[1]
Editor's Note: See also § 3-13, Reproduction of public records, which contains fees for records.
All books, maps, papers, accounts, statements, vouchers and other documents acquired or produced in any Township department shall be carefully and conveniently filed, kept and preserved and be and remain the sole property of the Township and shall not at any time be removed from the offices of a department, except when required for use in the official business of the Township and shall be returned to such office without delay. Each Township officer shall be responsible for assuring that the requirements of this article are complied with in respect to his or her particular office. This article shall be subject to the provisions of Destruction of Public Records Law (1953), N.J.S.A. 47:3-15 et seq., as amended.
All public documents and records of the Township shall be open to public search, inspection and examination, during office hours, subject to and within the limitations prescribed by law.
[Added 8-24-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-16]
A. 
Any person seeking the reproduction of public records, documents or other information as contemplated by this article shall submit his or her request, in writing, on a form prescribed by the Township Clerk, who is hereby designated as the custodian of records in accordance with N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1. All requests will be handled in accordance with N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.
B. 
Prior to commencing with the reproduction of said public records and/or documents, the Township Clerk shall first estimate the number of pages or other formats involved and provide the requesting party with a written estimate of the costs of reproduction. No photocopying of any document shall be undertaken without the requesting party first having provided, by check or cash, the funds so estimated as necessary for that reproduction. In the event that the photocopying or other reproduction charges exceed the amount estimated, the requesting party shall be required to pay the difference. Applicable postage shall be added for any and all records requested by mail.
C. 
Time for compliance. Unless a shorter time period is otherwise provided by statute, regulation, or executive order, the Clerk shall grant access to a government record or deny a request for access to a record 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 business 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 Clerk 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.
D. 
Appeals procedure. The Clerk shall post prominently in public view, in or adjacent to the Clerk's office, a statement that sets forth, in clear, concise, and specific terms, the right to appeal a denial of or failure to provide access to a government record and the procedures by which an appeal may be filed.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also § 150-13, Reproduction of public records.