Trenton residents shouldn’t need to battle for minor requests
Mike Drago voiced two magical words yesterday during an earlymorning conversation at the Trenton Transit Center — Len Pucciatti.
People who know City of Trenton history can recall the days when Pucciatti headed the Inspections Department. Pucciatti understood people and that’s what makes government work efficiently. The lifetime city resident had answers and on those rare occasions when Pucciatti could not deliver resolution or insight, he made a promise to deliver insights as soon as possible.
Plus, Duewa Edwards-Dixon headed the Office of Community Concerns during Mayor Douglas H. Palmer’s administration. City Council held most meetings inside a conference room. Close quarters produced energy with Edwards-Dixon snapping to attention when a resident voiced a quality of life complaint.
Drago, a resident of Fisher Place, a small street that runs perpendicular to West State St., recently complained about issues regarding signage critical to proper maintenance.
Drago and Elise Young pressured city officials to reinstall signs. While the wheels of justice turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine, Drago had doubts about Department of Public Works Director Merkle Cherry coming through with his promise to put up signs on West State St.
“They put up the signs,” Drago said, pleased but obviously tired from fighting City Hall. “We shouldn’t have to work this hard.”
Exactly. Residents should not have to hold pugilist abilities to have city officials respond to basic needs.
“Go back to the days of the Palmer administration when Len Pucciatti was there. My wife and I worked very well with Len Pucciatti. He got it. He got it done. Sometimes you didn’t know how he got it done. But this (Mayor Eric Jackson) administration, well, actually even the previous one with Mayor Tony Mack has been so dysfunctional.”
Even more dysfunctional since Mayor Jackson announced he had no interest in a second term. Jackson’s around, he attended the Sunshine Foundation of Mercer County Chapter’s “Dreamlift” sendoff at Mercer County Airport on Tuesday but he exudes senioritis, counting down the days when his responsibility to cultivate the public trust, fades in his rear view mirror.
Mayoral candidates fail to understand the value of responding immediately to citizens’ concerns. Their platforms represent disconnects from the reality of city residency. Our quality of life issues may seem unimportant, despite the fact that we make calls for assistance on myriad issues.
The Drago and Young push for help involved a significant amount of trash tossed onto West State St. before wind blows discarded items into a nearby park created and maintained by Fisher Place residents.
Newly installed parking signs should help with street sweeping agendas although rules and regulations mean nothing without enforcement. City officials must follow up with parking enforcement agents delivering tickets to car owners who do not observe laws.
Young voiced appreciation for sign installation although she and other residents delivered their complaints in August.
“This comes after months of emails, several meetings and other discussions,” Young said. “Now that the signs are up, we need enforcement. However, first we need a public notice about the signage followed by time allowed for residents to get used to the new restrictions. I don’t want a bunch of residents to receive tickets. That’s not the objective here.”
While numerous candidates, both mayoral and city council, espouse a belief that the city must hire more police officers, it’s incumbent that Trenton employ more city inspectors who perform their jobs adequately.
Plus, city officials can ill afford to turn their backs on city stakeholders. Major disappointments occur when political leaders fail to hear concerns or fail to act.
A South Broad St. neighborhood faces serious issues that need immediate attention. The 800 block includes a house where city police recently recovered a dead infant, allegedly tossed onto a pile of garbage. People had complained to city officials about constant foot traffic into the house.
Even South Ward Councilman George Muschal joined a chorus of complainers.
“We talked to people about boarding up that property and nothing got done,” Muschal said. “And all that garbage in the back alley? Well, that place was cleaned up just a couple of months ago. It makes me sick to my stomach that we have to keep going back to places. We need to enforce our laws.”
Good government leaders espouse law enforcement whether the conversations involve crime or installation of signs and follow through on assuring residents obey those posted rules.
Trenton needs police walking beats and engaged in the cultivation of productive relationships. Plus, city leaders must not only listen and hear us but they must respond to our concerns.
Despite the disappointments, it’s important that stakeholders of this potentially great city, not give up their fight. A city with such an abundance of apathy needs people willing to stand up for what is right and for what we deserve.