Trenton council again snubs school district for funding
TRENTON >> City council has sent Trenton public school officials to the principal’s office twice.
And both times, the district has left with nothing but a scolding.
On Thursday, city council unanimously rejected a $3.5 million bond ordinance for capital improvements to various district school buildings and grounds. In June, the governing body defeat a similar ordinance that was $400,000 less than the new one.
A common criticism by officials was the district provided little to no information about the projects.
“This is a disgrace for them coming to us for this money,” said Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson, who previously stated the district spends money like drunken sailors. “We need to have serious conversations with the school board as to what they’re doing with the money.” Some council members were even mystified that the ordinance was up for final adoption. Somehow, the $3.5 million ordinance miraculously flew under the radar last month.
At the meeting last month, five council members, excluding Councilmen Alex Bethea and George Muschal who were absent, gave initial approval for the funding.
“I don’t know how it came back,” a bewildered Bethea said. “This was voted down. The numbers changed. They changed over night. They go up, they go down. What’s up with that? Let’s defeat this once, again and for all.”
Council President Zachary Chester initially suggested tabling the measure until school official could appear before the body.
But resident Billy Hayes strongly recommended that the board take action.
“They should have been here today,” Hayes said. “If the Board of Education was concerned about this ordinance, they would have been here.”
There is a growing sentiment in the community that the school district is operating poorly following consecutive years of massive layoffs, school closings and privatization. Last week, the Trenton chapter of the NAACP called out civil rights violations in the district.
Back in November, the district requested $8.1 million from city council for the capital improvement projects, but reduced that amount to $3.1 million following an appearance by school Business Administrator Jayne Howard. Council also questioned how the district could reduce the amount requested so drastically.
“Had we not questioned those ordinances, you would have been approved for $8 million, when in fact you’re need was $3,525,000, and that concerns me,” CaldwellWilson said at the May meeting. “One thing we don’t need to do is to be overspending and over bonding because it is a debt.”
The Trenton Board of School Estimate, which is comprised of the mayor, and school board and city council members, approved a $3.5 million capital projects budget for the district in April. But a bonding ordinance must still come before council to secure the funding.
District officials have complained they have not received any funding for capital projects from the city since 2012.
To pour more salt on the wound, city council also voted down a $40,000 grant to provide nursing services to non-public schools that the district should be responsible for paying.
The city’s health department has been ponying up the money for years.
“It’s also a disgrace that they’re asking us for money to pay for two charter schools for a nurse when the law mandates that they provide nursing staff,” Caldwell-Wilson said.
District officials did not return a request seeking comment.