Vendor History Reports for 2017 Public Notices
Dear Ocean County,
This is a request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I certify under penalty of NJSA 2C:28-3 that I have not been convicted of an indictable offense. Please acknowledge receipt of this message.
Records requested:
Please provide a copy of a vendor history report in electronic format from [Authority name]'s computerized accounting system detailing all payments made to the following vendors for public notice publication fees from January 1st, 2017 to December 31st, 2017:
1. Asbury Park Press
2. Press of Atlantic City
3. The Star-Ledger (aka NJ Advance Media)
Please note that I am not seeking copies of actual bills or purchase orders, just the computer generated vendor history report(s) detailing the payments for this time period for the identified vendors.
Yours faithfully,
Gavin Rozzi
Mr. Rozzi -
Please be advised, the County's Vendor History Report would contain payments made to vendors for all services rendered. There is no indication on the Report as to what the particular service would be. For instance, in the case of the newspapers it could be for public notices, advertising, subscriptions etc. The only way to determine the exact service would be to review each invoice. The invoices contain the detail for the bill. You are welcome to make an appointment to come into the Finance Department to review each invoice. However, it would be outside the scope of OPRA for the County to review and list just those payments made for public notices. OPRA requires the release of public documents. However, it does not require a public entity to create a document that does not exist.
As recognized by the Court, an OPRA request is not intended as a research tool, but rather as an avenue for citizens to obtain specific government records. MAG Entertainment, LLC v. Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, 534, 550 (2005)" OPRA simply operates to make identifiable government records readily accessible for copying, inspection or examination". Also, an opinion issued by the Appellate Division, Elizabeth Mason v. City of Hoboken, Docket No. A-0508-06T5, held that "OPRA is not intended to be used as a fishing expedition or as a research tool to compile unknown documents."
Please contact me if you wish to review the invoices for the vendors identified and I will be happy to set up an appointment for you.
Right of Appeal
If you wish to challenge a decision of the Custodian of Records, you may:
1. Institute a proceeding to challenge the decision by filing an action in the Superior Court of New Jersey; or
2. File a Complaint with the Government Records Council in the Department of Community Affairs
Regards,
Betty Vasil/Clerk of the Board of Freeholders
-----Original Message-----
From: Gavin Rozzi [mailto:[OPRA #1158 email]]
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2018 2:01 PM
To: Vasil , Betty <[email address]>
Subject: Open Public Records Act request - Vendor History Reports for 2017 Public Notices
Dear Ocean County,
This is a request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I certify under penalty of NJSA 2C:28-3 that I have not been convicted of an indictable offense. Please acknowledge receipt of this message.
Records requested:
Please provide a copy of a vendor history report in electronic format from [Authority name]'s computerized accounting system detailing all payments made to the following vendors for public notice publication fees from January 1st, 2017 to December 31st, 2017:
1. Asbury Park Press
2. Press of Atlantic City
3. The Star-Ledger (aka NJ Advance Media)
Please note that I am not seeking copies of actual bills or purchase orders, just the computer generated vendor history report(s) detailing the payments for this time period for the identified vendors.
Yours faithfully,
Gavin Rozzi
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Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[OPRA #1158 email]
Is [email address] the wrong address for Open Public Records Act requests to Ocean County? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://opramachine.com/change_request/n...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://opramachine.com/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an OPRA officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OPRA page.
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Gavin - I've attached the vendor history reports as requested. As stated in my email to you yesterday, these reports contain ALL payments made to the vendor regardless type of service provided.
Betty
-----Original Message-----
From: Zimmerman, Martha
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 10:45 AM
To: Vasil , Betty <[email address]>
Cc: Tarrant, Julie <[email address]>; Ernst, Cathy <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Open Public Records Act request - Vendor History Reports for 2017 Public Notices
Betty
Attached are the Vendor History Reports for this OPRA Request. Thanks.
Martha Zimmerman
Supervising Accountant
732-929-2127 Telephone
732-506-5129 Fax
-----Original Message-----
From: Tarrant, Julie
Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2018 5:15 PM
To: Zimmerman, Martha <[email address]>
Cc: Vasil , Betty <[email address]>; Ernst, Cathy <[email address]>
Subject: FW: Open Public Records Act request - Vendor History Reports for 2017 Public Notices
Martha,
Please, run the 2017 vendor histories of the vendor's listed below.
You may email them directly to Betty. I have already responded to Betty's question.
Thank you
Julie
-----Original Message-----
From: Vasil , Betty
Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2018 8:42 AM
To: Tarrant, Julie <[email address]>
Subject: FW: Open Public Records Act request - Vendor History Reports for 2017 Public Notices
Julie - Am I correct in assuming our Vendor History Report would contain ALL payments made and we have no way of pulling out just public notice fees?
-----Original Message-----
From: Gavin Rozzi [mailto:[OPRA #1158 email]]
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2018 2:01 PM
To: Vasil , Betty <[email address]>
Subject: Open Public Records Act request - Vendor History Reports for 2017 Public Notices
Dear Ocean County,
This is a request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I certify under penalty of NJSA 2C:28-3 that I have not been convicted of an indictable offense. Please acknowledge receipt of this message.
Records requested:
Please provide a copy of a vendor history report in electronic format from [Authority name]'s computerized accounting system detailing all payments made to the following vendors for public notice publication fees from January 1st, 2017 to December 31st, 2017:
1. Asbury Park Press
2. Press of Atlantic City
3. The Star-Ledger (aka NJ Advance Media)
Please note that I am not seeking copies of actual bills or purchase orders, just the computer generated vendor history report(s) detailing the payments for this time period for the identified vendors.
Yours faithfully,
Gavin Rozzi
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[OPRA #1158 email]
Is [email address] the wrong address for Open Public Records Act requests to Ocean County? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://opramachine.com/change_request/n...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://opramachine.com/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an OPRA officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OPRA page.
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