Thanks to Muhlenberg for 130 Years of Dedicated Service

This past Sunday, I had the privilege of attending a Thanksgiving service at Grace Episcopal Church in Plainfield, where Rev. Carolyn Eklund is the pastor. The service was in recognition of the many people who participated in the “save Muhlenberg” movement for the past several months. Several of the attendees, including Rev. Eklund, Rev. Laverne Ball, and Rev. Jim Colvin and his wife, Rev. Sarah Colvin, lit candles in appreciation for all of the hard work, commitment, time, and effort of those who participated in the struggle to keep the hospital open.

I, too, would like to thank everyone who participated in the marathon effort to keep Muhlenberg operating as a full service hospital. Although the outcome wasn’t what had been hoped for, the efforts of the thousands of people who dedicated themselves to the cause must never be forgotten.

So, on this Thanksgiving day, let’s all pause and give thanks to Muhlenberg for its 130 years of dedicated service to Plainfield and its neighboring communities; let us give a special thanks to all of the ministers who led the battle cry for social justice, and let us thank everyone who participated in the struggle to keep Muhlenberg alive.

Finally, let us say a special prayer for President-elect Barack Obama, who has made universal healthcare one of his top priorities.

And, may we all have a happy, healthy, and safe Thanksgiving Day!

Regards, Adrian

Thank You - "Transformational Change" is My Vision for Plainfield

Tuesday night was a night that we will all remember for the rest of our lives. It was on this night, November 4, 2008, that all Americans came together to deliver the change that the country so desperately needs. The election of Barack Obama will bring about transformational change to our nation and the world. The declaration of his victory on Tuesday night was one of the happiest moments of my life.

I will always treasure the fact that I was on the ballot with the man who will become the 44th President of the greatest nation on the face of the earth. I want to thank each and every one of you for your vote of confidence and for the opportunity to serve our great city yet again.

I ask you to join me as we embark on this journey to bring transformational change to every level of government in the city of Plainfield. Together we will work to provide leadership, services, hope and opportunity to all of our residents and to restore respect and confidence to the halls of city government. I am exited about the opportunity for us to come together to turn our city around.

I thank you for your support this past Tuesday and for the support you will provide in the future. Transformational change is what we need and transformational change is my vision for Plainfield. Let’s move forward together.

Regards,

Adrian

Voters beware

Voters beware—on the eve of this historic election, the poorly and inaccurately-designed weekend mailer from Jerry Green, chairman of the Plainfield Democratic City Committee, may end up confusing voters at my expense. In the glossy, full-sized mailer sent to voters by Jerry Green, my name is listed as being in Row 10A. In actuality, THERE IS NO 10A. My name, Adrian Mapp, is in Row 9A, the last name on the ballot in column A.

This is reminiscent of a similar occurrence in the recent June primary. During the primary, we received calls at our headquarters from 3rd Ward voters asking whether there was a deliberate attempt by the Union County Clerk to confuse voters in the 3rd Ward by placing my name in the same column as one of my opponents, something that, until then, was unheard of in primary elections. My name, along with Olive Lynch's, was placed in Column E, making it appear as if she and I were running on the same slate.

Many of you called our campaign office last spring with questions as to why this unprecedented and confusing ballot was prepared. The answer from Ms. Rajoppi was that there was not enough room on the ballot. Please note that the current ballot has many more columns than the primary. Let us be vigilant to make sure that this strange and unprecedented inconsistency does not emerge on future Plainfield ballots.

Fortunately, however, voters in Plainfield were (and are) far too smart and sophisticated about the ballot process. The Secretary of State, Nina Mitchell Wells, the official in charge of elections in the state of New Jersey, has herself stated, “Go to the polls with the utmost confidence that your vote will be counted.”

Plainfielders as well as all other Union County residents should rest assured with the knowledge that the Secretary of State will be called in to monitor any future ballot inconsistencies.

So, please note, 3rd Ward voters: my name is the last name on the ballot in column A, so please cast your vote for me as your 3rd ward councilman. Let local leaders know that you cannot be fooled or misled.

In the 3rd Ward, the local Democratic candidates running with Barack Obama and Joseph Biden (1A) are:

Annie C. McWilliams 8A
Adrian Mapp 9A

Polls are open from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm!

Regards,

Adrian