Trenton flooded by complaints, payouts after pipe burst
TRENTON » The mini Hurricane-like flood that ravaged an East Ward neighborhood this summer continues to drain the city’s pocketbook and the reservoir of patience of affected city residents who’ve encountered stumbling blocks trying to repair their homes in the aftermath of the devastation.
Following a Trentonian story last week documenting the struggles the Fleming family has faced since a pipe burst May 6, flooding their basement and displacing them from their home, the newspaper has uncovered other instances of Garfield Avenue residents having similar dealings with city officials acting like penny-pinchers.
Like the Flemings, the newspaper was told of another former Garfield resident, who despite selling the home to another buyer, has been threatened with vacant property fines that could soar into the tens of thousands of dollars if left unaddressed.
The horrors were just as bad for city resident Wilma Woodward, whose 73 Garfield Avenue home was also impacted by the flood. She had to file a tort claim against the city, accused of dragging its feet in getting muchneeded work done on Aime Fleming’s home, before seeing a dime.
Still pending approval of City Council, she is expected to settle her claim for $20,000 for water damage, according to records.
Attempts to reach Woodward on Tuesday were unsuccessful. But in a resolution, the city said it was in its “best interest” to settle the matter hoping to avoid costly litigation and further delays.
The Trentonian has repeatedly asked the Jackson administration for a running total of the costs associated with the May 6 flood, but have yet to provide the information.
City councilwoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, unrelated to Mayor Eric Jackson, has been in constant contact with many of the affected residents and served as an intermediary between them and the administration.
While noting the city switched insurance companies in the aftermath of the flood, causing further delays and headaches for residents, she said it was still inexcusable the Flemings are not back in their water-soaked home, which was condemned after the flood.
“I don’t want to stick a finger,” said Reynolds-Jackson, who has a background in emergency management. “It’s the administration’s responsibility. Four months later, nothing has moved. Now we’re at the height of the expenses. We can’t drop the ball on this. There is no excuse for this type of delay. I’m beyond frustrated that they’re not back in her home.”
The Flemings have been living in a hotel – on the city’s dime – ever since and have encountered miles of red tape, been threatened with $1,250 in abandoned home sanctions and possible court action, and made unfulfilled promises by officials in the Jackson administration.
Only this week, after The Trentonian highlighted the family’s plight, did the city finally send out a mold remediation company to assess the damage to the row home ahead of a Sept. 12 deadline to get the family back under its roof.
The family is unsure of what will happen Sept. 11, when the city is expected to stop footing the hotel bill.
In an interview Tuesday, Fleming, a state Department of Transportation worker who took time off from her job to be at her residence while crews were there, said she hasn’t been given any assurance the city will continue to pay for hotel accommodations if the family home is still uninhabitable.
Fleming disputed that the city has shelled out the $17,000 a city spokesman claimed had been paid in hotel accommodations, contending she has records proving that number is closer to $12,000. She also provided The Trentonian with an invoice from Sonesta Suites in Monmouth Junction that appeared to show the city is behind $8,200 on the bill.
Fleming is now worried officials may yank financial support in retaliation for her venting frustrations in the newspaper. She said she had been given little recourse after the administration repeatedly failed to keep its word, then attempted to portray her as an ingrate who should accept a one-time $15,000 settlement offer extended to her because her home isn’t worth more than $60,000.
Fleming said the lowball settlement offer comes short of covering more than $80,000 in damage the home sustained, including to the structure. She is unsure if it’s safe to live in and refuses to move her family back in until she is satisfied that’s the case.
So frustrated with the process is Fleming that she told The Trentonian she was in the process of retaining an attorney and is considering suing the city.
“This is wrong,” she said. “Ya’ll forced my hand. I shouldn’t have to go through this. It should have been rectified. I will not go quietly.”
She might have a case.
The councilwoman said she had spoken to Fleming numerous times the last four months and found her dependable and “detail-oriented,” explaining Fleming got repair estimates to the city as soon as they asked for them.
Reynolds-Jackson would not address disparaging comments business administrator Terry McEwen made about Fleming last week, when he laid part of the blame at the feet of the Flemings for not getting their home restored.
McEwen accused Aime Fleming of disconnecting herself from the process.
“We can’t do it by ourselves,” the business administrator said.
Fleming fired back at McEwen, calling him a “liar” who was trying to save face for the city.
“You can check my damn phone records. I stayed in contact with them,” she said.
Fleming said McEwen even provided his personal cell phone number. Directly addressing