Effective immediately, please forward all email inquiries to Deputy Clerk
Amanda Nevins at [email address].

Requests for Public Records (OPRA) should be submitted electronically
through the Township website ([1]www.jeffersontownship.net). This mailbox
is not being monitored for OPRA requests.

If immediate attention is necessary, please contact Deputy Clerk Amanda
Nevins at 973-208-6132 or [email address].

Thank you.

References

Visible links
1. file:///tmp/www.jeffersontownship.net

Dear Anonymous:

The Jefferson Township Clerk’s Office received your request (the
“Request”) under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1
et seq. (“OPRA”). In your request, you sought access to the following:

Who is responsible for the Municipalities weekly / biweekly / monthly
payroll reporting.

The employee(s) who is responsible name, title and job description.

Civil Service title (if you are a civil service municipality).

If said position is union / non union.

2025 and 2026 Salaries and the employees years of service.

Also the same information for pension reporting (PERS / PFRS / DCRP
enrolments, terminations, monthly and quarterly reporting).

Also the total number of employees within your township.

Response:           In an attempt to be helpful, please see attached
Salary Ordinance. In addition, the following link is a link to the
Jefferson Township Finance Department webpage:
[1]https://jeffersontownship.net/161/Finance

OPRA is a request for specific, identifiable documents and broad requests
or requests for “information” or  “any/all” are not proper requests. As
such, the remainder of your request is an invalid OPRA request and is
denied. 

An OPRA request must identify the documents sought with specificity and
particularity. Burke v. Brandes, 429 N.J. Super. 169, 175 (App. Div.
2012). A general request for documents is invalid under OPRA if such
documents are not “reasonably described with such identifying information”
sufficient to identify specific government records. See id. at 176-77.
Moreover, “OPRA does not require record custodians to conduct research
among its records for a requestor and correlate data from various
government records in the custodian’s possession.” MAG Entertainment, LLC
v. Div. of ABC, 375 N.J. Super. 534, 546-47 (App. Div. 2005).

OPRA is not a research tool, and it cannot be used “to force government
officials to identify and siphon useful information.” See id. at 546.
Rather, OPRA simply operates “to make identifiable government records
“readily accessible for inspection, copying, or examination.” Ibid.
(citing N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1). Furthermore, OPRA does not “authorize a party
to make a blanket request for every document a public agency has on file.”
Bent v. Twp. of Stafford Police Dep't, Custodian of Records, 381 N.J.
Super. 30, 37 (App. Div. 2005)

Please consider your request closed.

If you would like to resubmit your request, please refer to the OPRA
instructions at [2]https://www.jeffersontownship.net/461/OP...

Please submit all OPRA (public records) requests through the on-line
portal:

[3]https://jefferson.seamlessdocs.com/f/OPRA  

Using the on-line portal is important as:

-it displays confirmation that the request has been submitted

-it sends an email confirmation that the request has been submitted

-it assigns a tracking number to the request

-it sends the request to the appropriate group email account

-it allows the requestor to email (to themselves) a copy of the document

I appreciate your anticipated cooperation in using the on-line portal, as
your email may be marked as spam when using other programs and delay the
Clerk’s Office receipt of the request.

If you have questions about how to use the portal please contact the
Clerk’s Office.

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 Jefferson 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 [4][email address], or
at their web site at [5]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.

If you have any questions, please contact me either via email at
[6][email address] or by telephone at 973-208-6132.

Best Regards,

Amanda L. Nevins, RMC, CMR

Deputy Township Clerk

Township of Jefferson

1033 Weldon Rd

Lake Hopatcong, NJ  07849

973-208-6132

[7]Home page

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