What is wrong here?

Two blocks.

I walked two blocks of downtown at 6:00 pm. 18:00 hours.

Here's what I saw:

A male standing in a parking lot urinating.

Two men sleeping on separate benches outside of a public building (where, by the way, they seem to spend most of the day, everyday).

A fourth man standing at the corner of the same public building...urinating.

Is it any wonder people don't want to come to Trenton to shop, work or for entertainment (OK, what entertainment? we haven't had a movie theater for decades and the restaurants are closing...but I digress).

When did we accept third world behavior as politically correct for those unfortunate enough to be homeless, mentally ill, or both?

Why is it OK for people to constantly loiter around public buildings? Some panhandle, some outright hustle you for money by opening doors or trying to sell you day old newspapers and we accept this.

Of course by giving money, we encourage this behavior just as by ignoring it we allow it to grow.

Do you see this in our suburbs? No.

Do you see this at "the malls?" No.

Why...because it is not tolerated by the powers that be.

Why do we tolerate it in Trenton? The County Seat. The State Capital. One of the most historic and interesting cities in the country.

And we allow, out of some distorted sense of political correctness, this kind of activity to go on day after day after day.

Anyone who thinks that the (hoped for) new residents of the Broad Street Bank Building will tolerate this is fooling themselves.

Same with the tenants for the proposed Trenton Town Center Development.

Making Trenton more attractive to visitors and residents isn't just about putting a positive spin on crime numbers or touting big marquee development proposals.

It's going to take an concerted effort to clean the streets of litter, debris and unacceptable behavior like public urination, panhandling and perpetual loitering.

It's time that our City Officials, the Courts, the Social Service Agencies, the Police and the People find a legal and humane way to discourage this type of behavior.

Let's Finish What We've Started

Trenton’s model Daylight/Twilight School is being constructed on East Hanover Street opposite the historic Trenton Friends Meeting House. The complex will utilize newly constructed buildings to connect two existing ones. The architecture will tie together in a harmonious way that gives the appearance of an intact city streetscape.

But it’s not just how the complex looks that is so good.

For those not familiar, the Daylight/Twilight school is a “non-traditional” (the term preferred by Principal Bill Tracy) institution that allows individuals to complete their high school education after an “interruption.” The idea is that regardless of the reason for the interruption, the students can take this opportunity to more than just pass a GED (General Education Development) test, but can actually get that High School Diploma. For the most part the returning students, who can range in age from 16 to 60+ are considered highly motivated to successfully complete the program despite the obstacles that life throws in their path.

The new facility will bring together under one roof the courses, faculty and students from the two existing campuses in the West and South Wards respectively. Operating with morning and afternoon sessions each day, the school will accommodate roughly 1000 students per 10 week session. Another 400-500 can be served through the on-line school with testing being conducted at the downtown location.

The proximity to Mercer County Community College’s Kearney campus will hopefully allow students graduating from Daylight/Twilight to seamlessly move into college level courses.

In putting together the Daylight/Twilight school puzzle, various vocational education pieces will be fit into the picture in order to prepare graduates for real jobs in the real world. This is perhaps the most exciting facet of the model school being built.

For some time now activists and advocates have decried the lack of honest to goodness vocational training in our city schools. With no way to prepare the skills needed to succeed in the real world, is it any wonder that so many of our Trenton’s youth forsake their education for the streets. Bringing real job skill development and training into the mix for the students who are returning from their educational hiatus is smart.

Shouldn’t we consider doing the same for traditional high-school students with an eye towards preventing them from leaving the system to begin with?

Going, Going, Gone

Marsilio's Resaurant, a Chambersburg icon for over half a century will be closing later this year. Reportedly catering will be provided from the Roebling Avenue location and a restaurant will open in a hotel in Hamilton, Twp. The owner wants to spend more time with his family and play more golf and tennis.

Michelle Lorie's cheesecakes, another of Trenton's gastronomic landmarks, will be closing in a couple of weeks so the the owners may pursue other interests.

We all know that the food business is one of long hours and success is dependent not just upon excellent product and service, but the fickle tastes of the public. So maybe the time for these two businesses has "passed." Maybe they have traveled the arc of their business lifecycle and change is inevitable.

These are but two examples of longtime, locally owned businesses that the city is losing. Sal de Forte's restaurant closed and moved to Ewing. Tattoni's closed/sold and although Lou has been on hand for a transition period, will most likely reopen elsewhere.

And it's not just restaurants. Trenton Auto Body and Auto Glass abruptly closed up and left town last year. Martha Press's Gallery on Lafayette, after navigating the treacherous initial five year period of any small business closed and relocated to Bordentown.

We, the people of Trenton and our elected representatives need to stop and take a reality check. Are we doing or not doing something(s) that are contributing to the exodus of local businesses from the scene?

Support: do we make every effort to spend our dollars locally or do we chase "bargains" that ultimately cost us more because the money leaves the local economy?

Image: do we take every measure that we can to make sure our properties are neat and tidy and welcoming and that all codes and laws are enforced for the maximum benefit of the majority? Do we deport ourselves in civil, humane and courteous ways that welcome and encourage people to come to Trenton, linger and spend their money here?

Accountability: do we hold ourselves and our public officials accountable for maintaining a safe and orderly city that welcomes visitors and businesses?

Unless we can answer all of those questions in the affirmative, we are going to see more of our treasured businesses withdraw from the city.

Until we can answer all of these questions in the affirmative, we are not doing enough to ensure Trenton's revitalization.

The Director Speaks But Is Anyone Really Listening?

I was only able to be at the City Council Conference session for an hour last night but that was enough.

From what I heard, plus what I read in this morning's papers we got the usual flood of verbal absurdities from Police Director Joseph Santiago.

First, on the funeral detachment...it took four days to come up with the cover story that the attending officers requested to go to the funeral and have now requested to take administrative leave for that day so as not to burden the taxpayers. This, we are told, was done out of respect.

Well, what about respect for those taxpayers? Even if, as the Director would have us believe, this escort was arranged without his prior knowledge and strictly because the four officers "wanted to go," who authorized the use of multiple city vehicles?

What about respect for the laws of the city of Trenton and a Police Director who doesn't reside here and hasn't for some time!

What about respect for the intelligence and sensibilities of those individuals who can see through the double-speak and blame avoidance clearly enough to ask tough questions but are vilified and criticized for their efforts to understand.

Director Santiago essentially gave the same speech (sermon?) last night that he gave on his previous visit to Council about 6 months ago. Nothing has changed in what he is saying or doing. Nothing has changed in the effectiveness of his tactics.

Alternating between "I am the Trenton Police Department" and "This is not a Police problem..." Director Santiago seems like he wants the "respect," but shirks the responsibility.

Kodak Moment

So, yesterday I dropped off my trusty old Minolta SLR, a couple of flash units and some additional lenses at Trenton Central High School (TCHS). Seems the students in the photography classes there don't have enough equipment to go around so they have to share.

If you've ever taken a photography course, you know that much of the lesson work involves taking pictures and processing film and prints. Can you imagine how difficult it must be to complete an assignment in time to hand off the camera to a classmate and hope that they don't make a mistake that effects the images you captured?

Since so many people are moving from film to digital imaging, a call has gone out from TCHS for donations of working, 35 mm Single Lens Reflex cameras...preferably with some sort of manual operation mode so the students can learn how to manipulate shutter speed and aperature settings for creative impact. This seemed to me like a great idea to augment the stretched to the breaking point resources of Trenton's school district.

It has been some time since I used any of my film camera equipment. I picked up a digital camera a few years back and that was that. Still, I was having a hard time deciding what to do with my old 35 mm gear.

When I received the email asking for equipment to be donated I had a Eureka! moment.

Now I knew what I would do with my equipment. Donate it to the school.

Yes, I'm sad that for the first time in over 40 years I don't own a film camera. I remember the thrill of getting my first SLR and all the adventures my cameras accompanied me on over the years. Although not a great photographer myself, I love the medium and count several excellent practitioners of the art amongst my acquaintences.

Here's hoping that through these equipment donations some Trenton kids will develop an appreciation and love for photography as I have. The equipment is being put to use and it's not taking up space in a closet or (worse) landfill somewhere.

Got some equipment you'd like to donate? Contact Beth Paugh and Trenton Central High School. bpaugh@trenton.k12.nj.us Tell her you heard about this "From the Front Stoop."

Enough Already

Ok, while I hone my prose on a longer screed about the lack of leadership from our absentee Mayor I just have to vent about the latest abuse of "the system."

According to an article in this morning's Times former City Councilman John Ungrady is openly seeking appointment to the Taxi Inspector position. He's able to do this because the position was recently vacated when the City terminated the employee who had held the post for a few years.

Regardless of the legitimacy of the claims that the dismissed provisional employee was not qualified for the position and/or had some performance problems, putting the former Councilman in the position is just wrong. This is nothing more than political patronage and should not be tolerated.

If Mr. Ungrady has any dignity or honor, he will immediately and irrevocably withdraw his expressed interest in the position.

Dysfunctional Family?

I going to take a cue from the literary style of a friend of mine and pose this to any of you who know the situation here in Trenton and care to read/respond to this blog.

What do the following have in common:

A failing school system and a school board that refused to act upon serious allegations of nonfeasance on the part of top level administrators.

The hastened departure of a highly touted Library Director after less than six months in the position.

The resignation of (yet another) Housing and Economic Development Director after much less than a year on the job.

A somewhat secretive non-profit Lafayette Yard Corporation (LYC)that oversees the finances of the City--owned Marriott hotel but is reluctant to operate openly.

The inability or unwillingness of a majority of City Council members to truly represent the interests and needs of the residents and challenge the will of the Administration.

The answer is Mayor Douglas H. Palmer.

Now, some will argue that the Mayor isn't solely responsible for these problems.

They will say the school board and the district professionals are there to ensure that the system works.

It's the Library Board's duty to oversee the hiring and management of the Library system.

The departed Housing and Economic Development Director made his own decision to leave his post is such a short time.

The Lafayette Yard Corporation was created to manage the Hotel and keep it competitive in a tough market.

And City Council was elected by the people of Trenton and the voters can send select new representation in the next election if they are dissatisfied with the representation they receive.

While somewhat accurate, those are rather superficial responses to a very serious problem.

The fact is that the Mayor of the City of Trenton appoints the members of the School and Library Boards as well as the members of the LYC. Department Directors serve at the pleasure of the Mayor. And at least three of the current City Council people hold office in large part because Mayor Palmer endorsed and financially supported their campaigns.

More and more people are taking notice that, despite the offical spin to the contrary, the City is not doing well. Economic development is not happening. Our infrastructure is crumbling. The school system is failing our children and therefor the City as a whole. Our Libraries are underfunded and lack any kind of direction that will put them back in the forefront of the City's Civic life. The Hotel is barely making it and a potential sale has fallen through.

It is time to recognize that Mayor Palmer has ceased to use his position to lead the City of Trenton to a brighter future. While he is off self-promoting himself via his position as head of the US COnference of Mayors, the boards packed with Palmer cronies and his "loyal" appointies in the City Administration are stifling Trenton's progress with their ieffectiveness and lack of true vision. City Hall is "run" by the Mayor's hand-picked Chief of Staff and the Business Administrator. Neither is doing anything to improve the situation in town.

Council appears to lack the will or power to overcome the Mayor's control. The At-Large Candidates were elected largely due to the Mayor's continued blessing and support. The Ward representatives are somewhat at the mercy of the administration's bullying tactics. Make waves and the people of your Ward will suffer.

Maybe it's time to stand up to the bullying and reign in the Mayor. The City will not improve until the bully is put in his place.

Amen!

Trenton's newest City Councilman, the Reverend James Coston, has wasted no time in bringing a new energy to representing Trenton's South Ward. He's not only keeping his word to "work" for his constituents, but he's continuing to keep up a blog he started during the campaign.

Check out his thoughts by directing your browser to http://www.coston2006.com/blog.html

He's not only speaking, thinking and working for the residents of the South Ward, he's bringing a new way of doing business to City Hall.

And you know we need that!

Why the "Front Stoop?"

Here in the Northeastern US, a "stoop" is the small platform leading into a building. In days gone by, neighborhood residents would use their stoops as seating in the communal living room that was their block.

It was from this platform that news was relayed and views were exchanged. From the vantage point of the stoop an eye was kept on the kids playing up and down the street not to mention watching the comings and goings in the neighborhood.

A sense of place, a connection to the community, security all were provided "from the stoop."

With the advent of television, air-conditioning and other incentives to retreat indoors we largely abandoned the stoop in favor of more comfortable, private surroundings indoors. We unplugged from the community and the social fabric started to unravel.

So with this posting I'm launching an attempt to revive the tradition of "the stoop." I'll be mostly musing on items of interest to people in and around Trenton, NJ. But this is the World Wide Web and therefore geography will not restrict topics.

Thanks and keep reading.