Dodd Appreciates Community Support, Council Approves New Ordinance

Despite brief unity, Dover officials introduced a new ordinance to circumvent a legal injunction over approval of the civilian Public Safety Director role.

The fire at J.D. Automotive and Truck drew sympathetic responses from residents at the Town Council meeting. (Photo/DOVERNOW)

By Mario Marroquin

The fire that destroyed Mayor James P. Dodd's business seemingly did something that Dover Town Council has failed to do in the last two years: bring people together.

After months of legal threats and challenges, disparaging remarks, and intra-council conflicts, the mood at the second and last Town Council meeting in October was remarkably somber but united, as council members and members of the public stepped up to offer their condolences over the fire that destroyed JD Automotive & Truck on Sunday, October 26.

Mayor Dodd himself cemented the solemn tone of the meeting almost one hour in when he specifically thanked Council member Sandra Wittner for her condolences, which struck a starkly different tone for both elected officials, who have been at odds over their styles of governance. Although Dodd and Wittner are in the same party and have worked together on the Town Council for many years, they have had a contentious relationship and often find themselves on opposite sides of political decisions.

Most recently, Wittner and Dodd have clashed over the controversial adoption of Ordinance 30-2025, which erases the Chief of Police and Fire Chief roles and replaces them with a civilian-appointed Public Safety Director. The outpouring of sympathy from Wittner and the rest of the community—including hundreds of phone calls and text messages, according to the mayor—overshadowed the meeting’s usual political tension.

Mayor Dodds vowed the fire, which is being investigated as arson, would not deter him from his duties as mayor or business owner.

"For me, it's an extremely sad moment, but it's more important that I take care of my employees," Dodd said. "I will continue to fight for everyone here in Dover... This unfortunate setback will only make us stronger and make us grow bigger and better than ever."

Mayor Dodd thanked the Dover Fire and Police departments for their efforts during the three-alarm blaze.

Officials and the public appeared momentarily united on a personal level, but this did not deter protests and dissent from some members of the public, who continued to voice their opposition to the administration’s plans for the Police and Fire Departments and the ongoing legal challenge by the office of Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll.

The debate immediately flared up when officials introduced Ordinance 42-2025, which attempts to repeal and replace the legally challenged Ordinance 30-2025 by sidestepping the temporary injunction placed on the latter ordinance when the county prosecutor’s office sued the city two weeks ago. New Jersey Superior Court Assignment Judge Stuart A. Minkowitz agreed to stay that same injunction on Friday, when attorneys working on behalf of the town and the prosecutor’s office held a virtual preliminary hearing.

During the public comment section of the meeting, Judith Rugg, the Democrat and former Second Ward council member who is on the November 4 ballot to reclaim her seat, was among the residents who spoke out against moving forward with the repeal ordinance, asserting that it demonstrated a profound disregard of the legal process and was disrespectful to the judge and to every resident who believes in a government that follows its own laws. Rugg warned the council that the action set a dangerous precedent for how the town operates and risked causing more lawsuits.

Town attorneys working on behalf of the town, on the other hand, offered a contrasting view of the injunction and challenged Judge Minkowitz's legal interpretation of case law. They vehemently disagreed with the judge's interpretation of the statute, calling the court proceeding one-sided and claiming that the judge had refused to let the town's co-counsel, Jonathan Cohen, speak. The attorney continued and stated that the new ordinance, 42-2025, was drafted to address specific sections of the original ordinance that the Judge had referenced, essentially modifying the measure to secure its legality by changing language related to the Public Safety Director’s powers and responsibilities.

He confirmed that the new ordinance still accomplishes the council's original goal of eliminating the Chief of Police, Deputy Chief of Police, Fire Chief, and Deputy Chief positions, and installing a Public Safety Director.

Attorneys working on behalf of the county prosecutor’s office filed a letter to the Morris County court on Wednesday requesting a conference of all counsel in response to the introduction of the ordinance, which the attorneys called an apparent violation of the court’s order. The office of Prosecutor Carroll declined to provide additional comments about the new ordinance.

Attorneys working on behalf of the town council declined the request for a conference from the county prosecutor’s office on Wednesday. 

Chief Delaney declined to comment on the new ordinance.