Health & Fitness
Open the Hood on "Middletown Open Government"
The source of Middletown Open Government and the underlying hypocrisy of their leadership.
Over the past few months, Patch readers have seen blog posts of videos from a group called "Middletown Open Government". Perennial Democratic Candidate for Township Committee Linda Baum credits herself as a founding member and leader of that group. The fact is that Middletown Open Government is a partisan group that as you will see only want open government when it is convenient for their political cause.
Recently, an Open Public Records request (OPRA) was filed requesting copies of email correspondence from the Library Director. To my surprise, the following email was sent to the Township Clerk on May 17th objecting to the release of these open public records.
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It is my understanding that an OPRA request was filed with either the Township or the Library that seeks documents that relate to me or communications that were sent to or from me. I object to the release of any of these records.
If you intend to release any of these records, please first contact Walter Luers, esq. at and/or so that he can have an opportunity to review them and assert any objections to their release. If you do not intend to give us this opportunity to review the records before they are released, if they are released at all, let us know immediately so that we can file an emergency lawsuit in Monmouth County Superior Court.
This email also serves as my Open Public Records Act request for a copy of the request submitted for the above referenced documents. Please send your response via email.
Thank you.
Respectfully,
Linda Baum
19 May Court
Red Bank, NJ 07701
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Since that time Ms. Baum has filed a court order to try to block these emails that contain library business to and from the Director. More to come on that front. Over the past two years Ms. Baum has requested dozens of OPRA requests. However, the rules obviously do not apply to her. So in the interest of transparency, what is in those emails that are creating such an objection? In the spirit of "open government" the public deserves to know.
Next time you read or hear about "Middletown Open Government", take it from the source.
