Toms River, NJ mayor: No more Zoom after meeting became ‘circus’

🔴 Wednesday's Township Council meeting ended abruptly

🔴 The status of the remaining agenda has not been made public

🔴 Mayor Dan Rodrick said it will not be on Zoom again

TOMS RIVER — When the Township Council votes on a controversial measure that would shift police funding to the hiring of new EMTs it won't be on Zoom.

Wednesday night's meeting was moved online by Council President Craig Coleman because of concerns about a possible large turnout. The meeting held on Zoom, however, was plagued by technical difficulties.

It ended abruptly when the person who was providing tech support for the meeting introduced Councilman George Lobman while a member of the public began speaking and then slurred Jewish people. The YouTube video of the meeting is no longer available to view on the township YouTube page.

Republican Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick told News 12 that the Township Council will not use Zoom again for a meeting and is investigating how the slur got through.  In a separate interview with The Lakewood Scoop, Rodrick said the comment was "disgusting."

He took exception to the clerk simply ending the meeting without a vote or direction from Coleman, who is responsible for running the meeting.

Meeting became a 'circus'

Rodrick also told The Lakewood Scoop that Republican Councilmen James Quinlisk David Ciccozzi turned the meeting into a "circus" and an “embarrassment to our great town."

In a statement, Quinlisk said he was opposed to the meeting being virtually and said it created an "unfortunate level of absurdity." He implored Rodrick and Coleman to go back to holding in-person meetings.

Rodrick did not respond to an invitation sent through his office to speak with New Jersey 101.5.

As of Friday afternoon, the council's next meeting is listed as Feb. 28.

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