Secretary of the Municipal Government

• Serves as executive secretary to the Borough Council
• Custodian of the municipal seal
• Maintains custody of all minutes, books, deeds, bonds, contracts, and archival records of the municipal corporation
• Attest to the signatures of municipal officers and officials
• Maintain receipt of service of legal documents

Secretary to the Governing Body

• Prepares and files Borough Council Agendas and Minutes
• Maintains Borough Code Book, ordinances, resolutions, and contracts
• Administer and record oaths of office
• Process, record, file, and when necessary, advertise ordinances, resolutions, and the municipal budget

Chief Administrative Officer of all elections held in the Municipality

• Certify vacancies at a local level
• Maintain receipt of nominating petitions and certification to the County Clerk of local candidates nominated by petition
• Furnish material for local elections
• Suggest polling places
• Maintain receipt of election results

Chief Registrar of Voters in the Municipality

• Registers voters and supervises the handling of elections

Administrative Officer

• Issues various permits and licenses required under state statutes and local ordinance

Records Coordinator & Manager responsible for implementing local archives and records retention programs as mandated

Other duties that may be imposed by state statutes and regulations or municipal ordinances or regulations

Additional Information Regarding the Municipal Clerk

• Core Duties
• New Jersey Revised Statutes
   Title 40A - MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES
   Section 40A:9-133 - Municipal clerk, appointment, duties

• OPRA Request Form - Click here

• OPRA Exemptions

  Below is a list of exempt information or situations where information is exempt from the Open Public Records Act.

  Reasons for Denial (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1)

  • Inter or intra-agency advisory, consultative, or deliberative material
  • Legislative records
  • Law enforcement records
    1. Medical examiner photos
    2. Criminal investigatory records not included in N.J.S.A. 47:1A-3b
    3. Victims’ records
  • Trade secrets and proprietary commercial or financial information
  • Any record within the attorney-client privilege
  • Administrative or technical information on 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 the security of the building, facility, or persons therein
  • Security measures and surveillance techniques that, if disclosed, would create a risk to the safety of persons, property, electronic data, or software
  • Information that would give an advantage to competitors or bidders
  • Information generated by or on behalf of public employers or employees in connection with
    1. Any sexual harassment complaint filed with a public employer
    2. Any grievance filed by or against an employee
    3. Collective negotiation documents and statements of strategy or negotiating
  • Communications between an agency and its insurance carrier, administrative services organization, or risk management office
  • Information that is to be kept confidential pursuant to court order
  • US government issued Certificate of honorable discharge (DD-214)
  • Social security numbers
  • Credit card numbers
  • Unlisted telephone numbers
  • Drivers’ license numbers
  • Certain records of higher education institutions
  • Violates a citizen’s reasonable expectation of privacy – N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1
  • Biotechnology trade secrets - N.J.S.A.  47:1A-1.2
  • Convicts requesting their victim’s records – N.J.S.A. 46:1A-2.2
  • Non-law enforcement ongoing investigations if inimical to the public interest – N.J.S.A. 47:1A-3
  • Public defender records – N.J.SA. 47:1A-5 k
  • Other exemptions established by State or federal statute, regulation, Executive Order, or Rules of Court; or privilege or grant of confidentiality established or recognized by the Constitution  of  NJ, statute, court rule, or judicial case law – N.J.S.A. 47:1A-9 
  • Personnel and pension records – information that can be obtained includes: individual’s name, title, position, salary, payroll record, length of service, date of separation, reason for separation, amount and type of pension received, data which discloses conformity with qualifications for employment or receipt of pension – N.J.S.A. 47:1A-10
  • Executive Order 21 (McGreevey 2002)
    • Disclosure would interfere with ability to protect and defend against acts of sabotage or terrorism or would increase risk or consequences thereof
    • Records exempted by State agencies’ proposed rules

  • Executive Order 26 (McGreevey 2002)

    • Resumes, applications and other information about job applicants during recruitment
    • Medical, psychiatric or psychological history, diagnosis, treatment or evaluation information
    • 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 when those records are made confidential by regulation or Executive Order 9

  • Improper Request

    • A general request for information
    • An open-ended request that fails to identify records with particularity
    • An overbroad blanket request for records
    • A request for research by the custodian

  • MAG Entertainment v. Div. of ABC, 375 N.J.Super. 534, 546 (App.Div. 2005); New Jersey Builders Association v. New Jersey Council On Affordable Housing, 390 N.J. Super. 166 (App. Div. 2007); Gannett New Jersey Partners L.P. v. County of Middlesex, 379 N.J. Super. 205 (App. Div. 2005).