Ex-Toms River police spokesperson lawsuit: Mayor fired me for revenge against my dad

TOMS RIVER - The former spokeswoman for Toms River's police department has sued Mayor Daniel Rodrick and the Township Council, saying they fired her from her job because of the mayor's animosity toward her father, a member of Toms River Regional's Board of Education.

Jillian Messina, who had worked for the police department since 2017, said the mayor and council had failed to give her proper notice that her job would be discussed at the Jan. 18 council meeting. After Messina spoke at the meeting against the elimination of two police captains' positions, as well as her own job, Rodrick fired her the next day, the lawsuit says.

Messina's father, Joseph Nardini, is a long-time member of the school board, and publicly clashed with Rodrick in 2021, after a nasty school board election in which Nardini said the then-councilman accused him and school board member Jennifer Howe of allowing "pornography" in the middle school curriculum.

The "pornography" Rodrick was referring to was a link to a state Department of Education curriculum site that included "graphic" photos and paintings.

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The information was never included in Toms River Regional's curriculum and the link was removed from the district's website after citizens complained. But Nardini and Howe both expressed anger at the inference that they had supported "pornography," and both attacked Rodrick at council meetings while the mayor was still a councilman.

Nardini went to a council meeting in November 2021 and told the other councilmen, "This man is garbage, I’m telling you this man is garbage. He should not be on this council. I respect every one of you, almost." Rodrick had supported George Lobman and Lynn O'Toole for school board seats; they were defeated by Nardini and Howe.

Lobman and O'Toole are now both township council members.

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Assistant Township Attorney Peter Pascarella said that Messina was a confidential employee, who did not have a contract, "which means she can be terminated for any reason that is not unlawful. Her position was eliminated for economic reasons, which is solely the administration's discretion.

"As for her claim that she was terminated due to speaking at the meeting, and allegedly violating her First Amendment rights, there is no merit to that claim, especially if you consider that she spoke for the first time at the meeting the council was voting on an ordinance that would eliminate her position for economic purposes."

Phil Stilton, who was serving as the township's public information officer, replaced Messina as spokesman for the police department after she was fired. But after a heated exchange Feb. 26 with Business Administrator Jon Salonis, Stilton left town hall and has not yet returned to work with the township.

Toms River Police Chief Mitch Little gave a sworn deposition that described a meeting he had with Stilton three days after Stilton's exchange with Salonis; the deposition is attached to Messina's lawsuit.

A copy of the lawsuit can be seen at the end of this story.

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In the deposition, Little said Stilton stated "that Mayor Rodrick admitted to him that he fired Ms. Messina to get back at her father (Joseph Nardini) for his previous political actions against him and to hurt her, Nardini, the police department and myself (the chief)." Stilton said if he were deposed he would be "forced to tell the truth and convey the aforementioned facts."

Rodrick said Stilton denied making those statements.

Messina's suit also claims that Rodrick did not share with the council the full extent of Messina's job responsibilities and qualifications for her job. Messina has said she helped bring more $1 million into the police department during her time there, raising money for the township's Police Foundation and running successful fundraisers to buy bulletproof vests for officers.

"I'm proud of that. I have paid for my salary quite a few times, sir," Messina said on Jan. 18, when she spoke at the council meeting. Messina was paid $58,000, while Stilton's salary was $89,999 during his time as public relations officer for the town.

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Messina is seeking unspecified monetary damages as well as payments for pain and suffering and emotional distress related to her firing. Her lawyer is Kieran Dowling of Schiller, Pittenger and Galvin, Scotch Plains.

"Messina's position was unnecessary and was cut as part of an overall reduction in (former mayor) Mo Hill's outrageous $600,000-plus public relations budget," Rodrick said. "Any claim to the contrary is false. The position was eliminated and will not be refilled. Her lawsuit has zero merit."

Messina complaint by Dennis Carmody on Scribd

Jean Mikle covers Toms River and several other Ocean County towns, and has been writing about local government and politics at the Jersey Shore for many years. She's also passionate about the Shore's storied music scene. Contact her: @jeanmikle,  jmikle@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Ex-Toms River police spokesperson sues mayor, blames revenge for firing