Robert Gatto – On Being Labelled “Persona Non Grata”

By Robert Gatto, Candidate for Mayor (R)

In towns like North Plainfield, taxpayers fund the majority of basic municipal services. The rest of the additional Boards, Committees, Positions (including the Mayor) and services are primarily driven by volunteers who donate their time and attention for the good of the community. This is why all North Plainfield residents are encouraged to volunteer.

Well, maybe not all residents. It seems that volunteer participation depends on many factors that we might not be aware of.

This Sunday was the Annual Senior Picnic. I, along with all the NPGOP candidates, volunteered to help with this event. Tina Totten (administrative assistant to Mayor Allen and Borough Administrator Hollod) was contacted by Frank D’Amore on behalf of our group for our assignments and she gladly accepted our help.

Then an unusual thing happened. On Saturday, the D’Amore residence received a call from North Plainfield’s Mayor Janice Allen. Mayor Allen stated that the NPGOP Candidates were not welcome to volunteer at this year’s Senior Picnic (We were Labeled Persona Non Grata).

The reason she gave for barring us from helping at the event was she did not want the picnic to become “political.” Therefore she stated that we would not be able to volunteer. However, all of the Democratic candidates could participate because they were members of the Borough Council and have volunteered at past Senior Picnics (and I’m sure that not one of them ever mentioned anything about politics or the upcoming election ….cough…..cough).

Council Member and NPGOP Candidate Barbara Habeeb could participate in the event because she also has a seat on the Borough Council.

I’m sure the Mayor would have liked to bar NPGOP Candidate Frank D’Amore from the event as well but since Frank is the President of the North Plainfield Senior Citizens Club, his absence would be so conspicuous as to raise every eyebrow at the Community Center.

Now the facts regarding this event are as follows:

The Senior Picnic is organized and sponsored by the Special Events Advisory Committee. This Committee raises public funds through public activities and encourages donations from citizens and local businesses alike. Therefore this is a public event and the Mayor has no right to restrict any individual from participating solely based on political affiliation.

But she did!

The entire NPGOP Team could have just shown up and demanded that we be permitted to assist in the festivities but then the event would have taken on an air of dissention which would have certainly detracted from the enjoyment that was well-deserved by all North Plainfield Senior Citizens and guests in attendance.

So, for the good of the event, we stayed away and prevented the fallout from a most assuredly hostile reception by the Mayor and Democratic Council members.

We constantly hear from the current administration that volunteerism is needed, but who do they want to volunteer? I guess it depends one whether there is a “D” or an “R” in front of your name on the voter registration list.

Well, there is one thing I can assure all residents of North Plainfield. If I and my team are elected, when it comes time for volunteers to help the community, that individual’s political affiliation will not be an issue. We will foster a true sense of unity where everyone can work together to help our Proud Community.