Read all about it

Just not on the city's website.

Demonstrating once again how the Palmer administration has totally run amok in Trenton's City Hall, acting business administrator Dennis "I'll Sue You" Gonzalez has declared that certain public documents will not be made available on the city's website.
In an article in this morning's Times Gonzalez suggests that anyone wishing to read the documents come to the city clerk's office and purchase hard copies. Times writer Ryan Tracy closed the article with the following:

Trenton has no plans to post the documents on its website, the city's acting business administrator Dennis Gonzalez said Monday. They are available at the city clerk's office and copies may be purchased there, he said.

This is an interesting statement coming from Mr. Gonzalez since he was in the council conference session when it was suggested these documents be made public and none other than his royal irksomeness Doug Palmer himself said they would be made available on the web.

Do you think Dennis will ask for a retraction from his boss and threaten to sue if he doesn't get it?

Just how screwed up are the priorities at 319 E. State Street?

The city website was ready and able to post a picture and press release of Palmer getting an honorary degree from Hampton University. It was up as early at 6 a.m. Monday, January 26 with the press release dated January 25. At the same time, we have the acting business administrator refusing to publish on the web public documents pertaining to the proposed water utility infrastructure sale.

Blogger Greg Forester commented on this spiraling news blackout in an entry last week. Ironically this post was written on the same day that Palmer made his pledge to those present at the council meeting that the documents would be posted on line.

Was Doug's uncharacteristic promise to publish the documents an effort to mimic President Obama's promise of an open government?

At least South Ward Councilman Coston, working in conjunction with the Trenton Council of Civic Associations, has obtained, scanned and posted the water sale documents on his website. Those interested in reading them can find them here.

Why the secrecy? Why make it difficult for the public to obtain the information on the water deal (or anything of importance)?

If the website is just for polishing Doug's image why are we, the taxpayers, paying for it?

Buddy, can you spare a dime?

We were joyous to witness a verbal slap down of one of the peripatetic panhandlers at the Downtown Post Office this morning.

As is the custom, one of the regulars made his plaintive request for some spare change to a young man who was exiting the facility. The subject of the solicitation turned and faced the requester squarely and answered back in a firm, flat tone, “I don’t give money. Get a job and work like everyone else has to.”

We from the Front Stoop applaud this gentleman’s response and advise the soft touches and bleeding hearts types to follow his lead. There are service agencies aplenty that help those in need. Give your money to them. Every time you honor the request of a panhandler you are encouraging more of the same.

We’re tired of having to run the gauntlet just to conduct business at the post office. Giving money to these individuals only enables them by rewarding them for the bad choices they continually make.

DHP PHD?

Well not quite. But according to the city website, Doug’s alma mater, Hampton University, bestowed an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters upon his royal highness.

Great! Something else to add to his fanciful, fantastical resume while he shops for his next gig.

Maybe, like the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz, the receipt of this honorary degree will suddenly imbue Doug with the common sense and intelligence required to lead the city out of its fiscal mess.

Sadly, we know that won’t happen.

I'd never belong to a club that would have me as a member.

Or a Civic Association of one person.

The recent revelation that Council President Paul Pintella has produced a website for the Paul M. Pintella Civic Association demonstrates that Trenton once again seems to be in the advance guard when it comes to community engagement and activism. We see, too, that the Paul M. Pintella Civic Association is sponsoring some sort of Obama Inaugural event next week. (What happened Paul, didn’t get your ticket to the bash at the Marriot?)

The notion that a person can be a civic association of and unto him or herself is pretty forward thinking.

First, let’s take the term Civic Association. Association by definition has a collective sense about it. Mr. Webster defines an association as “an organization of persons having a common interest.” The key here is the word “persons.” It is plural and that usually denotes more than one.

Other observers have commented on this phenomenon. TrentonKat has an entry about it. Greg Forester has discussed it. And there was some chat about it on the Trenton Speaks forum.

Interestingly, while he may be the first to name a civic association after himself, Paul’s is not the first ‘phantom’ organization to be created in Trenton in recent memory.

Juan Martinez has for years touted himself as the head of the organization “People for the Revitalization Of South Trenton” (PROS). He even launched an unsuccessful bid for the South Ward Council Seat in 2002 from that platform and has trotted out the banner whenever he needed the appearance of a collective in support of his espoused views.

Trouble is, no one that we know of has ever seen a copy of PROS bylaws. No one knows when PROS meets, who the officers of the organization are or who makes up the membership. Rumor has it that at one time membership dues were actually collected from those willing to give them…but no accounting was made of the funds raised or how they were dispersed.

Maybe it occurred at one of the unknown meetings and was reported to the anonymous body by one of the mysterious officers as proscribed in the mythical bylaws.

We fear the Paul M. Pintella Civic Association may operate on the same model.

Trenton rightfully boasts of several active and effective civic associations, not to mention a council of those civic associations, all working for the betterment of their respective neighborhoods and the city as a whole. While they may vary in the formality of their structure and the way they run their meetings, these groups have been successful at stabilizing neighborhoods and keeping city officials accountable…most of the time.

The usurping of the name and/or concept of a “civic association” strictly to further ones personal ambitions is an insult to the people of this city who actually work for positive change. Naming the false association after oneself is the height of conceit and self-aggrandizement. But what else would we expect from the likes of Mr. Pintella.

The members of the Front Stoop Community In Action Coalition for Civic Improvement unanimously vote to repudiate the Paul M. Pintella Civic Association.

He said what?!?!

In yet another example of classic empty rhetoric, the inscrutable Doug Palmer complained about New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine's budget cuts. Decrying the reductions in aid to cities and public school monies, Palmer was quoted in a Trentonian article as saying:

"A lot of what is being done now is just an application of a Band-aid for a serious condition. We need serious spending reform."

Funny words from the man who's faced with laying off people, privatizing the inspections department, reducing library hours and at the same time not reining in spending on things like the take home cars, raises for the city administration and such. And as far as band-aid solutions go...what should we consider the sell off of the city's suburban water distribution infrastructure but a one shot infusion of capital to temporarily ease the pain caused by the profligate ways of Palmer and his cronies?

How about enacting some spending reform of your own, Doug.

Palmer also feels any Federal monies should go right to the cities rather than be passed through the State's hands. Could that be because he knows he can't expect to feed from the hand he has just bitten?

Predictably, Trenton's idiot prince (and presumed candidate for Mayor if/when Palmer leaves), Council President Paul Pintella got his licks in as well. Speaking through the Trentonian's L.A. Parker in the same article, Pintella said:

"Financial problems have forced us to reinvent the way that government operates, but the cuts must be responsible. We must protect the welfare of our residents."

Interesting coming from a man who was criticized for trying to expense a business trip with City Council funds and who has never fully answered the question of the missing Urban League money. Responsible and protective of the residents? Right.

These comments just demonstrate the inability of Palmer or Pintella to grasp the very real situation that the policies of the Palmer administration have put is in. The city is broke, not because of the country's economic situation, but because they have managed to rape and plunder the city to the verge of bankruptcy for 18 years. Now that the federal and state funds are drying up, these two "P's" in a pod are in the pridicament of having to find ways to push the blame onto others.

Just another reason why Palmer must leave now or at the end of his term and Pintella must never be elected to any public office again.

Happy New Year everyone from our front stoop to yours.

Here are some wishes for us all in 2009

We wish that Doug Palmer would stop the charade and tell us when he plans to leave his position as Mayor in the City of Trenton. There is too much at stake for the guessing game to continue. Be straight with us, Doug, stop hedging your bets and tell us exactly what you intend to do and when you intend to do it.

We wish those considering a campaign to replace Mr. Palmer, whether this year or next, would ask themselves a few questions:

Do you now or have you ever held elected office in the City of Trenton before?

Are you a current member of city council?

Have you run for Mayor of Trenton before?

Do you think you can control, deflect or escape from the looming fiscal and organizational collapse of Trenton’s city government in the wake of Doug Palmer’s exit?

Do you believe that your particular age, gender and/or ethnic background is reason enough for you to be elected Mayor?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, save your money and our time and don’t run. You are not what Trenton needs in its next Mayor.

We wish that the electorate of this city would get its act together and think about who it elects locally as well as at all levels of government. It’s time to stop voting for the “first gender/ethnicity” and elect the best possible candidate(s) to lead us out of the mess we are in. Qualifications should include, but not be limited to: general intelligence; quantity of common sense possessed; the ability to communicate clearly with at least a minimum of mispronunciation, grammatical errors, and such; willingness to operate in an open and transparent fashion not beholden to self- or special-interests. It is also time to stop re-electing the same people who have been failing us term after term after term.

We wish that our elected officials, current and future, follow the letter and intent of the laws and ordinances on the books (as in the residency issues of the past year) and not allow themselves to bend or disregard the rules for self-serving reasons.

We wish that the city would adopt a policy of 100% compliance with and enforcement of all ordinances, equally and for everyone. From building codes, to historic preservation; parking and traffic to zoning, the rules must be enforced so that the quality of life in Trenton improves thus making it more attractive for residents and businesses to locate here.

We wish each and every one of you a healthy, joyous and prosperous new year.

State of the City

Palmer heads to Chicago to meet with Team Obama while Trenton slides deeper into depression.

Picking up with last week's denied rumors of an early departure, the Trentonian's L.A. Parker reports Doug Palmer is winging to Chicago to talk urban policy with the President-elect's transition team.

Palmer is quoted in the article as saying, "This is not a job interview."

At the same time, West Ward Councilwoman Annette Lartigue is rumored to be ready to announce her intention to run for the Mayor's seat. Council President Paul Pintella is also allegedly eyeing a run for Mayor. Which makes it hard to believe Palmer's consistent denials that he's job hunting and hoping for an early out from his fifth term as Trenton's mayor.

But such denials are not out of character for the sultan of spin. For years, we've been treated to rosy portraits of Trenton's rebirth in Palmer's annual state of the city addresses which always include promises of great development projects and (last year) more cops on the street.

However, this year's fiscal mess; the layoffs and demotions of city employees (none from the Mayor's office!); and the loss of the Santiago residency case seem to have made Palmer fore go the pomp and irrelevance of the big State of City show and reception afterwards.

Instead, the Palmer machine has tried to place the blame for the city's shortcomings elsewhere while dressing up the Mayoral resume.

We said it last week and we say it again and will continue to say it. While Palmer cannot take sole blame for each and everyone of Trenton's woes, his failed policies and increasing arrogance have contributed significantly to the city's problems. He is not capable of serving in a higher capacity in any elected or appointed position and he certainly is not welcome to continue on here in Trenton.

That, friends, is the true state of the city.

A letter to the President-elect

Dear President Elect Obama,

The rumors and whispers in Trenton are once again suggesting that our long-time Mayor, Douglas H. Palmer, is leaving after the first of the year for one of the many appointments in your administration.

As much as many of us would like to see Mr. Palmer leave here, we do not think he deserves or is really qualified for any position of greater significance. We would hope that you and your staff would not be fooled by the superficial qualities of the expensive suits and crafted resume designed to project the image of a ground-breaking, competent leader.

As a government official Mr. Palmer has been neither effective nor particularly forward thinking. He has presided over a marked decline in New Jersey’s capital city: the population has decreased, the percentage of owner-occupied housing units has decreased, and the per capita income is shamefully low. While at the same time the neighboring communities have grown and prospered (at least in comparison).

The Palmer years have been marked by increased dependence upon financial contributions from the state and federal governments to make ends meet. In fact, some calculate that 80% of the city’s operating cash comes from taxpayers who do not reside in the city.

At the same time, the city owned water utility that serves outlying municipalities as well as Trenton was generating enough of a surplus that Palmer used some of the money to plug holes in the general budget. That is until some of the other towns served by the utility cried foul with the Board of Public Utilities. The Palmer response: raise Trenton water rates to parity with suburban rates so he no longer had to seek state approval of rates and oversight of how the money was spent.

When that didn’t silence the critics a plan was hatched to sell off the suburban water distribution infrastructure, claiming it was too expensive for the city to continue to maintain. Of course, if some of the surplus generated by the utility over the years had been used to maintain and improve the system, it would have been more valuable and perhaps rates could have been stabilized, etc. But then the money wouldn’t have been there for Palmer’s pet personnel and perks.

All the while, Mr. Palmer spent lavishly on cars and drivers for himself, multiple take home cars for city employees who do little more than commute to and from city hall from within the 7.5 square miles of land Trenton occupies, and well-compensated consultants, aides, and special assistants.

Palmer also gave carte blanche to an arrogant and extravagant Police Director who wasted millions of dollars on unneeded horse patrols, new badges, and two new police district buildings. When citizens filed a court challenge to the Police Director’s non-resident status, Palmer wasted hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars unsuccessfully defending his declared right to issue a residency waiver. Not learning the lesson handed down by one superior and three appellate court judges, Palmer turned around and appointed a new police director who also does not meet the same standards of residency that the city administration has itself set in past cases when they’ve removed city employees for non-compliance. This has of course generated another law suit.

And this is typical of the Palmer belief that he is always right. His treatment of subordinates who disagree with him is well documented. In fact, many people pursued and dismissed by the city for non-compliance with its own residency ordinance were treated thusly because they had in some way crossed, disagreed with or displeased Mr. Palmer. The ego is large and the skin incredibly thin for person supposedly dedicated to public service.

When the smile and false charm fail to get Doug Palmer what he wants, he resorts to bullying and strong arm tactics. He has berated private citizens and city council members who’ve publically disagreed with him (so much for lively debate). He uses appointments and public acknowledgement to curry favor and yanks them away when crossed.

Without the healthy campaign bank accounts raised by virtue of his incumbency, (expecting sizable donations from his department directors as well as local developers, businesses, etc.), Palmer would not have been re-elected to a third and most certainly a fourth term. His ability to motivate people and build an organization or movement based purely on personality has waned. He’s never been such a great thinker and change agent that people would follow his lead; nor has he been able to generate much political capital within the Democratic Party beyond that which is attached to his holding public office.

Mr. Palmer hitched his aspirations to higher visibility and greater power to the hopes of Senator Clinton’s political campaign yet he couldn’t even deliver his hometown to her vote tally. Once you became the party’s nominee, he was all about supporting you.

Ask yourself, what had changed? The ability to lift Doug Palmer out of the dark abyss of nearly two decades of a failed administration had passed from Ms. Clinton to you.

We urge you to look long and hard at the real Doug Palmer and not the flashy, pre-packaged, version. Do not trust this man with any sort of important position or responsibility. His capabilities start and end with a big smile and expensive wardrobe.

If you really want to do us a favor, you can take him out of Trenton by investigating his mismanagement of public funds and manhandling of the public trust for the past 18 plus years.

That would be the best thing your team could do for Trenton, NJ

And there you have it

Shrugging off the post-Thanksgiving stupor, Trentonian columnist and Palmer administration confidant L.A. Parker posted a story this morning about Paul Pintella's decision to run for Mayor in 2010.

Those following the local political scene have been supposing and predicting who will run for what in the 2010 municipal elections. Many have long counted Doug Palmer as long gone from Trenton by then. Others have conceded that Palmer wants to be gone, but is hedging his bets and would run again in Trenton assuming nothing "bigger and better" comes along.

Presumably, as Parker points out, Pintella would not decide to run against his mentor. If, as suggested, the current Council President has decided to run it might be an indication that Palmer is not running again no matter what comes (or doesn't come) his way in the way of a "promotion" to a state or national position. (And the consensus around the stoop is that he will not be handed anything his ego would consider worthy---but that is another story).

Most likely, Parker's story is another "trial balloon" being sent up to gauge reaction from gadflies and the public at large. Otherwise why include so many obvious potential contenders and ignore others?

Brace yourselves dear Trentonians. If you thought the recently concluded presidential campaign was a marathon you haven't seen anything. Trenton municipal elections, formerly a sprint of just four and one half months is about to turn into long distance race.

Does he think we are that stupid?

Doug tries to foist Colicelli on council and the city again.

Almost a year ago, Trenton's city council pulled the plug on Barry Colicelli's sweetheart deal with the Palmer administration by not renewing his contract. Now he's back again in a resolution to hire his consulting company to be the city's "Youthstat Coordinator."

Colicelli, you may recall, was a former Newark cop and crony of former Police Director Joe Santiago who for three years or so had a contract with the city to be a special advisor to Mr. Palmer in matters pertaining to the city's gang problem. Colicelli's "Target Law Enforcement and Security Consultants, LLC" was given annual contracts worth just shy of $100,000 plus a car, cell phones, computers and furnished offer in city hall.

Finally, members of city council apparently had their fill of funding the position for an outsider when there must be one or more individuals already on the city payroll who could take on the tasks of this "consultant." Further, there might actually be a resident (or two or three) qualified to do the work.

Fortunately for Colicelli and Palmer, there was never any real look at the fact that the former was paid for work done without a contract in place; from apparently duplicated invoices; and without proper checks and balances from within city hall.

Fortunately for the taxpayers, a majority of council saw that it was their duty to not allow these questionable practices to continue siphoning off serious resources from a cash-strapped city.

Now, not even a year later, Colicelli/Target Law Enforcement is up for another contract with the city. While it is apparently a slightly less valuable contract (not to exceed $71,149), it is still questionable as to whether or not it is a reasonable or required expense.

First of all, we have never gotten a satisfactorily reasoned and explained answer to the question of whether or not we already had people on staff who could perform these duties as part of his/her job?

Second, there are questions about the "bidding process" used to fill this position.

Rumors have swirled for the past few weeks that an equally if not more qualified city resident expressed an interest in this consultant contract...and allegedly for a lower amount...but was passed over in favor of Colicelli.

Doug Palmer must thing we have forgotten what happened not even 12 months ago.

He must also be pretty certain that he has a majority of council votes to approve this contract.

After conducting a caucus on the front stoop, we suggest that the citizens of Trenton let their elected officials know that they will not stand for this type of shady dealing.

Once again, it is incumbent upon the residents to remind Mr. Palmer and city council that we are not stupid or forgetful and that we will not tolerate the administration's cavalier attitude towards spending our money on their whims.

Library Branches Saved...For Now

Palmer plan appears to block citizen efforts on library's behalf.

In a press conference at City Hall this afternoon a plan was announced that would keep the main Trenton library and the four branches open, but with reduced hours for the remainder of this fiscal year and the next one. An exception was granted from the state that would allow the reduction in hours.

Whle this is good news in the short term, there is a disturbing side story.

In announcing various steps to be undertaken to shore up the library's precarious finanical condition, Palmer stated that the Board of the Library is to "create a foundation that will work with and report to the Executive Director and Board to raise signifcant funds for multi-year capital projects as part of the long-term strategic plan." {view the full release here}

Oh no he didn't!

There is already a foundation in the works that has been successfully raising money in no small part because it is independent of the current Board of Trustees.

And the long dormant Friends of the Library group has revived itself and is working to be another, autonomous support agency for the Library.

Both of these groups exist in their current state simply because it has become apparent that the Library board cannot and/or will not carry on it's mandated function in a reliable, transparent and responsible manner.

For Doug Palmer to suggest that the very parties responsible for the mess the library system is in could and should oversee an entity charged with raising substantial funds is dangerously wrong.

At the very least, it is a slap in the face to those who've stepped up, on their own and in spite of the current leadership to support the libraries.

In the worst case scenario, it is yet another attempted power grab by the control hungry Palmer as well as a complete denial of the utter failure of the current library board. A board, don't forget, that includes his sister; is headed by a long-time family friend, and of which every member is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of Despot Doug.

When will Palmer learn to play nice, and fairly, with others so that the city he claims to love can truly progress?

Oh, Deer!

It has been reported that the administration of Doug "Hey, Mister. Can You Spare A Dime?" Palmer will remove the remnants of the deer herd from Cadwalader Park because of the worsening budget crisis.

While the deer paddock has been a sentimental favorite for generations of Trentonians, the collection of rag-tag ruminants is not an example of enlightened 21st Century animal keeping and display. It may be time to let the herd go.

Certainly given the choice between keeping the deer or adding an additional member to the city's police or fire departments; striving to keep the library branches open; or repairing the heating/air conditioning system at one of the Senior Centers, the deer would and should lose.

No one doubts that we are in tough financial times. All reasonable adults understand that cuts have to be made and cherished "institutions" like the Cadwalader Park deer herd may have to go.

Maybe the City should forego the expense of the Thanksgiving Parade (scheduled for Saturday, November 22). The police overtime, the fuel for the vehicles, the cost of setting and collecting the barricades could all be saved and at the same time the city will not be embarrassed by this half-assed and unnecessary display.

The parade, like Heritage Days and the so-called "Jazz Festival," are colossal wastes of resources that do nothing for the city except drain money better spent elsewhere.

Let's get real.

Mr. Palmer likes to speak about everyone having to cut back; having to give up something. Yet it is always the public who has to give up something, never Doug.

Maybe he should take his own advice.

How about it, Doug?

Let's give up on Heritage Days and ask the sponsor to give that money towards the libraries.

Let's stop robbing from the Recreation budget to cover the river of red ink the "Jazz Festival" hemorrhages each year.

How about you give up your drivers/security detail and cut your bloated administrative staff. Take a 10% pay cut as Mayor Nutter is doing in Philly.

You do that, then come see us about the deer herd.

Ain't too proud to beg

Palmer pleads case for more handouts from Feds

There he goes again.

Trenton's own Doug Palmer was in Washington yesterday crying poor and asking for the federal government to help city's like Trenton get over their current financial crisis.

Citing "domino" effect trickle down from the mortgage and Wall Street situations, Palmer was at the front of Uncle Sam's Soup Line, hat in hand asking,

"Please, sir. May I have some more?"

Commodore Palmer might have a better chance of getting some help if he hadn't run the city's ship aground with two decades worth of mismanagement.

With the admittedly short funds available to anyone anywhere, why would a rational, reasoned Congress hand over wheelbarrow loads of money to a wasteful and imprudent despot like Palmer?

It's been said before and it will be repeated endlessly until the message gets through: come home, stop playing games with library budgets, cut the fat and waste from your administration and get this city back on course. Then, Doug, maybe people will try to lend a hand.

And remember this, Mr. Palmer, the saying is:
I'm from the government. I'm here to help.
not...
...I am the government. I'm here to help myself.

Another member of Commodore Palmer’s crew is leaving the sinking ship.

Posting on NJ.com tonight confirmed rumor that had been swirling all day.

Trenton Business Administrator (BA) Jane Feigenbaum has announced she’s leaving to take the same position in Perth Amboy starting in January.

Feigenbaum’s tenure in Trenton has been marked by interesting financial ideas, including the proposed sell off of the outlying distribution system of the City Water Utility in order to partially fill a potential $26 million budget gap; even though the sale of water to suburban customers generated enough of a surplus in past years to augment Trenton’s operating budget.

Interestingly, Feigenbaum is headed to Perth Amboy, a city currently plagued with its own budget shortfall and an investigation into the prior administration. She apparently beat out her own assistant, Dennis Gonzalez, for the position there. Gonzalez was rumored to be seeking a position in Perth Amboy a few months ago.

As a consolation, Trenton’s Assistant BA will be bumped up to “Acting” BA. Justifying his choice for Acting BA, Palmer claims that Dennis Gonzalez has “done outstanding work in every job he has performed.”

Does that include threatening a citizen for questioning his effectiveness when he headed the Housing and Economic Development Department?

In a sideways acknowledgement of the many departures from his cabinet, Palmer tossed off a comment about how the city is “generally prepared for when senior officials leave.”

Yeah, generally…they can find another body to plug the hole and tout the party line. Not necessarily excel at the position.

Who row the boat when all the good oarsmen have left?

Still waiting

Maybe the Trentonian got it wrong last week when it reported that Doug Palmer was going to hold a press conference to offer his embellishments to Gov. Corzine's plan to save the state's economy. Maybe.

Or did Doug realize he had nothing of substance to suggest and cancelled the event?

We'll never know.

So maybe in place of his suggestions to revive the state's fortunes, Doug can issue a press release to explain something else to us.

Perhaps he'd like to clarify why he has again applied a double standard in managing personnel matters in the city.

Seems as though the auditors from the Mercadien Group who just reported their findings on the city's fiscal 2006-2007 budget discovered some Public Works employees submitted and were paid from unsigned time sheets. According to the article in this morning's Times, the city has adjusted the process to eliminate that error.

But were the employees or those who directly supervise them punished? Was anyone investigated and arrested and charged with a criminal offense for this?

Nothing of that sort was mentioned in the article.

But isn't this similar to the circumstances that got long-time City Finance Director Chris Stankewicz removed from her job? Because she "unlawfully" allowed a worker to get comp time off with pay?

The Palmer administration went after Chris with a vengeance...turning the investigation over to the County Prosecutor's office and locking employees out of their offices for a day or two.

The same administration apparently just adjusted procedures in the matter of the Public Works employees.

Why the difference, Doug? Why so severe and heavy handed in one case yet so calm and rational in the other?

Please explain to us. If you can't or won't, at least send a message out through Renee or Jane as to just why these cases were handled so differently.

Tell us why you sullied the reputation of one good employee who was nearing retirement for something that could have been handled much more professionally.

Yet you and your administration look the other way when members of your cabinet threaten citizens; you appoint non-residents to sensitive law enforcement positions, even though they have prior criminal records; your administration regularly paid a "consultant" from documents that were not properly signed off on by city officials.

C'mon, Doug. Tell us the real story here.

Oh, I can't wait to hear this

Doug Palmer, the man who has presided over Trenton's fiscal ruin these past 18 years, is going to offer suggestions on improving Jon Corzine's plan to help the state weather the current economic crisis.

That's right. According to a notice in today's Trentonian, Mr. Palmer has some ideas to add to the Governor's thoughts.

Like him or not, Governor Corzine came to politics after heading up one of the largest, most successful and still standing Wall Street investment firms--Goldman Sachs. Jon Corzine obviously knows something about finance...at least enough to amass a personal fortune of his own.

Mr. Palmer on the other hand, is a an empty, expensive suit who dresses the part but has nothing but charm and charisma (both running low at this point in his sinking career) to fall back on. Mr. Palmer "married" some money, and has no doubt invested some of his income from his years in city hall.

So while everyone else is taking their time reviewing and critiquing the plan of a Wall Street veteran, that Spring Street Pimp Palmer has already scheduled a press conference to add his two cents.

We'll be lucky if it's worth that much.

Before any of you start jumping up and down and singing the praises of whatever rhetorical remedies Palmer offers, remember this:

He is the one who wants to sell off the one solid, long-term asset of the city (the outlying water distribution infrastructure, much of which the city doesn't technically own) for a one shot, short term financial boost (we can't even say "gain").

And you think he has anything of substance to offer?

This is a complete outrage

Doug Palmer has lost his mind.

The Times of Trenton reported shortly after noon that Doug Palmer would hold a press conference at 12:30 pm EDT to announce the appointment of Irving Bradley, Jr. as the new Trenton Police Director.

This is without a doubt the most blatantly irresponsible move made to date by the despotic egomaniacal Palmer.

Bradley does not meet the requirements of bona fide residency. He's been a city employee for over a year and only recently registered to vote here.

He's got a criminal record.

He was deemed unqualified for the position of Communications Director, yet he's qualified to hold the position the Communications Director reports to?

Interestingly, there are a couple of items pending on this weeks council docket regarding organizational structure of the police and fire departments and the qualifications for the police director. How coincidental.

Palmer is out of his mind if he thinks this will fly. And the city is in no position to fight another round of court battles to prove Doug wrong again.

City council had better stand tall on this one or there will be an open revolt in the streets.

Palmer phones it in

Missing Mayor calls in from Florida and hints at sixth term.

The city is in a fiscal crisis unprecedented in the 18 year reign of his mediocre-ness, Douglas H. Palmer so he troubled himself to take the time and call into L.A. Parker's dubiously titled "Straight Talk" radio show last week. (Listen to the entire broadcast here).

So, what did Doug have to say? A lot of nothing!

The call-in was troubled with some technical difficulties and so was broken into two segments. The first segment, about 11 minutes long, had Palmer touting the 14th place ranking of the Trenton-Ewing metropolitan area in green job potential (click here for a copy of the whole report). Even though Doug mentions that he realizes that the Trenton-Ewing designation includes Ewing, he unfortunately glides over a crucial fact in touting Trenton as the beneficiary of this high ranking. The Trenton-Ewing Metropolitan Statistical Area is the demographer's term for the whole of Mercer County.

And this isn't the first time Doug has confused the MSA with the City of Trenton. A few years back there were newspaper reports of cheers around the table in his conference room when he announced a significant spike in the average home sales price in Trenton. The only problem was, the new average was for the entire county and not just the city.

Back to the radio show, Doug blathered on about how positive this all was for the city as if

a) it was all his doing (implied, not stated)
b) it signaled an immediate turnaround in the fortunes of the beleaguered capital city (the job potential was calculated for 2038---three decades into the future!).

Then it was on to the liberary issues. Palmer began trying to explain away the library closings as fiscally responsible and his appreciation for all of (Library Board of Trustee President) Mrs. Hayling's dedication over the years. Doug was absolutely indignant that anyone would challenge the good work of this woman and "point fingers" at her because the system was failing. He even cited a time when "no one wanted to serve on the Library board" except her, never once pausing to consider the hesitancy to serve might have something to do with Mrs. Hayling's heavy handed way of controlling the board.

It was somewhere along in this part of the conversation that Palmer uttered some non-sense about never holding grudges against people who disagree with him because he knows we all want the same thing: a better Trenton. He actually claimed not to let his personal feelings "good or bad" stand in the way of doing what was best for the city.

If that doesn't make you choke on your morning danish, nothing will.

Has there ever been a more thin-skinned, vindictive person than Doug Palmer? Not in our extended memory. Just look at the number of times good, dedicated individuals have been replaced on boards just because they dared cross purposes with the dictatorial Palmer.

Towards the end of the segment, as the technical difficulties grew more annoying, Palmer began to answer a question about the vacant Police Director position.

Finally, the feedback and noise got so bad, Parker cut Palmer off.

With a cleaner connection established, Parker resumed the phone interview about 15 minutes or so later (download Part 2 of the interview here). Instead of picking up where he left off, Doug went back to the library situation and tried to convice listeners that his ideas were best and that there was no other choice. Bah!

The topic of the Police Director was resumed as Palmer spun some yarn about not wanting to promote someone from within the ranks of the TPD to the Civilian Directorship because of the pension, residency and loyalty (to the rank and file, and not to him) issues. Palmer spoke in certain terms that these were all insurmountable obstacles to having an "accountable" Police Director and demanded that city council amend the residency ordinance.

All the sturm and drang and chest thumping aside, perhaps the most telling moment came when Parker tried to extract a definitive statement about Doug's intentions to run for Mayor again or not. Palmer all but confirmed what many have been saying for awhile now.

At about 6:55 into this segment the exchange goes like this:

Parker: "You always say that you have not said that you were not going to run again. Are you going to say that soon?"

Palmer: "No."

Later on, in explanation Doug says quite plainly that he has a lot to finish here, but that there may be "an opporunity that may present itself where I may not run again..."

So there you go all you doubters. Out of the horse's mouth...if he gets a call up to a bigger, higher profile position, he's gone.

If not, he's here for another term...or at least an attempt at one.

He just doesn't get it.

Doug whistle-stops in Florida for Obama while ignoring the train wreck that is Trenton.

His mediocre-ness, Czar Douglas the First is off on another junket; hanging out with Bill Clinton, stumping for Obama in Florida.

In the meantime, Trenton continues to crumble and collapse.

Fresh from Saturday night's Preservation New Jersey recognition for his commitment to historic preservation (a put up job if ever there was one!), Doug hightailed it Florida for a Conference of Mayor's event and to suck up to Obama campaign staffers.

In a piece in this morning's Times, Andrew Kitchenman wrote:

Palmer said his main focus on the trip remains the mayors' agenda, and that he is raising his concerns about Trenton with Obama campaign officials.

"It's important that Trenton with 85,000 people is as important as New York City" to national officials, Palmer said.

Once again, Doug shows just how disconnected he is from the realities of Trenton today. That 85,000 population figure was accurate at the time of the 2000 census. Current figures put the population at just under 83,000. That's a 2.6% decrease in less than a decade.

A decade that Doug frequently likens to a renaissance in Trenton.

A decade others compare to the dark ages.

Last week, we suggested Doug had two choices, step up, take control and do right by the city or walk away and let us get on with turning Trenton around.

Seems he's still chasing dreams of a high profile job anywhere but here. It looks like he's made up his mind.

It's now or never

Grab the tiller, Doug. Or jump overboard and swim for shore.

Well it's been quite a week in the fiefdom of Douglas H. Palmer, a locale also known as the City of Trenton.

Palmer's pet police director marked his official departure by throwing up the "white flag" and surrendering to the court ordered vacation of the position. Of course, in true "Palmerago" (you know, like "Brangelina")fashion of having to have the last word, the former police director tendered his "resignation." This was tantamount to Santiago saying, "OK. You win. But I'm going because I want to, not because you made me."

Whatever.

And, after a "curtain call" on Wednesday, he was gone.

A career Trenton police officer, Fred Reister, has been made the acting director now that the former director is officially gone. A respected administrator who came up through the ranks, Reister is expected to heal the wounds within the department while getting a real handle on the crime situation in the capital city.

That is, if Palmer lets him do his job.

In an article in the Times from Thursday, September 25, Kevin Shea wrote:

Meanwhile, Mayor Douglas H. Palmer firmly said yesterday Santiago's replacement, Capt. Fred Reister, is an interim role and he does not want a lot of changes, and the department needs to stay on the course Santiago set.

Palmer said Reister's appointment is "purely transitional," and said, "I am going to tell him that I don't want to see a whole lot of changes."

Uh, Doug, you had 75 days from the appellate court decision to work on transition. You chose not to. Now you are going to dictate to the guy you appointed, while he was supposed to be on vacation, that you want no changes?

Why, Doug? Just because the acting director made a personnel move involving a police captain who supported one of your opponents in the last election? When are you going to grow up?


On Tuesday, the city council heard held an information session with Library Director Kimberly Bray, representatives of the Library's accounting firm and the Library Board of Trustees. The Trenton Free Public Library, in case you've been too preoccupied with Santiago's departure, is about to collapse from a huge funding deficit. The current plan on the table is to shutter the four branches, layoff personnel, and consolidate operations and remaining staff in the main library on Academy Street.

Many around the city find this solution unacceptable for many reasons. Several members of council have also indicated their opposition to this.

While the current library director was grilled about the situation and the accountants were also given their time in the hot seat, little to nothing was said about or addressed directly to the Board of Trustees of the Trenton Free Public Library who have been on watch over the erosion of the institution's financial stability.

Let's be clear here: as outlined in state law, the Mayor appoints the library board. There is a seat at the table for the Mayor (or his designated alternate), the superintendent of schools, and some community members. The President of the Trustees who has presided over this fiscal meltdown is Mrs. Adrienne Hayling, a long-time Palmer family friend sometimes referred to as Doug's "second mother." And keeping it in the family is the Mayor's sister, Karen Richardson.

Palmer can claim all the surprise at the news of the library's insolvency that he wants, but no one is going to believe him. His administration knew; council had an inkling after the revelations of the previous library director, Scott Hughes, made known his issues with the Trustees, the Board President and the weak financial condition.

For too many years, Doug Palmer has preached "accountability" while demonstrating anything but.

He "settled" on a police director (Santiago) who was anything but accountable; who's spending sprees went unchecked; who's every tantrum resulted in actions detrimental to the overall safety and security of the citizens; and who's constant mantra of "crime is down" was seldom, if ever, backed up with any real hard data other than suspiciously under-reported crime numbers. When that police director finally left or faced defying court orders that allowed for a 75 day transition period, he claimed he scrambled to fill a so-called "surprise vacancy."

With the library system in constant turmoil due to a revolving door in the director's office over the past five years or so; a once robust "Friends of the Trenton Library" group that went dormant in the same period; and no real reporting or communication between the Trustees and the governing body (city council) of the funding municipality, Palmer claims shock and surprise that things have gotten to this point.

It is plain as day that Doug Palmer has lost interest in running this city in an effective and efficient manner. The man who talks all about accountability has none.
His only goal is to find a new job, up front, on a larger stage. (Yeah, good luck with that one, Doug).

It's way past time for Doug Palmer to take some definitive action. This does not mean micro-managing the police department through it's director (acting or otherwise). After all, Doug Palmer is not a law enforcement professional, nor does he have any real public administration experience since he's been little more than a figurehead these past 18 years. It's the various Chiefs of Staff and Business Administrators who have done the real administrative work (and not always well).

Taking action also doesn't mean spouting off simple solutions of consolidating the system into one mega-library with a shuttle service to get people to and from. As Councilman Coston pointed out the other night, there are no cost estimates for upgrading or adding onto the existing main library building; no cost estimates for this proposed shuttle service. It doesn't address the real problem of a library board locked in the iron grip of a presiding officer who is unable and/or unwilling to face the fact that her "way" has lead to the ruin of this vital public institution.

As we see it there are only two courses of action left to Mr. Palmer.

One, he comes back to the job he so proudly boasts of having been elected to; establishes a clear vision for the city with benchmarks for the next month, three months, six months and end of FY2010; and let's the professionals in city government work their hardest to meet those goals (or else); cuts the serious fat from the city's budget, including and especially in the upper levels of the administration and redistribute the money at hand to save institutions like the library; and he should take the sale of the outlying water distribution system off of the table and concentrate on operating the water utility as a sound infrastructure investment and stop living off of its surplus but within the means of the real budget.

The second alternative is admittedly more simple and straightforward. It may leave some with a very bitter taste, but it must be considered.

If Doug Palmer is not man enough to stop the self-deception and buckle down to the task of turning around the city as outlined in above, than he must immediately and irrevocably pack it in and walk away. He's not doing the city or himself any good by continuing on in the current fashion.

It's one or the other, Doug. You're move.