Remember Ray

As Maria suggested, today is a day to remember Ray Blanco.

Ray Blanco’s untimely death a year ago robbed the city of a powerful force. Ray only wanted the best for Plainfield and passionately pushed and pulled people toward that goal. As City Council president, he envisioned a governing body that put all its energy toward public service. He drew up rules that included an ambitious committee and liaison system with periodic reports to the full council. He expected the administration to perform at an equally high level.

I leave it to the readers to judge the current situation as Ray would see it.

It’s not too late to honor Ray’s vision by revisiting the system of 10 liaisons and five committees and getting the reports he felt would strengthen the fabric of city life. A lot of things are going unexamined to the extent that Ray wanted. Code enforcement, cable television, technology, bridges and other topics need the study that Ray sought.

Few people have the passion and drive that Ray showed in his many-faceted life, and maybe it was too much even for Ray himself to work at that pitch. But we can recall Ray as an inspiration to go the extra mile and give the extra ounce of devotion to the city we love.

Let’s do it for Ray.

--Bernice Paglia