"There is No Greater Lie Than A Truth Misunderstood by Those Who Hear It "

Op-Ed Piece in Courier-News, Friday July 16, 2010

I am writing this letter in my official capacity as Plainfield 3rd Ward Councilman. I have been told by no fewer than seven people during the course of the last month that the Recreation Division, under the leadership of Mr. Dave Wynn, has been misinforming the public about my support for recreation in the city of Plainfield. Mr. Wynn has been telling members of the public that I want to do away with recreation for our kids. Mr. Wynn brought several of his friends and supporters to the last agenda fixing session of the Council to echo his preposterous accusation against me. As this completely false accusation was being leveled against me, Mr. Wynn was seen hiding, timidly, in the hallway of City Hall. Clearly, he had sent these individuals to do his bidding in an attempt to give legs to the deliberately false and misleading information he had been disseminating in an attempt to damage my name and reputation.

His modus operandi is to hurt our kids, lie about it, cause others to lie about it to as many people as would listen, and then accuse me of the dastardly deed. This is Mr. Wynn’s defense mechanism when under pressure for failing our kids. In fact, all of my efforts and comments have been aimed at protecting the recreational interest of our kids from an unreasonable, unyielding, and uncooperative “Superintendent of Recreation.” His scapegoating is designed solely to deflect the criticism that he brought upon himself by his refusal to cooperate with the Queen City Baseball League. He is now trying to protect his skin from a council that wants to be fair to all city kids. Hence he wants to blame me for his misdeeds.

Since October of last year until a few weeks ago, the Recreation Division, under Mr. Wynn’s leadership, created such a hostile environment that a significant number of our children were denied the opportunity to enjoy Plainfield’s recreational facilities to the fullest. Locks were changed at the eleventh hour without notice, access to bases was denied, resulting in the cancellation of games, bases were stored in the ladies room, creating unsanitary conditions for females, lighting controls were manipulated causing games to end prematurely, and the QCBL was prevented from using the Rock Avenue facility even when the Division of Recreation team was playing an away game and the Rock Avenue field was not in use—such were the litany of issues created by Mr. Wynn.

It is my firm belief that the Superintendent of Recreation should be creating more recreational opportunities for our children—not less. The Superintendent should be doing everything possible to work with all parents and volunteers in an environment that is harmonious and conducive to maximum recreational opportunities. Mr. Wynn should never allow disagreements with adults to cause our kids to become victims of an act of sabotage that would send them home in tears.

I have long been an advocate for recreation and our children and I have always supported every opportunity to provide more wholesome recreational activities. I will continue to fight to create an environment where favoritism, self interest and self preservation will not be tolerated. It is for this reason that I have been extremely supportive of the QCBL and so outspoken in opposition to the irrational and vindictive behavior of Mr. Wynn, who seems hell-bent on punishing some of our children because of personal gripes with some of the QCBL volunteers.

Consequently, I suggested that if Mr. Wynn isn’t willing to allow unfettered access by all of our children to all of Plainfield’s recreational facilities, then we as elected officials must be willing to address the problem in an effort to ensure that all of Plainfield’s kids have maximum access. If Mr. Wynn isn’t willing to be fair, his role should be turned over to a recreation commission made up of citizens who can better deliver more recreation to all of our kids in an impartial manner. I am for more recreation, not less; I am for resolving the conflicts that have plagued the 2010 baseball season; I am for opening up all of our recreational facilities in cooperation and collaboration with parents and volunteers who want to seek wholesome opportunities for our kids.

Therefore, I call upon Mr. Wynn to spend more time working with all of our parents, volunteers, and with the QCBL, and less time spreading falsehoods. The poisonous venom that has been put out in the community can easily be disproved by anyone who has attended the city council meetings over the past several months, or who has had an opportunity to view the tapes on PCTV. Never once have I advocated against recreation; rather, at every turn, I have condemned Mr. Wynn’s unbending attitude towards the QCBL, and have spoken out very forcefully in support of baseball and recreation. I hope that Mayor Robinson-Briggs will call Mr. Wynn to task for knowingly, intentionally, and recklessly mischaracterizing my position regarding recreation for our young people. Someone* once said, “There is no greater lie than a truth misunderstood by those who hear it.”

Regards,

Adrian

*William James