Settlement agreements
Dear Brick 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.
Records requested:
The NJ Supreme Court ruled on 3/7/22 that settlement agreements are public record. Please send copies of all settlement agreements from January 1, 2019-Present.
Yours faithfully,
JerseyShoreMan
In response to your below OPRA request:
Your request is too broad and does not name a specific government record. You are requesting us to perform research to see which documents exist which is not covered under the OPRA statute. OPRA is for copies of specific documents and is not to be used as a research tool.
The New Jersey Government Records Council states that "valid OPRA (Open Public Records Act) request seeks specific, identifiable government records. Valid OPRA requests do not ask questions, do not seek information, and do not require a custodian to conduct any research or create a new record. When a request is "complex" because it fails to specifically identify the documents sought, then that request is not "encompassed" by OPRA. See New Jersey Builders Association v. New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing, 390 N.J.Super. 166, 180 (App. Div. 2007). 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. OPRA is to "search" for a specific, identifiable, existing government record. It is not meant to "research" to see if a record exists. Research should be done prior to completing an OPRA request.
Please state which settlement agreement you wish to obtain.
Sincerely,
Jessica L. Larney, RMC/CMR
Assistant Municipal Clerk
Deputy Registrar of Vital Statistics
Office of the Township Clerk/Vital Statistics
401 Chambers Bridge Road
Brick, New Jersey 08723
732-262-1003