Dover’s Fight for the Future

Town council and residents spar over issues and tactics on a rocky road to growth.

By Mark J. Bonamo  

It has been said that democracy is messy. For months, Dover Town Council meetings have proved it. 

Repeatedly.

From complaints about government transparency and access, lack of respect for Spanish-speaking residents, to public outrage over tax dollars covering the legal bills of a councilman's alleged assault and attempted coercion, the circus-like atmosphere has spiraled out of control.

Then, two weeks before the June 10 primary election, Edward Grimes, a frequent critic of Dover Mayor James P. Dodd and council members, asked about the town’s ordinance banning the smoking of cannabis in public. It was a simple question, but it shut down the meeting and may have changed the future of council meetings.

Why? Because Grimes appeared in a head-to-toe burqa, claiming to be a woman named Elram. Dodd said Elram’s covered face was threatening and asked that it be removed.

The police officer providing security didn’t budge. The council moved to private quarters.

"I would like to think our administration is very organized. I think we need to accomplish enforcement. That's what's lacking," said Dodd, minutes after Elram refused the mayor’s request, halting the proceeding for about 45 minutes. "Let's get our house in order. What we're doing here is a work in progress."

Dodd's statement came shortly after the council voted seven-to-one, with one abstention, to ban the public from future meetings. Dodd cited safety as the reason for his move.

Dodd said future meetings will be virtual only. He did not rule out reopening council meetings by the fall, but the legality of banning the public from a public meeting in a public building is up for debate. Council member Sandra Wittner, who cast the lone vote against the hastily drawn-up resolution, said council meetings should only go online when there is a "real safety risk," such as the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Current law allows government agencies to hold remote meetings only during a state of emergency or a public health emergency. During the pandemic, most government bodies live-streamed their meetings. However, many have since shifted back to in-person meetings.

Last year, the state Legislature introduced a bill to allow more remote public meetings via public bodies, including councils. The remote meetings would allow the right to vote and receive public comment through electronic means. The measure has not yet passed.

There is, however, a gray area around whether a man wearing a head-to-toe burqa constitutes grounds for a town council to declare a “state of emergency” that can effectively shut down public meetings.

Flavio Komuves is an attorney with the law firm of Weissman & Mintz who specializes in constitutional law and has been involved in cases concerning transparency. He referred to current law and the interpretation of what an “emergency” entails. 

“Unless there was a public health emergency or a disaster that had been declared, closing off the meetings in this way is not permissible,” Komuves said. “This implicates the state transparency laws. And if the Dover council doesn't realize the error of their ways, I wouldn't rule out litigation in state court.”

Dodd maintains that Dover's new policy of having only virtual town council meetings remains the best course of action, citing safety concerns. 

"It's a tough situation, but I fear for the safety of the council. I fear for the safety of the public," Dodd said. "It's not that I don't want people to have an opportunity to exercise their First Amendment rights, but I have individuals who are coming in in costumes."

Dodd noted that the town is now getting quotes on the cost of installing a metal detection system and potentially a face-and-weapons detection camera system. 

"Once we can secure those systems, then I would be more than happy to open it back up to the public," Dodd said. "It's all about safety."

MAKING SENSE OF MEETINGS

The full-contact drama that unfolds in council meetings ranges from general budget-driven policy and priority discussions to boilerplate votes. But in a town where 75 percent of  residents are Hispanic, issues such as affordable housing, respect for immigrants, safety, and trust in public officials are top of mind. Three of four council members, all Democrats, were up for re-election in the contested June 10 primaries, without GOP opposition. Those votes virtually clear the way for a November win. It also heightens public comment and sentiment around controversial topics.

A January raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Newark spurred concerns that more arrests could lead to deportations throughout New Jersey. In recent months, at least one immigrant has been detained in Dover by ICE. In April, the town council first supported, then reversed its vote, deciding not to support a resolution in favor of New Jersey’s Immigrant Trust Act, which limits local police from working with ICE agents.

When Dodd was asked how potential ICE raids could affect his vision of developing downtown Dover as a transit-village community like Morristown, he said he believes it won’t be a significant concern.

“I don’t think this is a long, ongoing issue. They’re coming in to clean up all the criminals, and quite honestly, I don’t have an issue with that,” said Dodd. “They're going to remove the people that have these criminal charges against them, and that's it. I think it’s going to go away.”

One issue that lingers in Dover is the legal situation involving Councilman Sergio Rodriguez (D-Ward 2). Rodriguez is facing assault and coercion charges resulting from a series of incidents last year. The councilman is charged with assaulting homeless men he accused of public drunkenness and allegedly threatening to revoke a liquor store owner's license for selling the men alcohol. In April, Dodd and the council voted to authorize up to $35,000 for two special counsels to represent Rodriguez.

Dodd believes that spending the money is justified.

“I honestly believe that Sergio became a target of the Dover Police Department for the simple fact of exposing that they weren't enforcing the laws,” Dodd said. “There isn't one individual out of all three circumstances that filed a complaint against Sergio, not one. This is all coming from the Dover Police Department.”

Dover Police Chief Jonathan Delaney has not responded to requests for comment on any claims against him or the department. 

Rodriguez is unfazed by criticism over his legal problems (see “Lightning Rod,” p.18).

“It doesn’t affect me whatsoever,” he said. “It’s a handful of people who don’t like me … When you’re getting criticized by those people, it’s irrelevant.”

But a looming election, three pending legal cases, and constant criticism during the public comment session of every council meeting can be a burden to progress for his peers. They are trying to win residents’ trust that Dover’s opportunity for redevelopment and economic change—with its position as a commuter stop on the NJ Transit Morristown and Montclair-Boonton Lines—will help every community member.

PLANNING FOR GROWTH

Dodd, a Democrat, served in Dover’s top political spot from 2006 to 2019. He was re-elected in 2023 in a comeback win after losing four years previously.

Dodd argued that his town is moving in the right direction, citing the introduction of businesses such as hotels, packaging companies, and new train-adjacent apartments.

“They're all redevelopment projects that I brought into this town to give it a new birth, where it was neglected for many years,” he said. “They’re investing millions of dollars in Montclair and Morristown. Why can’t you come to Dover?

“Every time a developer goes in front of the planning board or the governing body, it costs money. You have to bring professionals. You have to have your attorneys and your planners,” Dodd said, noting the Iron Ore Project residential redevelopment on East Blackwell Street. “We’ll have shovels in the ground within the next year.”

Karol Ruiz, a former town councilmember, believes that whatever happens next for Dover, transparency is key.

“Our democracy is based on checks and balances and the opportunity to participate in government. There is a difference between in-person conversations, conversations over the phone, and conversations on video where we can see each other. We all know this difference,” Ruiz said. “Dissent is not an emergency. Dissent is what this country was based on and founded on.”

THE VOTERS SPOKE

Ten days after the May 27 council meeting, Dover residents spoke volumes in polling places during the local and state primary elections. Challengers Daniella Mendez (Ward 1), Judith Rugg (Ward 2), and Christopher Almada (Ward 3) defeated incumbents Claudia Toro, Sergio Rodriguez, and Michael Scarneo, respectively, in three of the four wards up for election in the Democratic primary. The fourth incumbent, Arturo Santana (Ward 4), ran unopposed. In all four cases, there were no Republican challengers, all but ensuring that they will breeze in the November general election and claim their council posts on Jan. 1, 2026.

Still, in a town of nearly 18,435 residents, Rugg—a former councilwoman who lost to Rodriguez in 2023—was the leading vote-getter, with 214 votes. So, with low-but-impactful turnout at the polls, will residents feel more empowered to attend and engage in sustained civic awareness regarding the controversial council meetings?

Each of the three challengers ran on a platform to bring change and transparency to the eight-member council. Their impact will not become apparent for six months, but their presence will not go unnoticed between now and then.

In an interview, Dodd called the election results "unfortunate."

"I'm disappointed. I think my candidates didn't work hard enough to go out there and connect with the voters. We know that when you look at the numbers, it's an extremely low turnout for being a gubernatorial year. I've seen much higher turnout in Dover than we did in this past election," said Dodd, referencing the recently completed Democratic and Republican governor's race primaries. "A combination of my candidates not working hard enough door-to-door and a low turnout ended up with the results we have."

Despite Councilman Sergio Rodriguez’s election loss, Dodd still stands by the decision to pay the embattled official's legal bills.

"I said it before, and I'll say it again, I think that this was retaliation towards Sergio from the Dover Police Department because he exposed the fact that we had a lot of situations happening in the downtown area that the police were not addressing that needed to be addressed," Dodd said about the assault and coercion charges. "After Sergio shed light on these problems that we were faced with in the downtown area, all these problems happened to Sergio."

Finally, Dodd noted that the departure of Dover town administrator Adam Cruz less than a year after he started was business as usual. 

"He did a great job when he was here, and I respect that," said Dodd about Cruz, who is now the city manager of Asbury Park, noting Cruz will have a shorter commute to his new job. "I still talk to Adam several times a week for advice. He's certainly still there for us anytime we need him."

Elizabeth Tapia is a Dover resident and recent college graduate who works at a local nonprofit. She is the type of young, well-educated person that Dover wants to attract as part of the town’s future. She believes she should be able to see that future being formed in person, so she attended the May 27 meeting.

“We should be able to express our concerns because what’s happening at these meetings affects everyone who lives in Dover,” Tapia said. She was glad to see there is now a Spanish-language translator present at in-person council meetings to represent the Latino community. But she worried about that presence in a virtual setting.

“Having online-only meetings is not a safety concern,” she said. “It’s a way of silencing the people who voice concerns and discouraging people from speaking out.”

Zachary Wilson is training to be a teacher and is planning to live in town and work in Dover schools. He wants to see the broad range of Dover’s different populations represented going forward at council meetings. 

“A lot of people look down on Dover, but it’s a fantastic place. It doesn’t need to be a mini-city.  We need to modernize what we have,” Wilson, who was at the May 27 meeting, said. “About the meetings, I don’t understand the idea that we now have a state of emergency whatsoever. The government shouldn’t just be able to do what it wants. People should be heard.” 

Mark J. Bonamo has written extensively about issues affecting New Jerseyans and has received numerous awards for his work. In 2015, the Washington Post named him one of the best state political reporters in the country. Recently, he began working as a contributing writer for the New York Times. He is also the co-host of The Jersey Angle podcast.