The Dover Township Council agreed Tuesday night to increase fees for certified documents from $7 to $10 each as recommended by township registrar Cynthia Farrell.

Mutter said his office did a survey of surrounding communities and found that many of them were planning to increase their fees, but were waiting for action from Dover, the largest township in South Jersey and the seventh largest community in New Jersey.

Brick Charges $7; Livingston Charges $10 Per Copy

The surrounding communities mentioned by Mutter included Brick, which charges $7 per document, the same as Dover Township.

Also mentioned were Long Branch, charging $8 per document, and Livingston Township, charging $10 per certified document copied.

Mutter said the $3 increase from $7 to $10 per document would increase receipts in the clerk's office by $139,000 annually.

Fee Increase Supported By Maruca,
McGuckin, Other Council Members

The fee increase to $10 appeared to be supported by members of the council including First Ward Councilwoman Maria Maruca, who said "we should take the recommendation of the registrar and go to $10."

Also supporting the fee increase was pay-to-play lawyer Gregory McGuckin, the council president, who said the township needed the additional revenue to "cut" the tax increase in the new township budget introduced by the GOP council back on August 9th.

The council also "cut" about $4000 from the budget of the administrator's office, which was this year's salary increase included for administrator Fred Ebeneau.

The council will hold another "budget workshop" session next Tuesday evening at 6pm.

This article prepared for publication  October 9, 2005