TOMS RIVER, NJ – The Toms River Parking Authority has one job, to enforce parking regulations in downtown Toms River. It used to be that the authority was responsible for collecting change in hundreds of parking meters, but they have since been replaced by an automated parking system.
Justin Lamb, a township resident, lawyer and Lavallette Police Officer who volunteered to serve as a commissioner on the Toms River Parking Authority said new Mayor Maurice Hill has turned the money-losing entity into a tax dollar bleeding money pit, complete with high-paying pay to play political appointments.
Lamb submitted his resignation to Mayor Mo Hill today.
“I can no longer sit idly by as the Parking Authority is losing millions of taxpayer dollars with no solutions offered by your administration,” Lamb said. “This authority has become a patronage pit under your watch. The exorbitant costs billed to the authority by professionals hand-picked by you is alarming.”
Lamb pointed to the recent appointment of Frank B. Holman as the auditor to a large contract. Holman’s firm earns over $4,000,000 per year from public contracts statewide. Holman is also Mo Hill’s boss, the Ocean County GOP Chairman who facilitated Mo Hill’s forming of a new political club in Toms River to challenge the Toms River Regular Republican Club.
Lamb also criticized Hill’s plan to turn downtown Toms River into a city.
“Your redevelopment plan to build a ‘city within a city’ downtown at Huddy Park is nearsighted,” Lamb said. “The speed at which this plan has taken shape and the lack of candor with the taxpayers is similar to your administration’s swift reduction in the acreage requirement for houses of worship from 10 to 2 acres.”
Lamb is not only criticizing Hill, but is now challenging Hill’s staunchest ally on the Toms River Council, Maria Maruca. Maruca has rubber stamped Hill’s agenda as the two forged an alliance with township Democrats Laurie Huryk and Terrance Turnbach on issues such as downtown development, a Toms River homeless shelter, overdevelopment and the loosening of religious zoning laws.
Lamb will be running against Maruca and “Team Mo Mill” in the 2021 Republican primary election in June. Lamb is running on the ticket with Hill opponent Daniel Rodrick and conservative candidate for Governor Hirsh Singh.