On September 17, 2015, a new Municipal Agency General Records Retention Schedule took effect that addresses the retention of video surveillance recordings. Local governments should be sure to revise their policies and procedures accordingly. The New Jersey Bureau of Records Management establishes records retention schedules for all public records. The
Local governments are not immune to cyberattacks. In fact, several New Jersey municipalities were recently targeted during a sophisticated email spoofing scam. How Email Spoofing Scams Works In an email spoofing scam, the scammers send emails to the target organization that impersonate a legitimate contact, such as a vendor or
The U.S. Supreme Court’s new term began earlier this month. The Justices have already agreed to consider several cases that could impact New Jersey municipalities. This post offers a brief preview. Public Unions: In Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, the Supreme Court will reconsider its long-standing precedent in Abood v.
A recent decision by the New Jersey Tax Court highlights that a municipality’s credibility matters, particularly in cases involving compliance with N.J.S.A. 54:4-34, commonly known as Chapter 91. In R&M Mfg. v. Twp. of Monroe, the Court approved the Township’s motion to dismiss a tax appeal because it found the
Jersey City has become the first New Jersey municipality to formally sanction the home-sharing platform, Airbnb, which is banned from many metropolitan areas, including New York City. Under an agreement reached with the short-term rental company, Airbnb will charge and collect the standard hotel tax on their rentals in the
Rutgers University recently prevailed in a lawsuit alleging violations of the Open Public Records Act and the common law right of access. The Appellate Division’s decision in Academy Express LLC v. Rutgers, The State Univ. highlights the confusion that can arise when OPRA challenges become entangled with public contract disputes.
The Division of Local Government Services has issued Local Finance Notice 2015-20, which addresses the new minimum bid thresholds that were changed on July 1, 2015. New Jersey municipalities are advised to review their procurement policies and implementing ordinances to determine if any changes are necessary. Unless certain exceptions apply,
The New Jersey Council on Local Mandates has put the state’s police camera law on hold, at least temporarily. The statute requires that every new or used municipal police vehicle purchased, leased, or otherwise acquired on or after the bill’s effective date that is primarily used for traffic stops must
