Asbury Park Press, In Editorial Entitled "Dover's Patronage Game," Says Mark Mutter Clerk Appointment Is "Nauseating"

Charging "Political Patronage In Its Purest Form," Editorial Says "Dover Residents Should Let The Mayor & Council Know How They Feel By Turning Out All Four Incumbents Up For Re-Election In November"

Another patronage appointment in Dover Township, this time the designation of lawyer J. Mark Mutter as township clerk, has drawn editorial criticism. from the Asbury Park Press.

Press Says Mutter Appointment Is "Nauseating"

The Press described the Mutter appointment as "nauseating," calling it "political patronage in its purest form" and said Mutter, a former "mayor" under the old township committee form of government, is a "politically-connected party loyalist."

The editorial noted that Mutter was one of seventeen lawyers and law firms given no-bid contracts last year by the new administration of Mayor Paul Brush, A Democrat, and the seven member council, all of whom are Republicans.

Mutter Got $30,000 No-Bid Contract In 2004

Mutter's no-bid Dover contract was for $30,000 in taxpayers funds at $135 per hour through last December 31st.

The editorial called for the defeat of the Republican incumbents who are candidates in November, but did not address the status of Democrat candidates aligned with Mayor Paul Brush, who supported all fifty political payoffs voted by the Republicans, and originated many of them.

Fiure Got Useless County Parks "Job"

Among the record number of political payoffs that led to huge spending and tax increases in the first year of the new Dover Township government, was another no-bid, no competition job doled out to Republican Councilman Michael Fiure two weeks before he took office on January 3rd of last year.

Fiure Appointment "Stinks" Said Press Editorial

The Fiure appointment was a useless $90,000 "job" in the county parks department. The Fiure parks appointment "stinks," the Press said in an editorial.

Gilmore Got $90,000 No-Bid Contract Via Fiure Motion

Two weeks later Fiure was sworn in to the new council, and immediately clarified things by making a motion to hand Republican County Chairman George Gilmore a $90,000 lawyer's gig for "changes" to the administrative code.

The Mutter clerk appointment augments more than 30 bureaucrats added by Brush and the GOP since the new government organized.

Once headed by a Clerk-Administrator, there are now five "positions" that were not there in the office of administration.

No jobs were eliminated to make room for the Mutter job.

Much more on these issues in the fullness of time.