Five emergency roof and building repairs in eight months, all to the same contractor, without competitive bidding

What happened

Between November 2025 and May 2026 the board approved emergency building work under the state rule that allows contracts without advertising: a roof at Hedgepeth-Williams Elementary at up to $125,917 in November, a roof at Cadwalader Elementary at up to $185,790 plus trailer repairs at up to $43,600 in December, a roof at the Trenton 9th Grade Academy at up to $567,600 ratified in February, a roof at Grace A. Dunn Middle School at up to $636,900 proposed in March, and a roof at Grant School at up to $195,800 in May. Every roof award went to Anderson Contractors. In the same period the board accepted $2,115,298 from the state Schools Development Authority for emergent and capital maintenance needs.

Why it matters to families

Roofs failing one after another, each handled as an emergency by one contractor, is a pattern worth a question: whether the district has a roof replacement plan and a budget for it, or is replacing roofs as they leak. Emergency awards also skip the competitive bidding that normally disciplines the price.

The evidence

The May resolution reads that the board 'enters into a contract with Anderson Contractors, Inc. … at a cost not to exceed $195,800.00 (including 10% contingency allowance)', the same form used for the Hedgepeth-Williams, Cadwalader, 9th Grade Academy and Dunn awards, each recited under the emergency provision of N.J.A.C. 18A:18A-7.

The source