Dover Township: Civic leader Walter Seymour says Mayor Paul Brush and the Republican council are paying an administrator a 20% "fee" on $528,000 in federal community development grant money.

Seymour, a leader in the Holiday City at Silverton senior community, appeared at the April 21st council meeting and made reference to a Toms River Times article on April 16th on approval by the mayor and council of a "consolidated" five year "community development" federal grant program.

Executive Summary: $104,765 For "Administration"

The article noted the "executive summary" set aside $104,765 for "administration" of the CDBG program, including program management, reporting and compliance activities" supposedly as "required" by the federal Housing and Urban Development Agency, and "revitalization studies and staffing."

Seymour noted another $5000 in "charity" is also anticipated by the grant program, making a total of $528,000 expected for fiscal year 2005, which begins July 1.

Under questioning by Seymour, Brush and Township Attorney Mark Troncone admitted the township has been paying an administrator "under contract" for the administrative "work" that is required for the grant program.

Troncone Didn't Name Administrator: Seymour Asks
Why Township Bureaucracy Can't Handle The Job

Troncone did not name the "administrator" who has the township contract, but said the contract runs through June 30th.

"Why can't one of the current township employees handle this and save this huge administrative fee?" Seymour asked.

Then Troncone Admits Township Employee
Handles "Day-To-Day Operations"

Troncone then acknowledged that "one of our employees is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations," but did not name the employee.

Brush and the Republican council handed out a total of fifty appointments to political cronies and politically-connected lawyers and other professionals in both parties after the new government organized last year.

50 • Political Payoffs • 50
Including Gilmore And Floor

Among the 50 payoffs were useless jobs with big salaries, including hiring former Democrat candidate Neil Floor as "Director" of Buildings and Grounds, and appointment of GOP County Chairman George Gilmore, a lawyer, for $90,000 worth of "changes" to the township administrative code, a document that permits the "administrative" payments criticized by Seymour.

Implications Clear: Taxpayers Pay $104,765 For "Administrator" To Fill Out Forms, Approve Checks

The implications were clear: the township is paying somebody $104,765 to fill out a few forms and approve a few checks, while one of Brush's new bureaucrats is handling "day to day" activities where precious little of the grant money ever gets back to the people it is supposed to be helping.

Brush, a Democrat, and the Republican council approved the biggest spending increase in township history and the second biggest tax increase ever in the current township budget.