Property Records
Dear Verona Township,
This is a request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form. Please acknowledge receipt of this message, and thank you for your consideration of the following matter.
Public records requested:
1. Addresses of all residential properties (Property Class 2) that are marked as vacant and/or abandoned
2. Addresses of all residential properties (Property Class 2) that are marked as condemned
3. Addresses of all residential properties (Property Class 2) that have had a notice of abatement issued, specifically from 1/1/2022 to the present day
4. Addresses of all residential properties (Property Class 2) that are fire damaged, specifically from 1/1/2022 to the present day
5. Addresses of all residential properties with delinquent property taxes, specifically for the past 2 quarters
6. Addresses of all residential properties with delinquent water and sewer bills, specifically for the past 2 quarters
7. Addresses of all residential properties with an active municipal owned lien
8. Addresses of all residential properties that have had a code enforcement compliant opened for high grass and/or junk/debris, specifically from 1/1/2022 to the present day
You may redact all confidential and personal information under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1, but I am requesting the addressees of such properties. I am requesting the above public records in electronic form, preferably in Excel format.
Yours faithfully,
Omar
Good morning. Attached please find the documents responsive to your
request. Please note that items 5 and 6 of your request are responsive.
Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 are denied as no documents exist. Specifically,
items 4 and 8 are denied as they require research as the Fire Official,
Volunteer Fire Department and Building Department file their records by
block and lot. Pursuant to the NJ Open Public Records Act (N.J.S.A. 47:1A,
et seq.), Records Custodians are not required to research files to figure
out which records, if any, might be responsive. See Donato v. Township of
Union, GRC Complaint No. 2005-182 (February 2007).
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 Verona 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 [1][email address], or at
their web site at [2]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.
Thank you and have a nice day.
Jennifer Kiernan, RMC
Municipal Clerk
Township of Verona
600 Bloomfield Avenue
Verona, NJ 07044
973.857.4770
[3]Municipal Clerk Webpage