The Trenton Times published the following article on June 28, 2013. To read the full article, click here.

Trenton officials ask council to find room for rehires

By Jenna Pizzi/The Times of Trenton 
on June 28, 2013 at 7:40 AM

TRENTON — City department heads, struggling to manage with a scaled-back work force after 2010’s mass layoffs, have asked city council to find some room in the city budget to hire back a few employees.

Last night Business Administrator Sam Hutchinson asked the council for funding for three hires: a personnel officer who would oversee the city’s hiring, a purchasing assistant and a purchasing clerk.

City officials weren’t immediately sure where they would find the money in the budget to fund the positions, though they acknowledged that Hutchinson needed the additional help.

“Where are we going to get the money from?” asked budget committee chairwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson.

“I don’t know,” answered Elana Chan, the city’s budget officer.

Hutchinson also asked council to continue funding the $105,384 annual salary for Nathaniel Jones Jr, the embattled former director of the city’s municipal court, as an attorney for his office.

Jones, originally appointed by Mayor Tony Mack, had been placed on administrative leave from his post as court director after officials learned that he had pleaded guilty to a second-degree assault charge in Maryland in 2009.

Last night, Hutchinson said Jones, who was moved to his office in September last year, will assist with labor relations in the city.

A number of contracts are coming up for renegotiation this year. The firefighters have already begun negotiations.

Hutchinson said he “worked with” the state Department of Community Affairs, which oversees city affairs, to create the position for Jones. Jones does not have the job protection that a civil service worker would have, but as a Mack appointee it is necessary to pay him, Hutchinson said.

“It is an at-will position,” Hutchinson said. “When the mayor leaves that position will go away.”

Council President Phyllis Holly-Ward said she would not support allowing Hutchinson more money in his budget to hire additional employees for the purchasing department. She said this was because she was concerned that the administration would leave the positions open and spend the money on something else, without the city council’s authorization.

She recalled that for this fiscal year the council had provided money for several hires, including a personnel director, but some of the money went instead to fund the Heritage Days festival set to take place this weekend. Council had specifically not wanted to spend money on the festival this year.

Council also reviewed the budget for the mayor’s office, but Mack was not in attendance.

Hutchinson said he was not very familiar with the budgetary needs for Mack’s office, but defended keeping much of the funding intact for next year.

Public Works Director Luis Mollinedo is requesting that council fund two more positions — a HVAC mechanic and an electrician — which Mollinedo argued would save the city money because they would not have to hire outside contractors for such work.

The council will continue with budget hearings next week, while Chan drafts a temporary budget for the next fiscal year which begins on July 1.

The budget is expected to be presented to council in the fall.