TOMS RIVER, NJ – Mayor Maurice Hill, who is promoting skyscrapers in downtown Toms River and working overtime to lower the town’s minimum acreage for houses of worship for campaign financiers was called up to submit his resignation by Councilman Daniel Rodrick on Tuesday. After exposing a political corruption plot between Hill and Assemblyman Gregory McGuckin regarding Hill’s attempt to illegally appoint McGuckin to a nearly $500,000 per year no-bid contract, Hill moved to censure Rodrick to silence the outspoken councilman.
Assemblyman Gregory McGuckin is being accused by Rodrick of acting in a corrupt and illegal manner after meeting with Township MUA Chairman Carmen Memoli prior to a town hall executive session meeting regarding health benefits for members of the MUA. Memoli confirmed the meeting occurred, but told McGuckin the MUA does not need his firm’s legal services. Allegedly, McGuckin requested that Memoli not appoint a new MUA director upon the retirement of Robert DiBiase so McGuckin can have an influence in choosing DiBiase’s successor.
Rodrick said Hill’s claim was completely lacking in evidence, carried out only by his own political agenda. Initially, the township had agreed to hire Attorney Mankoff, who in Jackson Township works for McGuckin and the Jackson Township Council as a defense attorney in their federal civil rights trial. Hill canceled the contract with Mankoff and handed the investigation off to attorney Ken Fitzsimmons who is one of Hill’s nearly four dozen confidential employees.
Here’s what happened Tuesday:
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