If Plaintalker can confirm that Jackson is a former Trenton official, more will follow on that subject. Meanwhile, if confirmed, Jackson will fill a vacancy that has existed since David Brown II left the post in November 2010. The department is one of three mandated in the city's special charter and includes Recreation, Inspections, Planning and Economic divisions. If approved, Jackson will serve concurrently with the mayor's term, which ends Dec. 31, 2013.
The department had only one director for the mayor's first four-year term, starting in January 2006. But at the January 2010 reorganization meeting, Jennifer Wenson Maier was not named to serve for the mayor's second term. In a somewhat messy transition, Brown was approved for the post Jan. 1, 2010 but was not expected to serve until April. Wenson Maier agreed to stay on, but in February 2010 took a similar post in Hoboken. Brown then started work on March 1, 2010.
In January of this year, Jacques Howard of the Office of Economic Development was named acting DPW&UD director, but just for 90 days, as acting terms are limited by ordinance. In April, Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson was serving as acting city administrator and announced that the hiring of a DPW&UD director from among eight or 10 candidates was imminent. However, no nominee was presented until now.
The department has two of the most problematic divisions in the city. The late Mayor Albert T. McWilliams, who served two terms preceding the current mayor, said Inspections generated the most complaints from residents. The division was beefed up with more staff, cars and computers, but Wenson Maier told the council the expanded operation failed due to loss of personnel and it was disbanded. She later said a state probe of Inspections revealed workers did not know how to make reports and lacked basic job skills such as showing up on time for work.
The Recreation Division has been embroiled for about two years in a clash with a volunteer-run baseball league that shares ball fields with city teams. In addition, payments to a radio station through Recreation using various budget lines has led to a City Council investigation and an upcoming special meeting for which employees will be subpoenaed and may face dismissal if wrongdoing is confirmed.
The DPW&UD has other complications that will present challenges to a new director, including a proposed realignment of economic development responsibilities that the council declined to act on at the present time.
The council meeting is 8 p.m. Monday in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.
--Bernice
Bernice --
ReplyDeleteFound this link: http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2010/07/07/news/doc4c33839a9d9fb423049170.txt?viewmode=default
If it's the same Eric Jackson, he was Public Works Director, ran for Trenton mayor (lost by a few votes), then became assistant city business administrator.
Hey! Let's not give Sharon an extra year. Her 2nd term began in January 2010, not this year. It's small consolation for those of us living in 'handout city' who have to pay the freight for incompetence, controversy, and endless intertia. For years our local politicians have used their power and ambition to sell the city's future to the contractors. Will Mr. Jackson be just another bureaucrat enabler directing public funds to these municipal parasites? Given the track record, sadly, the answer is probably 'yes'.
ReplyDeleteJackson didn't lose the mayoral election in Trenton by a few votes, he came in third in the primary by a few. Repeat, came in third. And he was a crony of the former mayor which is how he became director of public works. He got his new job as assistant city administrator in Trenton 14 months ago. Repeat, 14 months ago. So he's an inside player from another town, with limited experience as a city administrator, who must be pals with Zilinski (they're both from Trenton), and he's got no more staying power than Bibi. Another winner for sure.
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