Toms River officials have implemented a restructuring of various departments within town hall, changing them into divisions. The administration, led by Mayor Daniel Rodrick, views this move as a logical reorganization, aimed at streamlining operations. However, some council members and residents are raising concerns that it consolidates power at the top, potentially diminishing the role of the Township Council.
This restructuring means that they have reorganized the local government’s administrative structure. Specifically, certain departments—like Community Development, Health and Human Services, and Recreation—have been reclassified as divisions instead of departments.
This shift might seem minor, but it could carry implications for how the town operates. In government terms, a department is often seen as a larger, more autonomous unit, while a division is typically a smaller, less independent section within a larger entity.
In this case, the reorganization could be aimed at making town hall more efficient by streamlining operations and reducing the number of distinct, separately managed entities. The restructuring also means that these divisions will now report to the business administrator rather than having separate department heads, potentially centralizing authority and changing how decisions are made.
Under the new structure, four new divisions have been created: Community Development, Health and Human Services, Recreation, and Parks, Buildings, and Grounds. These divisions replace the corresponding departments. Mayor Rodrick explained that the goal is to make the structure of town hall more efficient, citing disparities in the size of various departments as an example, such as the Division of Roads, which has over 50 employees, compared to the Department of Senior Services with only four.
Additionally, while department heads and division heads will continue to report to the business administrator, only state-required department heads will remain as such under the new framework. This change does not affect employee salaries.
Critics, however, argue that the restructuring is more than just a practical adjustment. They claim it centralizes power in the mayor’s office and diminishes the oversight and authority of the Township Council. With the new system, the council will no longer have the ability to approve or reject appointments for the heads of the new divisions, a responsibility that was previously part of the council’s role under the Faulkner form of government.
Despite these objections, the majority of the council voted in favor of the changes, which have now been implemented. The move has sparked ongoing debate about the balance of power within Toms River’s local government.
