It is hereby declared to be the public policy
of this Township to recognize the public's general right to know pursuant
to the Public Open Records Act (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.). All records
kept in the course of official duties by any Township officer or employee
shall be deemed to be "government records," as that term is defined
by N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1, and such records shall be subject to inspection
by the public unless exempt under the statute or other regulation,
common law practice, executive order of the Governor, Rules of Court,
federal law or judicial decision.
In accordance with N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1, the Municipal
Clerk is designated as the custodian of records. The Clerk shall adopt
a form for the use of 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-5f.
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 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.
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 procedure
by which an appeal may be filed.
[Amended 8-18-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-08]
A copy or copies of a government record may
be purchased by any person upon payment of the fee prescribed by law
or regulation. Except as otherwise provided by law or regulation,
the fee assessed for the duplication of a government record embodied
in the form of printed matter shall be $0.05 per letter-size page
or smaller and $0.07 per legal-size page.
[Added 12-1-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-13]
The fee to obtain a certified copy of a marriage, birth or death
certificate shall be $15 each.