New Salem County Watchdog website

[SCWD]

I would like to invite you to check out the new website...

Salem County Watchdog

Help watch county government.

Read, print or download any documents in the cyber-library. No membership required. Welcome any suggestions for info you would like to see on the site.



Thanks,
Shirlee Manahan, founder SCWD

[SAdams]

Excellent Job SCWD. Looks like a lot of hard work, thought and research went into this website. Thank you for introducing it to us on this forum. I'm looking forward to reading more and watching you grow and "enlighten" the residents of our County. Will be more than glad to send you some topics so that you could look into them and see if they really apply to your County.

Wish you success for your venture to spread the word and honestly help educate the People of your County on what's really going on in your Government.

It is sorely needed in this State.

[PennJersey]

Nice website, thanks for joining!! Be sure to check out and post in introductions section.

Thanks,

Henry

[SCWD]

Thank you very much, it has been a long hours of work (all volunteer) and it is still a work in progress. The response to the site has been interesting, not everyone thinks it is a good thing. But the SCWD believes transparency is always the best thing.
I am looking forward to getting to know all of you here.
If anyone has any county documents through OPRA I would be happy to post them for all to view. SCWD association is also looking for people interesting in taping freeholder meetings for the site.
Thanks again for the welcome!

[njriverman]

Welcome to our website! Feel free to post any specific items/links to your site you want feedback on, we appreciate the added resource.

[SAdams]

Are you working on watching this? Hope the appeal is successful. It's enlightening to know that an actual panel member is looking out for the best interest of the People. Good Luck!

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Oyster Creek foes appeal to force NRC review of metal fatigue

By Matt Pais • MANAHAWKIN BUREAU • August 3, 2008

Opponents of the relicensing of the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in Lacey have filed an appeal of a ruling that rejected their efforts to have the issue of metal fatigue of the plant's recirculation's nozzles reconsidered by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Earlier this year a coalition of groups asked the Atomic Safety Licensing Board to reopen the relicensing record to reanalyze whether five recirculation outlet nozzles on the reactor vessel will sustain too much stress over an additional 20 years. The 38-year-old plant's operating license is due to expire next April.

In a 2-1 split decision handed down July 24, the board rejected that effort.

Relicensing opponents claim Oyster Creek's use of a simplified calculation of nozzle metal fatigue falsely indicated that the amount of fatigue in the future would be acceptable. In their motion to have the issue reopened, they state that reanalysis would reveal the nozzles pose a potential safety threat.

Oyster Creek has said the original methodology used was acceptable and that any further analysis would produce similar results.

In the appeal, filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the group cites the dissenting opinion of panel member Anthony J. Baratta as grounds have the nozzle issue reopened.

Baratta stated the citizens met the standards for reopening the record to address a, "serious safety issue."

"It is something that needs to be explored. When you talk about metal fatigue of a nozzle in a reactor, that is extremely vital," said plant opponent Janet Tauro of Brick.

Tauro said the opinion of Baratta — one of two technical judges on the panel — that rejecting the motion is a "grave error," has given opponents hope.

"It buoys us very much," she said.

[SAdams]

Great to hear about your win to open up the Government records to the People and bring forth an easier access to these records. I hope you make them stick the agreement that was made. Again, Congrats!

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Salem County reaches agreement in OPRA complaint
by South Jersey News Online
Monday August 04, 2008, 5:06 PM

From Staff Reports
tsnews@sjnewsco.com

SALEM -- Earl Gage, clerk of the Salem County Board of Chosen Freeholders, announced that he and Shirlee Manahan reached an agreement concerning a complaint filed by Manahan against Gage as official Custodian of Records for the County of Salem.

In the complaint, allegations arose from a series of 2006 OPRA (Open Public Records Act) requests made by Manahan to Gage's office. The agreement reached will ensure that future requests made by the public will be dealt with in a fair and readily accessible manner.

The official county Web site will clearly note all statutes associated with OPRA requests and will provide downloadable OPRA request forms. Gage and county counsel will review all resolutions pertaining to public records for their compliance with State of New Jersey statutes and furthermore will instruct all employees that handle OPRA requests doing so according to the guidelines provided.

It is the hope of both Manahan and Gage that the resolution of this complaint will in the future benefit all those who wish to obtain public records, which is their right by law. Further information can be obtained at Manahan's Web site, Salem County Watchdog.

[Sassygrl]

Good Job Shirlee!

Funny thing is that the new county website contains less information than the older one. They used to have a number of documents online so we didn't need to make as many requests. BTW, I think that uppity women leave Earl perplexed and uncomfortable...

[njriverman]

Originally Posted by SAdams

Great to hear about your win to open up the Government records to the People and bring forth an easier access to these records. I hope you make them stick the agreement that was made. Again, Congrats!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------


Salem County reaches agreement in OPRA complaint
by South Jersey News Online
Monday August 04, 2008, 5:06 PM

From Staff Reports
tsnews@sjnewsco.com

SALEM -- Earl Gage, clerk of the Salem County Board of Chosen Freeholders, announced that he and Shirlee Manahan reached an agreement concerning a complaint filed by Manahan against Gage as official Custodian of Records for the County of Salem.

In the complaint, allegations arose from a series of 2006 OPRA (Open Public Records Act) requests made by Manahan to Gage's office. The agreement reached will ensure that future requests made by the public will be dealt with in a fair and readily accessible manner.

The official county Web site will clearly note all statutes associated with OPRA requests and will provide downloadable OPRA request forms. Gage and county counsel will review all resolutions pertaining to public records for their compliance with State of New Jersey statutes and furthermore will instruct all employees that handle OPRA requests doing so according to the guidelines provided.

It is the hope of both Manahan and Gage that the resolution of this complaint will in the future benefit all those who wish to obtain public records, which is their right by law. Further information can be obtained at Manahan's Web site, Salem County Watchdog.

--------------

Wow!

Thanks for posting this SAdams.



House rules,
I have to let my wife read the paper first.

She doesn't like that after I am done reading Today's Sunbeam or The Courier Post how I get it all shuffled up. Plus I tend to tear out things I deem as valuable for future reference because I may have some use for them in I dunno maybe a year or two or ten.

[SCWD]

Thanks for posting that, I didn't see the county's press release online or in the paper. I did sign off on it, but also submitted my own release to the Sunbeam, I'll put it here as well.
The county has much further to go, but I am very pleased that they apologized and admitted what they did.CLICK to Read the Settlement Agreement HERE
Here is the realease I sent to the Sunbeam:
Press Release
August 4, 2008
Contact Shirlee Manahan
shirlee@salemcountywatchdog.com

Salem County, which lost a ruling by the Government Records Counsel and was facing a hearing before the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law for failing to comply with the State's Open Public Records Act, today agreed to an out-of-court settlement with Shirlee Manahan rather than go before Judge Bruce Gorman in Atlantic City AOL courthouse on August 6, 2008.


The Judge was to determine whether Salem County government had "willfully" refused to abide by the State's Open Public Records Act. "I never expected to wind up in court when I made my records request. Salem County forced the issue when they unlawfully denied a legal request for public records. I simply wanted access to records I am legally entitled to see." said Shirlee Manahan. "I believe this settlement is a small step towards bringing transparency in Salem County Government and will benefit all citizens of Salem County in future OPRA requests."



According to the terms of the settlement, the County agreed to admit it's failure to comply with the law, and to prominently display links on its governmental website for people who want to download OPRA request forms. The settlement also requires the County to make available on it's website a place where the public can request any County press releases, newsletters and other various publications the County may issue. All employees will be given a refresher course on OPRA guidelines and the County resolutions will be reviewed for compliance with OPRA statues.



"Government must be transparent. It's even a shame that a law had to be written to compel governments to release public documents," said Shirlee Manahan. "I am grateful to the Government Records Counsel for bringing the full weight of OPRA to force Salem County to release public records and review it's policies."



Following her 2 year ordeal to secure records, Shirlee Manahan founded the Salem County Watchdog Association and a website Salem County Watchdog to host a library of current and archived public documents for anyone to view and download.
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