Mr. Nadler, 
This email is to acknowledge receipt of your Open Public Records Act
(OPRA) request. Your request was received after business hours on May 1,
2026, and is therefore deemed received on the next business day, May 4,
2026.

Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(i), the statutory seven (7) business day
response period applies. Accordingly, a response to your request is due on
or before May 13, 2026.

Your request seeks the following records:

• Closed session minutes from November 16, 2023
• A copy of an encrypted email allegedly received by Rafael Morilla
• Emails, telephone logs, and text messages from Rafael Morilla to
Ridgefield staff members from November 15, 2023 through November 17,
2023

The District is currently reviewing your request. Please note that certain
records, including closed session minutes and personnel-related
communications, may be subject to exemptions under OPRA or may require
redaction prior to release. Additionally, clarification may be required if
the request is determined to be overly broad or unclear.

If additional time is needed to respond, or if clarification is required,
you will be notified in writing.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

On Fri, May 1, 2026 at 7:54 PM Phil Nadler
<[1][OPRA #90940 email]> wrote:

Dear Ridgefield School District,

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:

Please provide copy of 11/16/2023 closed session minutes and copy of
encrypted email which  Rafael Morilla allegedly received.

Please provide copy of Rafael Morilla emails and telephone logs and text
messages  to all staff members of Ridgefield staff members from 
 11/15/2023 thru 11/17/2023

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,

Phil Nadler

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please deliver records electronically via email to the below UNIQUE
address for all replies to this request:
[2][OPRA #90940 email]

Is [3][Ridgefield School District request email] the wrong address for OPRA requests
to Ridgefield School District? If so, please contact us using this form:
[4]https://opramachine.com/change_request/n...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published
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[5]https://opramachine.com/help/officers

View this OPRA request & responses online:
[6]https://opramachine.com/request/opra_req...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses
will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an OPRA custodian, please ask your
web manager to link to us from your organisation's website.

"OPRAmachine’s mission is to give people easy and affordable access to
New Jersey public records.
For more information, contact us at: ‪(732) 707-1628‬ or PO Box 3180,
New Brunswick, NJ 08903."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

--
Regards,
Kelvin Hiciano, MBA, MPA
Business Administrator/Board Secretary
Ridgefield Public Schools
555 Chestnut Street
Ridgefield, NJ 07657-1825
Office: 201-945-0476
Fax No: 201-313-4582
Email: [7][email address]
This e-mail message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and
may contain certain confidential and privileged information. Any
unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you
are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by e-mail and
destroy all copies of the original message.

References

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2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[Ridgefield School District request email]
4. https://opramachine.com/change_request/n...
5. https://opramachine.com/help/officers
6. https://opramachine.com/request/opra_req...
7. mailto:[email address]

hide quoted sections

Dear Mr. Nadler, 
Attached you will find the response to  your OPRA request submitted on May
4, 2026. 
Thank you.
--
Regards,
Kelvin Hiciano, MBA, MPA
Business Administrator/Board Secretary
Ridgefield Public Schools
555 Chestnut Street
Ridgefield, NJ 07657-1825
Office: 201-945-0476
Fax No: 201-313-4582
Email: [1][email address]
This e-mail message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and
may contain certain confidential and privileged information. Any
unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you
are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by e-mail and
destroy all copies of the original message.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Dear Mr. Nadler: 

The Ridgefield Public Schools (“District”) records custodian received your
Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”) and common law request (“Request”) on May
4, 2026. On May 13, 2026, the District obtained an extension of the
response deadline until June 10, 2026. As such, the District is timely
responding to your Request in accordance with New Jersey law.

Your Request seeks the following:

Please provide a copy of 11/16/2023 closed session minutes and copy of
encrypted email which Rafael Morilla allegedly received.

Please provide copy of Rafael Morilla emails and telephone logs and text
messages to all staff members of Ridgefield staff members [sic] from
11/15/2023 thru 11/17/2023.

With respect to the portion of your Request seeking the November 16, 2023
closed session minutes, the District conducted a good faith search and
identified the enclosed minutes as responsive. Please be advised
that contents of the minutes have been redacted as they contain
attorney-client privileged discussions, as well as communications
protected from disclosure by the District’s deliberative process
privilege. See N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1 (exempting “inter-agency advisory,
consultative, or deliberative material” and “records that are
attorney-client privileged” from the definition of a “government record”).
The redacted contents of the minutes are pre-decisional and deliberative
in nature, and reflect legal advice sought/rendered in the course of the
lawyer-client relationship and in professional confidence. Please be
advised that contents of the minutes have also redacted as they
constitute “personnel records” within the meaning of N.J.S.A. 47:1A-10. 
None of the exceptions within N.J.S.A. 47:1A-10 that require certain
personnel records to be made available for public access in particular
circumstances are applicable to the redacted minutes...

With respect to the portion of your Request seeking Rafael Morilla emails,
telephone logs and text messages, please be advised that same is legally
deficient pursuant to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(g) (providing that a records
custodian shall not be required to search for responsive communications if
the request fails to identify the specific accounts, a specific subject
matter, and a reasonable time period for the search). Please note that
“staff members of Ridgefield staff members” does not constitute a specific
sender/recipient to allow for the District to conduct searches for
specific accounts for the communications that you are purportedly seeking,
in addition to failing to provide a specific subject matter. Moreover,
your Request purportedly requires the District’s records custodian to
conduct research and exercise judgment as to who may constitute a “staff
member,” which is beyond the legal obligations of a records custodian
under OPRA. As such, the District is not legally obligated to search for
and/or produce any potentially responsive communications based upon the
parameters of your Request.

To the extent that you are seeking access to any of the records pursuant
to the common law right of access, please be advised that your Request is
similarly deficient for the reasons stated above, as well as due to your
lack of any purported interest in accessing any of the records at issue.

Your Request is now deemed answered and closed.

Regards,
Kelvin Hiciano, MBA, MPA
Business Administrator/Board Secretary
Ridgefield Public Schools
555 Chestnut Street
Ridgefield, NJ 07657-1825
Office: 201-945-0476
Fax No: 201-313-4582
Email: [1][email address]
This e-mail message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and
may contain certain confidential and privileged information. Any
unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you
are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by e-mail and
destroy all copies of the original message.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Hello,

I am out of the office with limited access to email. I will respond to
your inquiry upon my return on June 16th. If you need immediate
assistance please reach out to Daniel Gonzalez or Diana Beretin at
201-945-7747.

Thank you.

--
Regards,

Kelvin Hiciano, MBA, MPA
*Business Administrator/**Board Secretary*
*Ridgefield Public Schools*
555 Chestnut Street
Ridgefield, NJ 07657-1825
Office: 201-945-0476
Fax No: 201-313-4582
Email: [email address]

This e-mail message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and
may contain certain confidential and privileged information. Any
unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you
are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by e-mail and
destroy all copies of the original message.

Mr. Nadler, 
The Ridgefield Board of Education acknowledges receipt of your email. As
the prior OPRA request was responded to and closed, your correspondence
will be treated as a new OPRA request to the extent it seeks additional
government records and information not encompassed within the prior
request.  
As this is being treated as a new OPRA request, please provide responses
to the certifications contained on the District's OPRA request form. Once
this has been received the district will review and respond to any portion
of your submission that seeks identifiable government records maintained
by the district.
Thank you.   
On Mon, Jun 15, 2026 at 6:49 PM Phil Nadler
<[1][OPRA #90940 email]> wrote:

Dear Kelvin Hiciano,

I have received your responsive email.  Allow me to provide
clarification.  I am seeking emails, texts and logs relating to Rafael's
Morillas Ridgefield Board of Education  business whether such
communication were on government accounts or personal accounts.  I have
no way of knowing how or on what account these communications were made,
so I clarify that I want email , letters and text logs of all government
business communications. I have provided a 2 day window which is very
limited and well within the law.  The "encrypted email"/ letter listed
on page 2  should suffice as a description,.

I am also requesting the following
The statutory or legal basis for redacting the Board of Education
members’ initials  specifically on page 2 bullet points 4 thru 7
An explanation as to why this information remains confidential after
such a significant passage of time over 30 months.
If the redactions are no longer warranted, I respectfully request that
an unredacted copy of the minutes be provided.

Yours sincerely,

Phil Nadler

-----Original Message-----

Dear Mr. Nadler: 

 The Ridgefield Public Schools (“District”) records
custodian received your
 Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”) and common law request (“Request”) on
May
 4, 2026. On May 13, 2026, the District obtained an extension of the
 response deadline until June 10, 2026. As such, the District is timely
 responding to your Request in accordance with New Jersey law.

 Your Request seeks the following:

 Please provide a copy of 11/16/2023 closed session minutes and copy of
 encrypted email which Rafael Morilla allegedly received.

 Please provide copy of Rafael Morilla emails and telephone logs and
text
 messages to all staff members of Ridgefield staff members [sic] from
 11/15/2023 thru 11/17/2023.

 With respect to the portion of your Request seeking the November 16,
2023
 closed session minutes, the District conducted a good faith search and
 identified the enclosed minutes as responsive. Please be advised
 that contents of the minutes have been redacted as they contain
 attorney-client privileged discussions, as well as communications
 protected from disclosure by the District’s deliberative process
 privilege. See N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1 (exempting “inter-agency advisory,
 consultative, or deliberative material” and “records that are
 attorney-client privileged” from the definition of a “government
record”).
 The redacted contents of the minutes are pre-decisional and
deliberative
 in nature, and reflect legal advice sought/rendered in the course of
the
 lawyer-client relationship and in professional confidence. Please be
 advised that contents of the minutes have also redacted as they
 constitute “personnel records” within the meaning
of N.J.S.A. 47:1A-10. 
 None of the exceptions within N.J.S.A. 47:1A-10 that require certain
 personnel records to be made available for public access in particular
 circumstances are applicable to the redacted minutes...

 With respect to the portion of your Request seeking Rafael Morilla
emails,
 telephone logs and text messages, please be advised that same is
legally
 deficient pursuant to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(g) (providing that a records
 custodian shall not be required to search for responsive communications
if
 the request fails to identify the specific accounts, a specific subject
 matter, and a reasonable time period for the search). Please note that
 “staff members of Ridgefield staff members” does not constitute a
specific
 sender/recipient to allow for the District to conduct searches for
 specific accounts for the communications that you are purportedly
seeking,
 in addition to failing to provide a specific subject matter. Moreover,
 your Request purportedly requires the District’s records custodian to
 conduct research and exercise judgment as to who may constitute
a “staff
 member,” which is beyond the legal obligations of a records custodian
 under OPRA. As such, the District is not legally obligated to search
for
 and/or produce any potentially responsive communications based upon the
 parameters of your Request.

 To the extent that you are seeking access to any of the records
pursuant
 to the common law right of access, please be advised that your Request
is
 similarly deficient for the reasons stated above, as well as due to
your
 lack of any purported interest in accessing any of the records at
issue.

 Your Request is now deemed answered and closed.

 Regards,
 Kelvin Hiciano, MBA, MPA
 Business Administrator/Board Secretary
 Ridgefield Public Schools
 555 Chestnut Street
 Ridgefield, NJ 07657-1825
 Office: 201-945-0476
 Fax No: 201-313-4582
 Email: [1][email address]
 This e-mail message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s)
and
 may contain certain confidential and privileged information. Any
 unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If
you
 are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by e-mail and
 destroy all copies of the original message.

References

 Visible links
 1. mailto:[email address]

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this UNIQUE email address for all replies to this request and
no other:
[2][OPRA #90940 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published
on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[3]https://opramachine.com/help/officers

View this OPRA request & responses online:
[4]https://opramachine.com/request/opra_req...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses
will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an OPRA custodian, please ask your
web manager to link to us from your organisation's website.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

--
Regards,
Kelvin Hiciano, MBA, MPA
Business Administrator/Board Secretary
Ridgefield Public Schools
555 Chestnut Street
Ridgefield, NJ 07657-1825
Office: 201-945-0476
Fax No: 201-313-4582
Email: [5][email address]
This e-mail message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and
may contain certain confidential and privileged information. Any
unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you
are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by e-mail and
destroy all copies of the original message.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. https://opramachine.com/help/officers
4. https://opramachine.com/request/opra_req...
5. mailto:[email address]

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