Dear Johan Quinde:

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”) and the Common Law Right of Access. In your request, you sought access to the following:

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.
Records requested:

Hereby respectfully requesting the town to provide a list of any open permits that may exist and whether the town has any knowledge of any underground oil tanks at
24 HIGHVIEW TER in JEFFERSON TWP., NJ 07885

Response:Please note that OPRA is a request for specific, identifiable documents and that requests for “information” or “any/all” is not a proper request. A proper request under OPRA must identify with reasonable clarity those documents that are desired, and a party cannot satisfy this requirement by simply requesting all of an agency's documents. See Bent v. Stafford Police Department, 381 N.J.Super. 30, 37 (App. Div. 2005). Custodians are not required to conduct research or create new records in response to an OPRA request.

In an attempt to be helpful, a copy of the permit log has been provided, which indicates open/closed permits from the early 1990’s to present.

There are no documents responsive to your request regarding underground oil tanks.

If you have questions regarding Building Department records, please call 973-208-6110.

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 [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.

If you have any questions, please contact me either via email at [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

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