New Jersey has adopted the Open Public Records Law (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1
et seq.) which has as its general purpose making government records more available
to the public than they have been in the past. In certain instances, the production
of archived records or records in a format which is not the usual format maintained
by the municipality or other special circumstances would be costly and time
consuming. The New Jersey Public Records Law permits the municipality to require
the payment of fees, special service charges and/or special charges as a prerequisite
to the production of records requiring extraordinary time and effort, special
equipment or special formatting.
[Amended 8-30-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-29]
The statutory fee schedule shall apply to routine requests under the
Open Public Records Law. The fees of N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5 are hereby incorporated
herein as such fee schedule presently exists or as such fees might appear
in future modifications or amendments of the statute.
The establishment of the position of deputy custodians of documents
are as follows:
F. Planning/Zoning Secretary.
H. Fire Department Secretary.
[Added 1-30-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-3]
Nothing in this chapter shall require the custodian or deputy custodians
of documents or any other municipal official to examine, analyze, tabulate,
or interpret documents which are subject to production under the New Jersey
Open Public Records Act.
The Municipal Clerk or deputy custodian of documents qualifying for
mandatory production as "governmental records" under the New Jersey Public
Records Act shall be entitled to special service charges and/or special charges
as set forth in this chapter.
Any requests for documents shall be made to the Municipal Clerk on a
form established by the Municipal Clerk for such purposes.
Any requester of government records which are eligible for the imposition
of a special charge or special service charge under of this chapter shall
receive advance notice of the amount of fees and charges before any work is
started. The Municipal Clerk shall require prepayment of such charges before
causing the work to begin.
The Township of Robbinsville may be compelled by New Jersey law to produce
or duplicate governmental records, but no compliance with these legal obligations
shall be deemed to constitute a license, sublicense or waiver of copyright
laws.