Council Candidates Speak at LWV Forum
City Council candidates met the public Wednesday at the annual forum organized by the League of Women Voters of Plainfield.
(Disclaimer: I joined the League after I retired.)
Questions from the audience centered more on improving the workings of city government than on the perennial three topics of crime, economic development and taxes.
New Democrat Annie McWilliams thanked voters for her June primary win, in which she bested the Regular Democratic Organization’s choice, City Council President Harold Gibson. Based on what she heard on the campaign trail, McWilliams said, “Are citizens happy with the direction of the city? No. Could a change in leadership make a difference? Yes.”
McWilliams, daughter of the late Mayor Albert T. McWilliams, is running unopposed for the Citywide At-large council seat. Her running mate and fellow winner in the Democratic primary, Adrian Mapp, is seeking the Third Ward seat and defeated incumbent Don Davis in June. The former councilman and Union County freeholder is opposed by city resident Brenda Gilbert, who announced months ago that she will mount a write-in campaign. Her name will not be on the Nov. 4. ballot.
Gilbert said she was running because she feels the people of the Third Ward need a choice.
“Change will not come from within the council,” she said.
Mapp said he seeks to return to the council at a “very tumultuous time” and will work to restore transparency to government and deal with the city’s “crumbling infrastructure.”
Councilman William Reid, unopposed for the unexpired First Ward term vacated last December by Rayland Van Blake, for a freeholder seat, made no promises other than to continue the service he has given since being appointed to the seat last December.
“It’s been a great year for me,” said the 41-year city resident, who called his council stint the “cherry on the cake” of a lifetime in politics and public service.
Though not large, the audience in the Anne Louise Davis Room of the Plainfield Public Library had plenty of questions, ranging from how to better enforce the city’s property maintenance code to meeting the need for technology in government, with road conditions a major concern as well. League Moderator Louise Ballard of Hillside read the questions and each candidate responded.
One query stated that the city’s many property code violations could be a source of revenue and asked how candidates would hold landlords accountable for keeping property up to code. Reid said the council’s role was to make laws and see that they are followed. He said landlords should be encouraged through talks with real estate agents to obey codes and that liens are placed on property when the city has to order cleanups.
Mapp said the focus should not be to get revenues, but to make sure codes are met. He suggested “safe homes” initiative by the council. But Gilbert said, “We already have enough codes on the book” and said those laws should be “aggressively enforced.”
For the record, the city did have a safe housing ordinance that was repealed under the current administration after pressure from real estate leaders. Correction: It was repealed because it did not work, Councilman Rashid Burney says. "We didn't see any movement at all," Burney said, adding expected billing never took place and inspectors' laptops were not compatible with city systems.
“The problem is enforcement,” McWilliams said, advocating the use of handheld devices by which inspectors could issues summonses on the spot.
Responding to a question on how to improve the city web site and other technology, Gilbert said there has not been an assessment of how City Hall is run and technology is now far behind. Reid said the city web site should be modeled on the school district’s new one and part of the problem is “hiring the right people.” McWilliams agreedwith both, saying, “How money is spent is the key to success.”
Mapp agreed also that one of the big mistakes of the current administration was hiring “people who are not competent” and called for interactive features such as a “citizen’s assistance request” on the web site.
A five-year road repair plan is now three years late on the second phase and the city has sought a review of the original road condition assessment that was done in 2004. McWilliams disputed the need for another round of engineering, but Reid said a $1 million bond ordinance covered not just a review of the earlier findings, but also other costs.
“Our roads are not as bad as people think,” Gilbert said, drawing a murmur from the audience.
“Anyone who drives through the city knows our roads are in horrible shape,” Mapp retorted, adding recent work by New Jersey American Water has further damaged the roads.
Mapp said the city needs to pursue grants, partner with Union County and make an annual ordinance to rebuild the “crumbling infrastructure.”
In closing, Mapp gave a long list of priorities for the governing body, including working “to hold the administration accountable on every level.” Gilbert said, “We have suffered in the community from recycled politicians” and called for a “new broom.”
McWilliams noted all four candidates had talked about a lack of leadership and pledged to work with the council and administration as well as to listen to the citizens and make sure they have “true representation.” Reid said he would draw on his 50 years of public service to make the best decisions and called council service “a real job” that he would do to the best of his ability.
Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on November 4. Residents should receive sample ballots soon that show their polling place. Absentee ballots may also be filed by Oct. 28. For more election information, see the County Clerk’s section of the Union County web site at http://www.ucnj.org/
--Bernice Paglia
(Disclaimer: I joined the League after I retired.)
Questions from the audience centered more on improving the workings of city government than on the perennial three topics of crime, economic development and taxes.
New Democrat Annie McWilliams thanked voters for her June primary win, in which she bested the Regular Democratic Organization’s choice, City Council President Harold Gibson. Based on what she heard on the campaign trail, McWilliams said, “Are citizens happy with the direction of the city? No. Could a change in leadership make a difference? Yes.”
McWilliams, daughter of the late Mayor Albert T. McWilliams, is running unopposed for the Citywide At-large council seat. Her running mate and fellow winner in the Democratic primary, Adrian Mapp, is seeking the Third Ward seat and defeated incumbent Don Davis in June. The former councilman and Union County freeholder is opposed by city resident Brenda Gilbert, who announced months ago that she will mount a write-in campaign. Her name will not be on the Nov. 4. ballot.
Gilbert said she was running because she feels the people of the Third Ward need a choice.
“Change will not come from within the council,” she said.
Mapp said he seeks to return to the council at a “very tumultuous time” and will work to restore transparency to government and deal with the city’s “crumbling infrastructure.”
Councilman William Reid, unopposed for the unexpired First Ward term vacated last December by Rayland Van Blake, for a freeholder seat, made no promises other than to continue the service he has given since being appointed to the seat last December.
“It’s been a great year for me,” said the 41-year city resident, who called his council stint the “cherry on the cake” of a lifetime in politics and public service.
Though not large, the audience in the Anne Louise Davis Room of the Plainfield Public Library had plenty of questions, ranging from how to better enforce the city’s property maintenance code to meeting the need for technology in government, with road conditions a major concern as well. League Moderator Louise Ballard of Hillside read the questions and each candidate responded.
One query stated that the city’s many property code violations could be a source of revenue and asked how candidates would hold landlords accountable for keeping property up to code. Reid said the council’s role was to make laws and see that they are followed. He said landlords should be encouraged through talks with real estate agents to obey codes and that liens are placed on property when the city has to order cleanups.
Mapp said the focus should not be to get revenues, but to make sure codes are met. He suggested “safe homes” initiative by the council. But Gilbert said, “We already have enough codes on the book” and said those laws should be “aggressively enforced.”
For the record, the city did have a safe housing ordinance that was repealed under the current administration after pressure from real estate leaders. Correction: It was repealed because it did not work, Councilman Rashid Burney says. "We didn't see any movement at all," Burney said, adding expected billing never took place and inspectors' laptops were not compatible with city systems.
“The problem is enforcement,” McWilliams said, advocating the use of handheld devices by which inspectors could issues summonses on the spot.
Responding to a question on how to improve the city web site and other technology, Gilbert said there has not been an assessment of how City Hall is run and technology is now far behind. Reid said the city web site should be modeled on the school district’s new one and part of the problem is “hiring the right people.” McWilliams agreedwith both, saying, “How money is spent is the key to success.”
Mapp agreed also that one of the big mistakes of the current administration was hiring “people who are not competent” and called for interactive features such as a “citizen’s assistance request” on the web site.
A five-year road repair plan is now three years late on the second phase and the city has sought a review of the original road condition assessment that was done in 2004. McWilliams disputed the need for another round of engineering, but Reid said a $1 million bond ordinance covered not just a review of the earlier findings, but also other costs.
“Our roads are not as bad as people think,” Gilbert said, drawing a murmur from the audience.
“Anyone who drives through the city knows our roads are in horrible shape,” Mapp retorted, adding recent work by New Jersey American Water has further damaged the roads.
Mapp said the city needs to pursue grants, partner with Union County and make an annual ordinance to rebuild the “crumbling infrastructure.”
In closing, Mapp gave a long list of priorities for the governing body, including working “to hold the administration accountable on every level.” Gilbert said, “We have suffered in the community from recycled politicians” and called for a “new broom.”
McWilliams noted all four candidates had talked about a lack of leadership and pledged to work with the council and administration as well as to listen to the citizens and make sure they have “true representation.” Reid said he would draw on his 50 years of public service to make the best decisions and called council service “a real job” that he would do to the best of his ability.
Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on November 4. Residents should receive sample ballots soon that show their polling place. Absentee ballots may also be filed by Oct. 28. For more election information, see the County Clerk’s section of the Union County web site at http://www.ucnj.org/
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 9:41 AM
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