"Drain the Toms River Swamp" reads scathing letter to residents
A letter from a Toms River resident with a damning rebuke of Mayor Dan Rodrick hit mailboxes this week
Toms River - A letter from Philip Brilliant, a Toms River resident and business owner, was sent on behalf of former Toms River Council President looking to make a return to the Toms River Township Council.
Geoghegan, a career police officer and first responder, is running against William Byrne, a lifelong Democrat who recently turned Republican and has received backing from scandal-plagued Mayor Dan Rodrick, whose term has been highlighted with storm outs, resignations, and appointments of liberal Democrats within Town Hall. Rodrick has also made draconian cuts to the Toms River Township Police Department and Brilliant, the former Chairman of the Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce, offered his full-throated support for Kevin Geoghegan, a career firefighter and police officer, running in Ward 2 of the township.
The letter read:
Dear Ward 2 Residents of Toms River,
As a longtime resident of Toms River, I, Philip Brilliant, am writing to urge you to support Kevin Geoghegan for Councilman of Ward 2, the best candidate for the job. As the former Chairman of the Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce, Toms River business owner and current Commissioner at the Toms River Municipal Utilities Authority (TRMUA), I have a deep understanding of the issues facing our community – WeAreTR! I am passionate about holding our elected officials and public officials accountable to us – the taxpayers of Toms River and residents who believe Toms River is the best place to live and raise a family.
I do not know Bill Byrne from Mr. Burns, but I know that any candidate tied to Mayor Daniel Rodrick at this point in time is the wrong choice for Toms River. Mayor Rodrick’s first five months in office have been disastrous for our town and adding another “Rodrick’s Rules” puppet is a major concern. Mayor Rodrick equals chaos! As you may know, Mayor Rodrick has defunded four positions at the Toms River Police Department resulting in less armed police officers on the streets of Toms River; suspended the respected Chief of Police for an administrative issue dealing with a late statistical report, not police report; and is trying to hand over control of the Toms River Animal Shelter to Ocean County for just $1, while leaving the Toms River taxpayers to pay the mortgage for the Shelter. This is not only irresponsible but also a slap in the face to us – the Toms River Residents!
But that's not all! Mayor Rodrick campaigned on reducing development, restricting house of worship applications in residential zones, reducing taxes, and improving the quality of life in Toms River. However, under his leadership, building permits have increased in just five months and once an adamant opponent to houses of worship on 2-acre parcels, Mayor Rodrick is endorsing two (2) recent applications marking the first proposed shuls with minimum lot requirements. He has broken his promise to reduce taxes though he has fired or forced out over 60 employees of Toms River and at least two (2) lawsuits have been filed against Toms River Township due to his direct management actions. His budget includes over $2M in salaries or contracts to donors to his and Bill Byrne respective campaigns. He has also reduced the rental property Certificate of Occupancy requirements for his friends who are slumlords, allowing them to rent disheveled and unsafe homes. Mayor Rodrick is helping his friends to become rich on the wallets of Toms River Residents and has sold out to fill his campaign bank account!
Mayor Rodrick is not up for election, but the Ward 2 Primary Election is June 4th and this decision is up to the voters of Ward 2. We do not need another Mayor Rodrick puppet like Bill Byrne to destroy the integrity of Toms River. This is not the kind of leadership we deserve in Toms River. We need a leader who will put the interests of our community first, not a hand-picked candidate who will carry on “Rodrick’s Rules.”
That's why I am supporting Kevin Geoghegan for Councilman of Ward 2. Kevin is a retired police officer, an EMT, and a former business owner with extensive experience governing at the local level. He knows how to get things done and put our community first.
We need to "drain the Toms River swamp" of Rodrick’s transplanted puppets and bring back responsible leadership to our town. Kevin Geoghegan is the right candidate for the job. He will work tirelessly to ensure that our town is governed with transparency, accountability, and a commitment to serving the needs of our community.
Let's send a message to Mayor Rodrick that we deserve better and vote for Kevin Geoghegan as Councilman of Ward 2 on June 4th. Together, we can make a difference and bring back the kind of leadership that will truly serve our community.
Sincerely,
Philip I. Brilliant, CHMM, LSRP
Toms River Taxpayer, Resident and Business Owner
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