OPRA Abandoned/VACANT/Probate- union
Dear Clark Township,
I appreciate your consideration of the following matter. Under OPRA and the Common Law Right of Access, I am requesting a current list of records over the past 2 YEARS for each of the following be delivered via e-mail in EXCEL format:
1) All abandoned/vacant residential properties (Property Class 2)
2) All condemned properties
3) All residential properties with delinquent taxes
4) All residential properties for which a Lis Pendens notice has been filed or that are currently in probate
5) All properties that are absentee-owned
6) All properties with delinquent water and sewer which date back up to 1 year, including amounts owed
7) All properties currently listed with water shut-off notice
8) All properties with code violations, including the type of violation
9) All properties with notices of abatement
Again, I appreciate your attention to this matter and thank you in advance for your help.
Yours faithfully,
B. Saint-Jean
Your request has been received and will be processed in accordance with the Open Public Records Act.
Edith L. Merkel, RMC
Township Clerk
Township of Clark
430 Westfield Ave.
Clark, NJ 07066
(732) 388-3669 ph.
(908) 347-8348 c.
(732) 388-1241 fx.
To: Ben Saint-Jean via OPRA Machine
From: Edith Merkel, Township Clerk, Township of Clark
Re: OPRA -Abandoned/Vacant/Probate (1 - 9)
Date: July 23, 2020
The attached documents satisfy item numbers 1, 3 and 6. The Township of Clark does not have a water utility. For item number 7, water shut off notices, contact
New Jersey American Water Company
Phone: 1-800-272-1325
Business Hours: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. M-F
Self Service & to Report an Emergency, we are available 24/7
TDD: 711
Reference 1-800-565-7292
Item number 2: There are no condemned properties in the township.
Item number 4: According to the GRC "OPRA excludes the State's judiciary from the law including municipal courts. Access to municipal court records fall under the rules of the Supreme Court and local officials may not grant access to municipal court records."
Item number 5: requires clarification
Item number 8 and 9: According to the Construction Department a specific address must be provided in order to look up code violations and notices of abatement.
The Township of Clark received your Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request on July 16, 2020 at 7:03 pm. The official Records Custodian, Edith Merkel, received your OPRA request on July 17, 2020. As such, the seven (7) business day deadline to respond to your request is July 28, 2020. This response to your request is being provided to you on the 3rd business day after the custodian’s receipt of said request.
If you have any questions, contact: Construction Department at 732-428-8401, Tax Office 732-428-8403, Court 732-381-5395
If your request for access to a government record has been denied or unfilled within the seven (7) business days required by law, you have a right to challenge the decision by the Township of Clark 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 Government Records Council (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, NJ, 08625, by e-mail at [email address], or at their web site at www.state.nj.us/grc. The GRC 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.