Plainfield Has Health Advisory Consortium, Did You Know This?

For several weeks I had wondered about Plainfield having a Health Advisory Commission, or Board, or Committee, or whatever.  I can't remember now why I wanted to find out in the first place but thanks God for e-mail the answer to a question I can't remember finally came!

Call it serendipity as the answer came the day after the Muhlenberg/JFK meeting and this morning I finally got around to stop by city hall to gather the last piece of information that would complete the picture of what is what when it comes to Plainfield having a group of people looking into the health of the community.  (CAG -Community Advisory Group- seems was just assembled to look after Muhlenberg/JFK)

As I said, I can't remember what prompted the question but the question to Plainfield's City Clerk was whether the city had a health commission, after all we have all sorts of commissions.

A. Jalloh, Plainfield's City Clerk, replied with the copies of two resolutions that were used to appoint 6 people to the "Plainfield Health Advisory Consortium".  One resolution dates from May 9, the other from November 21, and both are from last year, 2011.

As it is, these six appointments are the very first appointments to what it is a state mandated health advisory body.  Why there were no appointments on the past is now history, the important thing is that now the city is moving into complying not only with a state mandate but also with the City Charter.

The Plainfield Health Advisory Consortium seems to have a broad range of advisory powers, what is more, if utilized right the Consortium can be a powerful tool to address a good number of issues that need the attention of the city, the county, the state and even the federal government. 

The Plainfield Health Advisory Consortium had its first meeting early this month and will meet again in April.  Meetings, for what I have been told, are open to the public.

Why is this important?  With the Muhlenberg/JFK campus' future being talked about right now it is imperative that the city starts looking into what health needs the community has and how we are going to address them. 

Before fears and rumors start going around about the charge of this group, please remember that the Plainfield Health Advisory Consortium is a state mandated group that is regulated by legislation.

While I am still amazed that Plainfield didn't have a local health board until now I am surely glad that steps are being taken now to have the city comply and that information on this matter has been so easily obtained.  I have made all the provided information to me available to you HERE. 

Now, if I can only remember why I asked about this on the first place!