DOVER – Mayor James Dodd says he was puzzled when the Morris County Board of Elections invited him to a meeting – on a Saturday in August no less – to discuss “electioneering” and other election procedures.

Soon, his puzzlement turned to anger.  He saw a set-up.

In a July 16 reply, Dodd said Board Chairman Matt Clarkin, who signed the original missive to Dodd, was playing politics, which can be a serious problem.

“Your use of the board in this way is no different than the use of the Port Authority in “Bridgegate” and you should be prosecuted in the same way as the individuals involved in that corrupt plot,” Dodd wrote. He added that he was sending the letter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and asking for an investigation.  In the meantime, he wants Clarkin to quit as chairman.

We have now gone from a meeting in August to a statewide scandal. Only in New Jersey.

Or maybe, only in Dover.

Politics always tends to be a bit “silly” at times, but in Dover, things are absolutely crazy.

At a board of aldermen meeting this week, critics likened Dodd to “Donald Trump,” a “Mafia boss,” and a “dictator,” in all of 10 minutes. (The reader can decide which label is the worst).

All this is related.

The mayor’s reply letter suggested that Clarkin is helping his opponents in Dover as a consultant. Clarkin’s political tentacles do seem to extend in a few directions. He chairs the Parsippany Democratic Committee and has a job in Parsippany township hall. The elections board gig is a state appointment. The county board has four members, two from each party named by the governor.

Clarkin did not immediately respond to phone and email messages. His letter to Dodd spoke of “several allegations of Election Day irregularities” in recent Dover elections. It said the board wants to clear up confusion and prevent future problems.

Dodd is a Democrat, but is on the outs with the Morris County Democratic Committee. Dodd says the rift goes back to 2013 when he endorsed Chris Christie’s reelection, explaining this week that Christie had done a lot to help Dover. Of course, in 2013, many Democrats, including some more influential in the state than the mayor of Dover, endorsed Christie. So things may be more complicated than a mere gubernatorial endorsement.

Still, knowing he wouldn’t have gotten the “county line” in the June primary, Dodd is seeking reelection this fall as an independent against Democrat Carolyn Blackman, who sits on the board of aldermen. There is no Republican candidate.

Dodd’s path poses a challenge – political parties have a built-in base of loyal voters; independents do not.
The 56-year-old Dodd has been mayor since 2006. He takes pride in a series of ongoing redevelopment projects. They include a 214-unit apartment complex rising near the town train station and the transformation of an old mill into 185 residential units. And he hopes more is on the way., including housing for veterans and the redevelopment of an old furniture store.

“I think I’ve done a lot for Dover,” he says.

That’s not guaranteed as a spirited to put it mildly election looms.

While Dodd is often the target of various insults at public meetings, he’s definitely not shy.

Earlier this month, the mayor seemed nonplussed when  Alderwoman Sandra Wittner questioned a few items on the bill list. He observed that Wittner likes to hear herself talk and that she was just trying to pretend she knows what she’s doing. He also dismissed another critic by avoiding a direct answer to her question – he said he had answered it previously – by wishing her a good evening.

Away from this, Dodd seems happier to talk about accomplishments. He said that when he became mayor, the recreation department ran about six events a year for kids. Now, it runs more than 30.

You figure there probably will be an event the afternoon of Aug. 10 for the mayor to attend. Yep, that’s the date of the board of elections meeting.