Toms River Council Meeting - August 12, 2026: Affordable Housing, Bond Ordinance, Sanctuary Resolution
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Toms River Council Meeting - August 12, 2026
The Toms River Township Council held a meeting on August 12, 2026, covering multiple agenda items including an unscheduled affordable housing proposal, a bond ordinance for capital improvements, traffic ordinances, and a resolution opposing sanctuary statehood. The meeting also addressed approval of minutes, consent agenda items, and several bill payments.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes from July 8 and July 29, 2026 were approved unanimously (7-0).
- No honoring resolutions or presentations were made (Item 6).
Discussion Items
- Unscheduled Affordable Housing Proposal: Joseph Tartabono, owner of 6.8 acres of undeveloped land behind the Toms River VA Hospital (off Hooper Avenue), presented a concept to build 100% affordable senior and veteran housing on the site. He stated he had partnered with a national developer that has completed over 21,000 affordable units in 300 communities. The property could accommodate 128–140 units, similar to the adjacent Camelot Estates. Tartabono noted that he had originally planned a commercial medical complex but shifted to affordable housing after hearing council discussions. Council members expressed frustration about the late timing (deadline in October 2026), but acknowledged the value of using private land. Some council members praised the idea; the council agreed to pursue it further.
- Bond Ordinance (Item 7): A final reading ordinance to appropriate $9 million ($8.55 million in bonds) for paving and other capital improvements. Several residents spoke in opposition, citing lack of documentation and a desire for specific project lists. Councilman Bradley moved to table the ordinance until more details were provided. The motion to table passed 4-3 (Bradley, Nivison, Biancini, Sicosi in favor; Coleman, Aber, O'Toole against).
- Consent Agenda Pulled Items:
- Item B (Children's Hospital): Resolution approving performance guarantees for the hospital expansion on Route 37. Approved unanimously.
- Item C (Sanctuary State Resolution): Resolution opposing New Jersey's sanctuary state policies. Speakers Matthew Rooney (America First Policy Institute) and Bob Rommel (former Florida state senator) urged passage, citing public safety and fiscal concerns. Approved unanimously.
- Item H (Recycling Grant): $243,613 grant from the state for recycling programs, explained by CFO Dottie. Approved unanimously.
- Bills Discussion:
- Several bills from BlackRock under a "boardwalk expansion project" line item were questioned because descriptions included work in other areas (e.g., golf course, ice rink). Council decided not to table but requested an explanation from the engineer.
- A legal bill (PO 03360 for Donald Burke, $6,000) was tabled until the next meeting pending original invoices. Motion to table passed 6-0-1 (Coleman abstained).
Key Outcomes
- Minutes approved (7-0).
- Bond ordinance tabled (4-3) pending itemized project details.
- Traffic ordinances (Items 8, 9, 10) all approved on first reading (7-0 each).
- Children's Hospital resolution approved (7-0).
- Sanctuary state opposition resolution approved (7-0).
- Recycling grant approved (7-0).
- Legal bill tabled (6-0-1) to obtain original invoices.
- Remaining bills approved with some abstentions (Coleman abstained on one PO; Aber abstained on three POs).
Meeting Transcript
Here today, and um, and she could not make it in person uh to the meeting again. So she did reach out and uh to let our attorneys and myself know. So um I we hope that you um feel better, uh councilwoman. Thank you. Okay, thank you very much. You're welcome. Item number five is the minutes from July 8th, 2026 and July 29th, 2026. Okay, all right. I need a motion, motion to move the minutes of second motion was made by council vice president Nivison, seconded by Councilman Biancini, Council Vice President Iveson. Yes, Councilman Biancini, yes, Councilman Bradley, yes, councilman Coleman, yes, councilman Aber, yes, councilwoman O'Toole. Yes, Council President Sicosi. Yes. Number six, number six, there are no honoring resolutions or presentations this evening. Okay, uh before we move on. Um this wasn't planned on the agenda uh this evening, but um uh a gentleman here um asked me uh please to um have five minutes to speak tonight and and this is in regards to the affordable housing um here in Tom's River and um along with the requirements that we have to meet. Uh so the only reason why I'm entertaining this is because um this gentleman owns the land and he's willing to use his land. So um I would I I'm allowing him five minutes, a brief statement. Um he gave us plans right here, and this is right behind the veterans hospital right off Hooper Avenue, um, by the Lowe's Theater. Uh all that vacant land back there. So um, sir, come forward, state your first name, spell your last name, and where this property is. Okay. Joseph Torre, do you know T A R D and David? I please employ you, oh and all. Okay. I'm a resident of Tom River, and my personal home here in Tomber. My wife and I've lived here all our lives. Okay, a little closer to the microphone. And why are how did you come here this evening, please? People tell them different. You guys get closer to the mic. You gotta turn the bottom bar calling and thing. And if you want, you could take it out. Hello, better. No. Blue, blue. Yeah, here you go. Okay. All right, good evening, everyone. Joseph Tartabono. My wife and I own Equity Management Group LLC, 560 Roosevelt, MMB, LLC, two property owners. Um, I'm here to talk about the Hooper Av redevelopment zone, which is located behind the Toms River VA Hospital, VA Clinic. Um, that area of the redevelopment has been starting to be a process in the Toms River system since 2016, since the assembly and change of the zoning in that area to make it a redevelopment area. In that area that's left that's undeveloped. There's eight acres. My wife and I currently own six point eight of it. We own all private land. The only thing that's not owned by us are some small 20 by 100 foot lots that are owned by Tom's over township. Okay. Um, we've been acquiring this property for nearly 20 years, and over the last two years, I've appeared I've appeared to members of the council, I've appeared to the mayor and discussed our original plan. Our original plan was developed as a low-rise medical office complex to help support the VA in that area.
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