It’s Big Boy pants time in the capital city. Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora needs to stand in front of media members and residents to face another crisis, this time, a Trenton Water Works issue that requests customers to limit water use. Actually, the ship sailed on such an inspirational ideal of straight talk. Trenton Water Works issued a Limit-Water-Use-Advisory last Wednesday night after below freezing temperatures caused considerable ice buildup in the Delaware River. City officials said ice impacted water intake which resulted in a need to access water from the city reservoir. Plus, Trenton purchased bulk water from New Jersey American Water through an interconnection. TWW Spokesperson Michael Walker blamed the problem on frazil ice which clogs the screens of the intake although the utility recently spent $9 million to prevent this issue and to upgrade aqua services. Gusciora, short on press conferences but long-winded on Op-Eds that allow no rebuttals, should engage conversations with Trenton Water Works customers. TWW services approximately 63,000 homes innclufing 220,000 customers, many holding questions about this current problem and other water delivery concerns. Gusciora did tape an explanation about this latest “hiccup” regarding water service. His sunglassed appearance on the banks of the Delaware River continued a reputation of avoidance. Gusciora should have skipped a photo shoot near the Delaware River and held a press conference at City Hall, you know, a presser with news cameras and persons asking pertinent questions.Instead, the mayor engages persons with legitimate complaints on Facebook. For instance, consider this worthy post by a person identified as Moses Sutton. “An investment of $9 million into a critical infrastructure project like water intake from the Delaware River should have accounted for a wide range of potential scenarios, especially given the importance of ensuring reliable water supply to the community. While the NJDEP’s design may have been approved with the best intentions, the oversight regarding small ice chunks clogging the filter demonstrates a lack of thorough risk assessment. “The weather being “warm” until now is not a sufficient excuse; climate variability and seasonal changes are predictable factors that should have been anticipated. Ice formation, whether in large chunks or smaller fragments, is a standard occurrence in winter months. It is the responsibility of those managing such a significant project to ensure that the system is robust enough to handle these conditions. “Moreover, blaming weather or specific ice conditions for the failure of such a costly and critical infrastructure project seems like an attempt to deflect responsibility. With an investment of this magnitude, residents deserve a system that is resilient and capable of functioning under all foreseeable conditions. The Mayor and DEP should not only focus on addressing the immediate issue but also commit to revisiting the project’s design and ensuring it undergoes rigorous testing to prevent similar issues in the future. Anything less would be a disservice to the residents who rely on Trenton Water Works for their daily needs.” Gusciora replied, “Moses Sutton we are still investigating and cameras are about to go in the water. Not making any accusations until we know what happened. But we replaced infrastructure on a 60 year old filtration plant. It was long overdue.” This hands-on Gusciora effort plays wonderfully in a former Mayor Arthur Holland open-door policy way, but the mayor needs conversations with the masses. Plus, the public should hear from Sean Semple, director of the city’s Department of Water and Sewer, which operates Trenton Water Works. Sure, Gusciora should have working knowledge of water issues but Semple supposedly knows the nuts and bolts connected to this intake problem. During times of crisis, dispensing accurate, timely information remains critical in establishing both calm and trust. Water quality and service represent important aspects of our lives. Gov. Phil Murphy and former state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli made communication famous during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their daily updates provided accurate information, crucial in efforts to avoid panic and reduce stress. In those most difficult and uncertain times, Murphy and Persichilli slipped into XXL slacks. Gusciora did not face the public after a Department of Justice investigation determined the Trenton Police Department and City of Trenton engage in a pattern or practice in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. A public discussion regarding issues at the Trenton Animal Shelter seems long overdue. The Escher St. facility continues to hemorrhage tax dollars with millions being spent to board an overflow of dogs in a Yardley, Pa. kennel. Gusciora attempted a self-fix with an executive order that placed TAS under control of the Trenton Police Department. Face it, if Mayor Gusciora held a forum on law enforcement, particularly the DOJ report, Trenton Water Works, or the Trenton Animal Shelter, his ears might ring and burn while his leadership skills would face significant public scrutiny. Still, leaders and people who face life challenges head on, benefit from those responsible acts. It’s Big Boy pants time for Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora. L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Find him on Twitter @LAParker6 or email him at [email protected].