Can a public body block release of meeting minutes under OPRA simply by failing to approve them?

Governmental bodies are required to keep minutes of their public meetings under the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), but release of those records is largely governed by the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). Though the OPMA requires that minutes be “promptly available,” court and GRC decisions have sanctioned long-term non-release of minutes on the grounds Read More …

Video of NJFOG’s June 20, 2017 OPRA/OPMA seminar in Burlington Co.

(NOTE: Due to a small glitch, there is no audio for the first minute of the video, but there is good sound after that.) Description:  Co-hosted by NJFOG and Pinelands Preservation Alliance (PPA) and held in PPA’s newly renovated barn in Southampton Twp, the 6/20/2017 seminar features well-known open government advocate and NJFOG officer John Read More …

Lawsuit seeks settlement docs/terms prior to formal signing of agreement

Settlement agreements involving governmental agencies or officials are public records.  However, public agencies often balk at releasing these records or disclose only the final signed agreement at best. Settlements often involve large sums of public money, whether paid by a governmental agency or its insurer (taxpayer-funded premiums are commensurate with payments under the policy), but formalization Read More …

CASE SUMMARY: Libertarians for Transparent Government (LFTG) v. Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office

Case Name: Libertarians for Transparent Government (LFTG) v. Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Docket Number: BUR-L-1567-16 County / Vicinage: Burlington (originally filed in Mercer Co., but transferred to Burlington Co.) Filing Date: July 21, 2016 Judge: Bookbinder, Ronald Status: Open (as of 11/28/2016)   Overview: This case stems from a June 7, 2016 Trentonian article entitled Read More …