A PMUA Question

Plaintalker is told the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority held its annual reorganization Feb. 16, the same night when the City Council was holding a budget hearing and the Board of Education was holding its business meeting.

The PMUA has five commissioner seats and two alternate seats. Plaintalker has been watching for nominations from the mayor, for advice and consent by the City Council, for a vacancy created by the death of Commissioner James Green. Green's term expired in February 2009 and he was apparently serving as a holdover until his passing. So far, no name has come to the governing body.

In addition, there is an alternate seat open since February 2009. This year, the terms of Commissioner Dave Beck and Alternate No. 1, the Rev. Tracey Brown, expired.

This means out of five commissioners, only three are serving current terms, and both alternate terms have expired.

Given the scrutiny the authority came under in 2009, is this an acceptable situation?

Plaintalker will attempt next week to find out why no nominations have been made for the 2009 and 2010 vacancies.

--Bernice Paglia