Source: https://www.ecode360.com/7155557?needHash=true
Timestamp: 2018-08-18 10:21:52
Document Index: 673328091

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 125', '§ 125', '§ 125', '§ 125', '§ 125', '§ 125', '§ 125', '§ 125', '§ 125']

Township of Andover, NJ Records, Public
§ 125-1 Policy.
§ 125-2 Government records.
§ 125-3 Custodian of records; records request form.
§ 125-4 Inspection and copying of public records.
§ 125-5 Time limits for compliance.
§ 125-6 Posting of appeals procedure.
§ 125-7 Viewing of government records; removal prohibited.
§ 125-8 Procedures and fees for purchasing copies of public records.
§ 125-9 Effect on preexisting ordinances.
Chapter 125: Records, Public
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Andover 7-27-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-16. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Administration of government, public records — See Ch. 3, Art. XXV.
Chapter 125 : Records, Public
It is declared to be the public policy of this Township that in accordance with the Public Open Records Act (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.) all government records kept in the course of official duties by any Township officer or employee shall be readily accessible for inspection, copying or examination, with certain exceptions for the protection of the public interest.
For purposes of this chapter, a government record is any paper, written or printed book, document, drawing, map, plan, photograph, microfilm, data-processed or image-processed document, information stored or maintained electronically or by sound recording or in a similar device, or any copy thereof, that has been made, maintained or kept on file in the course of his or its official business by any officer, commission, agency or authority of the state or any political subdivision thereof, including subordinate boards thereof.
A government record shall not include the following information, which is deemed to be confidential for the purposes of P.L. 1963, c.73 (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.), as amended and supplemented:
Any copy, reproduction or facsimile of any photograph, negative or print, including instant photographs and videotapes of the body, or any portion of the body, of a deceased person taken by or for the medical examiner at the scene of death or in the course of a post-mortem examination or autopsy made by or caused to be made by the medical examiner except:
For use as a court of this state permits, by order after good cause has been shown and after written notification of the request for the court order has been served at least five days before the order is made upon the county prosecutor for the county in which the post-mortem examination or autopsy occurred;
For use by any law enforcement agency in this state or any other state or federal law enforcement agency.
Criminal investigatory records.
Victims' records, except that a victim of a crime shall have access to the victim's own records.
Trade secrets and proprietary commercial or financial information obtained from any source. For the purposes of this item, "trade secrets" shall include data processing software obtained by a public body under a licensing agreement which prohibits its disclosure.
Any record within the attorney-client privilege. This item shall not be construed as exempting from access attorney or consultant bills or invoices, except that such bills or invoices may be redacted to remove any information protected by the attorney-client privilege.
Emergency or security information or procedures for any building or facility which, if disclosed, would jeopardize security of the building or facility or persons therein.
Security measures and surveillance techniques which, if disclosed, would create a risk to the safety of persons, property, electronic data or software.
Information which, if disclosed, would give an advantage to competitors or bidders; information generated by or on behalf of public employers or public employees in connection with any sexual harassment complaint filed with a public employer or with any grievance filed by or against an individual or in connection with collective negotiations, including documents and statements of strategy or negotiating position.
Information which is a communication between a public agency and its insurance carrier, administrative service organization or risk management office.
Information which is to be kept confidential pursuant to court order, and that portion of any document which discloses the social security number, credit card number, unlisted telephone number or driver's license number of any person, except for use by any government agency, including any court or law enforcement agency, in carrying out its functions or any private person or entity acting on behalf thereof, or any private person or entity seeking to enforce payment of court-ordered child support, except with respect to the disclosure of driver information by the Division of Motor Vehicles as permitted by section 2 of P.L. 1997, c. 188 (N.J.S.A. 39:2-3.4), and except that a social security number contained in a record required by law to be made, maintained or kept on file by a public agency shall be disclosed when access to the document or disclosure of that information is not otherwise prohibited by state or federal law, regulation or order or by state statute, resolution of either or both houses of the Legislature, executive order of the Governor, rule of court or regulation promulgated under the authority of any statute or executive order of the Governor.
Data contained in information which disclosed conformity with specific experiential, educational or medical qualifications required for government employment or for receipt of a public pension, but not including any detailed medical or psychological information, shall be a government record.
The Township hereby designates the Assistant Municipal Clerk as the deputy custodian of records and the Chief of Police as deputy custodian of records for the Police Department.
The Clerk shall adopt forms for the use by any person who requests access to a record, and such form shall contain all of the information required by N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(f).
In those instances where the nature of the request or the record itself leads the Municipal Clerk to doubt whether or not the record is a "government record," as defined by law, or is a record exempt from disclosure, the Clerk shall request an opinion from the Municipal Attorney. A copy of the request form shall be forwarded to the Attorney, who, after review and investigation, shall issue an opinion and note such opinion on the request form and promptly return it to the Municipal Clerk.
If any part of a particular record is exempt from public access pursuant to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq., the Clerk shall delete, redact or excise from a copy of the record that portion which is exempt from public access and shall promptly permit access to the remainder of the record.
If the record requested is temporarily unavailable because it is in use or in storage, the Clerk shall so advise the requestor and shall make arrangements to make a copy of the record once the record is available.
If request for access to a government record would substantially disrupt municipal operations, the Clerk may deny access to the record after attempting to reach a reasonable solution with the requestor that accommodates the interests of the requestor and the municipality.
As required by N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5e, immediate access shall be granted for access to budgets, bills, vouchers, contracts (including collective negotiations, agreements and individual employment contracts) and public salary and overtime information.
Unless a shorter time period is otherwise provided by statute, regulation or executive order, the Clerk will fulfill the request as soon as possible, but not later than seven business days after receiving the request, provided that the record is currently available and not in storage or archived. In the event that the Clerk fails to respond within seven days after receiving a request, the failure to respond shall be deemed a denial of the request, unless the requestor has elected not to provide a name, address or telephone number or other means of contacting the requestor. If the requestor has elected not to provide a name, address or telephone number or other means of contacting the requestor, the Clerk shall not be required to respond until the requestor reappears before the custodian seeking a response to the original request. If the government record is in storage or archived, the requestor shall be so advised within seven business days after the Clerk receives the request. The requestor shall be advised by the Clerk when the record can be made available. If the record is not made available by that time, access shall be deemed denied.
[Amended 2-9-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-02]
Copies of records may be purchased for the fee prescribed by law or regulation. If a fee is not prescribed by law or regulation, the fee shall be the actual cost of duplicating the record, provided, however, that where the actual cost for duplication of a record exceeds the rates below, the actual cost shall be imposed:
Standard-sized paper documents, up to 8 1/2 inches by 14 inches in size: $0.07 per page.
Zoning Map: $0.07 per page if the map is copied utilizing paper 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches or 8 1/2 inches by 14 inches in size; or the actual cost of reproduction if it is sent to an outside agency.
Street Map: $0.07 per page if the map is copied utilizing paper 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches or 8 1/2 inches by 14 inches in size; or the actual cost of reproduction if it is sent to an outside agency.
Site plan: actual cost.
Subdivision plat: actual cost.
Tax Maps: $7 or actual cost.
Engineering plans: actual cost.
Copy of the Code Book: actual cost charged by publisher.
[Amended 9-26-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-12]
Police accident reports: same as Subsection A above, if requested and picked up in person during regular business hours.
Police accident reports, if requested other than in person: same as Subsection A above, in addition to an administrative fee of up to $5 per report, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:4-131.
Photographs. Copies of color photographs under eight by 10 inches: $2 per page; photographs larger than eight by 10: $7.50, provided, however, that where a photostatic copy is required, then in that event, the charge will be in accordance with Subsection A above.
Copy of videotape. Tape supplied by the municipality: $1 per tape.
Copy of audiotape. Tape supplied by the municipality: $1.50 per tape.
Floppy disk: $0.40.
CD: $0.40.
Where a copy of a video, audio or electronic record is requested and the requestor has provided videotape, audio cassette, computer diskette or CD, there will be no charge if the record can be duplicated in-house by Township employees. However, where it is necessary to out-source the request, a special service charge may apply.
Microfilm: actual cost.
If the request for a record is: a) not in a medium not routinely used by the Township; b) not routinely developed or maintained by the Township; or 3) requires substantial amount of manipulation or programming of information technologies, the Township will impose a special charge based on the cost for extensive use of information technology or for labor cost of personnel providing the services that is actually incurred by the Township or attributable to the Township for the programming, clerical and supervisory assistance required, or both. The requestor shall have the opportunity to review and object to the special service charge prior to it being incurred.
For purposes of this chapter, "actual cost" shall mean the cost of materials and supplies used to make a duplicate.
All ordinances and parts of ordinances and specifically Chapter 3 of the Code of the Township of Andover setting forth general fees, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.