There's some controversy brewing inside the walls of the Brick Township Municipal Building. 

Steve Acropolis
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The mostly Democrat controlled Township Council wants to overhaul operations at 401 Chambers Bridge Road to save thousands of dollars a year.  Residents will have a chance to comment on the plan later this month.

The idea is part of two ordinances.  The plan would be to eliminate eight positions, six of them being deputy department heads. They are the deputy department heads for Administration, Finance and Public Affairs, Land Use and Community Development, Engineering, Law, Parks and Recreation and Public Works.

The remaining two positions to be slashed are Director of Land Use and Community Development and Director of Parks and Recreation.  The issue will also be voted upon at that upcoming meeting.  Not everyone is in love with the plan.  Republican Mayor Steve Acropolis is fiercely against it.

Ever since Acropolis was elected in 2008, he's been all for downsizing and using attrition whenever possible.  Acropolis tells WOBM News he will not support this plan.  He says "this plan has nothing to do with money.  This is a smoke screen.  All smoke and mirrors so they can give jobs to Democratic operatives and friends in the future.  Just wait.  If this goes through, after November, you'll see."

John Ducey
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Acropolis also has no idea where Democrat Council President John Ducey gets his $400-thousand-dollar savings.  He says "even our business administrator has crunched the numbers and it's not adding up."

But Ducey defends the plan saying "Acropolis is wrong.  This wasn't politically motivated.  This is about saving money.  In fact, it was bi-partisan as both Republicans and Democrats were on board with the idea."

The plan also creates a Deputy Clerk position.  How will that save money you may ask?  Ducey says "right now, the other positions get overtime when they attend a council meeting.  That won't happen with the new spot saving lots of money each year.  This will be a requirement of the job to go to the meeting."

A public hearing on the plan is scheduled for September 25th at 7 p.m. at the municipal building.

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