Five-year term for bankrupted business owner Phil Brilliant deepens political divide over mayor’s plan to abolish utilities authority
TOMS RIVER, NJ – The ongoing feud between Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick and the Mo-Hill aligned Township Council intensified Wednesday night after council members voted to reappoint embattled MUA commissioner Phil Brilliant to a new five-year term as commissioner of the Toms River Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA)—a position that includes taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits worth up to $40,000 per year. In return, Brilliant attends one short meeting each month, lasting between 30 minutes and 1 hour.
Key Points
- Council members aligned against Mayor Rodrick reappointed MUA Chairman Phil Brilliant to a five-year term.
- MUA commissioners receive taxpayer-funded healthcare worth as much as $40,000 annually for attending monthly meetings.
- Mayor Rodrick says abolishing the MUA could save $2 million per year in taxes and eliminate “redundant legal and professional services.”
Council defies mayor’s push to abolish MUA
The reappointment came despite Mayor Rodrick’s ongoing effort to abolish the MUA entirely and merge its functions into the township’s sewer department. Rodrick argues that dissolving the authority would save taxpayers “$2,000,000 per year in taxes including the elimination of redundant legal and professional services, plus the abolishment of the MUA commission.”
Brilliant’s reappointment ensures he will continue to receive healthcare and stipends for attending the authority’s twelve short meetings each year—meetings that typically last between 30 and 45 minutes. The MUA handles the township’s sewer system and its abolishment has been part of Rodrick’s campaign to streamline government and reduce wasteful spending.
Rodrick has long criticized the system, saying that abolishing the authority would reduce unnecessary expenses and remove politically appointed positions that come with taxpayer-funded perks.
Brilliant, a vocal critic of Rodrick was the leader of the failed effort to recall the mayor. He was appointed to the MUA by former Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill shortly after declaring bankruptcy at his company, Brilliant Environmental Services. Brilliant later thanked Hill for the appointment in a letter written to the Toms River Times where he credited Hill for extending the lifeline at a much needed time in his troubled business career.
Mayor’s argument: saving taxpayers millions
Rodrick has repeatedly argued that eliminating the MUA would deliver major savings by streamlining services under one department. He claims the township could save “$2,000,000 per year in taxes” by cutting overlapping professional services and ending healthcare benefits for commissioners.
Rodrick has described the MUA as being a haven for political appointees and redundant spending. He maintains that residents are “paying twice for the same work” through both township and authority budgets.
The MUA’s commissioners, including Brilliant, receive full taxpayer- and ratepayer-funded healthcare plans “worth as much as $40,000 per year for showing up to just one meeting per month.”
Rodrick has called those benefits “a perfect example of government waste.”
Despite overwhelming public opposition to the free benefits plan for MUA commissioners, Councilmembers Ciccozzi, Nivison, Bianchini, and Bradley voted to re-appoint Brilliant. Councilmembers O’Toole, Aber, and Coleman voted against the appointment.
The future of the MUA remains in question as Rodrick continues to pursue options for its dissolution.
For now, the reappointment of Phil Brilliant to another five-year term signals that Rodrick’s efforts to reform or dismantle the MUA face strong resistance from opposition council members.
Tags: Toms River, Dan Rodrick, Phil Brilliant