A Chat with Jerry
My ingestion of toast and coffee was interrupted this morning by a call from Assemblyman Jerry Green.
“Why don’t you tell the truth?” he asked.
It turns out he was referring to the mention of Woodland School in my blog. The Schools Development Authority announced an allocation of $26 million for expansion and renovations at Woodland, but Green said the district’s top priority had been a new middle school. However, due to the “chaos” of the past school year, he said, “They (the district) didn’t have their paperwork in place.”
Green thanked former Interim Superintendent Garnell Bailey and new board president Bridget Rivers for “giving out information as quickly was possible” and credited Assemblywoman Linda Stender and Sen. Nicholas Scutari for helping him to secure the funding for Plainfield.
Board member Agurs Linward Cathcart Jr. questioned Tuesday night why the middle school was not funded, but none of the issues raised by Green came out in the meeting. Green brushed aside my point that I could not report on something that was not made public.
“You know everything,” he retorted.
I told him the new superintendent was drawing a line between the past and the future and recriminations or blame at this point would serve no purpose. Besides, I did not want to call the accused individual for comment and then perhaps have to sit around waiting for a callback. I wanted to go shopping in Westfield.
The situation was all too familiar from the “he said-she said” practice of a political figure blaming an official for this or that debacle and the reporter was then expected to get the other side.
“Put that on your blog,” Green insisted as he made his accusation.
Well, for one thing, the blog is an unpaid avocation, not a job in the newsroom, and for another, maybe Dr. Gallon is right to think that hashing over past errors is not as important as fixing things in the future. And furthermore, I really want to go shopping in Westfield today. So there.
--Bernice Paglia
“Why don’t you tell the truth?” he asked.
It turns out he was referring to the mention of Woodland School in my blog. The Schools Development Authority announced an allocation of $26 million for expansion and renovations at Woodland, but Green said the district’s top priority had been a new middle school. However, due to the “chaos” of the past school year, he said, “They (the district) didn’t have their paperwork in place.”
Green thanked former Interim Superintendent Garnell Bailey and new board president Bridget Rivers for “giving out information as quickly was possible” and credited Assemblywoman Linda Stender and Sen. Nicholas Scutari for helping him to secure the funding for Plainfield.
Board member Agurs Linward Cathcart Jr. questioned Tuesday night why the middle school was not funded, but none of the issues raised by Green came out in the meeting. Green brushed aside my point that I could not report on something that was not made public.
“You know everything,” he retorted.
I told him the new superintendent was drawing a line between the past and the future and recriminations or blame at this point would serve no purpose. Besides, I did not want to call the accused individual for comment and then perhaps have to sit around waiting for a callback. I wanted to go shopping in Westfield.
The situation was all too familiar from the “he said-she said” practice of a political figure blaming an official for this or that debacle and the reporter was then expected to get the other side.
“Put that on your blog,” Green insisted as he made his accusation.
Well, for one thing, the blog is an unpaid avocation, not a job in the newsroom, and for another, maybe Dr. Gallon is right to think that hashing over past errors is not as important as fixing things in the future. And furthermore, I really want to go shopping in Westfield today. So there.
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 11:35 AM
8 Comments:
Have a wonderful shopping day.
After all the nonsense one has to put up with around here, going to Westfield, or anywhere, is always nice.
If anyone wants to keep on complaining about this or that, rather than focusing on what can actually be done to improve Plainfield, let them start their own blog.
Maria
ooops! Did I just complain?
Hey Bernice,
You GO! Girl!!
BK
A call back ???? How did that happen ???? I still want to know when my street is getting the new sidewalks n curbs, but NO one will call me back, big or small.
Bernice,
Tell Jerry that you not only 'wanted' to shop in Westfield...but you 'had' to shop in Westfield due to the lack of 'redevelopment' in Plainfield under his watch.....
hope you bought yourself something nice!
When will Jerry Green stop trying too bully people.
Is it time for JG to move on? Yes, unless he is willing to put Plainfield first- instead of the same-old-same-old power ploys which result in nothing good for Plainfield, e.g. hospital. Wishful thinking? Just think of all the good he could do! Can an old dog learn new tricks? Only if you are an optimist. I won't hold my breadth.
glad you refused to be bullied
well said to all previous posters!! lol
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