Toms River GOP councilman: Someone 'in the club' should get township job

TOMS RIVER - Township Council Vice President George E. Wittmann Jr. is in hot water after he mistakenly sent an email to hundreds of township employees that seemed to suggest members of Toms River's Republican Club should get preference in hiring for a job opening in the law department.

"We should discuss this at our caucus meeting to see if anyone is interested in the club," Wittmann wrote May 1, in response to an email about a job posting for a confidential secretary's position. A copy of the email chain was sent to the Asbury Park Press.

Scroll to the bottom of this story to see the email chain.

Wittmann said he meant to send the email to Council President Brian Kubiel, but instead, he mistakenly hit "reply all," and sent it to about 400 township and police department employees.

MORE TR: In Toms River, you could pay extra for raising hell

RUTGERS SUPERFAN: Matt DeRiggi: Toms River North, Rutgers superfan's amazing story

Wittmann, a Republican, is part of a four-member GOP majority on the seven-member council, as is council president Kubiel.

"Which club is that?" asked Jennifer Clifton, a secretary in the police department's Detective Bureau, almost immediately after Wittmann's message.

Construction Code Official Kenneth Anderson then responded, sending an image from the old "Our Gang" series (later known as "The Little Rascals"), that featured a sign advertising the "He-Man Woman Haters Club."

In the series, the club was organized by Spanky to exclude all girls and keep the boys in the gang from playing with them.

About 40 minutes after Anderson emailed the Our Gang image, Wittmann sent out an additional email: "Please disregard this email it was sent in error."

Kubiel, the only intended recipient of Wittmann's initial email, never responded to his council colleague.

Anderson could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Check out the emails in the video above.

"I sent a private message to Brian," Wittmann explained Wednesday. "I wanted to talk to him about that position, whether we could give it our club members, in the Republican Club. It (the email) went to everybody."

Wittmann is in Europe on business and said he was jetlagged when he mistakenly sent the email.

TAX RATE STABLE: Toms River tax rate stays put, and councilmen fight over who deserves credit

He insisted there was "nothing untoward" about his message, and added "that we didn't offer anything" to any particular individual.

He said Democrats on the council would also have been asked if there was anyone they'd want to recommend for the job.

Council members Daniel Rodrick, Laurie Huryk and Terrance Turnbach, all Democrats, did not return calls for comment Wednesday.

But Teddy Price, president of the Toms River Democrats, wrote in an email that "it is both unethical and illegal to give preferential treatment and/or first dibs on public jobs to members of a club."

SHORE SCHOOLS SHORTCHANGED?: Shore schools: NJ shortchanging us on state aid, and we'll fight for it

"That kind of cronyism has been driving up taxes here in Toms River and in Ocean County as a whole," wrote Price, who is seeking a seat on the Ocean County Board of Freeholders in November. He unsuccessfully sought a township council seat here in 2015.

"Councilman Wittmann has clearly broken trust with the residents of Toms River and he needs to be brought up on ethics charges," Price added.

During a bitter election campaign in 2017, Democrats criticized the hiring practices of the GOP-dominated governing body here, with election fliers that included names of prominent Republicans who also have township jobs.

Council President Kubiel insisted on Wednesday that Toms River uses "an open, fair and public process" when making hiring decisions.

"There are times when people from the club do apply," Kubiel said. "But I am always looking for the best qualified individual. I like the fair and open process."

CLOSING DOWN: Staples to close Lacey store in June

Mayor Thomas F. Kelaher, who is also a Republican, reiterated Kubiel's point, saying he always seeks the most qualified people to hire for job openings in town hall.

But the mayor added that "it is a political reality" that Republicans would give preference to other members of the GOP for jobs, as long as they have credentials at least as good as any other candidates for the position.

The confidential secretary's job is not a new position, Kelaher said. Mariann Pero, who has long been a secretary in the legal department, is retiring, and the position being advertised is for her replacement.

The position is not a union job, and is being advertised publicly, Kelaher said. The mayor said it is normal practice for township employees to be notified of open positions.

TOMS RIVER SPORTS LEGENDS: Toms River edition: Greatest Jersey Shore Sports Legends Series

Wittmann, an engineer and professional planner, returned to the township council in 2009 after serving as a committeeman from 1995 to 2000 under the township committee form of government.

Toms River switched to a strong mayor-council form of government in 2004.

"I'm man enough to tell you I made a mistake," Wittmann said of his inadvertant email. "Do I regret that I made a mistake? Sure. There is nothing I can do about that."

Here is the email chain that includes Wittmann's emails:

Jean Mikle: 732-643-4050, @jeanmikle, jmikle@gannettnj.com