Letter to Daniel Rodrick Mayor of Toms River Township

December 1, 2025

Mayor Daniel Rodrick

Toms River Township

33 Washington Street

Toms River, NJ 08753

drodrick@tomsrivertownship.com

Dear Mayor Rodrick,

Over the past five days, I’ve witnessed your campaign to target me personally, through your social media accounts and FAKE news outlets like Shore News Network, which is funded every month by the taxpayers of Toms River. As the Mayor of the 8th largest municipality in New Jersey and the 2nd largest in Ocean County, it is both disappointing and disturbing to see you using your position to push a personal vendetta, though not unexpected based upon your history and in the face of the growing momentum behind the recall efforts against you.

Let me be clear: I am blocked from Shore News Network and from all your social media accounts, however, friends, family, and colleagues have shared your posts with me and the disgusting comments that have followed; including the one with a photo from my personal Facebook page that is from my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah in 2011; 14 years ago. I find it appalling that so many people, without knowing me personally, have bought into the narrative that “if I see it on Facebook, it must be true.” This is an unfortunate example of the way misinformation spreads, with your active encouragement.

I am deeply sorry for my family and friends who have been forced to endure this, and who have had to defend me against your attacks. As Michael J. Fox once said, “One’s dignity may be assaulted, vandalized, and cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered.” I will not surrender my dignity or my integrity — especially to someone like you!

Now, let’s get to the matter at hand. On July 27, 2021, I was appointed by the Toms River Council to serve as a Regular Member of the Toms River Municipal Utilities Authority (TRMUA) Board of Commissioners, for a retroactive term of February 1, 2021, to February 1, 2026. For my service, I receive an annual stipend of $2,000, along with health insurance coverage costing $13,986.76 for 2025 (minus my contribution), a practice of the TRMUA to provide to the Commissioners for at least 15 years, but I believe it is for much longer. When I was appointed, I was unaware of the stipend or health benefit coverage; I was asked to serve and I accepted. If the Council decides to extend my term, I will gladly continue serving, as I believe my input on the User Rate, Engineering, and Land Committees has been beneficial to the organization and the ratepayers of Toms River.

However, in the spirit of accountability and fairness, I would like to offer you a challenge:

I will donate my annual stipend to a charity of your choosing (must be a non-profit), and I will immediately decline my health insurance benefits. In exchange, I ask that you also decline your health insurance benefits from Toms River Township and either pick up benefits from your employer the Irvington Board of Education or your wife’s employer, Bradley Beach Board of Education. If you are willing to lead by example, this will save the taxpayers of Toms River. If you are unwilling to do this, you must explain why you believe it is fair to continue taking health insurance benefits from the taxpayers of Toms River, when you can receive benefits elsewhere and save the taxpayers of Toms River. I will repeat this offer at the December 10th Toms River Council meeting, unless you respond prior and since we both will have an obligation by December 31st to procure new coverage, this offer expires on December 19th.

I would also like to remind you that your $75,000 salary and misuse of the township vehicle as mayor, should be reconsidered too, as you spend more time in Irvington than Toms River during the workweek and are unable to hold in-person meetings, attend events or establish office hours at Town Hall between 8AM and 5PM. I believe the Toms River Council should review the current policies regarding the time and responsibilities of the mayor, particularly in relation to the substantial benefits you continue to receive.

As you know, Shore News Network and other media outlets tied to you have over 100,000 followers each, and they are paid by the taxpayers of Toms River to spread your message. I ask that you share this letter far and wide so that the residents of Toms River can see the truth. As 2026 approaches you should make a pledge of transparency and accountability; it would go a long way!

Finally, let me say that I, along with the over 9,000 petitioners who have signed the recall petition, firmly believe that Toms River would be better off without you as Mayor, but since you refuse to resign or change your ways, we will continue collecting signatures until the deadline of January 25, 2026. This town deserves leadership rooted in honesty, integrity, and a genuine commitment to the well-being of its residents, not one driven by petty vendettas and personal attacks.

Sincerely,

Philip I. Brilliant, Resident of Toms River Township

c: Toms River Council

Greg McGuckin, Esq.

Peter Pascarella, Esq.

Jonathan Salonis, Business Administrator

Stephen Hensel, Toms River Clerk

Bradley Bilheimer, Ocean County Prosecutor

Bernie Rutkowski, Executive Director, TRMUA

Commissioner Charlie Valvano, Chairman, TRMUA

Press Outlets & Facebook