The Ruins of Trenton

Capital Health Systems has sued the City of Trenton over alleged low bid violations after the city awarded the contract for its employee health services to another medical outfit based in Hamilton.

The contract was awarded to the Robert Wood Johnson in Hamilton by City Council last month despite the firm being outside Trenton - which the request for proposal said was preferable - and despite being more than $100,000 more expensive.

But official from the Douglas H. Palmer administration advised City Council to award it to Robert Wood Johnson anyway, citing complaints from city employees and difficulties in getting certain documents from the Trenton-based hospital group.

Lurking behind these proceedings are several well-publicized flaps between Mayor Palmer and Capital Health over the group's planned closing of another hospital within Trenton - the Mercer campus in the West Ward. These were mentioned in the lawsuit documents.

Mayor Palmer was quoted numerous times in the media expressing anger over the move.

Perhaps now the courts will punish the City of Trenton for Mayor Palmer's vindictive nature, and its influence on the rest of the city government.

City Council should be wary in the future of revenge resolutions and what they could do to the city when passed.