A pending investigation about a Trenton Animal Shelter construction project that potentially skirted City of Trenton guidelines added another actor as current Business Administrator Maria Richardson joined the cast. Richardson, who as acting health director had some oversight of the Shelter in June 2024 when local businessman Al Elk made a whopping in kind near $100,000 donation to cover costs of installing outdoor pens for dogs and gifted appliances at the Escher St. facility, denied any knowledge of the project during a December 19 appearance before City Council. On Sunday, an email, penned in June by Terry Peifer, a local animal rights companion activist, surfaced that included Richardson copied about concerns of the Trenton Animal Shelter expansion. Plus, a text message appeared that confirmed local city employees had a phone conversation on June 4 with state health department officials about the project and other issues raised by Peifer. Former Trenton Health Inspector Yvette Graffie-Cooper and former TAS Chief Lt. Alexis Durlacher confirmed the meeting occurred with Richardson patched in as a Zoom participant. Graffie-Cooper said she could only acknowledge the meeting as she pursues a lawsuit that charges city officials with wrongful termination. The City of Trenton fired her in late September. Richardson offered less than total recall about the Peifer electronic correspondence and the meeting with Graffie-Cooper, Lt.Durlacher, and state health officials. Richardson remained steadfast despite mounting physical and testimonial evidence that alleged she had knowledge of the substantial upgrades at the Escher St. facility. “I really don’t remember but that may be true. (Terry Peifer) sends a lot of emails. I really don’t recall but I can check,” Richardson said. In a correspondence dated June 24, 2024 addressed to state Department of Health employees Darby McDermott and Linda Frese, Yvette Graffie-Cooper, and Richardson, Peifer expressed concerns about the pen expansion. Peifer noted the additions stood in violation of NJAC 8:23-1.1(c) which mandates that any facility constructed or renovated after January 17, 1995, must undergo plan review and approval by the local health authority. Peifer said her concerns warranted an immediate investigation by Richardson and a stoppage of the Trenton Animal Shelter reconfiguration until all matters of concern received due attention. The Peifer complaints arrived just after Al Elk, a businessman involved in selling drug paraphernalia, including hemp materials, started the exercise pen expansion. City officials could not present any work orders or permits associated with the project. Richardson had no recollection of a conference call with state health officials that included Graffie-Cooper and Durlacher on June 4, 2024. Both alleged Richardson participated from a Zoom connection. According to text messages reviewed by The Trentonian, the meeting started at 1:30 p.m. “I do not recall being involved with any call with the State, Yvette and Alexis. I do recall calls with Yvette but do not (remember) any with Alexis. For several months I had meetings with state officials at the beginning of my tenure as acting health director but I do not recall any Zoom call in which Durlacher was a part of,” Richardson explained. Peifer likely initiated the meeting with this email sent to the New Jersey Department of Health. “May I suggest that while you are looking into the exercise pens that were not constructed properly and never received prior review and approval from the health officer, you also review the ongoing construction renovations aimed at increasing the number of pens from 5 to 10,” Peifer requested.