Public Records
Dear Clark Township,
1. A list of all residential single family, and multi family properties with code violations on them for the last 3 months from today. Address, and owner name provided please.
2. A list of all residential vacant land, single family and multi family properties that are currently in the probate process.
3. A list of all residential single family, and multi family properties that are in the eviction process.
4.A list of all residential vacant land, single family, and multi family properties that are going through the divorce process.
5. A list of all residential single family and multi family properties that are delinquent on their utilities. Address, owner name, and balance owed provided please.
6. A list of all residential single family and multi family properties that are flagged abandoned.
7. A list of all residential single family and multi family properties that are fire damaged in the past month.
8. A list of all residential single family and multi family properties that have had their utilities shut off for 6+ months
Yours faithfully,
Jordan Santiago
To: Jordan Santiago
From: Edith L. Merkel, Township Clerk, Township of Clark
Re: OPRA request
Date: June 17, 2021
The Township of Clark received your Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request on June 17, 2021. The official Records Custodian, Edith Merkel, received your OPRA request on June 17, 2021. As such, the seven (7) business day deadline to respond to your request is June 28, 2021. This initial response to your request is being provided to you on the same business day as the custodian’s receipt of said request.
Requested items 2. probate process, 3. eviction process, 4. divorce process and 8. utilities shut off for 6+ months, are not records made or maintained by any department within the township government. If items 2, 3, and 4 are court records, such records are exempt from disclosure. According to the State of New Jersey Government Records Council: "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." For item #8, records of utility shut offs would be maintained by the utility companies, not the Township of Clark.
The attached document entitled Vacant Abandoned Property List 2020-2021 satisfies your request for item #6.
The balance of the request; items 1 and 5 will be sent to you in accordance with the OPRA guidelines via email upon receipt by my office from the departments that maintain those records.
The Fire Chief's response to item #7 appears below.
Clerks Dept,
The Fire Department has had no fires or damage in the past month as requested in number 7.
Thanks
Frank J. Cerasa
Director /Fire Chief / Fire Official
252 Broadway
Clark New Jersey07066
Office: 732-381-1158
Cell: 732-904-7251
fax: 732-499-9675
[email address]
To: Jordan Santiago
From: Edith L. Merkel, Township Clerk, Township of Clark
Re: OPRA request
Date: June 21, 2021
The Township of Clark received your Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request on June 17, 2021. The official Records Custodian, Edith Merkel, received your OPRA request on June 17, 2021. As such, the seven (7) business day deadline to respond to your request is June 28, 2021. This second response to your request is being provided to you on the 2nd business day as the custodian's receipt of said request.
The Construction Department has responded to item #1 (below). When I receive the Tax Collector's response for item #5 I will forward it to you.
To: Jordan Santiago
From: Edith L. Merkel, Township Clerk, Township of Clark
Re: OPRA request
Date: June 23, 2021
The Township of Clark received your Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request on June 17, 2021. The official Records Custodian, Edith Merkel, received your OPRA request on June 17, 2021. As such, the seven (7) business day deadline to respond to your request is June 28, 2021. This final response to your request is being provided to you on the 4th business day after the custodian's receipt of said request. The initial response was sent June 17, 2021. The second response was sent on June 21, 2021.
This response includes the documents that satisfy item #5 residential single family and multi-family properties that are delinquent on their utilities
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.