Cell phone and Other Personal Device Use During Meetings
Dear Ridgewood Public School District,
This is a request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form. Please acknowledge receipt of this message.
Records requested: I have observed on webcasts of Ridgewood Board of Education Public Meetings the use of cell phone by board members. It is my understanding that during a public meeting board members should not use their personal communications devices: cell phones/ iPads/laptop devices to communicate with each other or with the public. Therefore, I am asking for screenshots of board members text message and/or email logs for the hours of all BOE meetings listed below
May 27, 2020
Jume 1, 2020
June 4, 2020
June 15, 2020
June 29, 2020
July 10, 2020
July 23, 2020
July 27, 2020
August 28, 2020
August 31, 2020
September 14, 2020
October 5, 2020.
I also request the name of the cellular service provider for each BOE member.
Yours faithfully,
K. Samuels
Good Afternoon:
I'm in receipt of your Open Public Records Act request dated 10/15/2020. I
will respond within the required time frame.
Sincerely,
Antoinette Kelly,CPA
School Business Administrator
Board Secretary
Ridgewood Public Schools
49 Cottage Place
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Phone: 201-670-2700 Ext10503
[1]Email:[email address]
Good Evening:
As per your Open Public Records Act request dated 10/15/2020 attached
please find the information you requested.
The information that has been redacted is either deliberative
communications that are solely between BOE members and the administration
and therefore are excluded from disclosure under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1 as
intra-agency advisory materials. or it is personal communications or
information and not a government record and therefore the information is
not subject to disclosure under OPRA.
Each board member has either certified that they had not sent any text
messages during the board meetings listed in your OPRA request or that
they could not find any text messages that were sent during the board
meeting listed in your OPRA request.
The following board members provided the name of their cellular service
provider: Michael Lembo-FirstNet and Sheila Brogan-Version. Ms. Kwak,
Mr. Dani and Mr. Kaufman did not provide their cellular service provider.
If your request for access to a government record has been denied or
unfilled within the seven business days required by law, you have a right
to challenge the Board’s decision to deny access. At your option, you may
either institute a proceeding in the Superior Court of New Jersey or file
a complaint with the GRC by completing the Denial of Access Complaint
Form. You may contact the GRC by toll-free telephone at (866)-850-0511,
by mail at P.O. Box 819, Trenton, New Jersey 08625, by email
at [1][email address], or at their website at [2]www.state.nj.us/grc.
The Council can also answer other questions about the law. All questions
regarding complaints filed in Superior Court should be directed to the
Court Clerk in your County
Sincerely,
Antoinette Kelly,CPA
School Business Administrator
Board Secretary
Ridgewood Public Schools
49 Cottage Place
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Phone: 201-670-2700 Ext10503
[3]Email:[email address]