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November 1, 2019

I. State Issues
II. Annual League Conference
II. Also of Interest

Municipal Clerks: Please forward to your Mayor, Governing Body and Department Heads.

I. State Issues

a. Look Ahead to Lame Duck: OPRA/OPMA Blog Posts and Sample Resolution

Recently, Senator Weinberg noted that she has been working for more than two years to update the outdated Open Public Records Act (OPRA) and Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and will continue to address them during lame duck, presumably through her bills S-106 (OPMA) and S-107 (OPRA). In response to this, the League and Municipal Clerks Association of New Jersey have prepared a sample resolution calling for a study commission to review the almost 20 year old law. The sample resolution also asks for information on your municipal experience with OPRA, including the number of requests, approximate staff hours staff and attorney fees your municipality has incurred responding to OPRA requests.

In addition, we are continuing our OPRA/OPMA blog post series with post on prevailing attorney fees, subcommittees, and definition of government records.

We respectfully request that you consider adopting the sample resolution and forward a copy to your State Senator, Assembly Representatives as well as Senate President Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Coughlin, Senator Weinberg, and Governor Murphy.

Contact: Lori Buckelew, Senior Legislative Analyst, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481 x112.

b. Governor Signs Order Establishing Statewide Climate Change Resilience Strategy

On Tuesday, the seventh anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order No. 89 (the “EO”), establishing a Statewide Climate Change Resilience Strategy. The Executive Order also establishes a Climate and Flood Resilience Program within the Department of Environmental Protection, and an Interagency Council on Climate Resilience comprised of 16 state agencies. The overall goal of the EO is to develop short- and long-term action plans that will promote the long-term mitigation, adaptation, and resilience of the State’s economy, communities, infrastructure, and natural resources.

The Climate and Flood Resilience Program within the DEP is tasked with, among other things, compiling and maintaining an updated directory of federal and state grants and financing programs available to assist the state, counties, and municipalities to plan for, mitigate, and respond to the impacts of climate change. The program is also tasked with providing technical guidance and support to counties and municipalities in their efforts to plan for and address the current and anticipated impacts of climate change in accordance with the Statewide Climate Change Resilience Strategy.

The EO also directs the State Planning Commission, based upon the Scientific Report of Climate Change and the Statewide Climate Change Resilience Strategy, to incorporate climate change conditions as a mandatory requirement for State Development and Redevelopment Plan endorsement.

Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., League Staff Attorney, fmarshall@njlm.org, 609-695-3481 x 137.

II. Annual League Conference

a. View the NJLM Annual Conference List of Exhibitors

The exhibit hall at the conference is sold out with 700 exhibitors displaying their products and services in over 1,000 booths. Review the full list on the Interactive Floor Plan and on the conference app to make your schedule and save a list of the exhibitors you would like to visit.

The exhibitors are eager to provide education and solutions to your challenges!

Contact: Kristin Lawrence, Director of Exhibition and Sponsorships, 609-695-3481 x125, klawrence@njlm.org.

b. Unauthorized Hotel Reservation Services

Every year unauthorized firms solicit housing and hotel reservations from attendees at the Annual League Conference. We assure you that the only firm authorized to handle our conference housing reservations is AC Central Reservations. This information is on the top of the official conference housing form sent to all municipal clerks and posted on the League website.

Using unauthorized reservation services creates real problems for you and the conference as a whole. You cannot be assured your credit card information is secure and your room reservation may not actually be made. Using unauthorized services means your room will not be part of the official conference housing block and you will not get emergency housing information (which happened in both 2011 and 2012), nor will there be adequate shuttle bus services to your hotel.

As always, the League is available to answer your questions on any aspect of the annual conference and we strive to make your participation both enjoyable and highly productive.

Contact: Michael J. Darcy, CAE, Executive Director, mdarcy@njlm.org, 609-695-3481 x116.

III. Also of Interest

a. NJSCPA Disaster Recover Guide Published

On Wednesday, NJ Spotlight reported that the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJSCPA) has published a ‘Disaster Recover Guide: A Resource for Individuals and Businesses.’ The Spotlight article, written by John Reitmeyer, includes a link to the Accountants’ Recovery Guide. This information can be extremely valuable to you, your citizens, and local businesses.

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