Washington Community School from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., unless there is a scheduled trip. There is a one-time fee of $50.00 for participating, however scholarships are available. Transportation and admission fees for all trips are free-of-cost. Breakfast and lunch is provided. There is limited enrollment.

Plainfield PAL’s Youth Exposure is a mentoring and enrichment program for middle school students established in Plainfield, NJ. Founded in 2007, Youth Exposure’s mission is to empower middle school students, encouraging them to strive for high levels of success through pursuit of education, leadership development and community service. Mentees are youth, ages 11-14, enrolled in the Plainfield School District. Mentors are young professionals who are dedicated to their community. Youth Exposure’s vision is to create a village of supporters for these students by organizing a locally-based network of mentors and like-minded peers. Through mentoring, tutoring, exposure to new activities, and support for scholarships and job opportunities, Youth Exposure provides a wide net of guidance and avenues for personal enhancement.

###

For more information please contact Nancy Jordan of Plainfield PAL (908) 753-9281 or visit our website at http://www.youthexposure.org/.

Next Steps in Fiscal Oversight Discussion

As most know by now, the Council fell one vote short of overriding the Mayor's vetoes on 2 ordinances that were part of the F.A.I.R. (Fiscal Accountability, Integrity and Responsibility) legislation we had been discussing and carefully advancing for the past 60+ days. Needless to say, I am deeply disappointed in this outcome. I firmly believe that transparency and financial oversight are crucial to stabilizing taxes, improving the operation of the City and repairing our public image. More importantly, I know that this issue matters to residents and taxpayers who want to see Plainfield reach its full potential.

Homeowners from every neighborhood in our City constantly express their concerns about taxes and other local costs. Our taxes have been steadily increasing over the years. This is due in part to costs we can't control (pension, healthcare, etc) and in part because of poor planning and uncontrolled spending. This may not be a pretty truth, but it is the truth. I say this not to incite fear or anger, but to acknowledge the problem so that we can work towards a solution. Financial oversight will help to combat high taxes and allow us to direct funds towards addressing the real, critical needs of Plainfield such as safety and economic development.

The upcoming budget discussions will no doubt be extremely challenging. When the Council received last year's budget, we made the conscious and difficult step to cut extraneous costs in order to alleviate homeowners, saving residents nearly 1 million dollars. We may not be able to cut so much this year. We can, however, ensure that each dollar is being put to its best and highest use and that not a single dime is being wasted. Every resident deserves the right to live in a city they can afford with quality services they can enjoy. Financial oversight can get us to that utopia. Achieving this will continue to be my goal.

I will be placing "fiscal oversight" on the Council's October agenda as a discussion item. I want to revisit the issues raised regarding the ordinances and collectively assess 1) whether or not we have a majority on the Council who is comfortable with and committed to fiscal oversight and 2) what adjustments to the vetoed ordinances can be made or new ideas can be formulated that will garner the necessary support. Plainfield needs a Council that is proactive in handling its fiduciary responsibilities to residents. The solutions don't have to be my ideas or those put forth by the Administration & Finance committee. I am open and eager to hear solutions that other Councilors may have to address this important issue.

If it turns out that the Council has neither the will nor the ideas, I will drop the matter for the rest of this year and focus on other areas of importance. I have asked each Councilor to be prepared to explain their views and ideas so that we can have a meaningful, open discussion. In addition, I have asked the Administration to participate in the conversation. While I don't expect their negative view on oversight to change, we must continue to weigh their concerns in this discussion. It is only right to do so as our City Charter and Code mandate that the Mayor and Administration execute the policies set by the Council.

Financial oversight is a matter that cities, townships and boroughs across the state are grappling with, not just ours. What will set us apart from these other municipalities is the courage to take action. I urge the public to consider their stance on this matter and share their concerns and suggestions with the Council and Mayor. If you believe in financial oversight, contact your representatives and attend our meetings. Everyone's voice matters. This is not a giant that I can slay alone.

I hope that the Administration will see the benefit in being transparent and working with the Council. I expect the entire Council to come together and work towards what's best for the City. I believe that if we put Plainfield First we will not only reap immediate benefits, but will sow seeds of success for our children and grandchildren.

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On the Mayor’s Veto of F.A.I.R. Legislation

As has been widely publicized, the Mayor vetoed the following 2 key pieces of the F.A.I.R. legislation which, if implemented, would empower the Council to have more financial oversight:

1) ORDINANCE 2010-22 requires the Administration to present all bills for the Council review prior to payment.

How will Plainfield benefit from this Ordinance?
- Many municipalities require the governing body to review bills before payment is made. In some cases these bills cannot be paid without Council approval. Due to Plainfield’s Charter, our Council does not have the authority to approve bill payment. However, we absolutely have the right to oversight and that includes the right to review bills prior to payment. If the governing body recognizes a pattern of spending that is worrisome or warrants further review, we can take the necessary steps to ensure that tax dollars are being spent wisely. A perfect example is the recent WBLS event. I doubt $20,000.00 would have been spent on a 4 hour event had the Administration been required to review the expenditures with the Council first.

What are the Mayor’s primary objections?
- The Mayor argues that additional work will be required of limited staff that is already overworked in order to present the bills in advance each month. This ordinance will force the Administration to pay bills once a month, instead of twice a month. The Mayor believes that this could cause problems with payment schedules for vendors, translating into late fees and other fines charged to the City.

Do the Mayor’s concerns outweigh the benefits? Absolutely not.
- The fact that we have limited staff is not caused by Council decisions. The Mayor has not appointed a qualified CFO and or Director of Administration & Finance. This has been an ongoing issue for years. The Council stated in resolution form that we not only support, but strongly urge the Mayor to move forward quickly in hiring the right financial leadership for the City. It may not be ideal that we are short-staffed, but we should not perpetuate one problem because we have yet to solve another.
- It is true that the Administration will need to pay bills once a month due to the Council’s once monthly meetings. If other municipalities can make it work, we can too. Furthermore, the code already requires that bills be brought before the Council at some point after being paid. So if additional work is being forced on staff it is because they will have to actually provide the documents in a timely fashion, not because there is additional work.
- The late fees, fines and other costs that the Mayor believes will be charged to the City are not a valid concern. Any bills that absolutely must be paid on a certain date (insurance, etc), are specifically stated as exceptions in the ordinance. For all other vendors, a conversation to adjust the payment schedule is all that is needed.


2) ORDINANCE 2010-23 sets the bid threshold at a lower amount to encourage greater competition between vendors.

How will Plainfield benefit from this Ordinance?
- Governor Christie recently adjusted the bid thresholds for awarding contracts by municipalities. The bid threshold for contracting units governed by the Local Public Contracts Law rose from $21,000 to $26,000 on July 1, 2010. If any municipality has an appointed Qualified Purchasing Agent (QPA) the maximum bid threshold increased from $29,000 to $36,000. Local governing bodies have the authority to adjust this threshold as necessary. This ordinance will adjust that threshold to the pay-to-play level of $17,500. Increased bid competition usually means a better product at a lower cost (which is eventually passed on to taxpayers).

What are the Mayor’s primary objections?
- The Mayor points out this ordinance is lower than the threshold recently re-established by Governor Christie and argues that a lower threshold will prevent quick action to be taken by the purchasing agent. The Mayor states that “procurement/purchasing involves so much more than finding the lowest price”, suggesting that the right quality and quantity of goods will be impossible to find with this ordinance in place. Finally, the Mayor argues that departments will suffer a delay in receiving goods and services.

Are any of the Mayor’s objections valid? Not at all.
- These concerns are not only invalid, but point to a lack of understanding of how the bid process should work. The Governor did raise the bid threshold, and as I explained above, this ordinance is in direct response to this action. In fact, the State recognized the changes that would be caused locally as a result of Gov. Christie’s action and recommended that each municipality decide what bid threshold is appropriate for them.
- Not only do I agree that quality of product should be considered when making a purchasing decision, but I believe this ordinance will achieve exactly that. If there is greater competition, vendors will provide the best product they have at the best rate they can offer. Furthermore, if the correct specifications are put in place when going out to bid, we will receive responses from only the vendors that can meet our needs. If the City’s purchasing department hasn’t figured that out yet, then perhaps this is another area the Council needs to look into.
- Finally, if there is a delay in receiving goods or services, this is due to lack of organization and planning by the Administration and Purchasing Department. Most purchases that the City makes are standard and routine. There is no excuse for not being able to anticipate the expected needs of Departments and make the appropriate purchases in a timely fashion. Again, this sounds like a management problem, not a policy problem.

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This veto is the culmination of several steps:

1) The Council approved both ordinances on first reading.

2) The Council approved both ordinances on second reading. Ordinance 2010-22 passed 6-1 with only Councilman Reid dissenting and Ordinance 2010-23 passed 5-2 with Councilman Reid and Councilwoman Carter dissenting.

3) After approval by the Council, the Clerk’s office delivered the ordinances to the Mayor’s office for her signature. The Mayor usually signs the ordinances and returns them to the Clerk’s office. If she does not sign them within 10 days, the law is considered in effect anyway, unless she vetoes the legislation.

4) The Mayor had 10 days from receipt of the ordinances to veto the legislation. As required, the Mayor put her decision in writing and listed her objections to the ordinances in question.
In order to override a veto, the Council must approve a resolution declaring such. The resolution must pass by a super-majority (at least 5 positive votes of a possible 7). The Council agreed to consider the two resolutions allowing us to override the veto of both ordinances at Monday’s meeting. This by no means indicates that the required votes are in place to support the necessary resolutions.

As you can see from above, the ordinances passed on second reading with a super-majority vote although it was not required at the time. If no Councilmember changes their vote due to the Mayor’s ill-founded concerns, the Council can override the veto with no problem. If they do not pass, it is because someone who originally voted in the affirmative changed their vote.

This is the bottom line: a vote against these ordinances is a vote against transparency and fiscal oversight. No resident will be harmed if these ordinances are approved. In fact, taxpayers will benefit tremendously.

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Letter Regarding Muhlenberg Commemoration

Thank you to Dottie Gutenkauf for reading this on my behalf at the Muhlenberg Commemoration.


August 11, 2010

To the residents of Plainfield, esteemed elected officials and all who have been affected by the closure of Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center:

On behalf of the Plainfield City Council, I thank you for attending tonight’s commemoration, for continuing to fight for access to quality healthcare and for being the force behind your representatives as we deal with major health policies impacting our community.

The closure of Muhlenberg Hospital has had catastrophic affects on Plainfield and neighboring communities. We are left dealing with increased travel time to emergency rooms, inadequate ambulance service and the loss of the personal touch that only the doctors, nurses and staff at Muhlenberg could offer. Sadly, that is not all. As a major employer of Plainfield residents, the hospital’s closure has added to an already high unemployment rate at a time when we need jobs.

This is an injustice that must be dealt with. Earlier this year, the 2010 Plainfield City Council unanimously approved a resolution that was sent to Governor Chris Christie, urging him to re-examine the closing of the hospital. We want him to see for himself what we already know – that the closure of our hospital was an injustice.

Although the Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal regarding the dismissed lawsuit against the New Jersey Department of Health, we will support the Administration in pursuing further legal action. As Council liaison to the Community Advisor Group, I have been keeping the entire Council informed of ongoing matters. We are here to continue the fight alongside Plainfield residents and the heroes and sheroes of the POP Restore Muhlenberg Coalition.

Warmest Regards,
Annie McWilliams

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F.A.I.R. Legislation Passes, More Action to be Taken

On Monday, the Plainfield City Council advanced major items improving financial oversight and management of all City funds. Three resolutions were approved and two ordinances were approved on first reading (with seconding and final reading to occur in August). Two additional ordinances will be introduced in August (with second and final reading to occur in September). Collectively, these 7 items can be referred to as the Fiscal Accountability, Integrity and Responsibility Legislation Package (FAIR for short).

There were several changes made throughout the night. Here is a review on Monday night’s meeting as it relates to these items:


3 RESOLUTIONS AMENDED AND APPROVED

1) Resolution requesting that the State appoint a temporary Certified Financial Officer (CFO) and assist the Administration in hiring a qualified, certified permanent CFO

At Monday’s meeting, the Administration announced that a candidate for CFO had been offered a position and as such, this resolution was no longer necessary and should not be considered. Upon hearing this, I requested that a copy of the offer letter and applicant’s resume be provided to the Council. The City Administrator informed the Council that such information was not available. I requested a 10 minute recess so that the information could be retrieved from City Hall by the City Administrator, Corporation Counsel, Mayor and Mayor’s Confidential Aide (all of whom were at the meeting). Unfortunately, the Administration opted to not retrieve any of the information that the Council requested. As such, several members of the Council urged that we move forward but agreed to amend the resolution so that if a qualified candidate was brought before the Council and approved on or before July 28th, the resolution would be considered null and void. The purpose of this resolution is not to embarrass the Mayor or Administration, but to ensure that we have adequate staff in place. If the Mayor was able to find a qualified person, even if it was at the last minute, the Council should be willing to look into this candidate. A special meeting on July 28th will provide us with the opportunity to review and possibly approve a CFO. If this happens, then the resolution will be considered null and void and no copies will be sent to the State. If not, the resolution will be put in our records and sent to the State as originally intended.

2) Resolution urging the Mayor to fill the position of Director of Administration & Finance immediately

Similar to the CFO position, the Administration announced that a candidate for this position had been identified, although no offer had yet been extended. Again, the Council opted to move forward with the resolution, but amended it so that if a qualified candidate was approved on or before July 28th, the resolution would be considered null and void.

3) Resolution appointing FY2011 Citizen’s Budget Advisory Committee (CBAC)

Minor changes were made and 2 new names were added to the list of appointees.


2 ORDINANCES APPROVED ON FIRST READING
** These items will return to the Council in August for second and final reading

4) Ordinance requiring the Administration to present all bills for the Council review prior to payment

5) Ordinance setting the bid threshold at a lower amount to encourage greater competition between vendors


2 ORDINANCES SET FOR AUGUST AGENDA
**If approved in August, these items will return to the Council in September for second and final reading

6) Ordinance setting a strict policy limiting discretionary spending for this administration and every administration that follows

7) Ordinance requiring the City to utilize an RFP process for City’s designated banking service provider

This item was originally on Monday’s agenda as a resolution. However, upon discussion with Corporation Counsel, it was advised that the Council put this in Ordinance form to better meet the Council’s intentions or making this a long-term practice. The resolution was tabled indefinitely, but the item will return in the form of an ordinance in August.

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Policy That Will Put Our Financial House in Order

At the beginning of the year, I identified several goals for the Council. Those goals included improving the budget process and evaluating the City’s current financial policies. The July 19th agenda will contain six major items improving financial oversight and management of all city funds. If passed, these resolutions and ordinances will make the City more efficient, more effective and a better steward of your tax dollars.

There are two resolutions urging that appointments to key administrative positions be filled expeditiously, ensuring that the City has the right people in place to review and manage the budget.

• Resolution requesting that the State appoint a temporary Certified Financial Officer (CFO) and assist the Administration in hiring a qualified, certified permanent CFO:

This position has been vacant for over 2 ½ years, contributing to a late budget introduction, repeat audit findings and poor financial controls. The State has granted the City two extensions on this matter thus far. It is likely that a third extension will be granted when the second extension expires this Monday. This resolution gives the background of the situation, identifies problems resulting from operating without a CFO and specifies action that the State can take to help our City. This did not have enough support last month to move forward. I hope that the Council will unanimously support this resolution this time.

• Resolution urging the Mayor to fill the position of Director of Administration & Finance immediately:

This position has been inconsistently filled over the last 5 years and vacant since the beginning of this year. There are no records of this position being advertised for. Furthermore, the City’s Charter (which lays out the legal structure of City government) requires that this position be appointed by the Mayor. We are currently out of compliance with the Charter.

There is one ordinance setting policy around fiscal restraint, guaranteeing less waste of tax dollars and wiser use of public funds.

• Ordinance setting a strict policy limiting discretionary spending for this administration and every administration that follows:

When the City accepted extraordinary aid from the State during the last fiscal year, we agreed to terms and conditions limiting the use of funds on items not critical to the functioning of the City for that fiscal year. As a result, there was a hold on the purchase of food, flowers, social events, etc. This ordinance will keep similar limitations in place indefinitely.

There are two ordinances granting the Council access to financial information and the ability to provide better oversight.

• Ordinance requiring the Administration to present all bills for the Council review prior to payment:

Many municipalities require that the governing body review bills before payment is made. In some cases these bills cannot be paid without Council approval. Due to Plainfield’s Charter, our Council does not have the authority to approve bills. However, we absolutely have the right to oversight and that includes the right to review bills prior to payment. If the governing body recognizes a pattern of spending that is worrisome or warrants further review, we can take the necessary steps to ensure that tax dollars are being spent wisely.

• Ordinance setting the bid threshold at a lower amount to encourage greater competition between vendors:

Governor Christie recently adjusted the bid thresholds for awarding contracts by municipalities. The bid threshold for contracting units governed by the Local Public Contracts Law rose from $21,000 to $26,000 on July 1, 2010. If any municipality has an appointed Qualified Purchasing Agent (QPA) the maximum bid threshold increased from $29,000 to $36,000. Local governing bodies have the authority to adjust this threshold as necessary. This ordinance will adjust that threshold to the pay-to-play level of $17,500.

There is one resolution mandating the continued involvement of residents in the budget process.

• Resolution appointing FY2011 Citizen’s Budget Advisory Committee (CBAC):

The budget process is one of the most important aspects of running the City. The Mayor sets forth her vision when she introduces the budget. The Council can then adjust the proposed budget by increasing or decreasing funds as it sees fit, being sure to meet all obligations while prioritizing where city funds are most needed. An important piece of this process is the CBAC. This committee, made up of 16 residents appointed by the Council and Mayor, has the responsibility to review the introduced budget, attend budget hearings and make final recommendations to the Council before amendments are made and the budget is adopted. The proposed goals for this year’s CBAC are:
a. Conduct analysis comparing Plainfield to municipalities with similar size, demographics and budget size to review sources and types of revenue, service costs, etc.
b. Identify possibilities for shared services, reviewing what shared service agreements, if any, similar municipalities have agreed to
c. Identify core services, as defined by residents and rank their priority order
d. Make a final set of budget recommendations for 2011 Budget

These items were initially vetted by the Council’s Administration & Finance Committee and then shared with the Administration. After feedback was received and legal review conducted, they were then recommended to the entire governing body. At Monday’s agenda fixing session, there was consensus to put these items up for Monday’s vote. In other words, none of these items are surprises to either Councilors or the Administration. All have had an opportunity to express their support or concerns about each and every item.

I support ALL of the above motions. Despite concerns from the Administration, the Council is not overstepping any boundaries in proposing these items. We are simply acting on our right and obligation to oversee the City’s financials, ensure that competent, qualified people occupy our top management positions and continue to work towards tax stabilization.
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Strong Financial Leadership Needed

Plainfield has not had a certified CFO for over 2 years and has suffered major vacancies in the position of Director of Administration & Finance for the last 5 years. Without a strong financial leadership team in place, the business of the City cannot be handled properly. This is an issue that should outrage all residents!

By not having these key positions filled, the City has suffered from lack of direction and oversight and poor financial planning and management. These shortcomings have manifested themselves in major ways including a late budget introduction, repeatedly unaddressed audit findings and questionable financial decision-making.

The Council is ultimately responsible for the finances of the City. We have a fiduciary responsibility to the public and cannot be afraid to insist that more be done to address any issue, especially one so critical to the basic functioning of government.

At last night’s meeting the Council had an opportunity to begin correcting this situation with the approval of Resolution 190-10. That resolution, however, failed to pass. Councilors Mapp, Storch and I voted in favor of the resolution. Councilors Burney and Reid did not. Councilors Rivers and Carter were not present at the time of the vote.

The resolution gives a brief synopsis of the current financial management situation that Plainfield is facing and why the need for a qualified CFO is so vital to the functioning of the City. Ultimately it calls on the State to appoint a temporary CFO and assist the Administration in finding a qualified permanent CFO. The language of the resolution is included at the end of this post.

The Administration made it clear that they completely oppose this resolution, arguing that the Mayor alone has the ability to appoint a CFO and that the Council would overstep its boundaries in passing such a resolution. I do not believe that this is the case as the resolution is clearly asking the STATE to make an appointment. Surely the Governor has more authority than the Mayor.

The Administration also attempted to make the case that the resolution was offensive by making it seem that the Mayor has done nothing to appoint a CFO. As I said on Monday night, this resolution is not intended to offend anyone, nor is it the intent of any Councilperson to disparage the Mayor’s efforts. This is not about the Mayor. This is about the residents of Plainfield and what is right for them.

Over the course of the week it became clear that certain members of the Council also did not agree with the resolution, believing that at the very least we should wait until after the 90 day extension from the state (the third granted) expires on July 19th. The problem here is that the Division of Local Government Services has continually granted extensions. What will cause DLS to take pause and do something different? The passing of this resolution could have done just that.

Although the resolution did not pass, I am including it on the July agenda. By then, perhaps all members of the Council will see wisdom in pressing forward and putting Plainfield First.


Councilmanic Resolution Requesting the Division of Local Government Services, in the Department of Community Affairs, to appoint a Temporary CMFO for the City of Plainfield

WHEREAS Plainfield has not had a permanent Certified Municipal Financial Officer (CMFO) since the retirement of Peter Sepelya in 2008; and

WHEREAS the lack of a permanent, Certified Municipal Financial Officer is compounded by the lack of a Director of Administration and Finance, a position that has been vacant since Bibi Taylor elevated to the position of City Administrator on Jan 1, 2010; and

WHEREAS the Plainfield City Council has not received regular monthly financial reports during the time of these vacancies thus impairing its ability to carry out its financial fiduciary responsibilities; and

WHEREAS Plainfield had many financial audit findings in the most recent annual audit, many of which were repeat findings; and

WHEREAS the FY2010 introduced budget was presented to City Council on November 23,2009, almost 5 1/2 months into the fiscal year, making it extremely difficult for the governing body to reduce a 10% introduced property tax increase; and

WHEREAS the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs has extended the deadline for Plainfield to fill the CMFO position for the third time to July 19, 2010; and

WHEREAS the Plainfield City Council has continually urged the Mayor to appoint a qualified candidate with no success to date,

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Plainfield City Council hereby requests the Department of Community Affairs to appoint a temporary CMFO immediately, and provide assistance to Plainfield in recruiting a qualified, permanent CMFO.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that duly authenticated copies of this resolution be forwarded to Governor Chris Christie, Commissioner of Community Affairs, Acting Director of the Division of Local Government Services, Marc Pfifer, Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs and Assemblyman Gerald Green.

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Albert T. McWilliams III in the Paper/ Update on McWilliams kids

Residents constantly ask me about how my family is doing. For those who are wondering, click on the link below.

The link will take you to an article on my little brother, Albert McWilliams III, which was published in the Sunday Edition of the Courier News. He was recently accepted into the highly competitive Institute for Responsible Citizenship and will be interning in D.C. this summer. He is doing very well at Yale University where he just completed his second year. As you can imagine, my mother and our entire family is extremely proud of him.

The article also mentions the successes of my other younger brother and sisters. Allison (21) recently graduated last month from Savannah College of Art and Design with a B.A. in Film & Television. She produced a number of short films and music videos while on campus and has her own production company – Beyond Sight Films.

Adam (17) will be graduating from Union County Magnet High School this week and attending Fordham University in the Fall. Although he isn’t sure what he wants to study, the excellent education he received at the Magnet School (a public school) has given him a college-level understanding of technology and science.

Avery (15) is a sophomore in high school and excelling in school, sports and socializing. As the youngest of 5, she is truly 15 going on 50. She is also passionate about cooking and has a gift for making delicious dishes.

***I want to thank Mark Spivey for consistently writing positive articles about Plainfield. It is easy to write controversial stories that highlight only negativity, but Mark has found many positive stories about Plainfield residents that give us all a sense of pride.


http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100612/NEWS/100612008/1018/NEWS0401

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Congratulations to Rebecca Williams

Congratulations to Candidate-elect Rebecca Williams for a well-run and hard-fought campaign. The numbers speak for themselves and indicate that residents continue to seek positive change. Rebecca Williams is a loyal member of the New Democrats and the mastermind behind many successful campaigns, including my own. Her background as an activist and educator give her a skill set that we need to move the City forward. I have no doubt that with a favorable outcome in the general election she will bring a passionate and progressive point of view to the 2011 City Council.

I hope that Councilman Burney and long-time Plainfielder Don Davis will continue to offer their many talents to the City. It will take more than just the City Council to improve Plainfield.

Emotions run high in elections and local primaries are no “exception to the rule”. As I stated at the Democratic City Committee at which Councilman Burney was given party support, after the campaign is over, we have to put our differences aside and work together for the sake of Plainfield. Working together does not mean blind loyalty. It means checking egos at the door and leaving petty politics out of serious city business. If all City leadership does this, we can make meaningful progress.

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Setting Expectations for the FY2011 Budget

On Monday evening the Council will consider Resolution R135-10 Councilmanic Resolution Encouraging Timely Introduction of the State Fiscal Year 2011 Municipal Operating Budget. The resolution describes the importance of the budget and why it is necessary to adopt the budget as early as possible. Ultimately it urges the Administration to introduce the budget no later than September 1 and the Council to adopt the budget no later than November 1.

At last week’s agenda fixing session several of my colleagues said that they would not support this resolution. I firmly believe that this resolution is important and must be passed. The Council has a responsibility to the public to set the right policies and expectations for the Administration. There is no reason to adopt the budget 8 months into the fiscal year, or after 2/3 of the year is complete, as was the case this year. That is completely unacceptable and we must change things. The Council needs to set the tone early for what is acceptable.

The problem with such a late introduction is that the City is operating without a true 12-month spending plan which, to me, indicates a lack of vision and prioritization. How can you invest in the right divisions if you’ve spent all of your money without a plan? In addition, a late introduction means that any amendments that the Council makes have little time to take hold in. So, if the Council sees a way to save money, we can’t implement any adjustment until so late in the year that the effect is minimal. As it stands, the process doesn’t do justice to the taxpayer.

Ideally the budget would be adopted before (or concurrent to) the start of the fiscal year. However, there are a few challenges that currently prevent us from doing that. The City must be audited before a budget can be introduced, but the audit cannot happen until after the previous year is closed out. That may push us into the new fiscal year, but in the past the audit has been ready as early as the first half of August, so this does not contribute to an 8-month overdue budget. Also, in the past we have waited on extraordinary aid figures. Given the current financial situation of the State, it is no longer to our benefit to wait for extraordinary aid figures to be confirmed. We should assume that no aid will be given and plan accordingly.

Through discussion with the Administration, the city’s auditors and the Council’s Administration & Finance Committee I was able to put together a timeline that should be reasonable enough to meet. In order to meet this deadline, however, due diligence and planning is required of both the Administration and the Council. Should this resolution receive support from all Councilors and the Administration follow the policy set by the governing body, we will be moving in the right direction. It will also put us a step closer to introducing, amending and adopting the budget by the start of the fiscal year.

The language from the resolution is below:


COUNCILMANIC RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING TIMELY INTRODUCTION
OF THE STATE FISCAL YEAR 2011 MUNICIPAL OPERATING BUDGET

WHEREAS, a municipality’s budget is much more than an accounting document, but a plan of how to best use limited resources to benefit the City’s nearly 50,000 residents. It serves as a vision for the City by setting priorities and supporting a strategic plan that will affect residents both during the current fiscal year and for many years following that; and

WHEREAS, the City Council has a fiduciary responsibility to the residents of Plainfield. The Council is charged with approving the appropriations and expenditures of over $73,000,000 in taxpayer money. The Council has an obligation to its stakeholders to weigh the benefits of services provided with the costs associated with those services. The Council must make decisions that may impact all city services during the budget process; and

WHEREAS, the residents of Plainfield, more than ever, are depending on the City Council and all City leadership to be mindful of the tax burden and their need for quality services. Plainfield residents, not unlike most Americans, are suffering in this economic downturn and understand that the budget affects not only their pockets, but also their quality of life; and

WHEREAS, the Administration has the responsibility of providing the City Council with timely, accurate information and recommendations that will permit the City Council to approve funding that provides the residents with the services they require or request; and

WHEREAS, it is of the utmost importance to have a well-planned budget process in place, allowing for the efficient exchange of information and discussion. This includes, but is not limited to, state mandates required of all New Jersey municipalities and City Council mandates, such as the formation of Plainfield’s Citizen Budget Advisory Committee; and

WHEREAS, the City Council is desirous of maintaining a positive working relationship with the Administration and believes that setting expectations early for both branches of government will only strengthen that relationship; and

WHEREAS, the 2010 City Council of the City of Plainfield recognizes the need to adopt the FY2011 budget as early as possible to allow for healthy discussion of all that the budget entails and for a balanced spending plan to be put in place; and

WHEREAS, this governing body is aware of the statutory deadline requiring the budget to be introduced by August 10, and fully recognize the difficulty the administration may encounter with meeting this statutory deadline; now, therefore

BE IT RESOLVED that the 2010 City Council of the City of Plainfield urges the Administration to move expeditiously toward the introduction of a budget no later than September 1, 2010 which will allow for the timely adoption of the FY2011 Budget; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the timeline memorialized in this document be respected and followed by all parties involved in Plainfield’s budget process.

Completion Date & Action Taken
September 1 - Introduction of Budget
September 10 - City Council holds Internal Budget Hearings
October 10 - CBAC Presentation
October 15 - City Council Administration & Finance Committee Recommends Budget Amendments
October 20 - Council Reviews and Approves Budget Amendments
November 1 - Budget Adoption

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Fiscal Year 2010 in Review

On Monday night the Council approved a lay-off plan. This act was the last required in fixing our budget woes this fiscal year. While I understand why several of my colleagues voted against the plan, the reality is that the Council was left with little choice. Based on discussions with the Administration, had the layoff plan failed on Monday night even more employees would have been affected because there would have been less time in which to achieve the same amount of expense reductions.

It was not an easy choice. It is not a choice I hope to make again. Let’s review where this fiscal year went wrong and what the City’s leadership must do to keep history from repeating itself.

1) Problem: Lack of financial leadership
Solution: Fill the roles of CFO and Director of Administration & Finance. Explore why we have not attracted qualified candidates. Based on those conclusions, create and commit to an aggressive search for a qualified CFO and Director of Admin & Finance.

This is, without a doubt, the main cause of Plainfield’s financial difficulties. The City has not had consistent financial leadership in 5 years. We have not even had a permanent CFO for over 2 years. We currently do not have a Director of Administration & Finance. This means that our City Administrator is essentially filling the role of multiple positions at once. This is both unnecessary and irresponsible. Without a CFO or Director of Admin & Fin, there is limited oversight to the city’s financial processes and no checks and balances. We cannot begin a new fiscal year without whole financial leadership in place.

2) Problem: Failed union negotiations
Solution: Ensure that union concerns are being addressed to foster better working relationships with the Administration.

Poor communication, unreasonable expectations and uncooperative attitudes contributed heavily to the creation of this year’s layoff plan. Before a layoff plan is submitted to the Council for approval, unions have the opportunity to negotiate and agree to concessions or givebacks in lieu of layoffs. It is only after some unions communicated that they would rather move forward with layoffs than consider concessions that a layoff plan was created by the Administration. In these economic times everyone must give a little. In order to develop better relationships with the unions, City leadership must work to understand and meet their needs. For example, several PMEA members expressed concerns about employees living outside of the City. The Council started discussion on this matter and will continue that discussion in April’s meeting in order to determine how we can address the PMEA’s concerns.

3) Problem: Late budget introduction
Solution: FY 2011 budget introduction no later than September 1. Look into moving toward a Calendar year budget.

The fiscal year begins in July, however the budget was not introduced by the Mayor until mid-November, already 1/3 of the way through the fiscal year. The Council was then rushed to render budget hearings, gain consensus on and approval on amendments and approve the budget. All this was done in just two months. Now, in March, we are approving a layoff plan that due to state mandated timelines, won’t take effect until May. This leaves us with barely 2 months of savings. The obvious solution is to ensure that the budget is introduced earlier. If the budget was introduced earlier, there would have been more time left in the fiscal year so fewer employees would have been affected. Another solution that the Council has been discussing for some time is to move to a calendar year model. A budget year that runs from Jan 1 to Dec 31 will align us with terms of elected officials and prevent delays for political reasons.

4) Problem: Unclear expectations set by City Council
Solution: Council should adopt a resolution specifying a timeline for FY2011 budget process and urging the Administration to follow the set timeline.

Good leadership requires accepting responsibility when things go wrong. The Council did not set clear standards for the Administration. We must set higher standards. As a member of the Finance Committee, I requested that a formal schedule be put together and distributed to the Council. The Council should review this timeline and incorporate it into a resolution urging the Administration to act in the best interest of the City by moving the budget process along as quickly as possible.

I am committed to putting the City’s financial house in order. As Council President, I take this process very seriously. The Council’s fiduciary responsibilities cannot be taken lightly.

I am open to other suggestions on making the process a better one. Please share your thoughts. How do you think we can improve the budget process?

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2010 Budget Adopted

Tonight the Council finally took the last steps needed to put the FY 2010 budget in place. Since we already approved the amendments put forth earlier this month, we had only two options – to either adopt the budget or vote it down. There were no other options. Following the roll call the budget was adopted 4-3. Although I would have preferred unanimous support of the budget, I am still pleased with tonight’s outcome.

We were 8 months into SFY 2010 without an adopted budget. Delaying a vote to adopt the budget would have resulted in less savings for taxpayers and would have put us closer to the originally proposed 9.6% tax increase instead of the now 7.5% tax increase. While a 7.5% tax increase is nothing to brag about, it is certainly an improvement. More importantly, it sets the stage for greater savings next year. Now that the SFY 2010 budget is adopted, we can move forward and begin planning for SFY 2011.

As has been stated several times before, this has not been an easy process – but this is what true leadership is about – examining the details, separating necessities from desires, and making tough decisions. I commend the Council for working so diligently on this budget and being willing to make decisions that may not be politically expedient but that are the right thing to do for our taxpayers and residents.

The adopted budget will not be detrimental to the operation of the City. Rather, it will force us all to live within our means and be more creative and efficient in our operations. Plainfield’s finest will be able to continue to serve and protect, Public Works will continue to plow our streets, and the Recreation Department will continue to serve our kids and will not need to cut a single program. This budget may not be ideal but our taxpayers cannot afford a nearly 10% tax increase. As has become our motto, we must all share in the pain.

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Providing Quality Social Services in Plainfield at a Minimal Cost to Taxpayers

At Tuesday night’s meeting dozens of parents and concerned residents that have used or currently use services provided by the Bilingual Daycare Center filled the Courthouse. Through earlier conversations with some of these individuals, I learned that misinformation had been spread concerning the Council’s discussion of WIC, PAS and the Bilingual Daycare Center, all social services provided by the City of Plainfield. As I stated repeatedly at Tuesday night’s meeting, the Council did not plan nor is currently prepared to take any official action regarding any social services in Plainfield. We are, however, looking into more cost efficient ways to house these programs. The Council‘s goal is not to “dump” any program, but to ensure that these services are provided, without interruption and at the same quality level for those using the services but at a lower cost to taxpayers.

WIC (Women, Infants and Children) is a food and nutrition program that provides food and educational services to income eligible families. PAS (Plainfield Action Services) provides referrals for individuals in need of a variety of services. The Bilingual Daycare Center provides quality daycare for families who work during the day and need trusted care for their young children. All of these programs have impacted many families over many years. I understand why so many residents are passionate about the continued provision of these services. As I have stated publicly before, we must continue to invest in our children and families and these programs allow us to do just that.

In these challenging times, however, the Council must act both socially responsible and fiscally responsible. While federal and state grants cover a sizeable portion of costs associated with these organizations, personnel and administrative costs are passed on to the City's budget. Research may reveal that it is best to privatize (such as what was done with Dudley House), utilize County equivalent services (such as what was done with Welfare some time ago) or to leave the services as they are. Regardless of the outcome, research must be done.

In order to ensure that there is significant input from community leaders and residents that use these services, the Council has created a Social Services Committee. Each Council member will appoint one resident. This ad-hoc Committee has been created solely for the purposes of aiding in this research and will dissolve upon resolution of the matter. The Committee will work with and advise the Council before any decisions are made so that a well thought out solution is presented for approval.

As the year progresses there will be more updates on this matter.

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2010 Goals & Priorities

2010 will be a busy year as I have an aggressive agenda. I am confident that my colleagues on the Council are not only up to the challenge, but excited to see what positive change we can bring in 12 months. A crucial part of making any change is planning, so, as Council President, I outlined Plainfield’s major needs and put a schedule together that would provide the Council with the best plan for addressing those concerns. Each quarter (approximately) will have a different focus.


Q1: INTERNAL FOCUS

During the beginning of the year the Council will focus on the basics – identifying priorities we can all agree on, creating short-term goals and putting the City’s financial house in order.

Committee and liaison appointments will be voted on early in the year (Tuesday night, in fact). These appointments are key because Council members will be assigned responsibility for representing the Council’s concerns and keeping the public informed on specified matters.

2010 Budget Adoption is a goal for early this year. I hate the fact that we will be adopting this budget so late in the fiscal year, just like everyone else. The good news is the Council is taking the lead in internal 2011 budget planning. We will not be in the same position again.

A retreat is being planned. Currently the retreat is scheduled for February, however that date will likely change as some scheduling conflicts have been pointed out. In addition to fostering a better working relationship between the Council and Administration, the retreat will provide an opportunity for City leadership to discuss areas of agreement and create a plan for progress.


Q2: RECONNECTING WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS

Once some basic housekeeping has been completed, the Council will focus on reconnecting with the community. At this point we will be able to share 2010 goals and priorities with the public and get feedback. In addition, the Council will dive deep into subjects that have serious community implications.

4 Town Halls are scheduled for March and April. The Council will hold an open forum in each ward. Residents can submit any questions in advance to their representatives. Answers to these questions will be prepared, an update will be provided by ward leaders and residents will have an opportunity to address their concerns on the floor.

2 Working Sessions are scheduled for May and June. The Council will explore Economic Development and Social Services at those sessions. Our current state and our desired state on these issues will be discussed.


Q3: 2011 BUDGET PROCESS

A wise person once told me that a city’s budget is not papers, but a living, breathing document. It identifies a city’s priorities and illustrates city leadership’s vision. Although steps to address our financial concerns will be taken throughout the year, this quarter will mark the beginning of the 2011 budget process. The Council will review audit findings and hold budget hearings.


Q4: CREATING A LONG-TERM PLAN

This quarter will require the most communication and joint effort by the Council and Administration. By now, I would hope that budget introduction and adoption is completed or in the works with most of the action needed to stabilize taxes taken earlier in the year. During this time, the Council will begin piecing together a long-term plan for the City. Each committee will have met and reported throughout the year, identifying strategies that are necessary to move the city forward. What should Plainfield’s finances, downtown and services be like in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? What areas should we be investing in now and down the line to make that happen? These are the questions that we must begin to grapple with this year.

The 2010 Plainfield City Council Calendar has been published and is available on the City’s website.

I will be blogging through the year about much of what is included in this post. I look forward to hearing your feedback.

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Plainfield First

Below is a copy of my speech given at the 2010 Plainfield City Council Reorganization Meeting. I am looking forward to leading the 2010 Council. Past President Burney set us on the right path and now it is up to me to ensure the Council is bringing about positive change. Later this week I will post information on the overarching goals for this year.

Best,
Annie


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Good Afternoon.

Friends, Family and Supporters - Happy New Year!

I must first thank God who has ushered us safely into a new decade and who continues to watch over our City.

I must also thank my family - Mom, Allie, Albert III, Adam and Avery. Your never-ending love and support encourage me. You are my strength.

To our newly elected Councilwoman Rivers and re-elected Mayor Robinson-Briggs - Congratulations. I look forward to working closely with both of you.

To my colleagues on the Council. Thank you for your unanimous support. I am deeply honored to be your choice for Council President. In our personal conversations, we have often discussed what a better Plainfield looks like. I am ready to lead us toward that brighter future.

And to the residents of Plainfield, thank you for your continued support. My commitment to bringing positive change to this community has never wavered and is stronger than ever.

As I reflect on the people and places that encompass our City - our senior citizens and youth, young couples and families, residents of all backgrounds, orientation and colors, our places of worship, schools, community centers, parks and plazas, I am encouraged. Plainfield is much more than just streets and boundaries. Plainfield is a community unlike any other. Our history, diversity and potential will overcome any challenge if City leadership continues to put the needs of our residents first.

For many years my parents hosted functions at our family home. For one particular event, the words “Plainfield First” were framed and used as part of a table centerpiece. The frame was used at several events and was never far out of sight. Even now, the frame is still kept at the house, usually placed among family photos or on a bookshelf. Although today, I brought it with me.

These words, “Plainfield First”, are particularly meaningful at this point in time. The challenges that we face are many. With a looming tax burden, slow economic development, concerns about local medical attention and safety in our neighborhoods it is easy to despair. I am confident that that there are reasonable and actionable solutions. We only need to work with a united approach and focus on the issues.

I promise strong leadership balanced with thoughtful decision-making and with an eye towards unity. In 2010 we must make Plainfield first.

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