that meeting. This is one of the ways that the city is um increasing accountability, effectiveness for our city government and providing better services. So, we are happy to hear your concerns and to
respond to them on a timely fashion. I am Maria Richardson. I am the city's business administrator and I would like to introduce to you this morning our honorable mayor Rita Sior to give give us welcome remarks
had a birthday in town worthy Applause. Everybody support Ber County College. Um uh good morning everyone and thanks so much for coming. This is your opportunity to engage with
each of our directors. Um uh at least twice a month the council has the ability to ask questions of each of our department directors of our directors are here to talk to the citizens because
we don't have all the answers all the time. council doesn't have all the answers. The mayor doesn't have all the answers. So, this is your ability to directly question our um directors and I know I know the city is a complicated
city, has a lot of challenges. We have a lot of needs. We have a lot of uh roads, we have a lot of streets, we have a lot of sidewalks, we have a lot of parks. Um and sometimes we don't always get it right. So this is your ability to
directly question the uh the directors. The ground rules are we have to begin to address it within 48 hours and our um monitors from BCA are here to make sure that we do that. Um and uh Dan and Dr.
Lee are here um uh they're here to help us. They're also this year um Dan himself given us $50 million. So with a budget of $280 million, the state is giving us 15 million of that. Um so
we're really appreciative of that, but um the requirement is that we have to reach out more toward our citizens. So this is our way to do that. If you do have questions, I know that we have uh um folks in here that will take down your questions. The director will have
to address it and they'll have to begin to actually address it out. We also want to know if we're not interested in um that would be helpful as well. So, thank you very much for coming. You're all important to us. You're all part of the
city. We want to make sure that our residents are are adequately served. So, thank you for your service, sir. Thank you, mayor. Well, this morning we um actually let me just take this time to introduce the directors and some uh
critical city staff that are present here this morning in that way you become acquaintance of the people with the people that you might have questions for. So, may I ask please the directors to stand up and Colin and um
Hector Waya, our chief of staff. Um and so we have our chief of staff, Jim Be, our deputy business assistant business administrator, uh Colin Cherry, our acting director of housing and economic development,
Yolanda Vasquez. um our police captain and uh active police director uh James Black, our director of health and human services, Dr. Diego, our
director of ports, Tanya Tanya Stewart, director of water, Sean Simple, our assistant director of public works, Hector Wa, we have Paul Harris, our director of parks and recreation.
Um, and we have our tax collector, Miss Constance, and our tax assessor. Uh, we have Andrew Bet uh, citizen office of citizen
concerns. And, uh, we have our Trenton Fire Department. He saved my day. Thank you so much, directors. And thank you so much uh to all of you for being here this morning. Um our agenda this
morning if I manage to work at this thing here. Well, we will begin with presentation by um our Trenton police captain slack. He will introduce us to the police tax for
the stats for this morning for this month. Thank you. And uh good morning everyone and thank you for coming today. Um all right. Unfortunately, police director Wilson cannot be here today. That's why I'm uh standing in his place.
Um All right, starting off um the calls for service for uh for us for communications uh the total number I don't know if you can see it but um for 2025
we had a total of um 102,358 calls for service or admin calls to our break room dispatch center. Um and there was 45,546 calls uh for 911 calls. This just isn't
the police department. uh calls for the fire department, calls for other city departments that are received by our communications. Um but there is a just a you know more of a breakdown there, but we are um
approximately 4,677 less calls this year and 2,393 calls less for the 911 calls. And this is just a further breakdown of each, uh, police district, the calls for
service. As you can see, uh, in the west, the one to the, uh, the furthest right, uh, is the least amount of calls, and that was for 2025 and 2024.
This next slide is the citywide crime analysis and this basically tells us from 2024 and 2025 uh different crimes for homicide, sexual assault, robbery, nag assault, burglary, theft, autotheft, and the totals
currently we are down in all crimes except burglary and theft. Um, in 2025 we had uh 152 calls for burglaries and in 2024 we had 127. And
in the in 2025 we we currently have 672 calls and in 2024 we had 610 calls. and I'll move on to arrests for the uh police department. In 2025, we had 1,033
arrests and in 2024 we had 1,082 uh arrests. So, we are down in arrests by 4 4.5%. And if you see the at the bottom there, some people may be wondering what OJ is,
that is out of jurisdiction arrest. And that's uh anything uh search warrants or arrest that do occur that uh start at the city Treton or they might end up in another uh surrounding jurisdiction such as Hamilton or Yuing.
Moving on to firearms recovery for the police department. So in 2025 currently uh we have recovered 135 handguns, eight rifles and seven shotguns. So we are up as you
can see in the graph um in recovery of firearms from 2024. I'm going to move on to some uh one of a notable sign that two of our patrol officers, Officer Mario Bidal and Officer Michael Manning made uh during a shots fire investigation.
So on Friday, June 13th of this year at about 6:04 p.m. uh these officers were on patrol near Hudson uh street in Bitmore Alley and they heard several gun gunshots while on patrol. They observed a black Volkswagen with two occupants uh
flee the area at a high rate of speed. The officers stopped the vehicle and officer Manny observed a handgun and suspected heroin inside the vehicle. They conducted a search. Officers found a second 9mm handgun and an extended magazine and a uh distributable amount
of heroin and crack cocaine. further investigation. Uh they looked at the surveillance cameras in the area and the they did find that the two uh arrestes were responsible for the shooting. They're both charged accordingly. So that was an excellent
job by two of our patrol officers. I'm going to move on to the homicide task force. To date, seven of the homicides were from separate shooting investigations,
two were from stabbing investigations, and one was from a uh homicide that motor vehicle was used as the weapon. All have been closed out, which is I think very important here. And someone or other persons have been charged for
the homicides. Um so that is with a 90% clearance rate. and the one homicide is still pending and we hope to have a uh charge and arrest soon on that one. Moving on to the shooting response team. Um this was a
notable job also. Um the shooting response team on June 21st of this year about 8:38 p.m. Um communications received a 911 call reporting a male shot at the intersection of Stson and Hoffman Avenue. Patrol units responded
and found the male on the sidewalk uh suffering from two gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to Capitol Health uh medical center for treatment. The shooting response uh detectives responded. They obtained video footage
and revealed the sus suspect was operating a red ATV. The suspects fired multiple rounds in the at the victim before fleeing the scene. Members of the shooting response team identified a uh person by the name of Justin Stewart as a suspect. Justin Stewart was
subsequently located at 55 Ellsworth Avenue and taken into custody. They prepared and executed a search warrant at the residence and recovered two handguns, several handgun magazines, ammunition, and drugs. Uh drug Justin
Stewart was charged at lodged the Mercer County Correctional Facility pending uh a court date. This is something that's uh definitely notable. Um, as everyone is aware, um, there has been an issue with ATV and dirt bikes riding around throughout the
city. We've started conducting, um, special, uh, assignments, special details to combat, uh, this. Um, to date, we have seized a total of eight ATVs and dirt bikes. We
issued 33 tickets. um with eight investigations and a total of four arrests. And we've been doing this with the use of one of our drones um which has been an immense help uh in
combating this. And to date, none of these have been returned. So, we're uh confiscating the ATV or the dirt bike and we are uh proceeding with forefeiter uh proceedings. So, they're not going to get their uh
dirt bike rate TV back. And finally, um Unity Square uh park. There's been issues uh inside the park um during the day and during the night. Um we are there are cameras around the park just
so everyone is aware. Um however um we are in the process of installing more cameras inside the park by the soccer fields. Uh the only issue is there is no power and we need power for the cameras. So we are working um with other
departments within the city to have uh electrical lines run and uh so we can do we can put up more cameras in that area. And other than that um I don't have anything else unless any has any
questions or Oh, sorry. Thanks again for everyone for coming and having me here. Thank you, Captain Slack. At this time, I am going to introduce our director of um health and human services, Dr. Makapelli. He's going to be talking
about just a couple of his responsibilities. He's going to be giving us a brief um regarding some of the federal programs that his department runs such as CDBG, home, ESG, and he will also give us a snapshot of uh the
shelter operations. So, Dr. Mina Good morning everyone. How are you? Morning. Good morning. Hopefully you'll wake up now a little bit. Um my name is Dr. Diego Makapelli. I'm from the Department of Health and Human Services.
Um it is a very good department and we have a lot of responsibilities to keep the health of the city. Um, in addition to that, I am the administrator for the federal funding such as the CDBG, home and ESG uh funds. Um, and of course, I'm
also in charge of the animal shelter. So, I want to give you a little bit of uh information regarding these grants and the uh responsibilities that we have. So, uh the city is a grantee and entitlement funds uh from the department of health uh department of housing and
urban development. These grants is they have been with the city for 50 years. They're necessary for the city so we can reab re utilize the city. Um so the funds be are made available to the city annually
based on a formula calculation that considers the population size, housing conditions and a number of poverty levels, households. Um and this presentation will give you a little bit of idea of what we're doing. So uh CDBG activities.
So in order to do any activity in the city, we have to do a needs assessment first and ask the city what do we need. After doing that we have to create activities but those activities have to have or uh um fall into the three
national objectives. And these gr uh national objectives are first the uh to benefit low and moderate income persons and the funds that I can use is at least 70% of that grant money. The second one
would be to prevent or eliminate slump or blight and I can utilize only 30% of the grant funds. And of course the funds can also be used in urgent needs. So when no other funding is available then I think I can implement CTBG funds. So
this is very important. These three national objectives are very important for us to use the money in the city. So what kind of allegible activities we can we can do in the city. All right. And this is all determined through the
needs assessment that we do every year. All right. And then we report this in the annual plan. Um so eligible activities can be in housing rehabilitation, home um home ownership uh assistance, uh public facilities and
improvement um of course line removal and demolitions. Uh we can also utilize the money as code enforcement um for economic development acquisitions and of course public services. This is just to give you an idea of what
we can do with CDBG funds. Then we have sorry sorry I I'm thinking that things can go as as I speak this is what I'm talking about the basis eligibility activities and again just just as a
summary the activities that we can use the the funds are for housing rehabilitation the homeowner assistant public facilities like removal code enforcement economic development acquisitions and the public um services.
There you go. ESG. The ESG funds are emergency solutions grant and this is the little sister of the continuum of care program for homelessness. Now this grant it is carried out by partners with the city. The city it is too much of of
uh things for the city to do on its own. So we have partners in order to carry out activities. And these activities can be for example a street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid rehousing and of
course we always need to have a collection and reporting of data. We can also pay someone um knowledgeable to put together the the information into systems. So then later on we can analyze this and each one of these activities
has its own usages. All right. So for example, street outreach can be used for engagement, case management, emergency mental health and transportation. For emergency shelter, we can utilize it for shelter operations, essential services,
renovation and conversion. for homelessness prevention, short-term rental assistance, legal services, housing services, for rapid rehousing, rental assistance, case management, housing search and placement, and of
course again for the homelessness uh management information system, collection of data and reporting. So this this particular grant is is very important for us and uh it keeps us um also uh in contact with our partners.
So for the uh fiscal year 2025 funding um HUD announced the allocations in May of 2025 and as a city we have a plan and the plan will be submitted no later than August 15 of 2025 and this is a special
year because we are doing the the consolidated plan. It's a fiveyear plan. In the last couple of months, we've been convening some um uh hearings to hear from the community. What is it that we need in the community? What what uh what
do you think is important for us to utilize the money in the next 5 years? Right now, there's a comment period regarding our consulated plan that you can you can go to the website, the city website, find the link and then you can send your comments regarding that. It's going to close at the end of the month.
And then of course we have to prepare the consolidated plan to be sent out to HUD no later than August 15. So so far for CDBG you can see the numbers that we have 2,5273
for 2025. For home we have 99,830 67 cents. Those cents are very important for us to spend. Uh the ESG program is 235,430 for a total funding through the federal funding of 3,672
434. Now for the prior year that we uh already documented to to HUD um the accomplishments for the CDBG program we spent almost 2,48 21 and 880 cent and how do we spend it?
Well we spend it through uh improvements in the West War community center. Uh we also give a lot of money on the senior center operation providing services to seniors in the community. uh we did 19 demolitions uh and so to fulfill the uh
um slum and blight uh national objective that I earlier talked to you about um we did a home buyer assistant program and then we also did some rehabilitation programs for the community. Uh for the home program, we spent some money um to
uh for rental units created through the Patriot Village units and the ESG system. We provided assistance to 1,932 persons, 102 162 person assisted through street outreach and 20 persons assisted
with rapid rehousing. uh the one the 1,932 was through the emergency shelter uh activities. So what are we planning to do uh for this year? So for this year with the
CDBG funds the our plans are for public facility improvements the priority are our senior centers such as the reading and south war senior center. We also purchased a fire engine for the fire department. Um, we are also utilizing
some of the funds for a sidewalk improvement which is still in planning. Uh, we also allocated funds for the entrance ramp of the free public library. And of course, we are doing the planning and engineering for the Martin Luther King Boulevard improvement.
Through the home program, we are um having affordable rental development. That will be the Vans Skyber uh development and through the ESG system with our partners we are providing services through the emergency shelter, street outreach, rapid rehousing and of
course the collection of data. So I want you I want you to learn about our uh rehabilitation program which is called the third third program the Trenton urgent rehabilitation program. Um this program is very essential
because it will help um residents of the city. Of course you have to qualify for that. You have to go through a process that we have a federal process that we have to go through. It's a little tedious but we able to help you out with it. Now the object the objective of the Trenton urgent housing uh rehabilitation
program is to assist lower income home owners address immediate and crit critical housing rehabilitation. This has a maximum of $5,000 per dwelling and the requirements are supposed to be met
uh with the home ownership, the property, the urgent rehab and the contractor uh uh requirement. Um but there's something very important. The applicant must been it has to be the owner and outre of the property. Um and
it has to be the primary residence. Um that that is very important. We also have another program which is not part of the CDBG program. It's called the Sherpa and that is the senior home rehabilitation program. This program
um I have right here. Can you see? No. This program is very important because we can help out of course to the eligibility um um criteria that we have and that one is up to $10,000 and it's very similar to the third
program. Um so what can we do? Um so the the rehabilitation is limited to items needed to secure property against weather such as the roof replacement or provide the necessary utilities such as heat, water and sanitary sewer. These
items must be necessary to ensure the safe and continue occupancy of the property. So some of the examples that we consider urgent repairs such as you don't have any water in the home that is an emergency right that's urgent. So no water not hot water or damage or
severely leaking water pipes we can help you with that. Um standing su uh raw sewage um electrical hazards uh no heating in the unit um uh leaking or severe leaking roof. That is something
that we can help with. um uh removal of architecture barriers um a floor area we uh weakened by water damage and all other situations that we can determine. So we have an inspector you will go to the house and then inspect and then
determine if it is an emergency or not. So, you're always welcome to come to the third floor of City Hall, Department of Health and Human Services, and ask for either the third program, the Trenton Urgent Repair Program, or the Senior
Program, and then we'll give you all of the information. Um, that is the information that I have for you regarding the CDBG program. Quickly, I just want to give you a little information regarding the animal shelter because the animal shelter is the jewel
of my department. Okay. So, I just want to clarify that. Then information about this to be transparent. As of June 30th, 2025, we have 41, we have 41 dogs at the
animal shelter and 27 dogs in the annex. Annex meaning the cola shelter. All right. And then we have 20 dogs in the forest for now. These are the totals. All right. the dogs from uh December January to now
we have intakes in the animal shelter 273 dogs egress dogs that are coming out of the system 353 this is an amazing number and I have to give thanks to of course first my staff
that goes through a lot in order to do this the community and all of these person that are helping us to take the dogs out and find a home so we don't have to go through all their methods of uh taking the dogs out of the system. Um licenses 497
and then we have um 998 approximately and those are the calls that the ACOs are doing uh through the um animal shelter. something very important. If you want to help us right now, we have an adoption event coming up on this weekend, right?
Uh please participate. If you cannot come, just at least help us to promote these dogs and promote the event. Make the negativity into something positive so we can find a home for these dogs. Um another thing that a flash food drive to help the community. If you have
something in the home that you know, food or things like that to help the community, bring it to the shelter as a donation. This is going is going to happen on July 19th. July 19th. Okay. Absolutely. So, thank you so much for
being here and this is the information that I wanted to share with you. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Dgo. And our last two presentation before we go to um hear your concerns and your comments will be by our chief of staff at UB. He is going
to be guiding us through the process of acquiring a city property. Good morning everyone. Thank you for coming. Uh welcome to everyone who's tuning online. Um, I think pretty much in any ward in this city, you don't have
to look very far to see that there is a huge amount of abandoned, dilapidated, or falling down structures. Um, many of these are city-owned, not because we went out of our way to necessarily go
out and get these properties, but, you know, they landed in our lap due to, you know, tax foreclosures and things of that nature. Um what we are trying to do now is to ensure that those dilapidated,
abandoned, falling down city properties are taken over by responsible uh homeowners andor contractors who will, you know, hopefully bring those buildings back to life, improve the neighborhoods that
everybody is living in. and um also promote home ownership here in the city and put these properties back on the city's tax roles. Um it's been a long long hall to get to this point. Um but you know, we want your cooperation
um if you know you have the funding to do it to to buy the properties and fix them up or if you know somebody who wants to do that. Um, so we're starting a new program and you know there are, and it's not an
exaggeration, there are around 2,000 city- owned properties. Um, you'll see on here we have a list. So, if you go to this and it'll be posted on the city's website, uh, there's a link that will take you to a listing of all the city's
properties. Um, you know, this is something that the individual buyers need to do. We're not going to go out and advertise saying we have for sale X properties. You know, this is, you know, the owners is going to be on the people who want to buy these properties to go
and um, look them up and see whether it's something you're interested in doing. Um, now just as a warning, you know, these are all the city properties that the city owns. So, for example, the building
that we're all standing in or sitting in right now will be on that list. Make us an offer, maybe we can sell you city home, but right now that's that's not for sale. The process in the past had been largely paperdriven. We're trying to move it to
kind of a more virtual process. So, there's an application that will be on there. Um, in that application, you need to identify the property that you're interested in purchasing, property or properties that you're interested in
purchasing. Um, any individual can purchase up to five city- owned properties. Um, you make the offer. Um, we're not going to necessarily tell you what the propertyy's worth. You can go to the tax rules and find out what the assessed
value is, but you you make the first offer and then, you know, it will come back and tell you whether that's an acceptable offer or not. And if it's not within parameters that we have set internally, you know, we'll come back and tell you what we would accept as an
offer for those properties. Um, back in February, the governing body, the city council, uh, passed a resolution setting what the priorities are for the city in terms of accepting properties. The priority is owner occupants. As I said
earlier, this is something we want people to come and live in the city, become part of the city fabric, um, become contributing members to the city. So this is not and you know some of them will be rental properties but the
priority is to have home ownership and that's why in that resolution that was passed in February when we get competing um applications for a single property you know if someone says I want to rehabilitate it to rent and someone else
says I want to rehabilitate it to live in the person who's going to live in the city is going to be given the preference. Um, you know, we want neighbors in this city. Um, so that's why, you know, we're giving
that priority. Again, this is the competing applications. um you'll see on the application and that's also going to be put on the website and I recognize we need to upgrade and
update the HT website as well as updating the list of properties and that list of properties will be updated on a monthly basis. You know, right now if you go to that list, there's going to be some properties that we've already sold. There's going to be, as I mentioned earlier, some properties that are not
for sale. You know, we're going to refine that list over time. Give us time. You know, we need to get this working. It's been decades. So, um, the application online, one important piece
of it is the financial aspect. The ability of the buyer to not only buy the property, but also to rehabilitate the property. It doesn't do anybody any good to sell somebody a property and then just have them sit on it for years and years and years. They need to come in,
they need to do what they said they set out to do. Um, and so one of the major hurdles for a buyer is going to be uh that they establish and prove to the city satisfaction that they're able to not only buy it, but they're able to
rehabilitate it. Um, and they're going to have to prove that to us through financial records and documentation. Um, the bar that's being set initially is 100,000. That's kind of a a rough estimate of what we've determined is the
amount that's going to be needed to rehabilitate a property. That's not etched in stone. Excuse me. If you know, somebody has a quote from a licensed contractor who says, you know, 12 Main Street, I can
fix that up for 80,000. We would accept that as proof that, okay, we're not going to hold you to 100,000. We would accept 80,000. Again, that's just to qualify somebody to be able to buy the property. At the end of the day, you know,
what is going to cost somebody to rehabilitate is what it's going to cost somebody to rehabilitate. Within the purchase and sales agreements, there's going to be different clawback clauses. You know, we're going to hold people's feet to the fire. It's not going to be come and buy city properties and sit on
them for decades. If you haven't completed the process within the amount of time that you've agreed with the city, we're going to take it back from you. And guess what? that amount of money you paid to buy it, you lose it. So, we need to, you know, be responsible
sellers as the city, but equally the buyers who come in need to be responsible buyers. Uh, this is what I just talked about with the financial capacity. Um, and another important thing at the
bottom, you know, the clear municipal standing, you can't have leans. You have to have your taxes paid up. Um, you can't have any code violations. If you're an existing landlord, you can't have any outstanding vacant and
abandoned property fees. Basically, you know, as you are all good citizens, we want our landlords and buyers to be good partners and residents uh with the rest of us here. Uh in terms of next steps, you know,
once your application has been accepted by the city, the next step is then we the city, the administration bring it to the governing body. The purchase is approved by the governing body via ordinance, not resolution. It's an important distinction because a
resolution simply takes effect the night that it's approved by city council. The ordinance goes to what they call first reading. That then makes it eligible to move on to the second reading by city council, which generally occurs at the
next city council meeting uh following the first reading. So the second reading then gets approved. Once the second reading is approved to city council, there's then a 20-day period before that ordinance takes effect. Once that
ordinance then takes effect after 20 days, then we will then go into the sales and purchase agreements with the buyers um and then move to closure. That generally will be probably a month period. So just so everybody's
expectations are managed, you know, if you submit your application, we're probably talking anywhere from 2 to 3 months before that closure finally takes place. So, you know, that's the reality of the situation. So, don't come in expecting I'm going to file an
application and I'm going to have my deed in two weeks. That's just not how the process is going to work, particularly with the ordinance process. So, so thank you uh for your attention. Look forward to seeing a bunch of
applications roll in and uh stay tuned. We'll keep working on cleaning up the process. Thank you. Thank you, Jim. So, um during the last meeting, we've received 24 concerns. Um,
and I hope uh that if any of you present at this uh this morning here were one of the individuals that came that you already received a call from our department directors and that your concerns were either addressed at the
time or that you were explained that they would be addressed and you were explaining the steps that the city will take um to to make sure that the quality of life matters. ers that you are reporting to us are being taken into
consideration and actions are being into uh motion. So I am not going to go over all the complaints and the concerns. Um but I just want to let you know that those will be posted after this meeting
with the actions that we took. Um and uh most likely some of those issues will take time. Uh, for example, some people complain about sidewalks and yes, we we have a plan to address those issues, but
that is not going to happen within 48 hours like the mayor mentioned um that we will try to respond to you. So, we will respond to your concerns, but it will take time to address some issues. So, please just give us some time and uh
we appreciate your patience. So I just want to go over basically the slides but I if you want to read all of them they will be posted um in our website later on today. So as you may see uh the concerns are uh
ported to specific departments and they should have been working on those things and so now is the time that you have been waiting for coming to the podium to to express um your concerns or your comments this morning. So I am going to
call Francisco G and we will have two minutes to express those concerns. Um we already you have already given us those in writing but I just want to give you the opportunity to say it publicly. So please Mr. G.
My name is Francisco Gar. I'm an apartment dweller. I'm also a retiree of Amtrak, 37 years and 5 months. I'm 74 years old and I'm here because my quality of life on a scale of 1 to 10 is
1. I have criminal activity occurring in the apartment above me and no names because we're not supposed to give names, but there's no reaction from the landlord. It was drug activity. I had drug agents from Mercy County
Prosecutor's Office come and ring my buzzer by mistake when they were looking for the people upstairs. And since then, I've received threats on my life and I talked too much because I
talked to the police. I called police. Last night, I spent the night in my bed. I was unable to sleep at 2:30 in the morning. They were having a stomp part upstairs. A lot of individuals were upstairs. I live alone.
I didn't want to call the police because I called the police four times in the last two months and there's absolutely nothing they can really do unless there are some criminal charges. In other words, it's just uh a nuisance.
But I had a guy tell me that I talked too much while I was coming out of my door and he told me I'm not the only one that knows where to get a gun at. I don't think that a 74y old person who's retired have to worry about
somebody threatening my life because they're dealing crack cocaine upstairs. I had an appointment with Mr. Wilson, but due to the death of a police officer, he was unable to fulfill that appointment because the police officer
was deceased in an accident here in train. They lost officer. My brother is a police officer, 32 years in the city of Illinois. I never thought that I would retire and have to complain about quiet night sleep. Peaceful,
peaceful residents. That's all we ask for. Peaceful and safe. The quality of life should be safety. We should have safety where we live at and security. That's the two things that
anybody's supposed to have in this city, especially a senior citizen. So, what I would like is a meeting because I feel threatened. I'm walking around every night. I can't sleep. Last night, they were there to 2:30 in the morning. I came here tired. I drank two cups of
coffee. I keeping two big cups cuz I didn't sleep last night. Individuals were upstairs having another stock party. I call it at 2:30 a.m. I looked at my watch and I said, "Oh my god." And if I called the police, I've been threatened cuz I called the police four
times already. I only been there a year. So, I'm not going to move. The landlord told me, "If you don't like it, why don't you just move?" That's the wrong answer. If you don't like it, why can't it be improved? Then why can't these people be removed and then these
citizens are able to live their life? Is my time up? Thank you, Mr. Gera. Um Mr. Gera, our police captain and our housing and economic development directors are going to uh to speak with you right now. Uh because I acknowledge that you came last
month too. Uh, Miss Laura Warmley. Who? Where did you call? My name is My name is Laura Harmon and I have been a citizen of um Temple for over 75 years. So when my husband and I
decided to get married, we got together pennies, we purchased a home. So now I have been living in my home now for quite a few years. And the problem is everything has been well
for the past everything has been well up until the past couple of years now that we when we do have uh new residents who's moving in they have several well I would say several but they have more cars than anyone you know
each house has a driving each house has uh enough space in the drive you put like seven cars And but some of the newer residents feel that you know they have the privilege of putting their park in their car where they want to yield in front of your
house or whatever. So I have I have not been threatened but in many times whenever I go well I not as I don't go out as much now as I used to used to but whenever I come home back home some of these people have if their company has
not become has not park in front of my house they're they park in front of somebody else's house. So we would like to have more response from the new people that are moving in and also the cooperation with the police department. Some people have called the police. I
have never called the police regard that but and I so far I have not been threatened but the thought of being living in your home. You work hard to earn to get a home. You work hard to keep your home. And you know sometimes these and another thing too some home
owners already have what you might call a freedom cars and automobiles but yet still they will have other people to come in and they'll condemn and bring their cars in. And so when these new people come in they just think that they
uh they can just work at work and and I feel that that is not right for people that have worked hard all their lives. They kept up their property. They paid for their property, but when the new people comes in, they feel like, you know, anywhere I want to walk. Thank you, Miss Marley. Um, Vera Louise
Wescott. Good morning everyone. All right. I have several complaints about how reserves in the city and that is in regards to Trenton is is is is a trash city to me. Uh we get no help from
the city. to get no help from the ordinance that's already on the books. Uh it's just it's just crazy, you know, and uh I wish I could move, but I'm not going to spend $300,000 for another house, and I've been living in my house for 40, 50 years. This city
needs to do more with their own. It's ridiculous how how dirty, how filthy. Um and I don't want you got $50 million, you need to use half of it on your residence. We need services that understand they were enforced already and I don't know
why they're not enforced. You have the money now to hire people to hire these meter maze with the parking whatever whatever the the cleanliness you need to people don't cut that grass you know I am so sick and tired of of looking at weeds and every and everything. It's
ridiculous you know. Um and I have one thing uh for the um hope I can break that up. Oh my god. uh for the police. There's a house on South Cook South Cook Avenue.
I'm sorry. Okay. There's a house on South Cook Avenue has been burnt up. Yes. I I don't know the address. Is it is that near the the alley? Uh and I took a picture of it, but I don't know if I can bring it up. Um now it's
there's a tree there that the the part of the house is leaning on the trees. and we get another storm coming that tree the house is going to fall down. It needs to be addressed. I don't know what the procedures are. Uh probably a landlord that lives in New York somewhere. And that's another thing, you know, I don't know why you can't get
after these landlords, you know, it's it's it's it's ridiculous. Something I if if they own property in Trenton and they live in New York, you can't complain. You got to go to New York to claim against them or something like that. Like what is wrong? That's there's something wrong with that
picture. You know, the city needs to take take a stand. Um, next thing. All right. All right. Trash personnel when they drop trash and they pick it up and they pick up trash. Pick it up. Thank you, Miss West. Uh, Mr. Peter
Stigler. My name is Peter Ziggler. I actually uh grew up here in Trenton uh through the age of 27. My parents lived here on South Logan Avenue before they deceased. Uh I was a police officer here between 86 and ' 89 before I transferred to
another uh police department and retired there as detective sergeant. I'm here representing an owner of uh a house within the 300 block of Cleveland Avenue. And I've been there many a times. Uh she started a new job and
couldn't attend today. And it's interesting that I'm hearing what Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, called quality of life issues. This is what you have here in the city of Trenton. It's called broken window syndrome. When there's a broken window
and people walk by, they say they throw another brick and say no one cares through the window. And this is what you have. I did my master thesis on the broken window syndrome and how the pagans in Amish lunk Man Lancaster
County um were able to sell drugs. The whole point of this is a comparison of what's going on here in Trenton. specifically and I wanted to read into the record in the 300 block of Cleveland Avenue this specific house that I put on paper and I'm hoping that we finally get
contacted by some city director after 5 years of not being responsive to complaints just 3 weeks ago I contacted the mayor's office and spoke with somebody from the secretary put me on
hold and said inspector will call you me uh within a couple of days, never heard anything. And that's the standard. Nobody cares. Broken windows specifically in this uh in front of this house. And again, it's on the paper.
We're hoping to get contact. If not, we're going to be contacting the Department of Community Affairs and then the escalating event from there. There's a tree that the city planted which was the wrong tree. It's uprooted the sidewalk causing still liability with
the sidewalk to the homeowners. Then what happens? it goes into court, the city is sued and the city claims indemnification. Not going to happen. Um the curb when the pipes out front in the Cleveland Avenue were repaired
because of this copper or rust or whatever was going on with track water works in the in the city from 100 years ago. The subcontractor's damaged occur. It was promised April of this year that it would be addressed. never addressed,
nonresponsive, broken windows, no one cares. The rear of uh the 300 block of Cleveland Avenue, again, this specific house, and I have pictures, I just took them yesterday, documenting everything that I'm telling you. I would love to
share it right after this meeting, right outside those doors with the director. Okay. Um, huge potholes in un un It's called Oakwood Alley. It's not even paved. Um, and there there's huge
potholes causing um vehicles to go onto this homeowner's property. She professionally uh landscapes and it's just very frustrating and you can I guess sense the frustration and I'm hearing it from other and I pray for that first gentleman that came um and
and I hope his his life remains well. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Sigler. Uh, Selma Marie Meyers. Okay. My name is Thelma Meyers and uh I've lived on my street for over 50
years and I'm like really the overseer of the street. Our street is very, very nice. until recently. Now we get a lot of new people in. They just pull in with the cars that's convenient park in all kind
of ways which makes it less parking for other people. Now I know you have the parking uh assistants that come by but they don't come by enough to catch these people. So they just do just what they want to do. And uh a suggestion is maybe
you can get some summer help from from college kids or anybody else to help you monitor that because once you give them a few tickets, they'll stop doing it. But my main concern now, I sit on my porch every day and breathe and there's
a house across the street. It's number 27. There's a person that went in with a big dog. I was a bulldog or whatever. So, he didn't see me when he went in, but that dog is in that hot house and he's in it
upstairs. Now, who owns the house? I had a letter from a real estate agent recently to ask me about that house. Did I know the owner or if I did because they couldn't get in touch with them and if I they're on a forklow on it. But
anyway, that dog is in that house and I don't know if he stays there, but I've seen him come out numerous times and it's just a shame that a empty house he broke in. And I think if you can't find
the owner, you should board that house up. So why should people just come in and stay? And a dog is inhumane. Another complaint, we have a lot that's owned by the city on Edge Mir Avenue. I think the
number of the lot is 39, not positive. And that and the weeds are as tall as I am. And I'm not going to truly The man across the street asked me that I know a number to call, but you get sick of calling all the time. Why should we
call? It's the city, so it should be monitored. sometime maybe a month or two months or whatever or less than a month because the grass is terrible. So you got boats, you got snakes, you got everything running in and out of there. And so I
just that that's my complaint. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Orley Williams. We have her concerns in writing here. Thank you. We will give her a call. But thank you
for offering Miss Hazel Stewart. Good morning. Good morning Stewart. I have several complaints, but I'm concerned. My really concern is the tree that is
planted in front of my house and the cycle is coming up. I've reported it several times, but so far nothing has been done. The lady did call me and said someone would be out, but no
one came out. One time, no one else there. And I think when you become a senior, I don't think anyone really cares. I don't think nobody cares about
seniors. I really don't because they have paid their money. They have served in the military. Nobody's really concerned with us. I really don't think anyone is really concerned. Now, until someone
begins to look at the way the city is running, I think someone will do something. I'm praying to God that they will do something because this city needs help.
I know several people it needs help cuz I want that tree move before I have to pay for it to be moved. And I've been a good citizen. I've helped people get elected and
everything. But we need people that is concerned with people. That's what we need. People that are concerned with people. Until then, nothing will be done. And I don't think anyone cares about seniors
anymore. I really don't. Maybe I'm saying the wrong thing. I know you're going to get up and say, "But I have time." And until something is done, I can see why people are moving.
I've considered myself. That's right. I can understand. Thank you for listening. Another thing too, we need the police to come through. Well, I know they're going to say, you know, we don't have
like we used to have, but we need to drive through the street and sort of see what's going on. Until they ride through and see, they can see themselves. Thank you,
Dr. Campbell. I came here today to listen and then they put a clipboard in my hand and it made me start thinking. I've been serving as the president of the Westwood Council. I've lived in Trenton all my life. We arrived in Trenton from North
Carolina when I was 6 months old. And Trenton has been good to us. Sometimes people don't say anything good about Trenton, but my mom mom mom thrived and she became the uh chief of uh neighborhood planning and housing for
the city of Trenton, Rebecca Mitchell. And I have traveled along. I went to Monument School to junior 1 to Trenton High. I left for a while, went to Morgan State University, went back to the College of New Jersey and finished my
doctorate at Blers. And I'm not saying that to brag. I'm saying that to say that everything in training is not bad. In the Westwood camp council, we talk a lot about the parking, about what's
going on with people's housing, the crime, all of this. And we could go week after week after week after week after week and continue to talk about the same things. And I challenge my people who are living around me to let's try to
think about what else can happen. We have to address all of those things. And I'm not moving accountability to address those things, but what else? And one of the things that I'm seeing is that buildings are empty. There more and more
buildings are empty. So, why couldn't we take some of those warehouses and get Amazon to come in and put a warehouse on Prospect Street where some of the people who are hanging out on the street could get jobs and maybe they wouldn't be causing some of the issues that they're
having if they're making money and and and economically improving and the quality of life improving. And then the other thing is that someone has said to me, "Can we come into your church to use the gym?" Well, Imani
Church sits there. Beautiful gym in there. That building's been closed for 10 years. Why aren't we using some of the space there to uplift these people who are coming along so that maybe we can address some of those things on the front end? So, I don't
want to make light of anything that anybody has said. I know it's true. I hear it. I see it. But at the same time, let's also create some visions for Trent that will make it a a beautiful place to live like it was when I was a little
girl growing up here. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. M boiling waters. Good day everyone. Um my name is Peruine Borders. I just learned of this meeting, but I'm here to
first say thank you for what the city has done. Um my mother brought me here when I was age three. and I've been here ever since. The reason why I'm here today, I have a question
for the fire department. Uh I learned at one of my North Moore meetings that the director is doing this zoning, not the zoning, the drone thing and finding out about some of the problems with houses or properties. So, I asked if they could
um have a question in that questionnaire about how many properties here have fire escapes cuz I have a need for um get my fire escape repaired. And I had asked the director if the fire department
could lead me to some resources and information. And so, he said he's doing some type of gathering of information. So, I'd like him to find out how many fire escapes we have here in the city. Um, the other reason I'm here is um I
want to ask if the city could um get the alleyways back operative. Um, I don't remember them being used like I learned how they was, but I'm concerned about Kill Alley
that's between Oak Street and Tur Avenue and Antico Square and there's an alleyway I don't know the name of, but it's between Ward Avenue and Parker Avenue and the weeds on those alleyways
and the trees We need to make them functional, those alleyways that cars can drive through them. And lastly, I'm here to follow up ask questions about the Lincoln Avenue bridge
and when is it going to start and when are they going to meet with the community again to redirect the traffic that's going to be impacted at Mama Street Bridge and the traffic light of um Jerusalem Baptist Church Grant School
and the police station. But I do want to say thank you to Mr. Santo's department. He has been addressing the issue but I just learned of this meeting and I wanted to come to follow up night.
Thank you for this opportunity. Thank you. Mrs. Susan Hadley Good morning. My name is Suzanne Happy. I've been working as a public school teacher here in Trenton for 17 years.
I have always been an animal lover and concerned about stray animals. It was said that the shelter was the jewel of the health department, but I've noticed that it needs some polishing. I have two concerns today that I'm
bringing up. Number one, currently the public is not allowed to go into the Echer Street dog shelter. I had this knowledge firsthand by another adopter that told me when she
went to pick out a dog, they it had a weird vibe, the shelter did, and she was not allowed in. So look at the dogs that pick out her own dog that they had to bring bring them out for her
per the conversation. So, working as a volunteer for the Facebook group for the Trenton Animal Shelter, um, animals, which is not directly affiliated with the shelter. were
private group that somehow I got involved in because I recently lost couple of my dogs and I was looking to volunteer or become a foster.
Sorry. So, because I'm a teacher in Trenton and I live in Lawrence, we don't have a shelter there. I wanted to become involved with that shelter. So, I went online and I filled out the
volunteer foster application thinking that's what I was filling out. But then I got a call from the shelter and they asked me if I wanted to adopt and I said, "But wait a minute. The application says volunteer
and foster at the top." and they told me um that they don't have that type of uh program going on right now and that they take care of all the dogs themselves. I couldn't believe it and I said, "Well,
I'm a teacher in Trenton and I on the way home I practically drive right past the shelter. I could easily stop and take a dog for a walk, clean out a run. I don't really care." But they didn't want my help. But it's obvious that they need more help with all the strays that
they collect. Um, okay. Well, thank you for listening to me. Thank you, Miss Juliana Morazzel. My name is Juliana and I moved to Trenton. I bought a condo a year ago.
Um, and I honestly moved here. One, I work for the state and also the animals. I have a huge passion for animals. Um, and what I want to speak on today is the animal control and humane law enforcement issue in this city. Um, I've
been contacted for years to report animal cruelty matters and help with strays and the shelter barely answers the phone. Humane enforcement, you're you call non-emergency dispatch. You're circled around. You're told to contact
animal control. Animal control doesn't handle animal cruelty. So then nothing ends up happening. That's why I've been over requesting because something needs to happen. I mean, there's animals that are suffering in this city and nothing
is being done for them. Um, I would Yeah, that that really covers it. It's the animal cruelty matters. The um which is humane enforcement and it's animal control and it's not uh cats are not being picked up anymore. For some
reason, cats are no longer seen as equal. But state statutes state that cats and dogs both need to be picked up when there are strays. Just yesterday, somebody contacted me about a stray, and they were told that they need to contact
a rescue for the stray. That is not a resident's job to contact a rescue. It is the shelter's job to intake stray animals. And something needs to change with this because it's just too many animals are
being failed. The ordinances are not being enforced. What is the point of an ordinance if you're not going to enforce it at all whatsoever? I mean, the backyard breeders need to be stopped because I have an album on my phone with 300 plus pictures
of backyard breeders in Trenton, New Jersey alone. That is a problem and nothing is done about it. And we are just met with silence. Thank you. Is Maraso Miss Harriet Tomlin. Miss Tomlin.
Oh, thank you. Good morning everyone. My name is Maria Tom. I I attend the first six staff union. The house attached to me. The owner is refusing to clean his
gutters. When it rains real heavy, all the water overflow to my place. and it's coming in my driveway. My concern is when winter time comes, if his gut is not being cleaned out, all
that freezing rain, it's going to affect my property and my driveway. Could someone please please call me to spake that house and have him clean out his gutters? That house been
empty for over six years. When he brought their house, when I brought my house, it was also empty. It was Skip Simmons and John, they expect that house from the roof to the top to the basement. I had to put up
gutters. I had to clean up my gutters. I had to fix the chimney. I had to do everything to that house because it was vacant. Please have someone have him clean out his gutters. Thank you.
Thank you, Miss Tman. Miss Caitlyn Fair. Good morning. Um, I'll be brief. Uh the four issues that I want to mention this morning are one the land banking of properties by large developers that are sitting vacant and abandoned for years
and impacting the neighboring properties and the city overall. Um specifically in this instance I'm referring to 355 and 357 Greenwood extension. The second thing I want to mention is the lack of garbage cans anywhere in the
city, residential garbage cans. Um, but specifically along Hamilton Avenue and all along Clinton, both North and South and throughout the Greenwood Hamilton neighborhood, there's garbage everywhere because none of the residences have garbage cans and landlords are not providing them. Apparently, people are
stealing them. So, people are just putting their bags out and they're getting ripped open and there's garbage everywhere. Um, thirdly, there's a tremendous amount of dumping on Canal Street that's happening repeatedly that I would like to see cleaned up. And then
fourthly and most importantly um this in exponential increase in the uh transient population in the city that's bringing increases in prostitution and drug activity specifically all along South Clinton and in the Greenwood AB extension culdeac which is resulting in
things like used condoms, human feces, used needles all over the sidewalks in the neighborhood. I cannot walk my dogs because there's there's health and safety issues just strewn about the the neighborhood. Um, and I can't go for a
walk myself cuz it's gross and nobody wants to see that. Um, and I think I deserve to be able to walk in my community and walk my dogs in my community. So, I'd like to find out what the city's plan is to address the increase in the transient population and the activity that comes with that.
Thank you, Miss Bear. Miss Charelle Snider. Hello community. My name is Charerelle Snyder and I am an organizer here in Trenton. Trenton is beautiful town. I'm not I only have two minutes, but I just wanted to talk about some of the things.
Our directors, thank you for doing what you do, but I think you need to do a little bit more because our community needs so much help. We have I've complained before about the cat lady straight cats in Covert Alley. It is still happening. Now there is speeding
in Culver Alley from cars speeding through this alley. Just the other day, we had a shooting and a death in Culver Alley. Um, one of the residents had some type of suggestion, partial solution is to possibly put a traffic um, street
light um, there to let people know that the police are watching. Um, there's no recreation for our youth and our youth are getting in trouble. We have a rec center on Clinton Avenue that was supposed to be for the youth, but obviously our youth cannot use it. Um,
and they're getting in trouble. Um, also the crosswalk I do know this is something we could possibly do right away. North Holden, North Clinton is highly traffic area. Our seniors travel there. Michael cyclists travel there. We
need to do something with the coursework is fading and updated signalization. Um, our children our children have asthma so bad. Some of them can't even get asthma pumps. As we need to look out for our animals, we also need to look
out for our most precious, precious, vulnerable asset that we have and that's our children. That they are our future. You see my shirt, we want to get the lead out of Trenton. Their environmental problems, their health issues are not
just a problem of poor housing or poor parenting, but the poor things we do to help our environment be better. And our environment is affecting our children health. Seniors, our seniors need help. HUD, I put in something for a senior to
get HUD help. They gave us all this paperwork to do and nothing ever happened. we have these programs that are not being utilized correctly. Um, and I hear a bell, so I guess that'll be
it. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Snider. Uh, Mr. Steve Drake. Steve Drake. See anybody that completed a form that I didn't call? What is your name, sir?
Did you completed the forms? You completed the forms, do we have any outing forms in the back? Marvin, Miss Martha. Marvin, just come to the front. I don't have the form, but just come to the front,
please. Good morning. Uh I came primarily just about two issues but in sitting here um listed there there are others that have been brought to my attention I could have
listed as well but the two I'm concerned about prim primarily are are we supposed to mention specific addresses is that okay all right well I'm a resident of her car place. Pericaris Place is as far
as I know is a zone single family residential and um it's it's also additionally a historic preservation zone. So I I purchased a home there in 2001 because
of the lovely period homes that have been wellmaintained and that's continued until the day with uh there are only really two exceptions on the street, homes that aren't individually owned. Uh one is a church
owned property and the other is the object of my concern across the street number 26. inform that it was it's owned by one of these Lakewood group um entities. Uh I tell you from what I've
heard about this group, they ought to be um declared enemy enemy republic or something. Uh I don't know. I I can't see anything positive they do for the city. But in any case, what what's going on there is
some foreign group has been brought to the home. They're ready and it's been nonstop. There's apparently an auto repair business that's being conducted there. And in addition to that,
uh all the the trash and garbage these people in the course of their comingings and goings are just distributed on the property or in the in the adjoining street. Uh, so that that's that got to the point
where I just went ballistic earlier this week and I had to uh uh take it all personally just to take my trash bag and go onto the property, pick up one thing after another and announce
to them that this is for disposition. The other thing is 399 West State Street. There's an apartment house there uh always has a huge hedge that's never clipped periodically as it should be. Right as we speak, it's been chopped
down and the uh remainder the the the materials laying in the sidewalk. You can't you can't walk on the sidewalk and the building isn't being maintained. There used to have a large metal uh a container that a truck would come and
pick up and take all their trash, but they've abandon that so that now the trash of the people that rent there often times just blows into the street, Miss Margie Peters, she had to leave. Someone said
she went. Okay, we will call her later. Miss Alia Muse. My name is Alia Muse. Most of my concerns have already been shared, so I'm going to be brief. I'm here because of the trash. Um, I live on Caris Place.
I'm here because of the trash on West State Street. that is all, you know, throughout the city. I just would love to see more trash cans out. I think that that would really help people to sustain, take more pride of the place that we live in. Um, I'm also hear about
the DNR canal. Spoken to Department of Environmental Protection, but maybe the city could help them to enforce cleaning that area up, keeping it painted, just improving the way that the place looks, right? It it's important to me. And then
lastly, paving the street. There are huge holes in Peric Caris Place and West State Street that are causing damage to the car. I have faith in the city because I've called, they come out and they, you know, they patched it up a little bit, but it really needs to be repaired. And those are my major
concerns and I'm also came to hear what everyone else has to say and support all of your concerns. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Bliss. Miss Patricia Atkins. Good morning.
As I have sat and listened to the concerns that people have brought this morning, I thought to myself that the majority of the concerns that people have have to
do with the administration of this city. I can say that I have in the past contacted
a number of individuals who are administrators, directors. My experience has been that the squeaky wheel
gets the grease, but I am I am a squeaky wheel. And I'm here to say that I have pursued the concerns that I have
had with the administration of this city. It has not always been pleasant. The response of the city representatives have not always
been respectful. My experience has been even though when you contact the people or the persons who are
charged with the responsibility of handling your particular issue. The administrators are different. their responses
to citizens are different based on those individual personal responsibilities. I I hear that. However, I'm going to
uh say that the orientation of the administration of this city is what in my view is responsible. I contacted one department director recently
with regard to a water issue. That director told me, "Oh, you've called already?" "Yes, I have. I have gotten no response. We'll call again." I called again. "We'll call again. They're
busy." on Monday morning called that particular office called five different numbers in that department no one answered. When I got back to the director
his position was call again. My response was you are charged with the responsibility. You are charged with the authority.
It is not the way to run a department for you to tell me that I should keep calling my position with you sir who told me he had been working for the city for 30 years.
My response was it is your authority and your responsibility to run your department and you should then have that particular office contact me.
Yes, I must say that he responded. I will send an email there and I didn't get a phone call within hours. So many of the concerns that we have
heard here this morning are a result of administrators who do not take responsibility even though they have authority.
With authority goes responsibility. The fact is that so many of the administrators and I'm talking about at the director level and we're
their orientation is to tell you in so many words go away don't bother me. You keep calling. My response is no. I'm not going to keep
calling. This is your job. That person reports to you or reports to someone who reports to you. And I must say I got results. I think
that the problem, a significant problem here in this city is the orientation, the training or lack thereof
of the people who are paid to do a job and who do not do it. This lady here talked about her gutter. I understand who talking everybody.
Now Ashford Good morning. I'm Dr. Latana Ashan. also my first meeting. I'm a Trentonian. I currently live in the city of Trenton. Kind of always have. I my mentor Dr. Campbell. Um I work at Mercer County
Community College. Um I'm currently back at the James Kernney campus right here on Broad Academy Street chose to come back to that campus to help revitalize. I worked at the campus more than 20 years. Just yesterday, I returned a library book, had my wallet prepared to
pay overdue fine. They said, "Oh, we no longer charge for overdue fines of book." I said, "Oh, great." So, since I'm outside, let me just take a look. So, I walked down Academy Street, made the right hand turn on Mer Malbury Street, made the right hand turn on
State Street. I was so disappointed. My city of Trenton, this downtown area is on life support. What is being done? Did they make the right on Broad Street? Our enrollment at the James Kernney campus is struggling.
It's hurting us to try to revitalize and grow the enrollment because that Broad Street corridor to get to our campus is one way. So, they have to pass by the blight, you know, they have to pass by the slum.
I mean, lawyering doesn't even exist anymore in terms of should be something that shouldn't be done. And I look and I observe and see why are people here. Yes, people need things to do and all those vacant businesses that used to be here. Of course, it's hard to have a
business if you don't have foot traffic for people to shop in, but solutions have to be made. So, I don't know this is a combination of the city along with the trend downtown association, but we're stri we're struggling here. I mean, I do admire the work cuz I've been on some of the committees with the
maternal health. I mean, looks beautiful now coming in from my pathway from West Trenton around a battle monument. I applaud the decision for someone to actually put sidewalks, this little brick there to restore some of the uh the Trantonian historical nature. It's
beautiful, but we cannot forget that section there. We're not going to get anyone to come in if the visual is one way and it's just horrible. So there we go. I look for treasure to improve and I continue to want to live
in the city. Thank you. Thank you Sashford. Uh Miss Janice Best is Miss Margie Peters back here. Good morning everybody. My name is Margie Peters and I'm my concern is
to the fire department and the cops um department on our street. Uh couple lot of the neighbors are using the front yard as a picnic area with grills and fire pits. And since public service has
removed the meters, gas meters to the front. I think that's a dangerous situation. Maybe someone from the fire department will do a walk through the neighborhood and see and give people advice what to do and what not to do. As
far as the garbage with the sanitation department, people are putting garbage out on nonh holidays. I mean, they put it out on the holidays on Monday, they put it out on a Sunday, and it stays till Thursday.
I mean, our community is being overrun by rats, raccoons, poss, fox, wolves. I mean, you know, something has to be
done with the garbage. And then they putting it on the front of the lawn, not on and on the side of the house, not in the back. And it's piled up like I don't know what. And now we had gotten rid of the, you know, crows, garbage crows. Now
they're back in. So, you know, you can't win. And you know some something you have garbage inspector. I mean who checks the garbage on the weekends when people put it out and leave it forever.
You know you have sanitation. I mean you're in township. You put that garbage out. You see your red sticker on people don't put their garbage out. So you know as far as the fire and stuff, you know.
And also the fire. I mean, come on. This is sick. I mean, I was afraid my house was going to be on fire during the holiday. They were shooting up in here and there's woods behind us.
So, something had to be done for the fire department. Lights came off. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Ley. Good morning, everyone. Uh, just a recap. Uh, I live in on Franklin Street.
Franklin. Okay. We have we've had a neighbor moved out at the beginning of this month. Unfortunately, they left all their garbage in the backyard. The backyard is
is higher than me. The grass is higher. They left all their own trash. Uh I don't know. The windows are open. Uh I've called the cops. The cops have told me that they can't do anything
about it because it's not owned by it's proper. was owned by a Jewish family or or whoever it is, but the cops said, "Oh, we can't do anything about it."
And I happened to take a picture of the house up on the corner of the uh where the numbers are. There are four bullet holes. Uh, we have young kids that are out, my
neighbors. I have three kids. They're little toddlers. They're run, they walk, they play, they do it outside in the front and then back. I told the cops about that. They said they can't do anything about it. I said, "Well, I'm going to do something about
it. I'm going to call the city of Trenton and I'm going to call the city hall." and asked me out. They're the um Department of Housing said they were going to send somebody out. I haven't I
don't know if they're sending anybody out today, but they're they said that they were going to send someone out, but as of right now, the house is abandoning. There's all garbage, like I said, in the backyard. And the people that moved out
left garbage in the front yard and that's all gone. Thank you, Mr. Brady. I have Steve Drake. Is Steve Drake here or Miss Janice passes it? If not, thank you so much to everyone
for coming, expressing their concerns, directors, 48 hours to contact our wonderful residents and uh a little bit more to address the issues. Um I will speak with you after the meeting.
I just have something to say. There are numerous daily properties here in the city that are owned by property. We have
it was enacted in 2019. This mayor signed that and indicated that it would be enforced. Those ordinances are not enforced.
That's the city's responsibility. We have private properties that are not maintained where the owners are supposed to register and annually pay a $500 a year,
$2,000, $3,000. that goes up to a percentage of the gall of properties, but the administration is not enforcing its own ordinance.
Thank you, Mr. We will speak with you after the meeting is over. Thank you very much. So, thank you everyone for attending this meeting. Thank you for expressing your concerns. Our next meeting will be August 20th at 5:00 this
time. As you might know, we try to do the meetings in the morning one month and then the final morning in the afternoon to accommodate the different schedules. So, thank you very much. No, thank you Charelle. I love you, but
we need to respect everybody's time. So, I appreciate you and that yes, we can speak. Thank you so much.