Dear Friend,
Sixty-four years ago, my mother gave birth to a little boy who would grow up to be a husband, a father, a brother, and an uncle. A quiet, studious boy who became Mayor of a beautiful city in Union County, NJ called Plainfield. That little boy was me, and today marks another year in my journey on this earth.
My birthday falls when most people look forward to spending time with family as they prepare to close out the year. It's often a time for introspection, giving thanks, and being extra charitable to those in need.
In the spirit of the season and to mark this day, I'd like to share my gratefulness with you:
First and foremost, I'm grateful for my mother, who worked hard to make a better life for me. I'm thankful for my wife Amelia, my daughters Shermona and Ayisha, and my grandbabies, who support me unwaveringly and provide me with the love, strength, and encouragement that pushes me onward constantly. After seeing so many stricken during the pandemic and some still suffering long-term after effects, I no longer take good health for granted, so today, I am grateful for good health to enjoy this life.
I am grateful for good friends with whom I can laugh and enjoy simple pleasures, the friends who place no conditions on friendship and accept me for who I am.
I am grateful for our Plainfield community. I was married here to my high school sweetheart, and we raised both our girls here. I love this wonderfully vibrant, diverse city that has shaped our lives in so many ways and provided a lens of cultural inclusivity against which to balance our world perspective. I am grateful for the opportunities that have shaped my life and propelled me to this moment. I realize, acknowledge, and am thankful that God sometimes opens doors when all we see is a blank wall.
I am grateful for the opportunity you've given me to serve as Mayor of this beautiful city that we've called home for almost forty-five years and for the change and growth we've seen over the past eight years. I'm grateful for the members of my administration who work hard to realize the vision of a re-imagined Plainfield and for the partners who invest in that vision. I am honored and grateful that you saw fit to elect me to serve a historic third term, and I'm fueled by the prospect of all that is to come over the next four years.
I look forward to the next year with a humility born of the knowledge that no man is an island, and nothing I do can be accomplished without family, friends, and the community's love, help, and support. Thank you for your faith and confidence in me, and I renew my promise to work even harder on behalf of you and our beloved city. I look forward to celebrating many more birthdays right here as we watch Plainfield transform and become once more the Queen City in every sense of the word.
Creating One Plainfield. One Future.
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Querido Friend,
Hace sesenta y cuatro años, mi madre dio a luz a un niño pequeño que crecería para ser un esposo, un padre, un hermano y un tío. Un nino tranquilo y estudioso que se convirtió en alcalde de una hermosa ciudad en el Condado de Union, NJ llamada Plainfield. Ese niño era yo, y hoy marca otro año en mi viaje por esta tierra.
Mi cumpleaños cae cuando la mayoría de las personas esperan pasar tiempo con la familia mientras se preparan para cerrar el año. A menudo es un momento para la introspección, dar gracias y ser más caritativo con los necesitados.
En el espíritu de la temporada y para conmemorar este día, me gustaría compartir mi gratitud con ustedes: En primer lugar, estoy agradecido por mi madre, que trabajó duro para hacer una vida mejor para mí. Estoy agradecido por mi esposa Amelia, mis hijas Shermona y Ayisha, y mis nietos, que me apoyan inquebrantablemente y me brindan el amor, la fuerza y el aliento que me empujan hacia adelante constantemente. Después de ver a tantos afectados durante la pandemia y algunos todavía sufriendo efectos posteriores a largo plazo, ya no tomo por seguro la buena salud, por lo que hoy, estoy agradecido por la buena salud para disfrutar de esta vida.
Estoy agradecido por los buenos amigos con los que puedo reír y disfrutar de placeres simples, los amigos que no ponen condiciones a la amistad y me aceptan por lo que soy.
Estoy agradecido por nuestra comunidad de Plainfield. Me casé aquí con mi novia de la escuela secundaria, y criamos a nuestras dos hijas aquí. Me encanta esta ciudad maravillosamente vibrante y diversa que ha dado forma a nuestras vidas de muchas maneras y ha proporcionado una imagen de inclusión cultural contra la cual equilibria nuestra perspectiva mundial. Estoy agradecido por las oportunidades que han dado forma a mi vida y me han impulsado a este momento. Me doy cuenta, reconozco y estoy agradecido que a veces Dios abre puertas cuando todo lo que vemos es una pared en blanco.
Estoy agradecido por la oportunidad que me han dado de servir como alcalde de esta hermosa ciudad que hemos llamado hogar durante casi cuarenta y cinco años y por el cambio y el crecimiento que hemos visto en los últimos ocho años. Estoy agradecido por los miembros de mi administración que trabajan duro para hacer realidad la visión de un Plainfield reimaginado y por los socios que invierten en esta visión. Me siento honrado y agradecido de que haya considerado oportuno elegirme para servir en un tercer mandato histórico, y me siento impulsado por la perspectiva de todo lo que está por venir en los próximos cuatro años.
Espero con ansias el próximo año con una humildad nacida del conocimiento de que ningún hombre es una isla, y nada de lo que hago se puede lograr sin la familia, los amigos y el amor, la ayuda y el apoyo de la comunidad. Gracias por su fe y confianza en mí, y renuevo mi promesa de trabajar aún más duro en nombre de usted y de nuestra amada ciudad. Espero celebrar muchos más cumpleaños aquí mismo mientras vemos a Plainfield transformarse y convertirse una vez más en la Ciudad Reina en todo el sentido de la palabra.
Creando Un Plainfield. Un Futuro.
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RECAP | FromHere Ribbon Cutting |
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Earlier this afternoon FromHere a new neighborhood co-working space hosted its ribbon cutting event at its location,108 Watchung Avenue, right in the heart of downtown Plainfield.
CEO Sneh Kadakia and COO Scott Sussman was joined by Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, Council President Steve Hockaday, Council Vice President Barry Goode, Councilwoman Ashley Davis, Councilman Charles McRae and Director of Economic Development Valerie Jackson as the doors to this unique business opened.
Mayor Mapp remarked that this business opened at a very difficult time - during a pandemic and thanked the owners for their commitment to the City of Plainfield.
With the change in typical office concepts, this space allows residents to have the look and feel of a home office at no cost. There are single use set-ups along with conference rooms and private office spaces. Stop by and see what's new in the Queen City!
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RECAP | Small Business Saturday |
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This past Saturday, November 27th was Small Business Saturday which is an annual event that was created to encourage consumers to shop locally in-person and online at small businesses. This event takes place every November and represents a significant opportunity to increase sales for small businesses during the holiday shopping season.
The Plainfield Special Improvement District (SID) led this effort by visiting local businesses throughout the City. Executive Director Antoinette Brevard along with Council Members Charles McRae and Ashley Davis handed out shopping bags and later joined Santa for photos.
It is also thanks to the SID's support that the City of Plainfield can enjoy the holiday street pole banners located throughout our Queen City as we celebrate the season!
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CITY OF PLAINFIELD | Vaccine Lottery
Drawing Winners and Vaccine Clinic Locations
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Mayor Mapp notifies and congratulates October Vaccine Lottery winner Adriel Jimenez |
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Congratulation to the Plainfield Wins OCTOBER Lottery Winners
Jose Lopez Canel, Roxana Perez, Adriel Jimenez, Daniel Wells
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Congratulations to our previous winners:
September: Cynise Reaves, Jose Membrano, Marco Jocho
August: Celestino Garcia, Ventura Perez Hernandez, Sergio Monvou, and Mari
Livia Finzo.
July: Jorge Ichina, Guadalupe Aguilar, Melina Coleman, Katherine Costro
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VACCINE UPDATE - For the month of October 209 individuals received the first dose and 196 individuals received the second dose of the vaccine.
Get vaccinated through the City of Plainfield, Union County, the Neighborhood Health Center, or any other approved Plainfield location for your chance to win $5,000. Plainfield residents must be 18 years or older to qualify, and proof of residency must be shown at the time of vaccination. Four winners, two who received their first dose and two who obtained their second dose, will be chosen each month.
The next lottery drawing will be held on Friday, December 10th. Get vaccinated - you could be a winner!
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We are committed to keeping our residents and community safe. The below schedule highlights locations throughout the City until January 18th. Some locations will also provide flu shots. Review for the location convenient for you and your family. |
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REMINDER | Holiday Lights Event Tomorrow
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THE SENIOR CENTER IS OPEN |
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#LOVEPLAINFIELD | #AMOPLAINFIELD
SPOTLIGHT
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Welcome to the City of Plainfield! Our annual Fall Newsletter has been mailed to all households. To view click the below image.
#LovePlainfieldNJ #LovePlainfield #AmoPlainfield
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UNION COUNTY: Enjoy the Holidays with the Soulful Sounds of Terron Brooks and the Company Men
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Free drive-up concert will observe COVID-19 safety guidelines; registration is open now. |
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The Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to announce that registration is now open for “A Soulful Holiday Show” with Terron Brooks and The Company Men. The free concert will be held on Saturday, December 11 at the campus of the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools, 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
The event is free of charge but registration is required online in advance at www.ucnj.org/reserve. Only one registration is needed per car. Please note that a limited number of registrations are available, on a first come, first served basis.
“Holiday concerts are a staple of the season, and the drive-in format enables everyone to enjoy the show in a safe, comfortable environment,” said Union County Commissioner Board Chairman Alexander Mirabella.
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FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE:
Governor Murphy and Legislative Leadership to Allocate $700 Million Towards Debt Avoidance and Investment in Health Care Institutions
and Economic Growth
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TRENTON, NJ - Building on his commitment to create a stronger, fairer, and more resilient post-pandemic New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy and legislative leadership agreed to allocate nearly $700 million to stimulate economic growth and improve public health. The funding will allocate $435 million from the New Jersey Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund (P.L.2021, c.125) and $262.6 million from the American Rescue Plan’s State Fiscal Recovery Fund. The proposals were sent from the Department of the Treasury to the Joint Budget Oversight Committee (JBOC) for their approval of the funds.
“This proposal will allow us to responsibly fund capital construction and continue using federal dollars for one-time, transformative investments in our residents, communities, and infrastructure,” said Governor Murphy. “I am grateful to my colleagues in the Legislature for their commitment to help us build a stronger, fairer, and more resilient post-pandemic New Jersey for all.”
The following are the proposed capital construction projects to be supported by the New Jersey Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund:
- NJ Wind Port and Related Port Infrastructure: $345 million
- Rowan University School of Veterinary Medicine/Cooper Medical School: $90 million
Funds for the Wind Port and related projects will be used by the Economic Development Authority, the Department of Transportation, and the South Jersey Port Corporation.
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FROM THE WHITE HOUSE:
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Reforms to Increase Equity and Level the Playing Field for Underserved Small Business Owners
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The federal government is the largest purchaser of goods and services in the world, buying everything from software and building construction to financial and asset management—making its procurement a powerful tool to advance equity and build wealth in underserved communities. Despite this, less than 10 percent of federal agencies’ total eligible contracting dollars typically go to small disadvantaged businesses (SDB), a category under federal law for which Black-owned, Latino-owned, and other minority-owned businesses are presumed to qualify. Moreover, while women own roughly 20 percent of all small businesses economy-wide, less than 5 percent of federal contracting dollars go to women-owned small businesses.
Increasing federal spending with underserved businesses not only helps more Americans realize their entrepreneurial dreams, but also narrows persistent wealth disparities. According to new analysis from the White House Council of Economic Advisers, based on data provided by the Small Business Administration (SBA), differences in business ownership account for 20 percent of the wealth gap between average white and Black households.
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Issue or Concern ? Report it |
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Mayor Adrian O. Mapp and the City of Plainfield are committed to making it as easy as possible to report concerns in our city. To that end, we've partnered with REPORT IT, which is now live in Plainfield and ready to be used as an important supplemental reporting tool.
Report it makes community reporting easier than ever! Residents and visitors can download the app by scanning the barcode above or by going to your phone's app store. Your reports will be submitted to the appropriate city department, and the city will work to resolve the issue or complaint.
You have the power to be the eyes and ears of our city! Your reports can greatly increase the quality of life in Plainfield. Let's work together to keep our city safe- If you see it, say it with Report It.
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As we navigate these uncertain times please know that everyone at City Hall is working to ensure that you are safe, secure and healthy. If you need anything addition please contact us at 908.753.3000
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Please have family and friends sign up to receive these important weekly updates. They can sign up by calling 908.753.3015 or emailing communications@plainfieldnj.gov
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One Plainfield. One Future |
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