TRENTON — Trenton City Council plans to introduce its budget at a special meeting Oct. 27 — much to the disappointment of one councilwoman who took issue with the fact that the full council would not be in attendance. Though council members Marge Caldwell-Wilson and Phyllis Holly-Ward will be absent, council decided to push ahead with the special meeting because...
TRENTON -- Trenton City Council plans to introduce its budget at a special meeting Oct. 27 -- much to the disappointment of one councilwoman who took issue with the fact that the full council would not be in attendance.
File photo of Trenton City Hall on E. State St. Though council members Marge Caldwell-Wilson and Phyllis Holly-Ward will be absent, council decided to push ahead with the special meeting because there would be enough for a quorum.
The next council meeting was scheduled for Nov. 5, the day before the transitional aid application and budget are due to the state Department of Community Affairs.
Business administrator Terry McEwen said council wasn't alerted sooner because the city only learned about the Nov. 6 deadline a week and a half ago.
MORE: Trenton city council approves $209M budget, 1.4 pecent tax increase
"If we accepted the budget on the 5th, is there any reason you can't turn it over to the DCA the next day?" Caldwell-Wilson asked.
McEwen said the city would have to be "all hands on deck" and hurry to make the necessary copies and walk it over to DCA.
"Well they're just across the street," Caldwell-Wilson responded. "I don't see why there's an urgency to do it on the 27th when we can actually do it on a council night on the 5th and we don't have to call a special meeting."
The introduction marks the start of the budget process and she said that all council members should be present.
Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.
