Behind Trenton’s recreation boom: no-bid contracts, runaway overtime, government purchases on personal credit cards

Behind Trenton’s recreation boom: no-bid contracts, runaway overtime, government purchases on personal credit cards

Slides and swing sets for the playgrounds. Bleachers and restrooms for the ballfields and basketball courts. A resort atmosphere for the municipal pools, where flavored ices and scuba diving lessons are free, and the mayor kicks off the summer season by gamely flopping into the pool — trousers, shirt, shoes, and all. Amid a multimillion-dollar mission to rebuild its parks, the city of Trenton is bringing life to spots that sat overgrown and vand…