The Trenton Times published the following article on October 22, 2013. To read the full article, click here.
Hearing to be held on lawsuit demanding speedier repairs to Trenton Central High School
By Jenna Pizzi/The Times of Trenton
on October 22, 2013 at 7:08 PM, updated October 22, 2013 at 7:10 PMTRENTON — A judge will hold a court hearing tomorrow on a lawsuit demanding speedier repairs to 81-year-old Trenton Central High School, and consider a request to throw out the suit from the state agency in charge of planning and funding the work.
The state Schools Development Authority, which is responsible for major projects in the poor districts, has asked Judge Douglas Hurd to dismiss the suit filed by the school board in August, which claims the SDA is taking too long to make repairs to the aging school building.
The board argues that the SDA’s timeline for repairs, which calls for exterior fixes to start next summer and interior repairs in the summer of 2015, is too slow. The SDA made the renovation plan public this summer and estimated the job could cost $23 to $28 million.
Students, teachers and staff have complained about poor conditions such as leaking roofs, warped floors, asbestos and mold, and the school board has argued the building is a threat to their health.
In its motion to dismiss the suit, the SDA said the school board did not administratively appeal the agency’s decision on how the repairs would be made. The agency also argued that if the judge does not dismiss the case or refer it to an administrative appeal, the matter should be taken up by the appellate court