Board member alleges corruption, conflict of interest, and illegal spending amid district’s financial crisis
TOMS RIVER, NJ – A Toms River Regional school board member is suing her own district, accusing fellow board members of approving one of the most expensive legal contracts in New Jersey public education history — a deal that allegedly violates multiple state laws and school ethics rules.
Key Points
- Board member Marisa Matarazzo filed suit to void a contract paying $850–$950 per hour to The Toscano Law Firm LLC.
- The deal was allegedly signed before a public vote and without a competitive process.
- The complaint accuses board president Ashley Lamb of a conflict of interest involving her husband’s prior dealings with the attorney.
Contract approved before public vote, lawsuit claims
Filed January 30 in Ocean County Superior Court, the 29-page verified complaint by Commissioner Marisa Matarazzo seeks to invalidate the board’s December 2025 contract with attorney Patrick P. Toscano Jr. The agreement pays $850 per hour for court appearances and $750 per hour for other legal services, plus a $15,000 advance retainer — a payment Matarazzo says is prohibited by both state regulations and board policy.
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According to the lawsuit, Toscano signed the contract on December 8, nine days before the Toms River Regional Board of Education publicly voted to approve it on December 17. The document’s “effective date” also lists December 8, suggesting the deal was in effect before any public authorization.
Under New Jersey’s School Contracts Law, contracts executed before approval or without public process are deemed “ultra vires,” or beyond legal authority, rendering them void.
Conflict of interest and ethics concerns
At the center of the complaint is board president Ashley Lamb, accused of having a conflict of interest for participating in the hiring of Toscano — who previously represented her husband, former Toms River councilman Justin Lamb, in a private employment matter and during a county prosecutor’s office investigation.
Despite that relationship, Lamb allegedly discussed the contract privately, according to the lawsuit, voted to approve it, and signed the final agreement herself. Matarazzo contends this violated the state School Ethics Act, which prohibits officials from acting in matters involving personal or family interests.
“This was not only a conflict of interest but a serious ethical breach,” Matarazzo said in her filing. “They began using the lawyer before there was even a vote.”
The lawsuit also raises the question of whether Justin Lamb could have received a referral fee or financial benefit from the hiring — a legal arrangement between attorneys that would be prohibited under public contracting laws. Matarazzo has asked the court to compel disclosure of all communications and financial exchanges between Toscano and the Lamb family.
Financial troubles deepen scrutiny
The lawsuit lands amid a financial storm for the Toms River Regional School District, which has warned of potential insolvency as state aid declines. The district recently approved an $80,000 raise for Superintendent Michael Citta, raising his annual salary to $310,000 — a move that drew public criticism amid cost-cutting discussions.
Matarazzo called the Toscano contract “tone-deaf and fiscally irresponsible,” pointing to Lakewood’s 2022 controversy when its school board paid $475 per hour to attorney Michael Inzelbuch — a rate now nearly half of Toscano’s.
Alleged violations of public law
Court filings cite five separate legal violations, including breaches of the School Contracts Law, the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), and the School Ethics Act. Matarazzo contends that the board conducted private deliberations and began using Toscano’s services before the December 17 public vote, effectively making the approval a “sham.”
Her attorney, Donald F. Burke of Brick Township, wrote that “retroactive approval cannot cure an illegal contract” and urged the court to halt all payments immediately.
Matarazzo is seeking an injunction to block further payments, to declare the contract invalid, and to recover attorney’s fees. A hearing date has not yet been scheduled.
Tags: Toms River, Ocean County, school board