OPRA Request Form

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This document is an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) Request Form for the Township of Lumberton, New Jersey. It facilitates citizens in requesting public records, detailing the information required from the requestor, available delivery options (pick-up, mail, on-site inspection, fax, email), and payment methods. The form specifies fees for document reproduction, such as $0.05 per letter-size page and $0.07 per legal-size page, and notes that deposits may be required for requests exceeding certain cost thresholds. The form also outlines the legal framework for public record access and various exemptions under OPRA and other executive orders that may lead to a denial of a request. It clarifies the rights of requestors, including the process for challenging a denial through the Superior Court of New Jersey or the Government Records Council. The Records Custodian for the Township is identified as Bobbie Quinn, Township Clerk, who handles the processing of these requests.

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Document Text

--- Document: OPRA Request Form Document ---
 
 
Township of Lumberton 
 
 
 
 OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUEST FORM   
 
35 Municipal Drive, Lumberton, NJ 08048 
 
 
Phone (609)267-3217 ext. 102 ~ Fax  (609) 267-5566  
Records Custodian – Bobbie Quinn, Township Clerk 
Email: bquinn@lumbertontwp.com 
 
Important Notice 
The last page of this form contains important information related to your rights concerning government records. Please read it carefully.  
 
 
Requestor Information – Please Print 
Payment Information 
First Name 
 
MI 
 
Last Name 
 
E-mail Address 
 
Mailing Address 
 
City 
 
State 
 
Zip 
 
Telephone  
 
 
FAX 
 
 
 
Preferred Delivery: 
Pick 
Up 
 
US Mail 
 
On-Site  
Inspect 
 
Fax ________   E-mail _________ 
 
If you are requesting records containing personal information, please circle one:  Under penalty of N.J.S.A. 
2C:28-3, I certify that I  HAVE  /  HAVE NOT  been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of New 
Jersey, any other state, or the United States. 
Signature 
 
Date 
 
 
 Maximum Authorization Cost   $ 
 
 
Select Payment Method 
 
Cash  
Check  
Money Order  
 
Fees: 
Letter size pages - $0.05 
per page 
 
 
Legal size pages - $0.07 
per page 
 
 
Other materials (CD, DVD, 
etc) – actual cost of material 
 
Delivery: Delivery / postage fees 
additional depending upon 
delivery type. 
Extras: 
Special service charge 
dependent upon request. 
 
Record Request Information: Please be as specific as possible in describing the records being requested.  Also, please note that your 
preferred method of delivery will only be accommodated if the custodian has the technological means and the integrity of the records will not 
be jeopardized by such method of delivery. 
 
 
AGENCY USE ONLY 
 
AGENCY USE ONLY 
 
AGENCY USE ONLY 
Est. Document Cost 
 
 
Est. Delivery Cost 
 
 
Est. Extras Cost 
 
 
Total Est. Cost 
 
 
Deposit Amount 
 
 
Estimated Balance 
 
 
 
 
 
Deposit Date 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Disposition Notes 
Custodian: If any part of request cannot be 
delivered in seven business days,  
detail reasons here.  
 
 
 
 
 
In Progress 
- 
Open 
 
Denied 
- 
Closed 
 
Filled 
- 
Closed 
 
Partial 
- 
Closed 
 
 
 
Tracking Information 
Final Cost 
Tracking # 
 
 
Total 
 
Rec’d Date 
 
 
Deposit 
 
Ready Date 
 
 
Balance Due 
 
Total Pages 
 
 
Balance Paid 
 
Records Provided 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Custodian Signature 
 
Date 


 
 
DEPOSITS 
 
The custodian may require a deposit against costs for reproducing documents sought through an anonymous request whenever the custodian 
anticipates that the documents requested will cost in excess of $5 to reproduce. 
 
Where a special service charge is warranted under OPRA, that amount will be communicated to you as required under the statute.  You have 
the opportunity to review and object to the charge prior to it being incurred.  If, however, you approve of the fact and amount of the special 
service charge, you may be required to pay a deposit or pay in full prior to reproduction of the documents.   
 
 
YOUR REQUEST FOR RECORDS IS DENIED FOR THE FOLLOWING REASON(S): 
(To be completed by the Custodian of Records – check the box of the numbered exemption(s) as they apply to the records requested.  If 
multiple records are requested, be specific as to which exemption(s) apply to each record.  Response is due to requestor as soon as 
possible, but no later than seven business days.) 
 
 
N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1 
 Inter-agency or intra-agency advisory, consultative or deliberative material 
 Legislative records 
 Law enforcement records: 
 Medical examiner photos 
 Criminal investigatory records (however, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-3.b. lists specific criminal investigatory information which must be 
disclosed) 
 Victims’ records 
 Trade secrets and proprietary commercial or financial information 
 Any record within the attorney-client privilege 
 Administrative or technical information regarding computer hardware, software and networks which, if disclosed would jeopardize 
computer security 
 Emergency or security information or procedures for any buildings or facility which, if disclosed, would jeopardize security of the 
building or facility or persons therein 
 Security measures and surveillance techniques which, if disclosed, would create a risk to the safety or persons, property, electronic 
data or software 
 Information which, if disclosed, would give an advantage to competitors or bidders 
 Information generated by or on behalf of public employers or public employees in connection with: 
 Any sexual harassment complaint filed with a public employer 
 Any grievance filed by or against an employee 
 Collective negotiations documents and statements of strategy or negotiating 
 Information that is a communication between a public agency and its insurance carrier, administrative service organization or risk 
management office 
 Information that is to be kept confidential pursuant to court order 
 Certificate of honorable discharge issued by the United States government (Form DD-214) filed with a public agency 
 Social security numbers 
 Credit card numbers 
 Unlisted telephone numbers 
 Drivers’ license numbers 
 Certain records of higher education institutions: 
 Research records 
 Questions or scores for exam for employment or academics 
 Charitable contribution information 
 Rare book collections gifted for limited access 
 Admission applications 
 Student records, grievances or disciplinary proceedings revealing a students’ identification 
 Biotechnology trade secrets  N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.2 
 Convicts requesting their victims’ records N.J.S.A. 47:1A-2.2 
 Ongoing investigations of non-law enforcement agencies (must prove disclosure is inimical to the public interest)  N.J.S.A. 47:1A-3.a. 
 Public defender records N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5.k. 
 Upholds exemptions contained in other State or federal statutes and regulations, Executive Orders, Rules of Court, and privileges 
created by State Constitution, statute, court rule or judicial case law N.J.S.A. 47:1A-9 
 Personnel and pension records (however, the following information must be disclosed: 
 
An individual’s name, title, position, salary, payroll record, length of service, date of separation and the reason for such 
separation, and the amount and type of any pension received  
 
When required to be disclosed by another law, when disclosure is essential to the performance of official duties of a person 
duly authorized by this State or the US, or when authorized by an individual in interest 
 
Data contained in information which disclose conformity with specific experiential, educational or medical qualifications 
required for government employment or for receipt of a public pension, but not including any detailed medical or 
psychological information N.J.S.A. 47:1A-10 
 
N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 
 “a public agency has a responsibility and an obligation to safeguard from public access a citizen's personal information with which it 
has been entrusted when disclosure thereof would violate the citizen's reasonable expectation of privacy.”   
 


 
Burnett v. County of Bergen, 198 N.J. 408 (2009). Without ambiguity, the court held that the privacy provision “is neither a preface nor 
a preamble.”  Rather, “the very language expressed in the privacy clause reveals its substantive nature; it does not offer reasons why 
OPRA was adopted, as preambles typically do; instead, it focuses on the law’s implementation.”  “Specifically, it imposes an 
obligation on public agencies to protect against disclosure of personal information which would run contrary to reasonable privacy 
interests.”  
 
Executive Order No. 21 (McGreevey 2002) 
 
Records where inspection, examination or copying would substantially interfere with the State's ability to protect and defend the 
State and its citizens against acts of sabotage or terrorism, or which, if disclosed, would materially increase the risk or 
consequences of potential acts of sabotage or terrorism. 
 
Records exempted from disclosure by State agencies’ proposed rules.  
 
Executive Order No. 26 (McGreevey 2002) 
 Certain records maintained by the Office of the Governor 
 Resumes, applications for employment or other information concerning job applicants while a recruitment search is ongoing 
 Records of complaints and investigations undertaken pursuant to the Model Procedures for Internal Complaints Alleging 
Discrimination, Harassment or Hostile Environments 
 Information relating to medical, psychiatric or psychological history, diagnosis, treatment or evaluation 
 Information in a personal income or other tax return 
 Information describing a natural person's finances, income, assets, liabilities, net worth, bank balances, financial history or activities, 
or creditworthiness, except as otherwise required by law to be disclosed 
 Test questions, scoring keys and other examination data pertaining to the administration of an examination for public employment or 
licensing 
 Records in the possession of another department (including NJ Office of Information Technology or State Archives) when those 
records are made confidential by regulation or EO 9. 
 
Other Exemption(s) contained in a State statute, resolution of either or both House of the Legislature, regulation, Executive Order, 
Rules of Court, any federal law, federal regulation or federal order pursuant to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-9.a. 
(Please provide detailed information regarding the exemption from disclosure for which you are relying to deny access to government records. 
If multiple records are requested, be specific as to which exemption(s) apply to each record.)   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REQUEST FOR RECORDS UNDER THE COMMON LAW  
If, in addition to requesting records under OPRA, you are also requesting the government records under the common law, please check the 
box below. 
 
A public record under the common law is one required by law to be kept, or necessary to be kept in the discharge of a duty imposed by law, or 
directed by law to serve as a memorial and evidence of something written, said, or done, or a written memorial made by a public officer 
authorized to perform that function, or a writing filed in a public office. The elements essential to constitute a public record are that it be a 
written memorial, that it be made by a public officer, and that the officer be authorized by law to make it.  
 
Yes, I am also requesting the documents under common law. 
 
If the information requested is a "public record" under common law and the requestor has a legally recognized interest in the subject matter 
contained in the material, then the material must be disclosed if the individual's right of access outweighs the State's interest in preventing 
disclosure. 
 
Please set forth your interest in the subject matter contained in the requested material: 
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
Note that any challenge to a denial of a request for records under the common law cannot be made to the Government Records 
Council, as the Government Records Council only has jurisdiction to adjudicate challenges to denials of OPRA requests.  A 
challenge to the denial of access under the common law can be made by filing an action in Superior Court.    
 
 
 
 


 
1. All government records are subject to public access under the Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”), unless specifically 
exempt. 
2. A request for access to a government record under OPRA must be in writing, hand-delivered, mailed, transmitted 
electronically, or otherwise conveyed to the appropriate custodian. N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5.g.  The seven (7) business day 
response time does not commence until the records custodian receives the request form.  If you submit the request 
form to any other officer or employee of the Township of Lumberton, that officer or employee must either forward the 
request to the appropriate custodian, or direct you to the appropriate custodian. N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5.h.      
3. Requestors may submit requests anonymously.  If you elect not to provide a name, address, or telephone number, or 
other means of contact, the custodian is not required to respond until you reappear before the custodian seeking a 
response to the original request.   
4. The fees for duplication of a government record in printed form are listed on the front of this form. We will notify you of 
any special service charges or other additional charges authorized by State law or regulation before processing your 
request. Payment shall be made by cash, check or money order payable to the Township of Lumberton. 
5. You may be charged a 50% or other deposit when a request for copies exceeds $25. The Township of 
Lumberton custodian will contact you and advise you of any deposit requirements.  You agree to pay the balance due 
upon delivery of the records.  Anonymous requests in excess of $5.00 require a deposit of 100% of estimated fees. 
6. Under OPRA, a custodian must deny access to a person who has been convicted of an indictable offense in New 
Jersey, any other state, or the United States, and who is seeking government records containing personal information 
pertaining to the person’s victim or the victim’s family.  This includes anonymous requests for said information. 
7. By law, the Township of Lumberton must notify you that it grants or denies a request for access to government 
records within seven (7) business days after the agency custodian of records receives the request.  If the record 
requested is not currently available or is in storage, the custodian will advise you within seven (7) business days after 
receipt of the request when the record can be made available and the estimated cost for reproduction.  
8. You may be denied access to a government record if your request would substantially disrupt agency operations and 
the custodian is unable to reach a reasonable solution with you. 
9. If the Township of Lumberton is unable to comply with your request for access to a government record, the custodian 
will indicate the reasons for denial on the request form or other written correspondence and send you a signed and 
dated copy. 
10. Except as otherwise provided by law or by agreement with the requester, if the agency custodian of records fails to 
respond to you within seven (7) business days of receiving a request, the failure to respond is a deemed denial of your 
request. 
11. If your request for access to a government record has been denied or unfilled within the seven (7) business days 
required by law, you have a right to challenge the decision by the Township of Lumberton to deny access. At your 
option, you may either institute a proceeding in the Superior Court of New Jersey or file a complaint with the 
Government Records Council (“GRC”) by completing the Denial of Access Complaint Form.  You may contact the GRC 
by toll-free telephone at 866-850-0511, by mail at PO Box 819, Trenton, NJ, 08625, by e-mail at grc@dca.state.nj.us, or 
at their web site at www.state.nj.us/grc. The Council can also answer other questions about the law.  All questions 
regarding complaints filed in Superior Court should be directed to the Court Clerk in your County.  
12. Information provided on this form may be subject to disclosure under the Open Public Records Act.