Legal Action Against Atlantic City Mayor For Retaliation Coming

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small is facing yet another Tort Claim Notice … which is a required precursor to the certain litigation that will follow.

Dredgie Wood is being represented by attorney David Castellani, who currently has a number of legal cases against Small and the City of Atlantic City.

Gregory “Dredgie” Wood owned and operated a successful restaurant in the Gardner’s Basin section of Atlantic City, New Jersey for decades.

That was until May 7, 2022. It was a blustery, rainy day and Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small ordered the Atlantic City Police Department to tow away Woods’ business to the Atlantic City Police impound tow lot.

There was absolutely no justification for this heavy-handed move whatsoever.

"It’s a Green Acres issue," Small said. "Look at the history of Green Acres with the city of Atlantic City. We're following the state laws," said Small.

Not true.

The state of New Jersey had absolutely no interest whatsoever in going after small business owners like Wood, who was simply working hard, trying to earn a living, and providing a service to the public at historic Gardner's Basin.

Many enjoyed Woods’ super fresh, delicious fish sandwiches and other entrées.

Small publicly blamed the state of New Jersey for the closure of Fish Heads. That was a blatant lie.

The state of New Jersey publicly and directly contradicted Small.

Caryn Shinske, a public information officer with the state of New Jersey, Department of Environmental Protection is responsible to manage Green Acres programs such as Gardner’s Basin.

"The issue was that Atlantic City is evicting Fish Heads," said Shinske.

"It is not the state that is evicting Fishheads. It is Atlantic City!" said Shinske.

It doesn't get any more unambiguous than this. You rarely get such a blunt, raw statement.

After being exposed by the state of New Jersey for his bald faced lie … Small turned his divisive sights on New Jersey Senator Vince Polistina.

Polistina had previously successfully negotiated with the state of New Jersey to allow Fish Heads to continue to operate in its Gardner’s Basin location.

Small next resorted to outrageously calling the highest elected state-level official in Atlantic County, Senator Vince Polistina a racist. He is not.

At the time, Small accused "Polistina, who is white, of playing reverse racism in the Black community. “Vince Polistina voted against tax relief for Atlantic City, and now he wants to act like he's a champion,"

This also was a blatantly false statement made by Small about Polistina, who has a long demonstrated track record of supporting Atlantic City and its residents in many ways; financial and thorough excellence in constituent service.

Senator Polistina confirmed that the state of New Jersey DEP actually permits these types of food truck restaurants to operate on Green Acres sites.

The truth is that Small manufactured a dispute with a local business owner, that didn't exist in reality.

Small then misused New Jersey Green Acres laws as the rationale to shut down Fish Heads Restaurant.

Two years ago, Wood had his ability to do business unjustly taken away from him by Small. He had his physical business property towed away and damaged in the process.

It was a heavy-handed and disgraceful public display of raw political power at its worst.

Dredgie Wood was never able to re-open his business ever again.

In the end, Small got caught in the act. But, the damage to Wood and Fish Heads is already done.

The final indignity, Small charged Wood $350 to get his business out of the Atlantic City Police impound tow lot.