Dear South River Borough,

Please accept this electronic request for public records made under the OPRA and the common law right of access. I am a journalist with New Brunswick Today and Trenton Makes News, and require the records for my reporting on New Jersey's local governments, school districts, and autonomous authorities. I am not required to fill out an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my request per NJSA 47:1A-6(f), which states that an email from a requestor including all of the information required on the adopted form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government record request.

I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.

I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial purpose.

I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.

Please provide a copy of your current directory of appointed officials, as of today, 10/1/2024, including at least the following information for every authority, board and commission:
(a) the name of the authority, board, or commission;
(b) the number of members or positions;
(c) a list of currently appointed members, along with their terms of office;
(d) vacancies;
(e) general frequency of meetings; and
(f) the appointing authority and the enabling statute, ordinance, or resolution, if any.

My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by E-mail as an attachment.

If no current directory exists, or if the directory is missing some of the above information, be guided by NJSA 40A:9-9.2, which requires the above directory to be maintained on an ongoing basis and to include, at a minimum, the information that I am presently requesting.

Please confirm you have received this request, and feel free to contact me at 732-993-9697 if I can be helpful in clarifying this request. Thanks very much and have a nice day.

Yours faithfully,

Charlie Kratovil

Dear Ms. Hager,

Thanks for your reply. I need further clarification before I decide how to proceed.

Are you saying that South River is not complying with the state law that requires the Borough to compile and maintain this directory? https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/...

From the statute: "The clerk of the municipality, or other official designated by the governing body, shall compile and maintain, on an ongoing basis, a directory of local authorities, boards and commissions..."

I would respectfully suggest that, if you do not currently maintain such a directory, you compile one in order to comply with the state law requiring this to be maintained on an ongoing basis.

Yours sincerely,

Charlie Kratovil