Mark Williams – Preschool Expansion Funding in Jeopardy

By Mark Williams, NPCC Chair

Gov. Jon Corzine, in his address to the NJ School Boards Association’s annual workshop on October 29th in Atlantic City, spoke about how state budget concerns could push back the timing for implementing universal preschool here in New Jersey.

If you have been following the few submissions to the blog on this topic you know that the Gov’s new school funding formula requires all school districts in the state to offer universal preschool. $350 million is the estimated cost of the expansion that will be phased in over a six year period.

Members of the North Plainfield School Board have expressed considerable concern that the preschool expansion program will have a significant impact on local taxpayers. Folks, please keep a close eye out for news and information as this situation plays out during the next few months.

Read more… http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/10/corzine_budget_woes_may_delay.html

Nathan Rudy on Get Out the Vote For Dems This Weekend

By Nathan Rudy

Folks -

Want Obama in the White House? Linda Stender and Tom Wyka in the House? Cecilia Birge and Doug Singleterry in the Somerset County Republican’s house?

We can pull it off on Tuesday, November 4 here in Somerset County and New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District. But we need you to get it done!

Can you give us three or four hours on election day to help get out the vote? We need people to knock on doors, drive vans and cars, arrange GOTV materials and more.

The door you knock on might be the extra vote we need to win in Bernards, Watchung, Bound Brook, Somerville, North Plainfield or one of our other towns. And all it takes is a few hours of your time. Bring friends and family!

Please e-mail me (nathanrudy@gmail.com) if you can join us for the final push as we win up and down the ticket.

Best,

Nathan

[Editor's Note: Still conspicuous by its absence is Nathan's explicit endorsement of the Giordano ticket. Interesting.]

Danielle Rassa – Washington Park Yard Sale Tomorrow

(The Oct. 25 sale must have been postponed for inclement weather)

By Danielle Rassa, for Friends of the North Plainfield Library

Hello Friends,

Looks like we’re in for a beautiful weekend. Please join us this Saturday, November 1st from 9:00am-5:00pm for a huge yard sale taking place at the North Plainfield Library and throughout the Washington Park Historic District. Enjoy a stroll around North Plainfield and pick up some terrific bargains at the same time! Lots of household items, books, knick-knacks and some toys. All proceeds from the sale at the Library grounds will benefit the Friends of the Library.

Hope to see you there!

John Gostel on Muhlenberg Hospital

By John Gostel (of Edison)

Letter to the Editor – Muhlenberg Hospital needs to be restoredDid the Muhlenberg Hospital (MRMC) horse leave the barn for good? This is a difficult question to answer. The forces against the reopening of Muhlenberg are many. The Governor and Health Commissioner have not given the citizens of Plainfield and the 13 area communities serviced by MRMC any breaks.

The one positive item suggested by the New Jersey State Health Planning Board that Solaris retain the acute care license for two to three years was shot down by Health Commissioner, Heather Howard. In addition, the Solaris organization is very well connected to New Jersey politics.

The City of Plainfield is striking back by appealing the Health Commissioners findings to the New Jersey Appellate Court. The determination of Mayor Robinson-Briggs and six of seven Plainfield City Council members who voted to Appeal the decision is appreciated.

The only exception was Councilmen, Cory Storch , who did not vote to appeal the decision. It is difficult to understand the reasons for his nonvote on the matter. Assemblyman Gerald Green is supporting the appeal of the Health Commissioner’s decision. Furthermore, joining in the Appeals process is the Newark base People’s Organization For Progress (POP) and the Coalition to Restore Muhlenberg. The POP organization has fought hard to save hospitals in other communities besides Plainfield.

Under the misguided leadership of Governor Jon Corzine, there have been nine hospital closings in the past two years. This is a record that speaks for itself since most hospitals that closed were in communities with heavy minority populations. Yet there are plans to build a Hospital in Plainsboro which happens to be near where Health Commissioner Heather Howard lives.

Also, the Pascack Valley Hospital in a more affluent area is scheduled to reopen. It appears that Corzine does not recognize that health care is a right of all citizens. The Governor’s actions of closing hospitals in minority communities through out the state do not follow the policy being advocated by Presidential Candidate, Senator Barack Obama. In his Democratic Party acceptance speech, Obama emphasized that heath care was a right of all citizens. All citizens of the Plainfield Area should embrace the decision to appeal the Heath Commissioner’s findings.

Did Solaris have so much political clout that the closing of the Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center was a no contest from the start? Public listings of political contributions made to New Jersey State Senate and Assembly candidates as well as the New Jersey State Democratic Party for the periods starting January 1, 2004 and ending December 31, 2007 were reviewed.

Some interesting trends have been revealed. During that period, the top six highest paid Solaris Executives contributed a total of $32,286 to area politicians and the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party received $10,000 in contributions. The two highest recipients of political contributions were State Senator Barbara Buono (Political Contributions received $12,800), and Assemblywoman Linda Stender (Political Contributions received $5,386). Barbara Buono, a State Senator from Metuchen, who is head of the Senate Budget and Appropriation Committee, is married to Martin Gizzi, a high paid Physician who is employed by the Community Hospital Group that is owned by the Solaris Health Systems.

Adam Beder, Solaris Health Systems Director of Government Affairs, once served as Deputy Director for the New Jersey Hospital Association. He is also a former member of Barbara Buono’s Staff.

Amie Thorton, Solaris Health Systems Vice President and Project Manager was previously employed by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services.

Solaris Health Systems is a large organization and is one of the top twenty employers in the state of New Jersey, as per the number of individuals being employed. They have the political might because of their size. A number of physicians and employees of the Muhlenberg Hospital did express privately their support to the groups fighting to save the Hospital, but would not come forward in public.

An interesting happening occurred at the May 6, 2008, Plainfield High School State Health Planning Board Meeting when several Executives from Solaris, including John McGee, President and CEO, were present for the meeting. Assemblywoman Linda Stender showed up before the start of the meeting and left before the meeting was called to order. Her remarks were then given by Mayor Colleen Maher of Fanwood who stated “The Assemblywoman couldn’t be here today, but she is very concerned over the closing of this hospital.”

The Plainfield Area needs to restore an acute care hospital at the Muhlenberg site. All citizens need to call/write their local politicians supporting the citizens and other efforts. The combined forces of David are fighting Goliath.

Barbara Habeeb – Update on Villa Maria

I asked Barbara – “What’s up with Villa Maria? Did Planning Board discuss it at any of their Oct. meetings?”

She replied:

NO. The 10/22 meeting got postponed until November 12. I was told that McNerney is revising his application AGAIN.

As you know, at the last meeting, I got up and stated that McNerney should not be allowed to continue his application until his property taxes were paid, and I suggested that a lien be put on the property. His attorney basically laughed at the suggestion and said something to the effect of “that would be another law suit….”

I made a suggestion to the council, at the last meeting, to form a bipartisan subcommittee to approach the Somerset County Freeholders about the possibility of them purchasing the property as a county park. Skip said it would have to be considered for an agenda item at a later time….(this week’s meeting canceled too???)

I only have one more time on the Council unless I get elected. I hope they will at least consider my suggestion. That’s all for now.

Courier-News Endorsements

Link to mycentraljersey endorsement here.

They recommend Gatto (R) for Mayor, Stabile (D), Hitchcock (D), Habeeb (R) and Mullen (R) for Council.

As an editorial aside, I think it’s wack that they have any opinion at all, given how little they know about what goes on in North Plainfield.

I also find it very odd that they think it’s enough to have one Council member (Habeeb) as “the eyes and ears of the average resident on the governing body.” That’s what all seven are supposed to be. If she’s the only one representing the average resident, who do the other six represent?

Adopt a Candidate

[Editor's Note: I moved this one up top just because I think it's such an interesting idea, especially the post-script.]

Sent in by Paolo Lorenzi, Council Candidate (R)

To NPCCR members:Calling all Democrats, Independents, Republicans, Libertarians, etc. We need your help to bring change to North Plainfield. We have all worked too hard this year and care too much to go back to the path we’ve been on for the last 12 years.

“It’s not about party, it’s about North Plainfield”

That’s has been our slogan from the very beginning of this campaign. We strongly believe we can make a difference in NP and are very passionate about it. I think there are many of you out there that feel as passionate as we do about making a change.

We need your help to get elected. We are looking for a non-partisan grassroots effort to help us get out a few hours this Saturday with us to knock on doors in your neighborhood.

We are calling this the “Adopt a Candidate” program in which volunteers will go door to door with a candidate in their own neighborhoods.

Come be a part of a true democratic process!

Call us at 908-561-7776 or email us paololorenzi@yahoo.com  as soon as possible if you are interested. We will fill you in on all the details. If you can’t walk but still want to help, please let us know, there may be other ways to help.

Sincerely,

Paolo Lorenzi, Robert Gatto and the rest of the local Republican team.

P.S. You’re welcome to wear your buttons for your favorite national candidates.

Greg Hatala – Traffic Crackdown. Now.

By Greg Hatala

I just about got killed the other day 100 feet from my house. Pulling out of a side street, I looked both ways, saw no cars coming, pulled forward … and was almost T-boned by a car traveling AT LEAST 60 m.p.h. on a 25 m.p.h. road in the rain. And Speed Racer leaned on his horn as he blew past me because I dared make him slow downon a 25 m.p.h. road in the rain.

This is a NIGHTLY occurrence here. This 25 m.p.h. road turns into Indianapolis Motor Speedway with cars screaming up and down. We’re not talking about a few miles an hour over the limit – we’re talking about cars fishtailing as they go through curves.

Can there be a patrol car parked here all night every night? No, of course not. But it certainly appears to me that a lot of hot sports cars in this town have absolutely no fear of driving like this at night anywhere in North Plainfield. There are towns all over this state where I KNOW I must glue my speedometer to the posted limit as I drive through because I will be stopped and ticketed if I speed. North Plainfield? Hardly, from what I see year round.

I’ve heard from Frank D’Amore about all the warnings instead of citations. It looks to me like all those warnings are doing a whole lot of good … for the people who like to speed. This is a no-brainer; I’m not talking about picking on the guy who goes 30 down my street, but the guy who endangers people, property and vehicles.

What would be so wrong with North Plainfield getting a reputation of being a place where you drive safely … or else?

Dispatches from M.Emory Layne – We Must Know

By Emory Layne

Borough Administrator David Hollod has pointed to the educational portion of our total tax bill as the “largest” bite we suffer in our property taxes.

At times, we’ve discussed the closed-door school board “executive sessions” in which administrators’ salaries are set and agreed to. We’ve heard a lot of posturing (and deflection), but never heard straight talk about why we, as the employer, can’t know about this from beginning to end.

When people feel they are making too little, they have no problem with the media reporting on how they’re being underpaid. We’ve never once heard from some group that feels its work is underappreciated who aren’t willing to produce figures to the penny as evidence that they deserve more.

What do people do when the taxpayer finds out how much they’re being paid? They go to court. Back in 2006 when information on the salaries of state and municipal employees was first allowed to be published openly in New Jersey, courts had to eventually decide on the “constitutionality” of whether taxpayers could see what they were paying for.

Fortunately, the courts decided in favor of the taxpayers, but that didn’t stop the grumbling from civil servants, who maintained that they should not be subjected to such transparency.

So what happened when state School Administrators salaries were posted for all to see? According to the New York Times (8/22/2008),

“The day after they were posted, the New Jersey Association of School Administrators filed a lawsuit against the education commissioner, challenging the department’s plans to oversee future superintendent contracts and limit the retirement benefits of top school administrators. The suit, filed in federal court in Trenton, seeks to invalidate the new rules, claiming they violate school administrators’ constitutional rights by arbitrarily denying them equal treatment and due process.”

The poster child for abuses in administrative compensation, of course, was Keansburg’s Barbara A. Trzeszkowski. A retirement package of $740,876 had been included in her contract, on top of her annual compensation of $189,379. She most certainly wasn’t the only one, just the biggest one. The data showed that there are administrators all over the state with huge dollar figures due them when they retire.

But that’s not my concern here, simply because a retirement package is a one time payment. You can only retire from a district once (I hope). Unlike a salary, this is NOT an annual figure.

Now, I understand that Keansburg residents would be upset that when their superintendent retired, a big fat check for three-quarters of a million bucks would be stapled to the official proclamation thanking her for her services. And she wasn’t the only one, just the largest. Some of the other numbers that jump off the “have a nice retirement” page at you are Dr. Antonio Lewis in Asbury Park ($292,416); Dr. James Habel in Wall Township ($221,242); Peter Miller from Somerset Hills Regional ($217,396); Kathleen Sleezer from Parsippany/Troy Hills (an assistant superintendent) at $143,045; and even Dr. Philip Heery in tiny Egg Harbor Township at $113,558.

North Plainfield does not show such retirement payouts to its school administrators, an observation I must qualify by noting that school districts report the compensation data themselves. There is not, as yet, any comprehensive system of checks and balances to ensure 100% accurate reporting of all compensation. We can only hope we’re being told the whole truth.

My concern lies in salaries, because these are year-in and year-out bills the taxpayers foot.

Even in this area, there’s usually some tomfoolery. Boards who authorize salaries, and educators who earn them, talk about “base salary,” overlooking annual allowances, bonuses, stipends, insurance payments and reimbursements.

I include them.

When someone feels that someone isn’t getting enough of something, they produce all kinds of charts and graphs and statistics to ‘prove’ their point to us.

In this case, I personally had to go and crunch the numbers, because, by gosh, with all these computer geniuses and financial experts and management consultants in this state, no one bothered to work out a ranking when it came to administrative salaries in education in New Jersey.

There are 616 school districts in New Jersey. Taking the salary and related compensation for all school superintendents in the state (but not using the retirement pay, which, as noted, is a one-time payment), guess where North Plainfield’s schools superintendent ranks?

How about NUMBER 33! Dr. Marilyn Birnbaum’s $233,285 annual compensation is in the top 6% of superintendents in the state. The WHOLE state.

Dispatches from M.Emory Layne – Odds and Ends

[Editor's Note: Emory sent this piece in early Sept. He's a prolific contributor (more than 110 posts, most more than 1,000 words) and this one, plus a couple others, got delayed in the "Drafts" folder pending editing.] 

By Emory Layne

Regarding Illegal Housing and Illegal Students

From the Green Brook-North Plainfield Journal, October 23, 1996, with qualifying identifiers:

“According to Ms. Glicklich, (Peggy Glicklich, wife of Democrat Dan Glicklich, who would be elected to North Plainfield Borough Council) the Department of Health, Housing and Property is remiss in its duties by supplying a statistical rather than a detailed monthly report and by not seeking out illegal housing situations actively enough.

Under the current arrangement, department workers investigate situations reported by police, the fire department and the Board of Education. While performing the appropriate investigation, borough employees are to look for indications of illegal housing.

As a result, most investigations stem from complaints, which is what Ms. Glicklich sees as a problem. Because signs of illegal housing, such as multiple cable hookups or an excessive number of cars, are obvious, she believes it would be a simple matter to ferret out such places.

“I known the Mayor (Republican Mike Haggerty) is always saying they’re aggressively pursuing this, but I can’t get any information to show they’re actively pursuing it,” she said.”