Updated 6/19 @ 12:32 AM EST

We thank the various community members who have used OPRA requests to gain access to these public records. Here are the purchase orders we have to date that identify the travel expenses for the Oakland, California NFBPA conference. At this point we are not certain if other purchase orders exist; however, the information below indicates this trip cost ratepayers/taxpayers well over $30,000.

09-00295 NFBPA Forum 2009 - $4413.38

09-00096 NFBPA Registration Fee - $5676.00

08-01724 NFBPA Hotel - $6257.00

09-00203 Airfare for NFBPA - $4269.39

09-00579 Travel Allowance for Albert Dixon - $500.00

09-00578 Travel Allowance for Thomas Robinson - $700.00

09-00527 Travel Allowance for Lisa Casey - $250.00

09-00528 Travel Allowance for Reno Wilkins - $375.00

09-00303 Travel Allowance for Carol Brokaw - $980.00

09-00304 Travel Allowance for Alex Toliver - $980.00

09-00305 Travel Allowance for Eugene Dudley - $980.00

09-00306 Travel Allowance for Tracey Brown - $980.00

09-00307 Travel Allowance for Eric Watson - $1120.00

09-00308 Travel Allowance for David Ervin - $875.00 (PO says VOIDED)

09-00309 Travel Allowance for Harold Mitchell - $980.00 (PO says VOIDED)

09-00310 Travel Allowance for Dollie Hamlin - $700.00

09-00311 Travel Allowance for Lana Carden - $700.00

09-00312 Travel Allowance for Erin Donnelly - $375.00

09-00313 Travel Allowance for Howard Smith - $500.00 (PO says VOIDED)

09-00526 NFBPA Travel Arrangements for Lisa Casey and Reno Wilkins - $936.00

 

 

Updated 5/22 @ 5:02 PM EST

PMUA has not been forthcoming with OPRA requests. We have and will continue to file complaints with the GRC regarding PMUA's denial of access to government records. PMUA - If you have nothing to hide, why don't you release the copies of the purchase orders requested more than 20 days ago under the Open Public Records Act?

 

Updated 5/6 @ 11:06 PM EST

PMUA has not been forthcoming with OPRA requests. We have and will continue to file complaints with the GRC regarding PMUA's denial of access to government records. PMUA - If you have nothing to hide, why don't you release the copies of the purchase orders requested more than seven business days ago under the Open Public Records Act?

 

Updated 5/6 @ 12:22 AM EST

Purchase orders to be published as soon as we obtain them.

 

Updated 5/3 @ 5:17 PM EST

We are still investigating and substantiating additional facts that were sent to us. However, we can't yet confirm if any PMUA official has boarded Continental flight #1469 from Las Vegas to Newark. We hope to have some additional details as they become available. At the present time, we do not know who paid for the excursion in Las Vegas or for the flight if there was one. This could be misinformation by a different employee at PMUA to jeopardize our credibility. Time will tell. Quite frankly, it doesn't matter if Las Vegas did or didn't happen. The fact that PMUA could and would send the staff listed below to California for a workshop indicates that the commissioners don't understand Plainfielders struggles.

 

Updated 5/2 @ 12:38 AM EST

We are investigating and substantiating additional facts that were sent to us. Thank you X for the tip. We hope to post concrete details about this information as they develop.

 

Updated 5/1 @ 12:17 AM EST

On 4/30, a different PMUA employee confirmed the attendance of PMUA's purchasing agent, Ms. Dollie Hamlin. We are still waiting on PMUA's response about this trip. It is unclear why it remains TOP SECRET.

 

Updated 4/29 @ 11:13 AM EST

We wish to thank PMUA and their webmaster for confirming the attendance of at least two of the seven commissioners. We are certain Plainfield residents will want to know all the details of how this workshop can benefit Plainfielders. Ms. Brokaw and Ms. Brown will be available on Tuesday, May 5th at 7pm at 127 Roosevelt Ave. PMUA has still not issued any statement as to who funded this trip. (www.pmua.info) or our archived page of their site.

 

Updated 4/28 @ 10:13 PM EST

We wish to thank X at PMUA for confirming the attendance of several PMUA executives and commissioners at the conference. We will have more details as they become available.

 

Original posting on 4/26

First we would like to thank the person who sent us the e-mail 4/26 alerting us to this trip.  When we work together as a community we are all better informed.  Because we at DumpPMUA.com have no way of knowing whether this trip was funded by money generated from the collection of fees by PMUA or funded by the individuals who have traveled to Oakland, DumpPMUA.com sent an e-mail to PMUA officials on 4/26 asking for verification and clarification about this trip.  We and our readers are eagerly awaiting their response. We will post any additional information provided by PMUA as soon as we get it.  Click here to read the e-mail we sent.

Here are the facts we have been able to gather so far.  We will not editorialize no matter how tempting it may be.  The NFBPA is the National Forum for Black Public Administrators.  The Forum for 2009 is being held at the Oakland Convention Center in Oakland, California April 25-29, 2009.  NFBPA: "Setting the Gold Standard: Developing, Managing and Sustaining Healthy Communities"  If you would like more details about the forum go to http://www.nfbpa.org and click on Forum 2009 under the Conferences and Meetings.

The Headquarters Hotel for the conference is the Oakland Marriott City Center with room rates listed as $149.  Upon calling the hotel DumpPMUA.com was able to confirm that the following people were either checked in at the hotel or had reservations and were expected to check in.  When calling the hotel they do not tell you who is there from Plainfield, but they will confirm whether an individual is there if you ask for them by name.  When we called, we asked for all of the members of the Board of Commissioners and the executives.  We also asked for some employees.  The following names were listed as NFBPA Plainfield in the hotel’s computer system.  We cannot verify that these individuals are definitely from PMUA, but the names are the same as some members of the Board of Commissioners and PMUA employees.  They are listed in alphabetical order by last name.  It should also be noted that the hotel confirmed there were 14 rooms reserved including 1 suite.  Additionally, upon calling the hotel we were informed that there were other members of this party staying at the sister hotel Courtyard Marriott Oakland Downtown.  DumpPMUA.com was able to confirm that Harold Mitchel (Commissioner) checked in on 4/25.  PLEASE NOTE: It appears that some people listed below may have requested for the hotel to stop sending calls to them. When this happens, it is hotel policy to tell the caller the guest is not with them. We have encountered it a few times since this news broke.

Carol Brokaw (Commissioner) – Checked in 4/24
Tracey Brown (Commissioner) - We were told she checked out when we called 4/26
Lana Carden - Checked in 4/24
Al Dixon - Set to arrive 4/26
Erin Donnelly (Public Information Manager) - Room reserved had not arrived yet
Eugene Dudley (Commissioner) - Checked in 4/24
Dollie Hamlin (Purchasing Agent) - Checked in 4/24
Thomas Robinson (Mr. Watson's Chief of Staff) - Checked in 4/24
Howard Smith - Cancelled Reservation
Alex Toliver (Commissioner) - Checked in 4/24
Eric Watson (Executive Director) - Checked in 4/24
Herbert Weekes - scheduled to arrive 4/24
Duane Young (Comptroller) -Checked in 4/24
 
The registration fee for this forum for non students ranges from $473 to $898 per person.  The registration form also shows additional costs for extras such as luncheons, spa treatments, wine tasting, golf outings, banquet, sightseeing, and shopping.  All the details are available at http://www.nfbpa.org by clicking on Conferences and Meetings, Forum 2009, and then downloading the conference registration form.