North Bergen, March 7, 2011- The Town administration is blocking attempts by the North Bergen Concerned Citizens Group (NBCCG) to get access to public documents in apparent violation of the state’s Open Public Records Act, says Mario Blanch, the attorney for NBCCG. (www.NBCCG.org)

Blanch said the he filed five OPRA requests on behalf of the NBCCG for routine documents that should be relatively easy to locate and reproduce. The requests were made on February 18 and, according to OPRA law, the town has seven days to respond to the request. So far, said Blanch, there has been no response from the town

“Their time is up and they have failed to comply with the law,” said Blanch who sent another letter today notifying the town that it has failed to comply with the OPRA requests.  “I don’t know what the town has to hide and why it is just ignoring us,” said Blanch.

NBCCG co-chairman Michael Kreutzer said the administration of Mayor Nicholas Sacco is afraid to provide the information because it does not want the public to know where the taxpayers’ money is going.

“The Sacco administration has created an employment agency with scores of political cronies on the town payroll. We believe that residents are entitled to know how their money is being spent and who is getting rich on the taxpayers’ dollar,” said Kreutzer

The five OPRA requests sought are:

· A copy of the town’s current salary ordinance, including the names of all current full time and part time employees.

· A list of all current employees of the North Bergen Municipal Utilities Authority, their salaries and any and all compensation they

· A list of all current employees of the North Bergen Housing Authority, their salaries and any and all compensation they received in 2010 and their slated salaries for 2011

· A copy of the ordinance and the financial agreement to be executed between the Township of North Bergen and North Bergen Residential Urban Renewal LLC

· A copy of  the ordinance and the financial agreement to be executed between the Township of North Bergen and North Bergen Retail Urban Renewal LLC

Adrian Cepero, the other NBCCG co-chair, said the organization is looking into, not just details on town spending, but also the relationship between the town and various development entities.

“We believe the citizens of this town have a right to know about any deals between the town and developers - many of whom are making millions building here,” said Cepero.

SACCO’s CLOSED GOVERNMENT

The NBCCG said they are not surprised by the town’s refusal to give them public documents. “Mayor Sacco runs a closed town government

There is almost no governmental transparency. Just look at the town website; no public meeting dates are posted there,” said Cepero.

Kreutzer said Sacco, who is also a state senator, is being hypocritical when it comes to government transparency. “On the one hand Sen. Sacco says he wants more open government. On the other hand Mayor Sacco is preventing people from accessing information about town government” he said.