From The Desk Of Toms River Mayor Daniel T. Rodrick
End Taxpayer-Funded Healthcare For MUA Commissioners – They Only Serve ½ Hour Per Month
As Mayor of Toms River, I am again calling on the Township Council to pass an ordinance eliminating taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits for political appointees who serve only a few hours per year. Commissioners who meet for approximately 30 minutes per month are receiving family healthcare plans that cost taxpayers more than $40,000 annually.
At the Council’s most recent meeting, Phil Brilliant was appointed to a five-year term. Over those five years, taxpayers are projected to spend more than $200,000 on healthcare benefits tied to that position. The numbers are straightforward:
- About six hours of meetings per year
- Roughly 30 hours over five years
- More than $200,000 in healthcare benefits
That equals approximately $6,666 per hour in taxpayer-funded benefits. There is no justification for providing that level of compensation for what amounts to six hours of annual service. Our residents are working families struggling with inflation every day. They deserve better stewardship of their money.
My Effort to Dissolve The MUA – And The Vote That Stopped It
At the end of last year, I introduced a plan to dissolve the Township’s Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA). The MUA no longer treats sewage; it maintains sewer lines. The Township already maintains storm water sewer infrastructure. This creates overlapping government functions. My proposal would have immediately saved $2 million a year and created a path toward eliminating MUA sewer bills entirely, saving residents more than $500 per household annually.
Despite those projected savings, the Council voted against dissolving the MUA. Among those voting against it was former Councilman Justin Lamb. During the period leading up to that vote, public reporting by the Asbury Park Press covered statements involving George Gilmore – Chairman of the Ocean County Republican Organization – and discussions regarding potential county employment considerations for Mr. Lamb’s wife, School Board Member Ashley Lamb.
According to reporting at the time, Mr. Gilmore publicly stated he offered to submit Ashley Lamb’s name for consideration as Deputy County Clerk. Shortly thereafter, Ashley Lamb landed that position, a role that carried an annual salary of approximately $150,000. Her husband councilman Justin Lamb had always said he was in favor of dissolving the MUA, but ultimately voted against my plan. I don’t think that was a coincidence.
It is also important to note that Mr. Gilmore is a partner in an engineering firm that serves as lead engineer for the MUA. The continued existence of the authority directly benefits firms performing professional services for it. That relationship further underscores why transparency and public trust are so critical in these matters.
Taxpayers deserve confidence that major financial decisions are being made solely on the merits – not influenced by political relationships or outside considerations.
At The Very Least – Stop The Wasteful Benefits For Commissioners
Even if the Council refuses to revisit dissolution of the MUA and the millions in potential savings, the least we can do is eliminate $40,000-per-year healthcare packages for political appointees who attend one 30-minute meeting per month. Providing platinum-level healthcare benefits for minimal service is an outrageous example of government waste. Our residents deserve accountability. They deserve fiscal responsibility. And they deserve leadership that protects taxpayers – not political insiders.
I am calling on the Council to immediately introduce and pass an ordinance eliminating these healthcare benefits. The people of Toms River deserve better!
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