The Trenton City Council on Thursday twice rejected nearly $18 million in funding requested by Trenton Water Works for improvements at the beleaguered water system, then declined to extend the term of the utility’s interim director.
The rejections come as Trenton Water Works remains under two administrative consent orders from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for years of problems with water quality — including problems with lead in its water and boil water advisories — and issues with staffing and system operations.
The water system, which is owned and operated by the city of Trenton, serves 217,000 customers in the city and four neighboring municipalities: Hamilton, Lawrence, Ewing and Hopewell Township.
“This is a council that has chosen politics over public health policy," Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora told NJ Advance Media after the meeting. "They’re essentially inviting DEP and the surrounding communities to take up arms against the city.”
The funding request had been split into two separate ordinances. The first ordinance would have given TWW $6 million from the city’s capital improvement fund to pay for new vehicles and equipment for the utility.
The second ordinance would have authorized an $11.8 million bond program to pay for various improvements to the water system.
Gusciora said that the money was intended for long-term improvements at the water system, and that the city would again asked council for the money at the next meeting.
“It’s not critical that it happen today, but these are long-range upgrades that we’ll continue to push for," Gusciora said. "I’m at a loss for why council has chosen to disregard good quality water management.”
Both funding ordinances required a five-vote supermajority by the seven-member council to pass. They were both rejected in initial votes by a 4-3 margin. Council President Kathy McBride, West Ward Councilwoman Robin Vaughn and Councilman At Large Santiago Rodriguez were the no votes.
Councilman At Large Jerell Blakely moved to reconsider the two ordinances, and urged McBride, Vaughn and Rodriguez to change their votes. Blakely argued that the money, and the improvements it was meant to pay for, are critical for protecting the public health of Trenton Water Works customers. But nothing changed on the second vote.
McBride told NJ Advance Media that she opposed the spending measures because she didn’t want to add to the city’s existing debt.
"The city is over-bonded. Our bond limit is only 3% and we’re already at 6%, and we have a lot of unused bonds. $93 million of unused bonds. So the city needs to think about how they’re going to either repurpose or send back those unused bonds,” McBride said. “We can’t keep getting into debt and going into debt instead of trying to fix the bonding problem that we have.”
Vaughn and Rodriguez both said they voted no because of financial concerns.
All of this unfolded as Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo, D-Mercer, who has sponsored a bill in the state legislature to create a regional body dedicated to overseeing Trenton Water Works, looked on. DeAngelo was at the meeting to speak in favor of an unrelated ordinance regarding Trenton’s rules for contractors, which was ultimately voted down.
DeAngelo said he was disappointed that the council declined to approve the money for Trenton Water Works. He added that he would again be bringing his concerns to the state, and that he would “further the discussion” on his oversight bill.
“The city again showed its inability to ensure the safe operation of Trenton Water Works for its residents and its ascending residents,” DeAngelo said.
Later in the evening, the council rejected an ordinance that would’ve extended the term of Trenton Water Works Interim Director Steve Picco another 90 days. The vote was a 3-3 tie, with Vaughn, Rodriguez and South Ward Councilman George Muschal voting no. McBride missed the vote on Picco’s contract after leaving the meeting early.
Rodriguez said he voted against extending Picco because he wants to city to hire a permanent director for the water system.
“He came on a temporary basis, on 90 days," Rodriguez said of Picco. "He’s not going to stay. We need a permanent director.”
Picco, a former assistant commissioner of the DEP, has been serving as the head of the utility since September, when former director Shing-Fu Hsueh resigned.
The rejection will have little impact on actual operations, Gusciora said, because he intends to quickly reappoint Picco.
“Now we need an interim director," Gusciora said. "So I’m putting him as interim director.”
Picco and other representatives of TWW were not at the meeting.
The mayor added that his administration will continue its national search for a permanent director.
After the meeting, Blakely told NJ Advance Media that every Trenton Water Works customer should be outraged by the votes.
“This is about little kids drinking clean water. This is about older residents drinking clean water. This is about making sure that the Trenton Water Works is the best water works in the country," Blakely said. "And [the council members that voted no] seem to be doing everything to not make that happen.”
Read more of NJ.com’s coverage of New Jersey water issues here.
Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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