OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST FORM

ALL of the documents and official Township letters that are available on this web site, UNofficially Winslow.com have been acquired and copies paid for from Township offices.

As mandated by law all persons who would like to review and receive copies must be given that opportunity. As long as certain procedures are followed.

To my knowledge obtaining documents and information from any Winslow Township office has never been a problem*. In fact assistance to residents is always provided with professionalism. And in many cases with a smile.

However, this was not always the case with other near by communities. As a result Assemblyman George Geist (R) introduced legislation to correct this matter, usually the run-a-round, that was taking place in other communities.

In July of 2002 in an effort to dot the I's and cross the T's Winslow Township developed a modified procedure and small request form to be sure it complied with the new laws and standards regarding Open Public Records.

While some residents and employees feel the form is a hassle, I feel the form is a good idea. The request form protects the Township from any false accusations of requested documents, while guaranteeing the resident requesting the documents prompt action.

This simple form has three pages, but not three pages for the resident to fill out!
Page 1 asks for your name, address, and details of what public record you would like to review or have copies of. Page 2 of the form is just information about the Open Public Records law and a space for you and the Township official to sign. You are entitled to a copy, free of charge, of this page. Which also states when the documents will be ready for you to pick up. Many times the documents can be produced by the Township while you wait, depending on the time of day, available Township staff, and the degree of research required for your request. The Township is legally required to respond to your request for public records within seven business days.
Page 3 of the form is an area for the Township to respond to you, if more research time is needed, or if your requested documents is not a public document. If a document is not public, be sure to ask when it MIGHT become a public document. Minutes of public meetings are not public documents until approved and accepted by the applicable body. Such as the Township Committee or Planning & Zoning Boards.

Click here to review and print a copy of the form to request public records.

Click here to review and print information pertaining to the right to appeal a denial of access to a government record. Including a toll free phone number for assistance.

Look for this link and the Request for Public Records form in a new area of this web site being developed. This document and others will always be available and easy to access on UNofficially Winslow.com

* Recently, UNofficially Winslow herard a story about a Township employee in a supervisory capacity of the Contruction Office giving the run-a-round to a resident who requested permit information. It just so happens that the resident lives on Oak Leaf Road. The road with the disputed speed humps. There is a lot more detail to this story, perhaps the resident involved or the Township employee will email UNofficiallywinslow@comcast.net with the details. In the mean time Unofficially Winslow suggested to the resident to file the form Request for Public Records to cut through the red tape and general run-a-round that the resident claims to have received from this Township employee. This issue prompted UNofficially Winslow to post the above information.