April Fools'? Ex-Parsippany Mayor Responds To Claim That Dover Made Him Administrator

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Former Dover Mayor James Dodd released a scathing video about Michael Soriano becoming Dover's new administrator. The problem? Parsippany's former mayor isn't taking the position, and Dodd may have fallen for an April Fools' joke, Soriano said.

It's not clear how Dodd got the impression that Dover would appoint Soriano as administrator — often the highest non-elected position in municipal governments. Patch reached out to Dodd for comment and will update with any response.

Dodd blasted both the town government and Soriano in a video he posted to social media Friday (April Fools' Day).

"Just when you think things can’t get any worse in the town of Dover, this corrupt administration strikes again," said Dodd, Dover's 13-year mayor who lost his 2019 re-election bid.

But Soriano says he did not become Dover's administrator, nor does he ever plan to.

"So yesterday in a FB video post former Mayor Dodd of Dover made a false statement that I will begin a new job as Dover’s new Administrator," Soriano wrote Saturday on his Facebook page. "I don’t know where Dodd gets his information but it looks like he fell for an April Fool’s Joke. I currently have a job outside of Morris County. Now Dover is a great town, however I am not now, nor will I ever work in Dover Town hall."

Soriano, a Democrat, served as Parsippany's mayor from 2018 until the end of last year, falling to James Barberio in November's mayoral election. The Morris County Democratic Committee elected Soriano to represent the county on the New Jersey State Democratic Committee.

Dodd, a Democrat-turned-independent, called Soriano a "failed mayor" who "ran the township into debt."

Parsippany entered last year's budgetary cycle with a $9 million revenue deficit. During last year's election season, Soriano and Barberio — Parsippany's mayor from 2010-18 — would often shift blame to the other's administration for the township's budgetary woes.

Dodd didn't get into detail about his criticisms of Soriano but promised viewers Friday he'd provide more information "in the next couple days" about "the failed policies and the failed administration he had in the town of Parsippany." It's unclear whether that will happen now, with Soriano saying he won't work in Dover Town Hall.

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