Toms River Animal Shelter: Petitioners say they have the signatures to force new vote
TOMS RIVER - Residents who hope to overturn an ordinance leasing the township's animal shelter to Ocean County have collected more than 4,000 signatures on a petition asking that the measure be rescinded, modified or put before voters in a referendum.
Phil Brilliant, one of the petition drive leaders, said the group dropped off petitions at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday to Township Clerk Mike Cruoglio. Cruoglio has 20 days to certify that the group has collected at least 3,079 registered voters' signatures, the amount needed for the measure to be sent back before the Township Council.
The council voted to approve the ordinance leasing the shelter to Ocean County for $1 annually last month. The vote was 4 to 3; Ocean County's Board of Health, which runs the county's shelters, agreed last week to enter into negotiations to take over Toms River's shelter.
Since Mayor Daniel Rodrick announced his plans to have the county take over the animal shelter earlier this year, shelter employees and animal advocates have pushed back against the county takeover, arguing that Toms River's shelter achieved "no-kill" status the past two years, while Ocean County's shelters have not. No-kill status means fewer than 10% of animals are euthanized.
'He's really crossed that line': Toms River Animal Shelter workers bark back at mayor
Rodrick has said that he believes the county will do a better job running the shelter than Toms River has done, and has claimed that it was only through his administration's efforts that many dogs and cats were adopted from a shelter that was full when he took office in January. He said the shelter was completely full when he had Drew Chabot take over operations there after Rodrick took office in January.
The township eliminated adoption fees and increased operating hours to help clear the shelter of adoptable dogs and cats, but Toms River also stopped taking stray animals while the debate over who would run the shelter continued. The council tabled a measure that would have privatized Toms River's animal control, but Rodrick and Business Administrator Jon Salonis have insisted there is no money in the 2024 budget to operate the animal shelter.
Cuts affect Toms River: Will NJ schools rescue package be enough to avert layoffs, sports and program cuts?
A public hearing on the budget, which contains no increase in the municipal purposes tax rate, is scheduled for May 22.
The petition drive marks the second one to challenge an ordinance since Rodrick took office. Petitioners collected enough signatures to repeal a measure that cut two police captains' positions and one patrol officer from the police department's table of organization. The council rescinded the ordinance in late March but Rodrick said he would approve any promotions to the captains' jobs, so the two captains' positions will remain unfilled.
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 Animal Shelter overhaul could be stopped with petitions
