The Ruins of Trenton

The Trentonian reported today that Councilman Jim Coston has been on the receiving end of some discipline from City Council leadership after he turned over executive session tapes from a council meeting a few weeks ago to one of Trenton's bloggers.

According to the Trentonian, Mr. Coston has agreed to apologize for his actions, involving audio tapes that revealed the perceived existence of abuse and disrespect from Palmer Administration officials towards the elected representatives of the people on City Council.

Executive sessions are required when council is engaged in conversations regarding sensitive topics or personnel decisions.

But the sentiments of Trenton's council members about their mistreatment should not be hidden by the city government and kept from the ears of the constituency.

Manuel Segura, despite being elected on a Palmer slate of candidates with money provided from Mayor Palmer, was first to indicate a lack of respect for the City Council during the executive session.

"I know that since I was elected to this place right here, administration had never shown any respect whatsoever to this body, and this is my second term," said Mr. Segura. "We are a legislative body, Mr. President, and I believe we need to be respected."

Councilman Geno Melone's remarks indicated a perception of disrespect at the hands of the administration when Juanita Joyner was appointed into her first assistant clerk position.

"Does this body feel, the way even Ms. Joyner was hired was in a respectable manner to this Council?" said Mr. Melone. "This Council was not even brought into discussion by the administration for her hiring."

Geno added that Council President Paul Pintella and the rest of council had turned over control of the important clerk position over to the administration.

"You've turned, well, Council too, not just you Paul, the Clerk's office over to the administration," said Mr. Melone. "In fact, I came this far from stating why don't you just have the administration, since they done everything else, make the appointment of the Clerk."

The feelings of council members regarding their treatment at the hands of the administration should be in the public domain, because this treatment is indirectly felt by Trenton residents, who voted for their council representatives.

It is disturbing to note that City Council members feel this way, but it is more disturbing that their fellow members do not stand up for them after councilmen Segura, Melone, and Coston have all indicated they have felt disrespected by administration officials.

Why do Council President Paul Pintella and Councilwoman Cordelia Staton not stand up for their fellow council members?

And why do they feel the need to constantly defend the administration and attempt to hide the sentiments of the council from the public?

Trenton needs independent thinkers on council, and not Mayor Palmer's stooges.

Trenton, WAKE UP!