[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6523979,"mediaKeyId","5021993-6f57fc4a2076ef585d3d98949f1adbe3","parentId",5021993,"title","Community speakers urge council to let Howard’s Healthy Choices remain at Briggs Library; administration says matter is in court","audioSeconds",723,"startMs",5100000,"endMs",5823000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5021993-6f57fc4a2076ef585d3d98949f1adbe3&start=5100&end=5823","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5021993-6f57fc4a2076ef585d3d98949f1adbe3/thumbnail_5100000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6523979/Trenton/Mercer-County/New-Jersey/Community-speakers-urge-council-to-let-Howards-Healthy-Choices-remain-at-Briggs-Library-administration-says-matter-is-in-court","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523979-80158c2185e83e67583d632711826507/orig.mp4?Expires=1775577692&Signature=UnQWv1VzQC-tb9LUHUsb-B7G5ehhqtxlCLDspB9S3hJtYA1ONlQCWGsQ8XDAbqg-ahsu17wyOTQqNtX1nC0FWnPL9M5lpUwdx~ZA4pslzU0ApbKg2E2N9vfJKvzor7vhScefbijr6bOifH58Ht4Bl~0FrT82-dvbUy9663fSIfvkagKBPokIfYjYmJGuLYsTpXdUOBU90BL-t6lRbM670vZNK72djLJwHDN1RcgTEVTNNVFsZuYKh4FxiolXvS4Y8pM4lmImIzxvVRW52kKRI0eoUDhQSmcRN98uDGhTfP5tBof1XHukFxm~EoCOQCEyYLIfaGACt3RalFy67ga3zA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Trenton","date","2025-06-18T00:52:15Z","article","Community members, program participants and children urged the City Council on June 17 to allow Howard’s Healthy Choices (HHC) to remain at the former Briggs Library (115 Greenwood Ave), saying the nonprofit provides after‑school and summer learning, mentoring and neighborhood services.

Multiple young program participants spoke in the chambers about reading and math support, cursive instruction and enrichment activities they receive at HHC. Lorna Walker and Star Wright described the program’s summer-learning structure, nutrition provision and partnerships (including outreach and a cited partnership with Capital Health), and asked council to allow the summer program scheduled to begin June 23 to proceed at the Greenwood site. Several adult commenters, including representatives of local nonprofits and residents, said HHC provides a safe space and community services that would be difficult to replace.

Tonetta (Netta) Howard, program director, told council she has run programming at the site since 2017 and that the program supports children with learning needs and provides community services such as food and clothing distribution and volunteer-led activities. Parents and volunteers described field trips, academics and vocational exposure that they said are not readily available elsewhere.

When council members asked for details about the building and the status of HHC’s occupancy, Director Bridges (administration) and other staff said the situation involves ongoing litigation. The administration advised the council that, because the matter is in court, it could not be discussed in open session and that council could consider executive-session discussion with legal counsel. The council did not vote on the library occupancy during the June 17 meeting; several council members asked staff to coordinate next steps and to brief council in executive session or provide options that protect program continuity while the legal matter moves forward.

Public commenters included children who spoke in favor of maintaining the program, and community leaders who said the program is a “hub” for neighborhood services. A public commenter who identified as a former Kiwanis Club member also noted community heritage events coming in July. Several council members thanked the children for speaking and asked staff to follow up through executive session or administrative channels as appropriate.

The council did not reach a final public decision on the occupancy of Briggs Library during the meeting; administration indicated legal constraints. Community speakers asked the council to prioritize continuity of programming for children while staff and legal counsel handle the litigation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Trenton City Council Combined Meeting, June 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Children, parents and community leaders told council they want Howard’s Healthy Choices to remain at the former Briggs Library for its summer programming and year-round services. Administration said the issue is the subject of litigation and cannot be discussed in open session, and suggested executive-session briefing for council.","taxTitle","Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey","taxId",2758,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6523984,"Council approves dozens of small property sales amid council requests for written policy; some members abstain",2564,2396000,4960000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5021993-6f57fc4a2076ef585d3d98949f1adbe3&start=2396&end=4960","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5021993-6f57fc4a2076ef585d3d98949f1adbe3/thumbnail_2396000.jpg","/articles/6523984/Trenton/Mercer-County/New-Jersey/Council-approves-dozens-of-small-property-sales-amid-council-requests-for-written-policy-some-members-abstain","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523984-b50b68806581cc5f41df6876a04c9497/orig.mp4?Expires=1775577692&Signature=AcKdhATkFkD~KqkHPZizqBomJUZPk3lbvaZ1rpaQgcT58b-HlUsMKXbaMWArjldfSQNOa1ancsRF8F-DHWrXXwvRRvQna7cxMMh6M9y7Q973FfHTsHRFkWnfb5xfneI6ElHOdjthJunSS5jUq0wl96cPjImGp3Dp05ulxqf1a4FCpDCH9fGiltQ83jlJ3Sy2NmSP3Q06wK0Cvy-VsRc7knLqGT0HC32LrxaNHhU-ldjvuhXOgO0PCnCLyCBAxdIRXj-Nck3MzSiBMqHRPtjfV2J69RV9LOLLvq1dXQJTjgeGE0XMODV6JlALk2xWJF~I7px9jg48e6BIc9rosuNqOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Trenton City Council approved a series of ordinances on June 17 authorizing the sale of multiple city-owned parcels and a handful of acquisitions, while several council members repeatedly urged the administration to finalize a written policy setting consistent pricing, minimums and documentation for sales of city-owned property.

Council discussion focused on transparency and comparability of listed prices, recent GIS or tax assessments attached to docket packets, and how offers are solicited and evaluated. Councilwoman Figueroa Kettenberg and Councilwoman Feliciano said they will abstain from votes on property ordinances until a clear, written process and checklist are finalized; Chief of Staff Jim Beach and Business Administrator Maria Richardson said the administration is drafting a policy that would include presumptive pricing and procedures for evaluating offers and documenting that no other interested buyers were available at the time an application was approved.

Chief of Staff Jim Beach told council that the administration maintains a list of city-owned properties on the city website and that staff now review applicants’ ability to redevelop and their financial solvency before recommending sales. Beach and other administration staff said many properties are blighted or structurally dilapidated, that the primary objective for many sales is to return parcels to the tax rolls and to encourage rehabilitation, and that sales prices frequently reflect condition, neighborhood context and the city’s redevelopment priorities. The administration circulated a draft policy (described in the meeting as a draft to be shared with council) that, according to staff, includes presumptive pricing — for example, a presumptive price for an empty lot at $1,000 and a presumptive price for a residential structure of $2,500 — and other criteria to guide offers.

Several applicants and public commenters spoke in favor of purchases. Walter Mason asked the council to approve sale of Tyrell Avenue parcels he has sought for years to protect his property. Council members also discussed a separate acquisition pair (218 and 222 Bruning Avenue) the city will buy for demolition and stabilization to avoid repeated emergency demolitions on adjacent properties.

Council votes: the council passed a package including dozens of sale ordinances (examples below). Several council members abstained on multiple sale ordinances while the administration and staff committed to provide the draft written process before many second-reading votes return to council. Council President Gonzales and several members said they favor moving properties to responsible owners to reduce blight and begin rehabilitation.

Votes at a glance (selected ordinances from June 17 session)
- Ordinance 25-22 — Sale: 35 Damon Street (Block 11003, Lot 50) to Aeneid Cunningham, $2,500 — outcome: approved (motion carried)
- Ordinance 25-23 — Sale: Lipton Avenue (Block 34005, Lot 6) to David W. Bosted, $2,500 — approved
- Ordinance 25-31 — Sale: 141–147 W. Ingham Ave (Block 6804, Lot 13) to Ulucci Global Investments LLC, $30,000 — approved (Councilwoman Feliciano and Councilwoman Figueroa Kettenberg recorded as abstain on this vote)
- Ordinance 25-33 — Sale: 46–50 Tyrell Avenue (Block 1803, Lots 19–18–17) to Tyrrell Street Redevelopment LLC, $15,000 — approved (one public comment in support from property owner Walter Mason)
- Ordinance 25-51 — Sale: multiple parcels (Block 2303 Lot 20; Block 4601 Lots 8, 45–41, 39) to SM Trenton Redevelopment LLC, $100,000 — approved
- Ordinance 25-52 — Sale: 21 N. Holden Ave (Block 26003, Lot 16) to Joyce Maria Lanez Reyes, $25,000 — approved (two council members abstained)
- Ordinance 25-55 — Sale: 61 Anderson Street (Block 14705, Lot 44) to JYU, $150,000 — approved
- Ordinance 25-59 — Sale: 447 Parkway Avenue (Block 35002, Lot 4) to Joshua L. Baker, $2,500 — approved (Council President Gonzales recused)
- Ordinance 25-61 — Sale: multiple parcels (including 942 S. Clinton Ave and others) to Sababu Development LLC, $120,000 — approved (one or more abstentions recorded)
- Ordinance 25-65 & 25-66 — Acquisition: 218 and 222 Bruning Ave; city to acquire for demolition/stabilization, $110,000 each — approved

Council members pressed for consistent documentation to accompany future dockets: current packets often included GIS-derived assessments that are not dated, or missing assessor reports; the council asked for a standard checklist and clarified timelines to show whether there were competing offers when sales are approved. Several council members said the administration should continue prioritizing resident purchasers and owner-occupants while ensuring buyers have the financial capacity to redevelop.

Chief of Staff Jim Beach said the administration will share the draft policy with council and noted that the city’s main objective is returning parcels to productive use rather than maximizing sale proceeds. Business Administrator Maria Richardson described acquisitions as a cost-avoidance tool in particular cases: the city will buy and demolish small lots when the combined cost of repeated emergency work would exceed the acquisition-demolition route.

The council approved the resolutions and ordinances listed on the agenda after discussion and multiple roll-call votes; the administration said it will circulate the draft property-sales policy and additional documentation for council review before the next set of property ordinances returns for second reading.","Trenton City Council voted to approve a package of city-owned property sales and a small number of acquisitions on June 17 while several council members said they will abstain until a uniform written policy on pricing and process is finalized.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6523988,"Trenton Water Works consultant proposes three years of 14% rate increases to fund $230 million CIP",1876,146000,2022000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5021993-6f57fc4a2076ef585d3d98949f1adbe3&start=146&end=2022","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5021993-6f57fc4a2076ef585d3d98949f1adbe3/thumbnail_146000.jpg","/articles/6523988/Trenton/Mercer-County/New-Jersey/Trenton-Water-Works-consultant-proposes-three-years-of-14-rate-increases-to-fund-230-million-CIP","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523988-e3e59c01d666b71eb4918748a3e68b31/orig.mp4?Expires=1775577692&Signature=lpfQeusYAqe4I~~Zftz0q~Slc6r7s1ou32oGzOtvMJhA46yvMkVB8~yF8eUp-WRyBcFjsyt~Cq8UVqy3qHSAzc~9zImq-5G36mo30UtQH0-TVWqhcZhU4iYM8Rr8Tg0QRq2EmQaStILLyjbF0d40YqbyY~X47cjYiU9OktyWcqFaBebXnUI05Bj9deuSDWifxarkYXXGWbrqgbJY3MRD9yAtqpMWVkGjl-g8zD2XPdQaWrvWQMUoOFmEsBIc3r9nVy-Vd9eziVlILuIkcc4XsT8~8r3npQBVIpq~dfx1j1PvG8-CBtpQTzKMpILqM-niZbeXOqfrJI7Ism6OLnHYlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A consultant hired to study Trenton Water Works’ finances told the City Council on June 17 that the utility will need multi-year rate increases to cover a roughly $230 million capital improvement program and sharply higher debt service.

Piper Brandt, chief executive officer of Raptellus, summarized a financial plan showing total revenue requirements rising from about $60 million to about $82 million between 2025 and 2030, with debt service identified as the main driver of the growth. Brandt said the proposed approach is three 14% across-the-board rate increases in FY2026, FY2027 and FY2028, followed by smaller annual increases in FY2029–30 (about 4%), to fully fund regulatory-driven capital projects while limiting customer impacts.

Brandt told council members that the capital improvement plan (CIP) includes roughly $230 million in required projects over five years, “mostly regulatory driven,” and that Trenton Water Works has not raised rates since 2020. She said the utility’s projected revenues without rate increases would not meet revenue requirements and the selected option uses some reserve funds in the near term while refilling them in later years. Brandt showed bill impacts for a typical residential customer using 20 CCF per quarter: the FY2026 increase would raise annual bills by about $68 (roughly $5.67 per month). She said the volumetric charge would rise from $2.11 per CCF to $2.41 in year one under the proposal. Brandt also compared Trenton’s bills to those of local investor-owned utilities and said Trenton would remain near or below median bills for the state even after the increases.

Council members questioned meter sizing, the composition of customer classes, and alternatives such as a higher single-year increase or a formal cost-of-service study to differentiate residential and nonresidential charges. Councilwoman Frisbie asked what a CCF represents; Brandt answered that a CCF is 100 cubic feet (about 748 gallons). Councilwoman Williams pressed on the timing of sharp jumps in debt service in 2026 and 2028; Brandt said the precise debt schedule depends on how the city layers new borrowing with existing obligations and noted the consulting team used standard assumptions and the city’s typical debt structure. Brandt and council members discussed the utility’s current single customer class, the billing system’s inability to differentiate residential from nonresidential accounts without additional work, and the tradeoffs between raising the fixed meter charge (which improves revenue stability) versus volumetric rates.

Several council members asked whether the plan assumed replacement of lead service lines and other regulatory obligations; Brandt said the CIP figure the consultant received (about $230 million) was assumed to include those items and that the recommended increases would support the published plan if the cost assumptions hold. Council members also asked whether a financial-advisory engagement to explore debt structuring and alternative financing could be added; Brandt said the consulting team can work with the city’s financial advisor and municipal-finance team to model different debt structures and their rate impacts.

The discussion identified choices and constraints rather than a final decision: council members asked for additional detail about the debt schedule, whether separate customer classes should be created, and whether a dedicated cost-of-service study or billing-system changes are warranted. No formal rate change was voted on at the June 17 meeting.

Brandt’s presentation and council questions emphasized three points: Trenton’s revenue base is low compared with nearby utilities; required regulatory projects and planned borrowing drive much of the near-term revenue need; and a staged, multi-year rate plan would smooth customer impacts while funding the CIP, according to the consultant’s model. The council asked staff and the consultant for follow-ups on debt timing, financing options, and comparative bill components for nearby utilities so members could review the specifics before any formal rate ordinance is introduced.","A consultant told Trenton City Council that Trenton Water Works needs multi-year rate increases to fund a $230 million capital improvement plan and rising debt service, recommending three consecutive 14% increases (FY2026–28) followed by smaller annual inflationary increases.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Community speakers urge council to let Howard’s Healthy Choices remain at Briggs Library; administration says matter is in court

Council approves dozens of small property sales amid council requests for written policy; some members abstain

Trenton Water Works consultant proposes three years of 14% rate increases to fund $230 million CIP