The Trenton Times published the following article on April 17, 2013. To read the full article, click here.

Memorandum requires Trenton to make changes in order to receive transitional aid

By Erin Duffy/The Times of Trenton 
on April 17, 2013 at 7:25 PM, updated April 17, 2013 at 7:50 PM

TRENTON — A new agreement tied to a $25.4 million state aid award for Trenton will require the city to work on increasing parking collections and enforcement, and to give the state documents on hiring, mayoral appointments, legal settlement and any penalties imposed by state and federal agencies.

The state Department of Community Affairs today released a new Memorandum of Understanding that city officials have agreed to adhere to as a condition of the latest annual transitional aid award, which the city needs in order to balance its budget.

The focus of the memorandum has changed since last year, when the previous agreement put the DCA in charge of finding and vetting capable department directors for the city. The agency had previously rejected some candidates proposed by Mayor Tony Mack and criticized the qualifications of some of his top staffers.

This year, with a cohort of DCA-approved directors installed in City Hall, the state has turned its attention to improving Trenton’s parking system and requiring the city to hand over more information on topics ranging from Open Public Records Act complaints to any city court settlements or judgements exceeding $100,000.

The memorandum, which covers the period through June 2014, was signed by Mack, business administrator Sam Hutchinson, City Clerk Leona Baylor and Thomas Neff, director of the DCA’s Division of Local Government Services. Mack did not respond to e-mailed requests for comment.

The DCA did not answer a question about whether the new requirements apply only to the city or to all municipalities receiving transitional aid, but several provisions appeared specific to Trenton.

One condition requires the city to develop minimum skill requirements for new members of the Lafayette Yard Community Development Corp., the public board overseeing the city-owned, money-losing Trenton Marriott hotel.

Another calls for the city to work with the Trenton Parking Authority and “competent professionals with parking management experience” to create a plan to increase revenues from parking garages and metered spots and to improve the city’s fragmented oversight of public parking.

“This study is necessary to address a currently inefficient situation whereby multiple government agencies are involved in parking matters and the redundancies have resulted in: poor revenue collection by the municipality from metered spaces and nonfunctioning or obsolete meters; inadequate enforcement by the city of parking regulations, and irrational capital planning and management with respect to the municipality with respect to parking needs,” the memorandum says.

The Trenton Parking Authority and the city’s Bureau of Traffic and Transportation oversee different aspects of city parking.

Under a new section on reporting requirements, the city must supply Neff with a list of all city employees, their positions, salary and date of hire and identify employees who were directly appointed by the mayor.

Trenton also has to notify the state of any decisions, reports, complaints, investigations or penalties handed down by state or federal regulatory agencies like the Department of Labor, Civil Service Commission and the Public Employment Relations Commission.

The city has been on the losing end of several Civil Service complaints over the past year, with the commission ordering the the reinstatement of several laid-off employees who alleged they were fired and replaced by unqualified friends of Mack.

Trenton will have to provide copies of any settlements or judgements totaling more than $100,000, a requirement that could stem from several hefty payouts the city has made to settle lawsuits. They include a $1.3 million lump sum settlement approved in November for a cancelled courthouse project.

The city is also asked to provide any city records, including bill lists, vouchers and active litigation documents.

The state has eased the reins on some contracting requirements, allowing the city to enter into contracts with vendors previously approved by the DCA without having to go back to the state for permission again.

Council must vote on the memorandum before it goes into effect.

Contact Erin Duffy at (609) 989-5723 or eduffy@njtimes.com