Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick has fought development, restricted homeless services and cut what he called “wasteful” police and fire spending. Twenty months after he took office, some residents wanted him gone.
A grassroots effort to oust Rodrick, which started in August, fell about 1,500 signatures short of the roughly 18,000 needed by Jan. 26 to force a recall vote. Rodrick, who took office in January 2024, cast the effort as fraudulent, and said he doesn’t believe his opponents gathered as many signatures as they claim.
“Some of the people that are leading the recall have been some of Rodrick’s greatest critics, and they said, ‘Look, more people signed this petition than actually voted for him in the last election,’” Jean Mikle, an Asbury Park Press reporter who covers Rodrick’s administration, told NJ Spotlight News. “But he disputes that. He says that’s not true, and they’re scam artists.”
A number of residents spoke against Rodrick at a Township Council meeting on Wednesday. The mayor, in turn, called some council members and residents “fake Republicans.”
“He’s basically saying that the people that were leading the recall are supporters of the last administration, and that he came in and really shook things up,” Mikle said.
Rodrick’s opponents last year gained a Township Council majority. Early signs show the two sides will have a hard time working together; already this year Rodrick vetoed a resolution to approve police promotions.
“It’s going to be interesting to see what goes on going forward because I’m not sure how much work is actually going to get done,” Mikle said.
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