Mercer County Executive Dan Benson recently gave the ‘State of the County’ address at the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber meeting, speaking to nearly 200 attendees.
Benson talked about the progress made over the past year while dealing with major challenges.
He opened by reminding people of his election promise to build a county government that works for everyone.
He then shared how his administration has worked hard to keep that promise, even when the challenges turned out to be bigger than expected.
One of the biggest problems he faced when taking office was financial.
The previous administration left $11 million in overspending, unfinished audits, and expired labor contracts.
Benson and his team acted quickly to fix these issues.
They set up strong financial controls, finished audits for 2022 and 2023, settled seven labor contracts, and worked with the County Commissioners to create a 2024 budget to stabilize the county’s finances.
The administration also worked hard to improve community services.
Over the past year, Mercer County provided 100,000 meals to seniors and launched the first respite program in the state to help caregivers.
They introduced grants to support recreation for seniors and young people with disabilities and began developing affordable housing projects.
Benson also shared updates on the county’s plans to grow the local economy.
The Zero-Interest Loan program has helped small businesses, the Route 130 Connection Bus has been expanded, and outreach to minority-owned businesses has increased.
Public safety and disaster preparedness have also been priorities.
Benson explained updates to the county’s Emergency Master Plan, plans to upgrade the 911 system, and a shared services agreement to provide Hazmat coverage across the county.
Infrastructure projects were a key focus of Benson’s address.
The administration obtained funding for several significant initiatives, including the construction of a new fire station and a terminal at Trenton-Mercer Airport, extensive upgrades to the Trenton Thunder ballpark, redevelopment efforts along the South Broad Street Corridor, and the reconstruction of the Lincoln Avenue Bridge in Trenton.
Benson made it clear how vital local union workers are to these projects.
He mentioned agreements already signed to keep the work in union hands and hinted at more deals coming for future plans.
On improving county government, he talked about smoother communication between departments, more fair contract bidding, and more opportunities for women-, minority-, and veteran-owned businesses.
He also discussed three new offices created to address specific needs: the Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, Food Security, and Travel and Tourism.
Benson shared how the county is working closely with its twelve municipalities.
The administration is working to strengthen partnerships with local governments.
Through agreements to share services and by tapping into county resources, they’re helping with factors like road maintenance and acquiring open space.
Benson finished his speech by discussing the hard work and progress achieved during the past year.
While acknowledging there are still tough challenges ahead, he expressed confidence in the direction the county is headed.
With a clear focus on financial stability, better services, economic growth, and ambitious infrastructure plans, Benson’s administration has laid a solid foundation for a brighter future in Mercer County.