Toms River Township Council Reorganization 2022
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January 4, 2022Toms River Township Council Reorganization 2022
The Township Council held its Annual Reorganization Meeting on Monday
Three new members were sworn into their positions on the Toms River Township Council on Monday.
For the second year in a row, Kevin Geoghegan was re-elected as council president, while Matthew Lotano was re-elected as vice president.The Oath of Office was administered to four Councilmembers.
Oath of Office - Councilman-Elect David CiccozziAdministered by Assemblyman Gregory P. McGuckin, Esq. Oath of Office - Councilman-Elect Justin Lamb
Administered by Lavallette Councilman Robert P. Lamb, Esq. Oath of Office - Councilman-Elect James
Administered by Assemblyman Gregory P. McGuckin, Esq. Oath of Office - Councilman-Elect Daniel Rodrick
Administered by Peter S. Pascarella, Esq., Esq. Councilman Kevin Geoghegan was elected Council President. Councilman Matt Lotano was elected Council Vice-President. for 2022. Both were sworn in by Ocean County Commissioner Virginia "Ginny" Haines.
When Councilmen Daniel Rodrick and Justin Lamb both voted against Geoghegan's nomination as council president and objected to a resolution that would limit council members' comments to five minutes and prohibit council members from introducing a resolution without first going through the council president, it was clear that 2022 would pick up where 2021 left off.
According to Lamb, the time limit is a violation of the Constitution's right to free speech. Rodrick took issue with the section of the resolution prohibiting council members from introducing resolutions from the floor. "Is this required at the Assembly, where you serve?" Rodrick asked Gregory McGuckin, the township's attorney and a New Jersey State Assemblyman. McGuckin stated that this was the case at the Assembly, with resolutions being presented to the President of the Assembly before being introduced.Since they were sworn into office in January 2020, Rodrick has been at odds with Geoghegan, Lotano, and Kopp, as well as Mayor Maurice Hill. Rodrick and Lamb were running mates in the autumn election, when Lamb defeated Maria Maruca, who had served on the council for 18 years.
James Quinlisk, who represents Ward 3, and David Ciccozzi, who represents Ward 4, were also sworn in. Ciccozzi and Quinlisk expressed their gratitude to the voters who had elected them."I'm honored to be here and I'm going to give 100 percent every day," Ciccozzi said."I hope to promote the idea that Toms River needs to keep getting better," Quinlisk said.
Rodrick returned to the same topics of overdevelopment and corruption that he had previously discussed.
Councilman Joshua Kopp announced the formation of a committee to help Toms River become a more welcoming and supportive environment for small companies. Kopp also stated, "I'd like to make a change in Toms River to make it one of the best in the state for small businesses," and "to provide opportunities to anyone who wants to start a business in Toms River." Lotano stated that increasing the town's communication with residents will be his primary focus for 2022, noting the defeat of the open space tax vote on the 2021 ballot. Residents in Toms River were hoping to rally support for other property purchases, such as the Boy Scout offices on Route 571, to safeguard them from development. "I'm sure it's not the first time we'll disagree on things," Geoghegan said of his disagreement with Lamb and Rodrick on the resolution defining standards for council meeting participation.Mayor Maurice Hill emphasized what he considered to be positive accomplishments in 2021, such as a zoning deal with the federal Department of Justice. He pointed out that Toms River paid a far smaller penalty than surrounding communities in settling the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act complaint with the federal government.
According to Hill, Howell was recently fined $8.7 million for an RLUIPA violation. He also mentioned the contract for the new Veterans Administration facility on Hooper Avenue, the new Ocean County Social Services building, the town's recreation enhancements, and the purchase of the surf club site, which was completed on Dec. 30.The town will need to take a different approach to get property preserved from developers looking to build homes or multifamily housing, he said. Open space purchases will continue to be important, and he said the town will need to take a different approach to get property preserved from developers looking to build homes or multifamily housing.
"We've accomplished a lot of positive things in 2021, and there's a lot we're looking forward to in 2022," he said.-
- Photo Credits: Toms River Township Government, New Jersey
