Toms River council meeting that could cut cop jobs gets moved from real room to Zoom
TOMS RIVER - Township Council President Craig Coleman said next week's council meeting will be held virtually, on Zoom, to try to accommodate the large number of people who are expected to attend to speak about an ordinance that would reduce the number of police captains to fund emergency medical technicians.
"To ensure the safety of its participants and to give those who wish to speak the opportunity, this meeting will be conducted via Zoom and telephone, as was the method used during the COVID-19 pandemic," according to a statement from Coleman. The meeting is still scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. Jan. 31.
The move to a virtual meeting is likely to anger some police officers and residents who planned to attend and speak on the ordinance, which would reduce the number of police captains from three to one and reduce the total number of officers from 113 to 112. A public relations position for the police department has also been cut.
Mayor Daniel Rodrick has said that reducing the number of captains through attrition — two captains are slated to retire by June — will allow Toms River to hire eight badly needed EMTs to help provide first aid service to all parts of town 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Cutting the captains' jobs would save more than $700,000, he said.
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Coleman said that, "Groups that have already indicated they will be in attendance include the CSO (Community Service Officers) union and their state brotherhood, speaking in favor of the related ordinance, while FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) members are bringing their people to speak against the same item. This creates the potential for the current meeting room to exceed its capacity and could also make it difficult for individuals to speak and be heard."
The L. Manuel Hirshblond meeting room at town hall has a capacity of 249 people. In the past, meetings that were expected to draw overflow crowds have been moved to the auditorium at Toms River High School North. That room was used for a Board of Adjustment meeting in 2015 when more than 1,000 people came out to listen to testimony about the Chabad of Toms River.
The auditorium was also used last year to accommodate a large crowd that came to discuss the controversial settlement of a natural resources damage lawsuit against the former Ciba-Geigy Corp.
Toms River Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Citta said he has not been asked by township officials if any school facilities are available.
"I’m against doing the Zoom meeting," said Councilman David Ciccozzi, who has long spoken against meetings on Zoom and council members calling in on the phone. "In general, I’m against the phone calls in and everything. … I feel so badly for the public. … We’re public servants, you’ve got to take the good with the bad."
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Here is the link for residents interested in participating in the meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89508159869. The meeting ID is 895 0815 9869. To make public comment, use the following information: One tap mobile, +13052241968,,89508159869# US +13092053325,,89508159869#. The meeting ID is 895 0815 9869.
Jean Mikle covers Toms River and several other Ocean County towns, and writes about issues related to Superstorm Sandy. 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: Toms River council meeting on cutting police jobs gets moved to Zoom
