Two go-to forums tonight: Mayoral candidates, PMUA

Plainfielders following city issues have two choices tonight: a mayoral candidates' forum at Shiloh Baptist Church and FOSH's forum on the PMUA at the Plainfield Public Library.

MAYORAL CANDIDATES

Shiloh's pastor, the Rev. Dr. Gerald Lamont Thomas, has put together and will moderate this evening's forum, to which all mayoral candidates have been invited. As of this writing, I am still hearing that one has not yet formally accepted the invitation, a fact which gives a certain frisson to the evening's festivities. (Today's Courier features a story here.)

The format of the CANDIDATES FORUM will differ significantly from the League of Women Voters format Plainfield residents are most accustomed to. Before the meeting, candidates will draw lots for the order in which they will speak. The forum will be moderated by Dr. Thomas, who will introduce each candidate. Candidates will have ten minutes to present their platforms, followed by five minutes of direct questions from the audience.

The forum is At Shiloh Baptist Church, 515 West Fourth Street. Info: (908) 754-3353.

FOSH's PMUA FORUM

Responding to intense interest in the community over the PMUA (Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority) and its rate increases and service questions, the Friends of Sleepy Hollow (FOSH) has organized a forum for Plainfield residents with a PMUA staffer, also this evening. (See the story in today's Ledger here and more information on the DumpPMUA website here.)

Besides the matters which gave rise to the meeting, residents now have the hubbub around the trip made by PMUA executives, Commissioners and staffers to Oakland, CA on the public dime last month.

Hopefully, organizer Pat Turner will share the tale of her adventures (and misadventures) with the PMUA trying to put this meeting together and get some simple public information from the defensive public authority.

Turner told me she was informed that PMUA Executive Director Eric Watson, originally scheduled to appear as the PMUA representative, will not be there. She was told that 'a PMUA representative' would attend, but not Watson, who is 'busy'. The Ledger reports there will be TWO reps from the PMUA.

The FOSH forum on the PMUA is at 7 PM this evening in the Anne Louise Davis Meeting Room at the Plainfield Public Library, Park Avenue and 8th Street.

Can Ms. Brokaw-Boles, mayoral candidate and chair of the PMUA's Board of Commissioners, make both events?

Don't know, but I'm going to try to.

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• Ledger: "Plainfield residents confront waste management"
• Courier: "Mayoral candidates and trash forums set for Tuesday night"
  

-- Dan Damon

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