TOMS RIVER, NJ (OPINION)- A scandal of sorts is brewing in Toms River. A woman running for mayor against Maurice Mo Hill and Dan Rodrick is seeking to file charges against a township employee.
The worker’s crime, removing a political campaign sign placed in a public spot in a public right of way at the intersection of Bay Avenue and Vaughn Avenue.
Geri Ambrosio, a candidate for office in Toms River texted hundreds of residents shaming the township worker who was caught on video pulling out one of Ambrosio’s campaign signs and discarding it on the sidewalk.
The woman did what township and county workers do every day, remove lawn signs on public property.
But Ambrosio said she is seeking to file a half dozen criminal charges against the woman. In her robo text, Ambrosio said the town employee would be charged with criminal mischief, official misconduct, reckless driving, careless driving, obstructing traffic, and creating the risk of motor vehicle accidents.
She could also be facing termination at her job with the township, and Ambrosio appears to be pushing for it because the woman admitted she was voting for her opponent, Dan Rodrick, for mayor.
Ambrosio has publicly humiliated the town worker and now wants to see her fired and in jail, simply for moving, not destroying, and not even stealing a political campaign sign.
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. Blockin’ out the scenery and breakin’ my mind. The political signs litter the entire township.
It turns out Ambrosio might be the one violating the law in this case and the woman was just enforcing a public safety ordinance. In the township code book 427-5, a section regulating political signs clearly states Ambrosio’s sign was in violation of a township ordinance.
“No political sign shall be placed in the public right-of-way of any roadway or in the sight triangle of an intersection as defined in Chapter 348, Land Use and Development Regulations. Violations of this provision shall be subject to the penalty enumerated in § 427-3D(5), (6) and (7) of the Code,” the town code says. “Any political signs which are placed in violation of these regulations shall be removed by the Township officials at the expense of the person or political organization who so located the sign.”
The sign was clearly in a public right of way and placed within the sight triangle, causing a distraction for drivers.
The woman should instead be hailed as a hero. Toms River is littered with campaign signs. There are literally thousands across the township as the four candidates for mayor jockey for position virtually anywhere there is a place for a sign in town.
Geri Ambrosio is the one who should be facing charges on this matter. The township code is clear. A town official may remove signs placed illegally and irresponsibly within the sight triangle of an intersection. The way this intersection is situated, the sign obstructs the view of southbound drivers looking west onto Bay Avenue.
The simple answer to this headline is no, but town officials need to enforce the sign ordinance and remove all signs violating the ordinance. Let’s hope this woman has her day in court and vindicates the smear campaign against her, by Ambrosio.
