Dear Spring Lake Board of Education,

Please accept this electronic request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my request per NJSA 47:1A-6(f), which states that an email from a requestor including all of the information required on the adopted form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government record request.

I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.

I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial purpose.

I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.

Records requested:

1. A copy of the subject writing that was referenced and responded to by Vice President Michael Moran during the Spring Lake Board of Education meeting held on September 30, 2024.

My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by E-mail as attachments. Please confirm you have received this request. If you are not the custodian of records, please forward my request to that person and provide their email address to me for future reference.

Sincerely yours,

Daniel Jude Maxwell

Subject: Response to OPRA Request Denial

Dear Stephen LaValva,

Thank you for your prompt response to my OPRA request regarding the subject writing that was referenced and responded to by Vice President Michael Moran during the September 30, 2024, Spring Lake Board of Education meeting. However, I am deeply concerned by the statement in your response that “the district offices did not receive a copy of the subject writing.”

As you know, this writing was the focal point of significant discussion during a public Board of Education meeting. The fact that neither you, nor President Giblin, nor Vice President Moran, nor Member Karen Matuch, have a copy of the writing raises serious questions about transparency and proper record-keeping. This is especially troubling given the time and resources the Board expended in addressing this writing publicly. It is difficult to believe that a document so central to the Board’s discourse—particularly a document authored by President Giblin—would not be available through official channels.

Additionally, it was noted during the meeting that Vice President Moran referenced the Coast Star when discussing this writing and interrupted a member of the public, just as she appeared to be reading a nearly identical statement, but only at the moment when she began speaking about enrollment years that had been omitted from President Giblin’s Statement. This underscores the need for clarity and transparency regarding the origins and handling of this document. The public has a right to understand the full context of what was presented at that meeting.

I would like to clarify a few points:

• What exactly do you mean by “district offices”? This OPRA request was directed to the Board of Education, not to the administrative offices alone.
• Have you or any members of the Board of Education, including President Giblin or Vice President Moran, ever seen a digital or paper copy of the subject writing?
• Were you aware of its content, author, or nature, before, during, or after the meeting? Has this writing been discussed with parents or other community members in any format?

Given that this writing was central to a public meeting, it seems highly improbable that no record exists. I respectfully request that the Board fulfill its obligations to transparency and accountability by producing a copy of this writing, whether it be digital or physical.

I am hopeful that we can resolve this matter quickly, as the public has a right to full transparency regarding what was said and presented during a Board of Education meeting. My commitment to this community is built on trust and openness, and I believe the same should apply to the actions of the Board.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to receiving the requested document.

Sincerely,

Daniel Jude Maxwell
Candidate for Spring Lake Board of Education