FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jacob Magiera, Chair The Concerned Citizens Of Roselle Park Phone: (908) 998-1300

Fax: (908) 967-5160 info@rp-citizens.org www.rp-citizens.org Mayor & Council Cost Taxpayers Over $7,000 So Far To Fight OPRA Requests Roselle Park, NJ November 15, 2011 With only one part of a lawsuit against the municipality being concluded, taxpayers have had to pay out $7,180.00 to compensate attorney fees with $5,000.00 of that amount being paid to the law firm of Johnstone, Skok, Loughlin & Lane who serve as the attorneys for the Borough of Roselle Park. The remaining $2,180 was awarded by the Honorable Judge William LE. Wertheimer to OPRA attorney Walter M. Luers - who represented the Concerned Citizens Of Roselle Park (CCORP) - for his services to fight the OPRA request denial. On May 17, 2011, the Concerned Citizens Of Roselle Park submitted an OPRA request to obtain a copy of the settlement agreement between Monica Montoya and the Borough of Roselle Park. Ms. Montoya filed a lawsuit against the municipality for being arrested after helping police translate for a woman who was struck by a vehicle in 2007. The Borough Clerk, Doreen Cali, denied that OPRA request 49 minutes after it was submitted. The sad thing is that this wouldnt have cost taxpayers one dime in court fees if the Borough Clerk had simply read the OPRA request and contacted the Borough Attorneys office for advice, said CCORP Vice-Chair Saul Qersdyn, Because in the end, thats all that happened, except - instead of the cost of a phone call - taxpayers paid over $7,000 for that advice. To add to the situation, Borough Attorney Blake Johnstone stated at the October 20, 2011 Mayor & Council meeting that both matters of the lawsuit had been settled. Court records, an outstanding case management conference, along with the fact that the complaint has not been dismissed and there is no final judgment or order, contradict the statements made that the lawsuit portion regarding the simple electronic exporting of the municipalitys check register has been settled. Maybe the Borough knows something that the courts or we dont know, CCORP Chair Jacob Magiera stated, But as far as we know, the case should still be a closed session item since it hasnt been resolved.