Toms River municipal building. (Photo: Daniel Nee)
Toms River council members on Tuesday night unanimously approved an expansion of what is known as the township’s anti-nepotism law.
Previously, township code dictated that family members of elected officials were not permitted to obtain jobs working for the township. The new measure extends that regulation to municipal department heads, with the exception of positions that require state licenses.
“Children and other relatives of department heads were never covered before, but now they are,” said Township Administrator Paul Shives.
A new facet of the ordinance exempts children and relatives who hold certain state licenses required for a job, including Chief Financial Officer and Purchasing Agent.
“They have to go through a testing process and classes adminisrtered by the state Department of Community Affairs,” said Shives. “Once someone is certified, it should not apply because, frankly, there is a limited supply of these people.”
The state, not the township, he said, determines who receives such licenses.
