Brian Smyth - Attorney bills for Athina Cornell, Eric Harrison and Dennis McKeever - November and December 2024
Records requested:
IMMEDIATE ACCESS: Kindly return as a PDF
Brian Smyth: Wall Twp. BOE
Please accept this electronic request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. 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 accept this electronic request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. 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.
Records requested:
1) Attorney Bills for Athina Cornell and Eric Harrison (Methfessel & Werbel) for November 2024 and December 2024.
2) Attorney bills Dennis McKeever's law firm (Chasan Lamparello, Mallon & Cappuzzo, PC) for November 2024 and December 2024 returned via a PDF.
KINDLY INCLUDE ALL cover pages with any E-MAILS attaching the bills when they are sent to the district with date stamps.
Last year, the November bill was stamped on December 24, and the December bill on January 23, 2024. Given that today is February 19, 2025, their absence raises serious transparency concerns - where are they?
Regards,
Betsy Cross
cc:
Tracy Handerhan
Jennifer McCann
James Maliff - Wall BOE President
Thomas Buffa - Wall BOE VP and Chair of Finance and Facilites
BOE Members - Ralph Addonizio, Kathleen DiGiovanni, Cody Smith, Ken Wondrack, James Brereton, Mairin Barbiere, Samantha Adams
Jacquelyn Suarez - DCA
3:52 PM - 2/20/2025
Mr. Smyth:
Just checking in as I have not heard from you on the November and December 2024 Minutes.
Regards,
Betsy Cross
Good afternoon,
Attached is a response to your OPRA request.
Brian Smyth
Custodian of Records
Wall Township Public School District
email: [1]opra@wall[2]publicschools.org
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://publicschools.org/
10:22 AM 2/24/2025
Brian Smyth,
Mr. Smyth it seems you purposely left off the email that the November and December attorney bills came with as I requested in my OPRA. I had FOUR other towns in Monmouth County attorney bills back within 48 hours for their November and December attorney bills that Athina's firm is the legal counsel for and theirs all INCLUDED the email they came with. Only yours did not. Kindly send me the email(s) by noon today for complete Transparency.
Regards,
Betsy Cross
Tracy Handerhan
Jennifer McCann
Wall Business Office
Wall Board Members
DCA
Sent 2/24/2025 - Sent 11:27 AM
Subject: Follow-Up on Attorney Billing for November and December 2024 Wall Board of Education - INCOMPLETE - where is the email showing when the bills were sent to the Wall BOE. The bills are not date stamped.
Dear Mr. Smyth,
I am writing to ensure that my concerns regarding the attorney bills for the Wall Board of Education (BOE) are formally recorded and visible to all relevant parties. If I do not receive the email(s) from you on the OPRA Machine that should accompany the November and December attorney bills being withheld by noon today, I will reach out to Dr. Handerhan and Wall BOE President James Maliff.
I would be surprised if the attorney bills from Athina Cornell were sent via postal mail solely to the Wall BOE while the other five districts in Monmouth County under Athina’s firm’s management received their copies via email. This distribution method seems unusual, and I would appreciate clarification on whether the district received the bills prior to the Wall BOE meeting last Tuesday, 2/18/2025, as well as any email correspondence that came with the bills that will provide further context.
While the bills are dated Tuesday, February 18, 2025 (the same day as the Wall BOE meeting), I did not receive them until after the district closed on Friday, February 21, 2025, at 6:10 PM on OPRA MACHINE. Given the timing of this delivery, I am concerned there may have been a delay in your distributing these Immediate access documents as the Wall BOE Custodian of Records.
Furthermore, I noticed that the November 2024 bills indicate an “outstanding” amount for the December 2024 bills, which is puzzling, as December had not happened yet. Could Ms. Cornell kindly provide an explanation as to how this could be?
Finally, I would appreciate an update regarding the absence of Mr. McKeever’s bills for November and December 2024, particularly considering today’s date is February 24, 2025.
Thank you for your prompt attention to these matters. I look forward to your prompt response.
Regards,
Betsy Cross
Tracy Handerhan
James Maliff
Jacquelyn Suarez
Lester Richens
Jamar Purnsely
Chris Alworth - Wall IT
Athina Cornell
Comptroller's Office - Kevin Walsh
Regards,
Betsy Cross
Good morning,
Attached is a response to your OPRA request.
Brian Smyth
Custodian of Records
Wall Township Public School District
email: [1]opra@wall[2]publicschools.org
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://publicschools.org/
Good morning,
Please know that the district attorney invoices that are posted on the
district's website required review and redaction. The legal invoices
provided by board counsel on February 19, 2025, were reviewed and redacted
where necessary, and posted to the district website on February 21, 2025.
Posting of the attorney invoices on the district's website is a new
procedure and in response to the recommendations made when the OPRA law
was recently amended. It is noted that attorney invoices are considered
an "immediate access" record and were therefore posted immediately (same
day) once received with appropriate redactions.
The correspondence accompanying the invoices, which are emails, are not
posted on the district's website and are not considered immediate access
records. The accompanying emails are correspondence and a response is
required no later than the 7th business day from receipt of the request.
The accompanying emails for this request were provided today, 2/25/2025,
which is the 4th business day from receipt and in compliance with the
requirements of OPRA.
The additional comments regarding records being withheld, postal delivery,
and that the documents were provided to Ms. Cross on OPRA Machine are
inaccurate. The invoices are posted on the district's website and Ms.
Cross was advised of such.
The additional questions and requests for information are outside the
scope of OPRA.
Brian Smyth
Custodian of Records
Wall Township Public School District
email: [1]opra@wall[2]publicschools.org
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://publicschools.org/