Ordinance 25-28 rent leveling adoption and legal services records
Dear Bridgeton City,
Please accept this request for public records under OPRA and the common law right of access.
I certify that this request may be deemed to be for a commercial purpose because I am requesting these records in connection with property-management compliance and review of Ordinance 25-28.
I am not seeking these records in connection with any pending legal proceeding, court order, or pending discovery request.
I am not requesting any records containing personal information pertaining to any victim or victim’s family under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-2.2.
Please provide the following records relating to Ordinance 25-28 / Article V Rent Leveling Regulations:
1. The version of Ordinance 25-28 introduced on first reading at the December 2, 2025 City Council meeting.
2. The final version of Ordinance 25-28 adopted at the December 16, 2025 City Council meeting.
3. Any amendments, substitute versions, revisions, or redlines of Ordinance 25-28 between first reading and final adoption.
4. The December 2, 2025 and December 16, 2025 City Council agenda packets, including attachments or supporting documents relating to Ordinance 25-28.
5. Proofs, certifications, or affidavits of publication for the pending ordinance / public hearing notice and the final adoption / passage notice for Ordinance 25-28.
6. The complete file for Resolution 100-25, including the executed agreement with Gene J. Anthony, Esq., scope of services, purchase order, certificate of availability of funds, Political Contribution Disclosure form, Business Entity Disclosure Certification, and related purchasing documents.
7. Invoices, billing records, time entries, vouchers, and payment records submitted by or paid to Gene J. Anthony, Esq. for rent leveling / rent control legal services under Resolution 100-25.
8. Any non-privileged final memorandum, written implementation guidance, model ordinance, form, registration packet, disclosure statement, or rules/regulations prepared or approved in connection with Ordinance 25-28.
If any record is available online, please provide the direct URL. If any record or portion of a record is withheld or redacted, please identify the legal basis for the withholding or redaction.
Please provide responsive records electronically by email or download link.
Thank you,
John Flinn
Your OPRA has been received. The 7 business day response deadline is set for June 12, 2026.
Nichole L. Almanza, RMC, CMR
Municipal Clerk & Registrar of Vital Statistics
Phone: 856-455-3230 ext 227
Email: [Bridgeton City request email]
181 E Commerce St. Bridgeton NJ 08302
Notice: You are advised that this e-mail, all responses to this e-mail, and all e-mail sent to the e-mail address above, including all attachments, will constitute "public records" obtainable by any person filing a request under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). There should be no expectation that the content of e-mails exchanged with municipal officials and employees will remain private.
Afternoon,
Your OPRA was received on June 3, 2026. The 7 business day response deadline is set for June 12, 2026.
Please see the below responses and links:
1. The version of Ordinance 25-28 introduced on first reading at the December 2, 2025 City Council meeting.
- Adobe link for the Agenda from the December 2, 2025 Council meeting - https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc.... See pages 6-26. All agendas can also be accessed on our website at: https://www.cityofbridgetonnj.gov/Agenda...
2. The final version of Ordinance 25-28 adopted at the December 16, 2025 City Council meeting.
- Adobe link for the Agenda from the December 2, 2025 Council meeting - https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc.... See pages 6-26. All agendas can also be accessed on our website at: https://www.cityofbridgetonnj.gov/Agenda...
- Executed copy of Ordinance 25-28 - https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc...
3. Any amendments, substitute versions, revisions, or redlines of Ordinance 25-28 between first reading and final adoption.
-See response to Numbers 1 and 2.
4. The December 2, 2025 and December 16, 2025 City Council agenda packets, including attachments or supporting documents relating to Ordinance 25-28.
- See response to Numbers 1 and 2.
5. Proofs, certifications, or affidavits of publication for the pending ordinance / public hearing notice and the final adoption / passage notice for Ordinance 25-28.
- Affidavit - Pending Ordinance - https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc...
- Affidavit - Passage of Ordinance - https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc...
6. The complete file for Resolution 100-25, including the executed agreement with Gene J. Anthony, Esq., scope of services, purchase order, certificate of availability of funds, Political Contribution Disclosure form, Business Entity Disclosure Certification, and related purchasing documents.
- Gene Anthony, Esquire Contract - https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc...
- Cert. of Funds - https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc...
- NFAO paperwork (Redactions made pursuant to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 - Privacy Interest)- https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc...
- Executed Resolution 100-25 - https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc...
7. Invoices, billing records, time entries, vouchers, and payment records submitted by or paid to Gene J. Anthony, Esq. for rent leveling / rent control legal services under Resolution 100-25.
- Payment Record- https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc...
- Purchase Orders - https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc...
8. Any non-privileged final memorandum, written implementation guidance, model ordinance, form, registration packet, disclosure statement, or rules/regulations prepared or approved in connection with Ordinance 25-28.
- Rent Control Disclosure Notice Form - English - https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc...
- Rent Control Disclosure Notice Form - Spanish - https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc...
Please let me know if you have any issues opening the links.
Mandatory Disclaimer:
If your request for access to a government record has been denied or unfilled within seven (7) business days required by law, you have the right to challenge the decision by the City of Bridgeton 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 website 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.
Nichole L. Almanza, RMC, CMR
Municipal Clerk & Registrar of Vital Statistics
Phone: 856-455-3230 ext 227
Email: [Bridgeton City request email]
181 E Commerce St. Bridgeton NJ 08302
Notice: You are advised that this e-mail, all responses to this e-mail, and all e-mail sent to the e-mail address above, including all attachments, will constitute "public records" obtainable by any person filing a request under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). There should be no expectation that the content of e-mails exchanged with municipal officials and employees will remain private.
Bridgeton City,
Thank you for the June 9, 2026 response to my OPRA request regarding Ordinance 25-28 / Article V Rent Leveling Regulations.
After reviewing the records produced, I am requesting clarification and completion of the response.
The purchase orders and invoices produced for Gene J. Anthony, Esq. reference additional records or categories of records that appear responsive to my request, including but not limited to:
* model ordinances;
* “Bridgeton Model Ordinance” materials;
* draft ordinance materials;
* redline versions;
* proposed revisions;
* suggested changes;
* correspondence or letters to the City Solicitor;
* opinion letters;
* fee-issue review;
* vacancy-decontrol research;
* and OneDrive/transmitted documents relating to the ordinance.
Please clarify whether any responsive records in these categories exist.
If responsive records exist and are being withheld or redacted, please identify the general nature of the withheld record and the specific legal basis for withholding or redaction.
If the City’s position is that no responsive records exist beyond what was already produced, please state that clearly.
I am also requesting clarification as to the following specific items from my original request:
1. Whether any amendments, substitute versions, revisions, or redlines of Ordinance 25-28 exist between first reading and final adoption. If none exist, please state that no responsive records exist.
2. Whether the City has any model ordinance, template ordinance, sample ordinance, or “Bridgeton Model Ordinance” materials relating to Ordinance 25-28. If none exist, please state that no responsive records exist.
3. Whether the City has any final memorandum, opinion letter, written implementation guidance, fee analysis, vacancy-decontrol research, or written legal/administrative guidance relating to Ordinance 25-28. If such records are being withheld as privileged or exempt, please identify the general nature of the records and the legal basis for withholding.
4. Whether the City has any rent-control registration packet, rules, regulations, procedures, instructions, or implementation guidance beyond the English and Spanish disclosure forms produced. If none exist, please state that no responsive records exist.
5. Whether the City produced the affidavit/proof of final passage publication for Ordinance 25-28. The records I downloaded appear to include the pending ordinance publication affidavit. Please confirm whether the final passage/adoption publication affidavit was produced, and if so, identify the specific file.
Please provide responsive records electronically or confirm in writing where no responsive records exist.
Respectfully,
John Flinn
Good afternoon,
I have received your below comments and concerns and have forwarded them to our City Solicitor for further review.
As to the questions regarding the advertisement affidavits, they were supplied below. I have attached them directly to this email for easier access. The first attachment is the First Reading - Pending Adoption and the second attachment is the Notice of Passage.
Your request requires additional time to fulfill. OPRA allows custodians to seek extensions of time pursuant to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5.i. Specifically, OPRA states that, “the requestor shall be advised by the custodian when the record can be made available. If the record is not made available by that time, access shall be deemed denied.”
Your request requires an extension of time until JUNE 23, 2026.
May you please respond that you have received the attachments and the extension notification?
Nichole L. Almanza, RMC, CMR
Municipal Clerk & Registrar of Vital Statistics
Phone: 856-455-3230 ext 227
Email: [Bridgeton City request email]
181 E Commerce St. Bridgeton NJ 08302
Notice: You are advised that this e-mail, all responses to this e-mail, and all e-mail sent to the e-mail address above, including all attachments, will constitute "public records" obtainable by any person filing a request under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). There should be no expectation that the content of e-mails exchanged with municipal officials and employees will remain private.
Good afternoon Nichole,
Thank you. I confirm receipt of the two advertisement affidavits attached to your email: the First Reading / Pending Adoption notice and the Notice of Passage.
I also acknowledge receipt of the City’s extension notice, with the extended response date of June 23, 2026.
Thank you as well for forwarding my comments and concerns to the City Solicitor for further review.
Nothing in this response should be construed as a waiver of any rights, objections, or remedies regarding the OPRA request, the common law right of access, or Ordinance 25-28.
Thank you,
John Flinn
Attached please find an additional response to your OPRA dated June 3, 2026.
Mandatory Disclaimer:
If your request for access to a government record has been denied or unfilled within seven (7) business days required by law, you have the right to challenge the decision by the City of Bridgeton 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 website 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.
Nichole L. Almanza, RMC, CMR
Municipal Clerk & Registrar of Vital Statistics
Phone: 856-455-3230 ext 227
Email: [Bridgeton City request email]
181 E Commerce St. Bridgeton NJ 08302
Notice: You are advised that this e-mail, all responses to this e-mail, and all e-mail sent to the e-mail address above, including all attachments, will constitute "public records" obtainable by any person filing a request under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). There should be no expectation that the content of e-mails exchanged with municipal officials and employees will remain private.