TOMS RIVER – Everyone on the governing body wants to communicate more in 2022.
At the reorganization meeting, winners from last year’s election are sworn in, and the politicians take the time to reflect on the previous year and explain plans for this one.
Councilman Kevin Geoghegan will be the council president. That means he sets the agenda and runs the meetings. Councilman Josh Lotano will be the council vice president.
Last year was a ward election. The town is split geographically into four wards. The Township Council has one member from each ward and three members that can be from any ward.
Justin Lamb, an attorney and police officer, was sworn in to represent Ward 1. He had bested Maria Maruca in the Republican primary, and then Board of Education member Michele Williams in the general election.
He was sworn in by his father, Lavallette Councilman Robert Lamb while his new wife, Board of Education member Ashley Palmiere, held the Bible.
He began his comments by thanking Maruca. “She did a lot for us. I know I have big shoes to fill.”
“I’m deeply humbled to serve,” he said. “I will always consider us equals even in disagreement,” he told the other council members.
Councilman Daniel Rodrick, a teacher in Middletown, was sworn into his second term representing Ward 2. This will be his second term on the council.
“I promise to continue our fight against overdevelopment and corruption,” he said.
James Quinlisk, a firefighter and a small business owner, was sworn in to represent Ward 3. He thanked his wife: “without her, nothing I do would be possible.
“Toms River needs to become a better town and continue to grow,” he said.
David J. Ciccozzi, a planning board member who works in property management, was sworn in to represent Ward 4. He promised to give 100% every day.
“If anyone needs help, reach out to me,” he said.
“Thank you to my grandparents, my parents, my wife and children for helping me all through my life to make me what I am today,” he said. “I will work hard to make Toms River even better.”
All seven council members and the mayor are Republicans, although there is some division between them. Five of them and the mayor agree on most things, but Rodrick and Lamb are the outliers.
Township Council meetings have been a bit volatile in recent years, with infighting among members.
Rodrick questioned a new regulation that would limit statements by elected officials to five minutes. He wanted to see if it was legal for this to pass, whether it violated Robert’s Rules of Order (which guides municipal meetings) or the First Amendment.
Township Attorney Gregory McGuckin said it was legal.
In many towns, comments from the public is limited to five minutes.
Rodrick and Lamb tried to table this move, but they were overruled by the rest of the council.
Councilman Matthew Lotano highlighted some of the work the council, mayor, and administration did last year, including land preservation. An efficiency study that had been performed suggested ways to cut costs and share services.
He also said that one of the reasons that the open space vote didn’t pass was that officials didn’t communicate very well to the public.
There was a referendum question on the November ballot that would have increased the open space tax and allowed the township to buy more land and preserve it.
Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill said that he has asked the township planner to find large parcels of land to buy.
