Poll shows 83% of toms river residents disapprove of mo hill's botched land sale

Poll Shows 83% of Toms River Residents Disapprove of Mo Hill’s Botched Land Sale

Posted by
1 min read
August 17, 2020

TOMS RIVER, NJ – A poll of Shore News Network readers over the past week shows that most are opposed to Toms River Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill’s botched backdoor sale of public land to a member of the Lakewood Township Planning Board.    Over 500 answers were received in the poll and 83.3% of those who took the poll feel Hill acted in an inappropriate or unethical manner to facilitate this land auction.

Just 10.8% approved, 3.9% were undecided and 2.0% said they really didn’t care what Mo Hill does.

89.2% of those who took the poll said they did not support Hill’s proposed auction, but just 48% said the township should not put the land back up for sale in a fair and open auction that is properly publicized and approved by the board.  11.8% said they don’t care if the land goes up for sale again and 13% were undecided about the sale.  Just 26.5% felt the town should go back to the drawing board and sell the property on the open market.

The vast majority of poll takers said they felt Mo Hill and the Township of Toms River tried to cover up the details of the land sale once they were brought to light by Shore News Network after Councilman Daniel Rodrick blew the whistle on the suspicious transaction.  83.3% said the town tried to cover their tracks and an nearly identical amount felt Dan Rodrick did the right thing by exposing the land sale.

Although the poll is officially over, you can see the results and continue voting here.

Take Our Poll – What is Your Opinion of the Toms River PO Box Land Sale Scandal?

 

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss