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OPRA Requests Discussed by Residents

Reinaldo Aviles

Reinaldo Aviles

PERTH AMBOY – 12/9/15 Council Meeting – Resident Ken Balut was a bit concerned about the contract for the Solar Powered Parking Pay Stations. He stated, “I heard that they’re were no bids on these meters. At the League of Municipalities, there were people there you could have talked to about our meters.”

Balut also wanted to know, “Why are people (the Council and others sitting up front) texting during the meetings.   You are not supposed to be sitting on OPRA (Open Public Records Act) requests. This is what you got here.”

While Balut was talking, Interim B.A. Peter Pelissier snapped Balut’s photo. “At least with Joe’s (Vas)  administration, OPRA requests were processed promptly. You gave some people raises, but you say you are broke. You violate civil service all the time. Do what is politically correct – not politically corrupt.”

City Resident Reinaldo Aviles came up to speak. He talked about meetings in general and OPRA requests. Aviles stated, “When I first started coming to the meetings, the Caucus was held on a Wednesday and the Regular Meeting was held on the Tuesday of the following week. I’ve never had a problem with an OPRA request. Seven days is the suggested turnaround for an answer. If it’s more than seven days, then the person who filled out an OPRA request is to be informed in writing why the request is taking more than seven days.”

At the 12/7/15 Caucus Meeting, Aviles read part of the N.J.S.A.  Resolution. The following is part of what he read:

N.J.S.A. 10:4-13. Exclusion of public; resolution; adoption; contents

No public body shall exclude the public from any meeting to discuss any matter described in [N.J.S.A. 10:4-12b] until the public body shall first adopt a resolution, at a meeting to which the public shall be admitted:

a. Stating the general nature of the subject to be discussed; and

b. Stating as precisely as possible, the time when and the circumstances under which the discussion conducted in closed session of the public body can be disclosed to the public.

For more extensive information go to http://ogtf.lpcnj.org/OPMA.htm

This was a response to some of the residents questioning some legal items that the Law Director Arlene Quinones Perez  said could not be discussed because of litigations taking place.

Some of the residents responded back to Quinones. “We can ask questions on whatever we want to during the second public portion, but the Council is not obligated to respond back.”

Councilman Bill Petrick said, “That is true.”

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