Dear Requestor,

This email acknowledges receipt of your OPRA request.

After reviewing your request, it has been determined that portions of the request require clarification because they do not identify specific government records with the reasonable specificity required by the New Jersey Open Public Records Act ("OPRA"), N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.
Specifically, the following portions of your request are overly broad:

• "Copies of all expense reports and corresponding receipts;"
• "Copies of any and all payments made to, in the form of reimbursement checks or cash, and payroll vendor paychecks;"
• "Copies of any and all payments made to a vendor or third party on behalf of" the listed elected officials.

As written, these requests do not identify particular government records and would require the Borough to conduct research, analyze financial transactions, and compile information from multiple record systems to determine which records may be responsive. OPRA requires requests to identify specific identifiable government records and does not obligate a public agency to conduct research, create records, or compile information in response to a request.

Please clarify the specific government records you are seeking.

In addition, please clarify whether your request is limited to expenses incurred by the listed elected officials in their official capacities, or whether you are seeking records associated with specific events, travel, conferences, training, or other identified expenditures.

Upon receipt of your clarification, the Borough will review the revised request and respond within the timeframes prescribed by OPRA.

Your request will be held pending receipt of your clarification.

Thank you.
Sincerely,

Kathleen Troast, RMC
Deputy Municipal Clerk
Borough of Pompton Lakes
25 Lenox Avenue
Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442
973-835-0143 ext. 222
deputy[Pompton Lakes Borough request email]

From: Thomas Carson <[OPRA #93754 email]>
Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2026 7:59 PM
To: Elizabeth Brandsness <[Pompton Lakes Borough request email]>
Subject: OPRA request - Money and expenses paid to and on behalf of the Pompton Lakes council

[NOTICE: This message originated outside of Pompton Lakes Borough -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you are sure the content is safe.]

Dear Pompton Lakes Borough,

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-5(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.

Records requested:

This OPRA seeks:

-Copies of all expense reports and corresponding receipts for;

-Copies of any and all payments made to, in the form of reimbursement checks or cash, and payroll vendor paychecks;

-Copies of any and all payments made TO a vendor or third party on behalf of:

Every Pompton Lakes Borough Council Member, from January 1, 2024 to present, July 27, 2026, including: Mayor Michael Serra, Ekamon Venin, Maria Kent, Stephen Baig, Scott Santers, Robert Cruz, Ranuel Hinton, Jennifer Polidori, Erik DeLine, Lisa Kihlberg, Patrick Quinn

My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by E-mail as attachments. Please confirm you have received this request. If you are not the custodian of records, please forward my request to that person and provide their email address to me for future reference.

Yours faithfully,

Thomas Carson

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Please deliver records electronically via email to the below UNIQUE address for all replies to this request:

[OPRA #93754 email]

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Mr. Carson,

Please be advised that OPRA allows the records custodian to seek extensions of time pursuant to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5i. In light of the Borough’s current work demands, the Borough requires an additional three weeks (until August 19, 2026) to compile, review, and produce the potentially responsive records in accordance with New Jersey law. The Borough also reserves the right to obtain an additional extension of time if necessary. See Scheeler v. New Jersey Department of Educ., GRC Complaint No. 2014-123 (2016).

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

Very truly yours,

Kathleen Troast, RMC
Deputy Clerk
Borough of Pompton Lakes
25 Lenox Avenue
Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442
973-835-0143 ext. 222
deputy[Pompton Lakes Borough request email]

show quoted sections

Mr. Carson,

In response to your OPRA Request dated July 29, 2026. Please be advised that the records you have requested are currently stored off-site and require retrieval from storage. Pursuant to the Open Public Records Act, specifically Open Public Records Act (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.) a public agency may impose a special service charge when fulfilling a request that requires an extraordinary expenditure of time and effort. Because the requested documents require staff time and coordination to locate and retrieve archived storage boxes, a special service charge has been assessed in the amount of $216.60. Please note that additional fees may apply if your request requires significantly more time and effort than usual to complete.

Retrieval Charge - 8 boxes $96.73
Return Charge - 8 Boxes $119.87

Total Charge - $216.60

Please advise in writing if you wish to proceed with your request at this cost. Payment must be received prior to retrieval and processing of the records.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contract myself or the municipal clerk, Elizabeth Brandsness, [Pompton Lakes Borough request email].
 
Kathleen Troast, RMC
Deputy Clerk
Borough of Pompton Lakes
25 Lenox Avenue
Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442
973-835-0143 ext. 222
deputy[Pompton Lakes Borough request email]

show quoted sections

Dear Mr. Carson,

In response off-site records are 2024 Payroll and Vouchers.

Kathy
 
Kathleen Troast, RMC
Deputy Clerk
Borough of Pompton Lakes
25 Lenox Avenue
Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442
973-835-0143 ext. 222
deputy[Pompton Lakes Borough request email]

show quoted sections

Mr. Carson:

The Municipality acknowledges receipt of your amended Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”) request seeking “2025 and 2026 payroll and expenses.”

The Municipality has reviewed your request pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.

The portion of your request seeking 2025 and 2026 payroll records is sufficiently identifiable for the Municipality to determine the records sought. The Municipality will process that portion of your request in accordance with OPRA, subject to any applicable statutory exemptions, privileges, and required redactions.

The portion of your request seeking “expenses,” however, requires clarification. OPRA requires a requestor to identify the specific government records sought with reasonable clarity. N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(g).

Accordingly, the Municipality is requesting that you clarify the “expenses” portion of your OPRA request by identifying the specific government records or categories of government records sought, together with any applicable date range or other identifying information.

Upon receipt of your clarification, the Municipality will review and process that portion of your request in accordance with OPRA.

Very truly yours,

Kathleen Troast, RMC
Deputy Clerk
Borough of Pompton Lakes
25 Lenox Avenue
Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442
973-835-0143 ext. 222
deputy[Pompton Lakes Borough request email]

show quoted sections

Mr. Carson,

Please find attached the Municipality’s response to the portion of your OPRA
request seeking 2025 and 2026 payroll records, subject to any applicable
statutory exemptions or required redactions.

With respect to the “expenses” portion of your OPRA request, the Municipality
requests that you clarify the specific government records or categories of
government records you are seeking, including the applicable date range and any
other identifying information that may assist in locating the records.

Upon receipt of your clarification, the Municipality will review and process
that portion of your request in accordance with OPRA.

Thank you.

Kathleen Troast, RMC

Deputy Clerk

Borough of Pompton Lakes

25 Lenox Avenue

Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442

973-835-0143 ext. 222

[1]deputy[Pompton Lakes Borough request email]

References

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1. mailto:deputy[Pompton Lakes Borough request email]