Toms River, NJ – The Toms River Municipal Utilities Authority will meet Tuesday amid ongoing scrutiny of its spending practices, including continued taxpayer-funded health benefits for part-time commissioners. Despite past criticism, the authority currently has no plans to end free healthcare for its once-a-month board members.
The meeting comes after the political standoff between Mayor Dan Rodrick and the Township Council over the future of the MUA continues. Rodrick, who last year called the agency a “patronage pit,” sought to dissolve the independent utility and merge its operations into the township in an effort to save an estimated $2.5 million annually.
The MUA, which manages sewage and wastewater operations for Toms River, has been accused by the mayor of excessive spending — including $45,000 in annual health benefits for commissioners who meet for just one hour each month— and of awarding contracts to politically connected firms.
Rodrick’s proposal to eliminate the MUA board and consolidate its functions under municipal control was rejected by the council in November 2025, keeping the authority intact.
Neither the mayor’s office nor the Toms River council has the authority to cease benefits, a move which must be iniated by the benefits-receiving commissioners themselves.
Key points:
- Toms River MUA to meet Tuesday; no changes planned to free healthcare for part-time commissioners
- Mayor Dan Rodrick’s 2025 proposal to dissolve the MUA and merge it with the township was rejected
- The MUA manages sewage operations and remains at the center of a broader dispute over spending and patronage
With no reforms yet enacted, the authority’s upcoming meeting is expected to draw continued public attention as questions about compensation and oversight remain unresolved.
