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Toms River council approves reorganization ordinance after heated debate over consolidation of authority
Summary
The council approved a final‑reading ordinance to reorganize municipal departments and standardize department/division titles; opponents called the measure a 'power grab' while the mayor said it aligns titles with state statute. Roll call was 4–3 in favor.
The Toms River Township Council on a final reading approved an ordinance to amend the township code and reclassify several municipal units, a move proponents said brings titles and structure in line with state statutory department‑head designations and critics said concentrates power at the top.
Mayor Dan Roderick told the council the ordinance is intended to correct inconsistent nomenclature that has built up over years, noting that some smaller units were listed as departments while larger divisions were not. “This is not a power grab,” Roderick said. “It’s about making our table of organization make sense because there have been so many changes over the years.”
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