The Coaster
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
No Result
View All Result
  • Browse News by Town
    • Allenhurst
    • Asbury Park
    • Avon
    • Bradley Beach
    • Deal
    • Interlaken
    • Loch Arbour
    • Long Branch
    • Neptune
    • Neptune City
    • Ocean Grove
    • Ocean Township
    • Tinton Falls
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
Subscribe / Renew
  • Browse News by Town
    • Allenhurst
    • Asbury Park
    • Avon
    • Bradley Beach
    • Deal
    • Interlaken
    • Loch Arbour
    • Long Branch
    • Neptune
    • Neptune City
    • Ocean Grove
    • Ocean Township
    • Tinton Falls
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Coaster
No Result
View All Result
Home Bradley Beach

In Bradley Beach Numerous Anonymous Requests for Documents Raising Concerns

by Pete Walton
May 26, 2022
in Bradley Beach
In Bradley Beach …. Beach Revenues Slightly Lower Than Projections
1.3k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare via EmailShare on Twitter

By PETE WALTON

A Bradley Beach borough councilman says he and three of his colleagues have been targeted by an anonymous person taking advantage of a state freedom of information law.

   Former Council President Al Gubitosi says the borough itself and four of the five members of the governing body, including Mayor Larry Fox, have been hit with numerous requests for documents.

   “The [state’s] Open Public Records Act (OPRA) allows the public to access public records by simply filling out a form and making a request for documents including e-mails, handwritten notes [and] text messages on virtually any topic related to the public,” the councilman said. “This provides a critical right for the public, and there are clear rules that the council must follow to respond to these requests.

  “Unfortunately, there are individuals that from time to time, try to manipulate the process,” Gubitosi explained. “Sometimes, these individuals systematically file requests, spanning many municipalities, typically looking for opportunities to sue municipalities for non-compliance with laws or for errors made.”

   Borough Attorney Greg Cannon said the anonymous requests are not illegal.

   “This is allowable under the law,” Gubitosi said, “but I would have much greater respect for someone who is not hiding behind an alias.

   Gubitosi explained that all documents requested under the Open Public Records Act must be compiled by or relayed to Municipal Clerk Erica Kostyz.

  “Our clerk must then share this documentation with the borough’s OPRA attorney who reviews each document for possible redactions of confidential information,” the councilman said. “Each review by our attorney could span hundreds of pages. It is likely that legal fees for reviewing the borough’s responses total thousands of dollars.”

   Gubitosi said the anonymous requester filed a “harassing OPRA request” against Councilman Randy Bonnell, trying to determine what Bonnell knew about the e-mail account used to make the request.

   “This person filed an OPRA request against me to learn about my communications with our first aid department leaders, literally within three hours of completing my meeting with [them],” Gubitosi said.

   Also at this week’s meeting of the Borough Council, the mayor said the engineering firm of T&M Associates of Middletown is still on track to deliver a report in the next two weeks on the borough-owned First United Methodist Church on LaReine Avenue.

   The building, which was declared last week as one of the 10 most endangered historic places in the state by a preservation advocacy group, was built in 1900 and purchased by the borough in 2020 from the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association.

   A group called Friends of the Bradley Beach Community Center is raising funds in an effort to help renovate the former church for public use.

   Councilman John Weber said he would vote against or not cast a vote on important matters brought before the governing body without sufficient time to review them.

   Weber cited a vote after a late-night closed council session earlier this month when a borough auditor was not reappointed.

   Council President Tim Sexsmith said that the subject of a hybrid system for the public to participate in meetings either in-person or electronically would come before the council at its next scheduled meeting on June 14.

   Mayor Fox said an amended municipal budget for 2022 would also be considered at the mid-June meeting.

   The council learned in a memo from Fox and Borough Administrator Kim Humphrey that Elizabeth Hernandez has resigned as recreation director and grants coordinator effective May 24.

  Courtney Pappas became full-time recreation coordinator and after school care director as of May 16.

Related Posts

Bradley Beach to Interview Candidates for Administrator

Bradley Beach Gearing Up to Celebrate 130th Anniversary

May 23, 2023

Bradley Beach Police Blotter

May 10, 2023
Bradley Beach to Interview Candidates for Administrator

Bradley Beach to Interview Candidates for Administrator

May 3, 2023
Dine Out in Bradley Beach, Support Pantry

Dine Out in Bradley Beach, Support Pantry

May 1, 2023

Bradley Beach Police Blotter

April 26, 2023
Collecting Photographs and Stories of Bradley Beach’s Past

Collecting Photographs and Stories of Bradley Beach’s Past

April 17, 2023

Trending This Week

$500,000 Grant For Fitness Path

Ocean Grove Residents Complain About Beach Badges Featuring a Cross

May 24, 2023
Condominium Complex Planned Adjacent to the Wonder Bar

Condominium Complex Planned Adjacent to the Wonder Bar

May 24, 2023
What’s Up – The Wallflowers and more, May 11, 2023

What’s Up for May 25 – June 1 2023

May 25, 2023

Neptune Plans Paying for Emergency Service Staff

May 24, 2023

Advertisement
Coaster Summer Guide Special

Advertise Online with The Coaster

Advertise on The Coaster to reach countless new customers for your local business.

START ADVERTISING TODAY

E-mail Newsletter

Sign up to get a free weekly newsletter to your inbox.

Subscribe

Contact Us

The Coaster
1011 Main St
Asbury Park, NJ 07712
Phone: 732-775-3010
FAX: 732-775-8345
editor@thecoaster.net

Email Newsletter »

All Articles

Search Our Site

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 The New Coaster, LLC. All rights reserved. • Privacy Policy

No Result
View All Result
  • Browse News by Town
    • Allenhurst
    • Asbury Park
    • Avon
    • Bradley Beach
    • Deal
    • Interlaken
    • Loch Arbour
    • Long Branch
    • Neptune
    • Neptune City
    • Ocean Grove
    • Ocean Township
    • Tinton Falls
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
Subscribe / Renew

© 2023 The New Coaster, LLC. All rights reserved. • Privacy Policy