Post-9/11 Changes in Toms River Recalled

It comes as a surprise to no one that, across the board, the world has changed since September 11, 2001. Patch asked local leaders about changes in business, government policy, and people’s attitudes and beliefs. Here’s what they had to say.

Mark Mutter, Clerk, spoke about security issues and the tightening of regulations as it pertains to vital records and identification documents.

In 2001, (then) Governor Jim McGreevey issued an executive order regarding requirements to obtain vital records. Prior to 2001, accessing documents was relatively easy, Mutter said.

Today, security issues make obtaining records more difficult to do.

“The rules are much more stringent,” Mutter said.

Mutter noted that the regulations were not brought forth by Toms River Township. The regulations are now governed by state policy.

“This is the result of a terrorist organization’s attack,” Mutter said.

Mutter said that stringent requirements often bring frustration and aggravation to workers within township agencies, as well as the customers they serve.

“That’s something we deal with every single day,” Mutter said.

Business patterns changed too, said JoAnn Juralewicz, the Chair of Toms River Business Development Corporation (TRBDC). TRBDC manages Downtown Toms River Business District.

Juralewicz has been a business owner for over twenty years, and is owner of Day Spa downtown. She noticed changes in customer shopping patterns since 2001.

“People always used to book appointments (at the spa) well in advance,” she said. “It’s gone to gradually being very last minute.”

People have recognized their mortality, she said. Juralewicz attributes customers’ spur of the moment decisions to that sense of mortality.

“We don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” Juralewicz said. “So we think ‘I’m going to take care of myself today’.”

Rabbi Ellen Wolintz-Fields, of spoke about community and people’s bonds with one another. 

“Since 2001, we’ve become more knowledgeable, but I can’t say we’ve become more tolerable,” Fields said. “Sometimes, I think we’ve become more suspicious.”

She also touched on our collective sense of safety.  Fields was in New York City when the recent earthquake hit the east coast.  Around her people were saying ‘I hope it’s not another plane’.

“We didn’t think like that prior to September 11,” Fields said.

Fields also remarked on the death of Osama bin Laden as it pertains to the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

“It feels like there’s some sort of closure,” she said.