New Chapter Anticipated In Toms River As New Year Begins

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Mayor-elect Daniel Rodrick promised change in Toms River when he was running to become the next mayor.

Change begins New Year's Day, as Rodrick is set to be sworn in as mayor during the Toms River Township Council reorganization meeting. The meeting is set for 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 1 in the L. Manuel Hirshblond Meeting Room on the second floor at Toms River's town hall, 33 Washington St.

Along with Rodrick, his council running mates Lynn O'Toole, Thomas Nivison and Craig Coleman are set to take their oaths after winning three at-large council seats in the November election.

They will join council members Justin Lamb, James Quinlisk and David Ciccozzi, who represent Wards 1, 3, and 4.

Rodrick, who was serving as the Ward 2 councilman, will formally vacate his council seat to become the mayor, so the council will have to appoint someone to his seat for 2024; the seat will be subject to a special election in November 2024 for the final year on Rodrick's council term.

The agenda for the reorganization meeting had not been published as of Friday, but Rodrick has made it clear he plans significant changes in the administration.

Rodrick has said he would halt the downtown redevelopment project that was the subject of significant controversy in the last half of 2022 and into 2023. The initial plans for two 10-story towers led to significant protests at council meetings, and were a key factor in Rodrick's victory over Maurice Hill in the Republican primary.

The other controversial topic is the proposal for the Seaside Heights School District to become a member of the Toms River Regional School District, expanding the regionalization to five districts.

That proposal has been approved by the school boards of the Toms River Regional district and of Seaside Heights, along with the borough of Seaside Heights. Rodrick has been openly opposed to the potential merger, including through a text message sent paid for by his election campaign fund urging people to reject it.

The tone of the text message drew an angry response from Toms River Superintendent Michael Citta, who blasted Rodrick publicly at the Dec. 8 school board meeting where the board voted to seek permission from the state Department of Education to hold a referendum on the possible regionalization.

"Seaside school stats r/worse than Newark!" read the text message, a screenshot of which Citta shared with Patch. "Go2meeting and say no." Citta sent a "STOP" in reply, and the stop message returned "You are unsubscribed from Save Toms River CTE Rodrick Polling and Voting. No more messages will be sent."

The school board voted 7-2, with members Lisa Contessa and Melissa Morrison voting no, to seek permission for a referendum.

The school board's reorganization meeting is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3, in the auditorium at Toms River High School North, 1245 Old Freehold Road, Toms River.

Three members are set to be sworn in: Ashley Lamb, who won election to her second term on the board and was the top vote-getter with 9,307 votes; Paola Pascarella, who received 8,729 votes, and James Capone, who received 8,346 votes. Pascarella and Capone are filling the seats vacated by Contessa, who did not seek re-election, and Michele Williams, who ran for Toms River Township Council and chose not to run for re-election to the school board.