[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6181532,"mediaKeyId","5112804-4dde2400a270e168ede9932976dd4b81","parentId",5112804,"title","Toms River approves consent items; Ortley Beach inspection, valve bid rebid set and temporary budget extension debated","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",2632000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5112804-4dde2400a270e168ede9932976dd4b81&start=2632&end=2632","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5112804-4dde2400a270e168ede9932976dd4b81/thumbnail_2632000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6181532/Toms-River/Ocean-County/New-Jersey/Toms-River-approves-consent-items-Ortley-Beach-inspection-valve-bid-rebid-set-and-temporary-budget-extension-debated","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6181532-77393e7f63600282c553c0e8fde3ab13/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162749&Signature=H~MADEemyrej1sGyY8yjz9EEIVm5g9SOlGwpIQRX16hXqz~Iu~VIQTZ~et9De6kipukI6lYcAKQOb3C4dh-VEn3GuCEDG4Wnc~nEzWm3xaI-lHWC5J8YO3h7dQn-aYcAsONXELnDQhxKtz1iPzFFzaA3pRt9whm4br5mD0-T8qGsPGamd3Q17FyQRXJtiWEPagPL7fJeDU2xsy9HwixQp4giFmXyxikp6Esp80Per4B02yR7DQq2cXGCzmXBu9iQwW5iBGT0WPjzWD0HR5L8bsOYhiv5zST9L44uIC~93ya5SlGFGj5NJNqusejbb09I-RhpZNL3Ks53Tf0jngsoKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Toms River Township, NJ","date","2025-05-28T00:00:00Z","article","The Toms River council approved several consent‑agenda items Wednesday while taking separate votes on a handful of infrastructure and budget‑process measures, including an inspection authorization for Ortley Beach and a decision to reject and rebid a coastal valve contract with specific equipment requirements.

Councilmembers voted to roll forward a temporary‑budget extension, a routine measure officials said is common practice when a final municipal budget is still being prepared. \"For the better part of your term ... there’s always extensions of the temporary budget,\" the mayor said, adding the procedure takes portions of the prior year's appropriations to keep operations funded until the new budget is adopted. Several council members voted yes; one member said previously that the third extension would have been the last, but the motion passed.

On infrastructure, the council moved an inspection item for the Ortley Beach project and thanked township engineer John Meeley for his work. Paul Jeffrey, representing the Ortley Beach Voters and Taxpayers Association, said the town’s efforts had unlocked another roughly $200,000 in state funding for the Streetscape Project. \"This got us basically another $200,000 from the state for the project, which is money the township won't have to spend,\" he said.

Separately, the council considered a public‑works bid related to coastal valves designed to keep tidal water out of streets. Officials said previous bids failed to specify a valve model that has been effective elsewhere; the administration advised rejecting the bids and rebidding with specifications for the Swiss/Swedish valve that has worked in other municipalities. \"We're rejecting the bids and rebidding it to make sure that we're getting the Swiss valve,\" one council member said. The motion to reject and rebid passed.

Council members also approved the 2025 Special Improvement District budget and cleared the remainder of the consent agenda after separate roll calls on several items. No substantial policy change came from the meeting’s consent votes; the council asked staff to include the new valve specifications in the rebid and to continue coordinating state grant activity for Ortley Beach.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Council Meeting 05/28/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council advanced several consent items including inspection work for Ortley Beach and a plan to reject and rebid a coastal valve contract with revised specifications; members also approved another temporary‑budget extension after discussion of past practice.","taxTitle","Toms River, Ocean County, New Jersey","taxId",2757,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6181537,"Residents press council on police staffing, EMS and homelessness after recent encampment clearings",2308,5629000,7937000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5112804-4dde2400a270e168ede9932976dd4b81&start=5629&end=7937","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5112804-4dde2400a270e168ede9932976dd4b81/thumbnail_5629000.jpg","/articles/6181537/Toms-River/Ocean-County/New-Jersey/Residents-press-council-on-police-staffing-EMS-and-homelessness-after-recent-encampment-clearings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6181537-7e2bd23476252911fdb1941d2357da52/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162749&Signature=GHrPZFQa~U-uLXAZW9xvDI8yaJnmOiYxJGCVzUzduh445xTI3YoTzJNM96K3OwiIQVSzFJcW4~Ptwom1esIslQTqNt3hIvIQEuc~0HacOWGKWXkr-K-M1uvEDsInmGuewbcnYusVedAtti2~d3WcfXWkXc9D4lGMQN51nbTsfSt1IjrNTsoRY3S7ANwwu7R7Bj3Sm-YEM3KP202FBi-6dix4igOBi4jzEJyBInLbRa4OHzx7Ezwn-lM4xffic6hcIynMjhrajEdiBCdBmw6J5uidSePL4K4BR5di8zFjLGDvxhXGccZZTiLYCR-ZKTgvw4PLREa~HLLK3POOmrV0CA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public comment at the Toms River council meeting focused heavily on public safety, with residents and civic leaders urging stronger responses to homelessness, faster EMS service and higher police staffing.

Phil Brilliant, a longtime local activist, cited police and EMS staffing trends and criticized the administration's handling of downtown encampments and temporary housing. \"In 2024, we started the year with 163 police officers. But by May first of 2025, the number has dropped to 153 ... and we'll be down to just a 140 officers by the end of this year,\" Brilliant said, arguing the drop in officers and postponed academy classes have weakened response capacity. He also said a $250,000 allocation for temporary housing had not been fully spent, and that many people placed in hotels had been returned to the streets when stays expired.

Several speakers urged the council to reinstate Silverton EMS for 9‑1‑1 response, saying the local volunteer ambulance service lost dispatch privileges following allegations and administrative actions. \"Silverton EMS was accused of something and lost their 9‑1‑1 dispatching rights in this town,\" said Jim Prentice. Council members Sikosi, Nieveson and others called for immediate reinstatement and for the prosecutor's office and police to conclude any inquiries promptly.

Mayor Roderick defended parts of the administration's approach to the encampment response and noted state and nonprofit partners handled much of the relocation and housing placement. \"Every single person in that camp was given six months of housing. As soon as we passed our resolution for the 250,000, all of a sudden the state came in with the nonprofit and picked up all those people and placed all of those people,\" he said, adding some placements were paid for by state programs and nonprofits. The mayor also offered seasonal part‑time township jobs at $20 per hour and urged residents experiencing homelessness to contact Health and Senior Services for assistance.

Council members and commenters urged better coordination with county agencies and nonprofits and demanded clearer reporting on how temporary housing funds were used. No formal policy change or reinstatement of EMS services was adopted at the meeting; councilmembers asked administration staff to provide additional information and for county partners to engage on longer‑term solutions.","Speakers and councilmembers disputed the town’s homeless response and raised concerns about police staffing and Silverton EMS; council members urged coordination with county and nonprofits while some called for reinstating Silverton EMS services.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6181542,"Toms River council introduces 2025 budget with no municipal tax increase, officials say",415,961000,1376000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5112804-4dde2400a270e168ede9932976dd4b81&start=961&end=1376","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5112804-4dde2400a270e168ede9932976dd4b81/thumbnail_961000.jpg","/articles/6181542/Toms-River/Ocean-County/New-Jersey/Toms-River-council-introduces-2025-budget-with-no-municipal-tax-increase-officials-say","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6181542-92e741ec3d08db239bd90005f2d38350/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162749&Signature=mwCTRydqQb2kbnQgEFSmXTDh7ftmwr23e1rCRMcFs9fL8G-VWS5DxElR2rCGQQhNqDsmpRE0atlyqz34IVG-VzW97Ke9VCmm7IjH3Oumm~dSk1r6gm1KnC1fVa3n7TD6I0c-zWbrhVMTe-7mX8-Z9yml2N-hOhzYcS1bpldPjTP2zqHFMID~g0ycRMoBsGc5EeXPOGdWkMqMlC4q9oWx9gAR-LPxJyAiUVjQTMzZOWqGzJ1znZc7lVnhhUPJ7wTwOYRx21MIQJui4GtZfVAFjAgGmN5IyDZ~RSd~VBSw8timg9KYWw983giGEN5m60nDAIK-dMG332BP4oo2pafqhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Toms River officials introduced the township's 2025 municipal budget Wednesday, telling the council the municipal tax rate remains unchanged and the township plans expanded capital work while paying down debt.

\"The municipal taxes will remain flat in the budget,\" said Jerry Conedy, partner at the accounting firm that audits the township. Conedy told the council the township ended 2024 with just over $52,000,000 in fund balance and expects to end 2025 with about $67,000,000 in surplus, citing payroll reductions and health‑insurance savings as drivers of the change.

Conedy outlined several budget highlights: elimination of positions expected to save about $5,000,000 in 2025, roughly $1,400,000 in health‑insurance savings, and paying off about $12,057,000 in bond principal in fiscal 2025. He said the total municipal budgeted expenditures fell from about $146,000,000 to $135,000,000 compared with the prior year. \"One of the most important things in the budget: the municipal taxes will remain flat,\" Conedy said.

The draft budget also identifies capital projects the administration intends to pay for from the general fund rather than issuing new debt. Conedy cited plans to pave twice as many roads as last year, extend the Ortley Beach pier, construct a Boatworks pier and build multiple spray parks. The auditor said the average assessed home in Toms River is about $448,400 and that the municipal share of a typical property tax bill is about $1,960.68.

Council President Lam moved to introduce the budget and Council Vice President Coleman seconded. The council then voted to introduce the budget; several members abstained because they said they had not reviewed the full paperwork. Council President Lam, Vice President Coleman and several other members voted yes; Councilman Sikosi said he abstained, citing that he had not seen the budget previously. The administration said the budget will be posted online and a public hearing is scheduled for the June 25 meeting, at which time residents may comment before the council adopts the budget.

Finance director Dottie Gallagher and administration staff will provide additional detail before the public hearing, officials said. The auditor and mayor urged residents to review the full budget once it is posted and to direct specific questions to the administration ahead of the June hearing.","Township auditors and administrators presented a 2025 municipal budget that keeps the municipal tax rate flat, projects higher year‑end surplus and includes capital projects paid from fund balance rather than new debt.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6181548,"Toms River debate intensifies after council’s eminent‑domain plan for Christ Episcopal Church",578,2833000,3411000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5112804-4dde2400a270e168ede9932976dd4b81&start=2833&end=3411","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5112804-4dde2400a270e168ede9932976dd4b81/thumbnail_2833000.jpg","/articles/6181548/Toms-River/Ocean-County/New-Jersey/Toms-River-debate-intensifies-after-councils-eminentdomain-plan-for-Christ-Episcopal-Church","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6181548-f074aae624f838e92412fb487968d158/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162749&Signature=orH1iPRfVyYbAVVDShgGpqBJSh8bZ~HZ-~xl8bMJ8gNvYk3VAMllmRZXD8k2c32YNkbmc6f0xhLQkzTHaZhv37d8PSZJEX1KtuOMhpu5Sv4b1-FT88pPatJycLVQRreizgbTHUzyvJvF7PJTKD~BtXSUnCD3OCO7mkZPRcEMi5xRGtzlFqfgMr0XvM0G~do3L4eFZlToI-LmM4fnlJFcHHVVIkPby1bY5IYwtXc-g6Ur5LhMeRPAHT-um8sN-Aw0-p9ukBTBRE078FLWqSs~DuBD6WFYIow3gxla9xoO8ecHH0HHBOKSCcLhq4Bo-NP4-nSsA3NlZ7bwT91OM4ifDw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Toms River councilmembers faced sustained public opposition Wednesday after the township signaled plans to acquire the property occupied by Christ Episcopal Church through eminent domain for recreation uses and a proposed homeless facility.

The proposal drew dozens of residents and church representatives to the council chamber to say the church provides long‑running social services and that seizing the land would remove programs that serve dozens of local families. \"To claim Christ's church for eminent domain. You will be displacing not just one church, but two,\" said the Reverend Dr. Carolyn Bradley, deacon at Christ Episcopal Church. \"On the property is Christ Episcopal Church, which has been there for 160 years and has faithfully and lovingly served this community.\"

Church leaders and speakers outlined services that would be affected if the site is taken, including a food pantry, a clothing ministry, Family Promise rotations for homeless families and a memorial garden with about 325 interments. \"Those who are in turn there. More importantly. It's a place of peace and solace,\" Bradley said. Deacon Ted Foley said the church and the Episcopal Diocese had not been contacted before the council's first reading of the ordinance, adding, \"No one from the town council has reached out and not the town attorney. Nobody has reached out. We've never received notice about the first reading of the ordinance.\"

Township attorney Pasquarello told the council and the public he had made outreach after the first reading. \"The day after the first reading, I reached out to Bishop French ... I gave her my number,\" he said, adding that he invited the diocese to meet with township officials and their legal counsel to discuss options. Pasquarello said he could provide records of that contact if requested.

Speakers framed the matter as more than land use, noting longstanding community services housed at the church and potential emotional distress tied to displacing burials. \"The benefit to the Toms River community will be lost,\" Bradley said. Several speakers also urged the council to explore existing township parkland — including a five‑acre site at Clifton and Bachelor streets identified by residents — rather than pursue eminent domain of the church grounds.

Council members and administration officials responded in part during the meeting, with the mayor and others saying statutory notice for the second reading will be published and that the township had attempted post‑reading outreach. The council did not take a final vote on an ordinance to acquire the property at this meeting; public commenters said they were preparing petitions and legal challenges should the council proceed.

The debate over the church occurred amid broader public comment on homelessness, parks and downtown needs. Several speakers said temporary housing and other outreach would be a better use of funds than pursuing eminent domain. The council president and administration said they will follow the statutory process for the ordinance's next steps, including publishing notice for the second reading and allowing a public hearing before any final action.","Residents, church leaders and council members sparred in public comment after the township signaled intent to use eminent domain for recreational development on the Christ Episcopal Church site; church leaders said they had not been contacted and warned of lost community services.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Toms River approves consent items; Ortley Beach inspection, valve bid rebid set and temporary budget extension debated

Residents press council on police staffing, EMS and homelessness after recent encampment clearings

Toms River council introduces 2025 budget with no municipal tax increase, officials say

Toms River debate intensifies after council’s eminent‑domain plan for Christ Episcopal Church