Friday, January 11, 2013
Councilman says he'll decline stipend, health waiver as MUA commissioner
Brick Councilman Jim Fozman will work for free as a Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority commissioner. Fozman announced Friday, via a press release, that he would turn down a $2,500 stipend as well as a $5,000 waiver for opting out of MUA-provided health insurance. "The public deserves an explanation," Fozman said in his statement. "For the record, I am taking no salary, no stipend, no benefits package as the newest BTMUA commissioner." "In keeping with 'eliminating Cadillac benefits plans for MUA appointees,' being a watchdog for the people is the right thing and this is the new norm." Eliminating benefits for MUA appointees was incorporated as part of the campaign literature distributed by Fozman – a Democrat – and his three …
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Some residents upset with council's decision
Jim Fozman will simultaneously serve as a township councilman as well as a commissioner for the Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority. The township council appointed Fozman to a five year term on the regional water and sewerage authority despite the objection of fellow Councilman Joseph Sangiovanni, the sole member of the governing body to vote against his appointment. Council members Bob Moore, John Ducey and Susan Lydecker – all Democrats – voted in favor of Fozman's appointment. Councilman Domenick Brando, a Republican, abstained from the vote because he is a BTMUA employee. Councilman Dan Toth, also a Republican, was absent from the meeting. Following the vote, residents excoriated the council – especially Moore, the newly-…
Monday, January 7, 2013
Fozman, Moore join others who accept benefits package
Two additional members of the Brick Township Council will receive taxpayer-funded health benefits in 2013, Brick Patch has confirmed. Council members Jim Fozman and Bob Moore, both entering their second year serving on the council, have notified the township’s administration that they will participate in Brick’s employee health insurance plan this year, an Open Public Records Act request filed by Brick Patch showed. Neither of the two council members, both Democrats, took benefits in 2012. Both said in the midst of the 2011 council campaign that they would not accept benefits if they came to be elected. “My circumstances in life have changed,” said Fozman, who declined to elaborate on what those circumstances were. “I didn't take them for…
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Councilman forced to abstain after legal opinion
An attempt to veto Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis' veto of a controversial ordinance that sought to restructure Brick's municipal government failed Tuesday night. A pair of ordinances that made up the restructuring both passed in 4-3 votes last month, but a supermajority of five votes was required for the override resolution to be passed by the township council. Though one of the three council members who voted against the ordinances last month – Councilman Bob Moore – switched sides and voted in favor of the override, Councilman Dan Toth was forced to abstain after Acropolis delivered a lengthy legal opinion from a conflict attorney advising Toth against voting on the measure. The lack of Toth's vote meant a supermajority of council members …
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Ducey, Toth will be the only two to take taxpayer-funded health benefits
All but two of the members of the Brick Township Council will decline taxpayer-funded health care benefits as a result of their council position this year. Council members Jim Fozman, Susan Lydecker and Bob Moore, all newly elected this year, said they would decline the health benefit package, which costs between approximately $9,900 and $25,800 per member, according to figures provided by the township. Council members Joseph Sangiovanni and Domenick Brando also decline the benefits package. Councilman Dan Toth takes the benefits. Council President John Ducey said at the Jan. 10 council meeting that he has decided to take the benefits because his wife was laid off from her job, and his family is now enrolled in a COBRA plan from her old …
Monday, January 2, 2012
Bob Moore will serve as vice president
John Ducey will serve as Brick Township Council President following a vote on New Years Day. Ducey was sworn into office Sunday along with his running mates, Bob Moore, Jim Fozman and Susan Lydecker. The foursome, all Democrats, handily defeated GOP incumbents Brian DeLuca, Ruthanne Scaturro, Michael Thulen and John Catalano in the November council election. After the candidates were sworn into office, Ducey was voted in as president of the council and Moore was voted vice president. The council president presides over meetings of the governing body and carries out other duties such as forming committees. Ducey pledged things would be different under his tenure as president, most significantly, the treatment of members of the public. "It …
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Patch separates facts from fiction as GOP ad targets character of Democratic council hopefuls
Republicans have taken aim at the character of Democratic township council hopefuls, accusing each of various character flaws in a flyer and full-page advertisement in a local newspaper. The flyer, which was mailed to the homes of registered Republicans in town last weekend, accuses candidate John Ducey of taking public pensions and benefits even though he has campaigned against the practice; Susan Lydecker of having multiple addresses and financial problems over the past several years; Robert Moore of being a "phantom" who voters have never heard of; and perhaps the most serious charge - James Fozman of being convicted of a criminal offense, "constributing to the delinquency of a minor - drugs" in Somerset County. "It's unfortunate that …
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Candidates for the Brick Township Council respond to questions posed by Brick Patch
- ELECTIONS
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Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Editor's Note: Each of the eight candidates running for a seat on the township council responded to a questionnaire sent by Brick Patch. Their answers to our questions will be published on our site verbatim. Two candidate profiles per day – one Republican and one Democrat – in alphabetical order according to last name, will appear this week until all have been published. We have disabled comments on profile articles to ensure the candidates' statements speak for themselves and readers can decide, without additional, potentially anonymous commentary, their view on those running for office. ~ Full Name: James "Jim" Fozman Current Age: 57 Highest level of education achieved (feel free to list your high school, college, and the nature of any …
Mrgrumpass
7:01 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
IF YOU LOOK CAREFULY DURING COUNCIL MEETINGS YOU MIGHT SEE HANDS BEHIND HIM PULLING THE STRINGS! more ›