Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES Mahwah IV • June 20, 2012 Township council opposes OPRA reform bills by Frank J. McMahon Two bills in the New Jersey Senate that call for various and specific reforms to the Open Public Records Act and the Open Public Meetings Act have drawn strong opposition from the Mahwah Council. Both bills have been sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-37 Bergen) and are in the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. In its resolution, the council opposed the proposed OPRA reform legislation because it claims there must be an appropriate balance between the need for openness and transparency in government and the citizens’ reasonable expectation of privacy. The council pointed out several unfunded mandates which it claims would be costly and impractical. For instance, the proposed legislation would expand the definition of government record to include records that are required by law to be made, maintained, or kept on file by any public agency which, the council claims, would lead to a violation by records custodians for the non-existence of government records created before their tenure with the public body; the creation of a definition for “advisory, consultative, or deliberative” material that may be contrary to the well-established definition in case law leading to costly litigation; the expansion of the definition of government record to include electronic communications, such as emails and text messages, and the inclusion of a subjective definition for “reasonable” that may be contrary to the well established definition in case law leading to costly litigation. The proposed OPRA reform also contains a requirement that any video or audio recordings of public meetings be available in unedited form which would, according to the council, be will be in direct violation of the Open Public Meetings Act requirement that requires the redacting of discussions in closed session until the matter can legally be released. The bill also contains a new requirement about how to handle redactions and special service fees that the council believes would be time consuming and costly. The proposal would also permit the records custodian to advise a requester that a government record is readily available on the public agency’s website, although the bill requires the records custodian to directly provide the records to the requester if he or she does not have access to a computer. Another requirement would mandate that, when there (continued on page 16) The Les Paul Birthday Gala held in honor of what would have been Les Paul’s 97th birthday was a huge success. Three hundred guests attended to celebrate Les Paul Day at Ramapo College in Mahwah. Guests were entertained by musicians Lou Pallo and members of the Les Paul Trio, Tommy Doyle and Sandy Cory, Vanilla Fudge, Tre Novo and Stan McFarland. A cake created by Sandra Gillman was modeled after a Fender Stratocaster. In addition, the winners Mahwah Museum Trustee Jane DeWan (right) presents a prize to Becky and Joe Schaar. of the two autographed guitars were announced. The winner of the Stratocaster signed by Les Paul and Steve donors, and friends for their generosity and support. The Mahwah Museum, located at 201 Franklin TurnMiller was Joe Schaar of Boonton. The winner of the Stratocaster signed by Les Paul, the Les Paul Trio and other pike, is open through June 30 on Wednesdays and weekmusicians, was Scott Loveless of Paramus, who generously ends from 1 to 5 p.m. and will be open Sundays 1 to 5 p.m. through July 29. Current exhibits are Les Paul in Mahwah donated the guitar to the Mahwah Museum. The gala’s fundraising events benefited the Mahwah and New Jersey Fights the Civil War. The Old Station and Museum. The Mahwah Museum Society would like to Caboose, located at 1871 Old Station Lane, Mahwah, will thank Ramapo College and all of the musicians, fundraiser be open on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. through Oct. 28. Visit participants, Jim Wysocki, Ronnie Gantz, Mitch Kahn, www.mahwahmuseum.org or call (201) 512-0099. Les Paul Birthday Gala was success �������� ������� ���������� ��������������������� ��������� �� ������������ ������������������ YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSPAPER