Imagine these headlines:
“Exxon tanker to be named after Hazelwood”
“Humane Society scholarship to be named after Vick”
“Detroit city hall to be named after Kilpatrick”
“St. Louis ballpark to be named after Holliday”
“Lower Ninth Ward street to be named after Bush”
“Hamilton day care to be named after Timmendequas”
Ridiculous, right? OK, the last one’s a wee bit disgusting, as well. Tough shit.
Well, any of the preceding make about as much sense as what I saw in today’s Trentonian:
In a nutshell: Adrienne Hayling sat on the Trenton Public Library Board of (mis)Trustees for the past 37 years. Thirty-seven years is a long time in Trenton library terms; people actually borrowed BOOKS from the library back then, as opposed to sundry works of audio-visual entertainment, but that’s not important now.
As a result of decades of gross mismanagement on the part of Board, of which Hayling was President for who-knows-how-long*, the library found itself in such dire financial straits that significant evasive action was required in order to prevent branch closures and/or drastically curtailed opening hours. Honestly, we still don’t know the extent of the mess our library system is in, as it has operated without any accountability or third party oversight for so long (a hallmark of anything in the inner circle of the Palmer administration); maybe we’ll find out when it’s time for the next City budget to be slapped together.
According to Larry Parker, Dizzoner’s go-to shill/trial balloon floater, Hayling abruptly stepped aside a few months ago, stating that she wanted time to “smell the roses.” Unidentified sources tell us she really said that she needed to “slowly step away from a plane crash that I caused, in hopes that nobody ties me to it.”
But, to hell with all of that. In fucking typical Trenton fashion, instead of naming Hayling in a lawsuit, a library branch will be named after her. And there will be a party! That’s November 6, at Settimo Cielo on Front Street, according to Larry Parker. You should check that place out sometime; the grappa is to die for (or perhaps “from.” I should know).
A party. Ugh. Imagine the Washington Nationals having a post-season “victory” party. Pretty much the same thing.
Only in Trenton, kids.
*Maybe since King Douglas Hunterdon Palmer took office? Just a guess.
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7 comments:
Yeah but what's really special is that they want to re-name the branch that is named for the man who founded the system over 200 years ago for a woman who almost singled handedly destroyed it in about a tenth of that time.
I <3 Trenton.
I guess Doug figured "why not rename a branch after the woman who oversaw the library system's demise? The library branches will all be closing next year anyway." May I digress? The library branches may close, but Settimo Cielo will remain open at all costs, because it is located in the untouchable TDA district. It enjoys special status in Doug's pet downtown zone, along with the "Trenton City Hotel" aka the Marriott, "The Trenton Municipal Gallery" (aka Gallery 125)and Classics Books (even if we had to put the owner on the TDA payroll to keep it going.)The Burg and South Trenton can rot in hell, as long as Doug can take Bill Clinton and Mrs. Hayling for a drink at the Marriott "bar" and dinner at his favorite restaurant.
Anon #2 sounds like a disgruntled South Ward small business owner.
Shut up and pay your taxes, hater! ;)
I don't mean to offend any Trentonians, but isn't a library in Trenton as useful as a recording studio at Gallaudet University or an art gallery in Stevie Wonder's house?
The TDA is worthless...like Palmer all they ever cry about is "the state, the state, it's the state's fault..." Well I have news to you folks, downtown Trenton would look like South Broadway in Camden without the state, so thank your lucky stars for the state government.
I hope everyone knows that there is a "Mayor Palmer Burger" on the menu at the Trenton taxpayer/supported-Marriott Hotel. I kid you not! Maybe Settimo will develop a Palmer fra Diavolo dish for their menu.
Dear Anonymous #1 and Anonymous #2,
Please explain to me how pointing out that the state owns over a third of our property without paying an appropriate payment in lieu of taxes (significantly depriving our city budget of much needed funds) or that they have cafeterias in their buildings with operators that pay no rent or no taxes whatsoever (creating an unfair competition to downtown businesses) is complaining?
Also I'm wondering if you're interested in having a dialogue about improving the city together? If so, I'm available and I'm interested in hearing your thoughts. I not only work in Trenton but like you (I'm assuming) I chose to live here and my husband and I raising a child here -- soon to be two children. Trenton is a small city and chances are we've met at some point and if not I'd like us to. I truly believe that the way forward here is not via anonymous blog postings but open dialogue and concerted efforts.
Your neighbor,
Taneshia (also known as TDA's Exec Dir)
609.393.8998 x11
tnl@trenton-downtown.com work
urbaneconomics@gmail.com personal
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