'They came to their senses': Toms River mayor, business group make fireworks deal

Jean Mikle, Asbury Park Press
·3 min read

TOMS RIVER - Five fireworks shows will be planned for downtown Toms River this summer, under a compromise between Mayor Daniel Rodrick's administration and the township's Business Improvement District, which will pay for the displays.

"I'm glad they came to their senses," Rodrick said of Downtown Toms River, the business improvement group. "I think it's going to be a big hit."

The BID will set aside $50,000 for the five shows, to be held on summer Fridays, according to executive director Mairin Bennett.

The Township Council on Wednesday voted to introduce the BID's 2024 budget, and scheduled a public hearing, and likely adoption, of the spending plan for the April 24 council meeting.

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Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick speaks during the Council meeting Wednesday, February 14, 2024, about the ordinance which cuts two captains' jobs and one patrol officer. The mayor said he has already eliminated the need for the council to vote on the ordinance by already making the changes in the department.
Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick speaks during the Council meeting Wednesday, February 14, 2024, about the ordinance which cuts two captains' jobs and one patrol officer. The mayor said he has already eliminated the need for the council to vote on the ordinance by already making the changes in the department.

Bennett said Wednesday that the organization will use money from its promotions budget and also plans to increase sponsorships to pay the cost. She said the BID hopes to have a meeting "within the next couple of weeks" with a pyrotechnic company and also Toms River's fire department, to discuss details of the fireworks shows.

"With the support of our mayor and council, we are thrilled to unveil plans for over 68 permitted events, alongside five fireworks shows, to grace the heart of our beloved downtown," Bennett said, reading from a prepared statement at Wednesday's township council meeting. "These events not only serve as catalysts for economic growth, but also provide invaluable opportunities for community engagement, cultural enrichment, and joyful celebration."

The compromise came after Rodrick last week threatened to prevent the BID's annual budget from being placed on a Township Council agenda, and then said he might consider disbanding the group. He called the BID "a cesspool" and said it had failed in its efforts to revitalize the downtown.

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The BID's budget must be approved in order for the organization to continue functioning, and for the group to keep collecting the $286,000 in tax assessments from commercial property owners in the improvement district's zone.

The BID puts on events like the Cruisin' Downtown classic car shows, the Harvest Arts Festival, the Comfort Festival and Cinco de Mayo celebration, and the weekly farmer's market and Downtown Night Out outdoor dining on Washington Street.

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Logo for Downtown Toms River, the township's business improvement district.
Logo for Downtown Toms River, the township's business improvement district.

Last week, the BID's board of directors voted not to change the submitted, $440,000 budget, after Rodrick demanded $70,000 be taken from the group's operating expenses to finance 10 fireworks shows.

Instead, the board agreed to send a letter to the mayor and township council, requesting again that the BID's 2024 budget be placed on an upcoming agenda for a vote and public hearing, and agreed to consider legal action if the budget was not put before the council.

But since the meeting, the BID and Rodrick's administration were able to reach a compromise on five planned fireworks shows.

"I would like to thank the BID for trying something new," Rodrick said. He said he believes the fireworks shows "will supercharge the downtown," and draw people from all over Toms River, as well as other Ocean County towns.

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Downtown Toms River, the township's business improvement district, was formed in 2002 by the then-Township Committee, to lure more businesses and create more events in the township's downtown area. The BID is operated by a nonprofit, the Toms River Development Corp., which owns the organization's offices and business incubator at 53 Main St.

It is funded through an additional property tax assessment levied on commercial property owners in the downtown area and along Route 37 from the Garden State Parkway east to Lexington Avenue.

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 mayor reaches fireworks deal with downtown business group