About the Budget

Thank you to Plaintalker II for covering Charter Study Commission and for the report on the 1/8 meeting.  Regarding the estimated cost and number of copies of the final report of CSC reported above,  I would like to note for readers that the budget request submitted to the City in mid December  included an explanatory footnote regarding the final report. The footnote explained that the statute that governs final reports of Charter Study Commissions, N.J.S.A. 40:69A-10, provides that commissions must deliver to the city clerk sufficient copies of the final report to permit distribution to any interested citizen. That obligation can be interpreted in many ways, so, CSC obtained an estimate for copying and mailing to every Plainfield household, with additional copies to post in the city.  The footnote explained that the estimate was the highest possible cost, that there would be much deliberation on interpreting the statute to arrive at a distribution plan that would satisfy the statute and be as cost effective as possible.  Since submitting the budget request, the City Solicitor has given an opinion that the statute does not require mailing to every household, that  we can rely on dropping copies at various locations in Plainfield. Our consultant from Rutgers Center for Government Services indicated that we could rely on email as one mode of distribution when questioned. So, the number of reports and the amount required for printing will continue to be discussed and will likely be less than the amount of the budget request. All readers are invited to our meetings, schedule for the year on our blog, and on the City website.     

Mary Burgwinkle, CSC Secretary and Budget Subcommittee Member