Trenton council tables UEZ five-year plan contract amid conflict-of-interest questions

Trenton City Council on Feb. 4 tabled a resolution to hire a consultant to prepare a five-year Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) plan after members asked for legal review about possible conflicts of interest.

Why it matters: Council members said the consultant’s principals are local business owners with downtown ties; some councilors wanted assurance the firm’s principals would not improperly benefit from projects or special funding generated by the plan.

Council discussion focused on procurement scoring, evaluator expertise and whether the principals of the recommended consulting team could later apply for UEZ financing or other benefits resulting from the plan. Business Administrator Maria Richardson described the municipal procurement scoring process and said different city officials are sometimes selected to evaluate proposals based on the scoring elements described in each request for proposals.

Councilwoman Tasha Williams urged caution to “protect the institution of this council” and moved to table the item until the law director could advise whether principals of the consultant would be barred from applying for UEZ funds or creating a legal conflict. Several council members supported tabling while the city’s legal office reviews the matter.

Outcome: The council voted to table the resolution until the next public meeting (Feb. 18). Council members said they wanted a written legal opinion from the city attorney about eligibility for future UEZ funds and how to avoid any perception of favoritism before final approval.

What’s next: Administration agreed to consult with the law director, Wes Bridges, and return with advice so council can determine whether to proceed, adjust procurement language or alter terms of engagement before awarding the contract.