To the Editor:
I am quite surprised that Jason O’Donnell would be commenting on the article Al Sullivan placed in the paper on May 23 regarding the “mediation process.” How could he comment on something that is out of his realm? That last time I checked, Jason is employed by the City of Bayonne as the Public Safety Director and a fire captain. I say both because I am not sure which position he really holds. Jason, there is no reason you should be commenting on my OPRA requests.
Have you even taken the time to read my requests? I am extremely specific when I fill out an OPRA. This information that I am requesting is public information. I think you should familiarize yourself with everything before you make uneducated comments such as the ones you had made in May 23rd’s paper. As an American, I have the right to hear and be heard! If I request information every three days or every day of the week, it is my right under the Open Public Records Act to receive that information in a timely fashion.
You made a statement that the City of Bayonne has nothing to hide. If that is so, why does the city choose not to release anything to the public? Thank God there are laws to enforce this when a city such as Bayonne doesn’t want to give this information out to the residents as they are requesting.
Nobody has ever asked me to narrow my request, ever! I have never spoken to you about anything and you have never spoken to me, and neither has anyone else in that building pertaining to my requests. Again, you should not be making such statements because you know they are untrue. It doesn’t matter how many requests I fill out. You have no reason commenting on them since you are only the Public Safety Director. I didn’t know that you have now started handling the matters that come out of the Clerk’s office. I guess that is your next venture.
The next time I fill out an OPRA, maybe I will check with you and make sure it isn’t too broad-ranged and more to your liking.
I don’t believe that there isn’t enough manpower to handle the OPRA requests that come into the City of Bayonne. Especially since payroll for the city has increased over $1 million since 20120
CHERIE LaPELUSA