Gloucester Twp meeting minutes "cannot be located."

On November 16, 2010, I requested minutes from five Gloucester Township(Camden County) Council closed (i.e. executive) sessions from as recently as April 7, 2008. On November 24, 2010, I was informed by Clerk Rosemary DiJosie that the requested minutes "were not and cannot be furnished to anyone as they cannot be located."

According to State record retention schedules, meeting minutes are required to be retained permanently. Accordingly, the Township is in violation of the State's requirements.

According to DiJosie's letter, I was "previously informed by letter dated July 10, 2008 from Gloucester Township Solicitor David Carlamere [that] measures have been put in place to better preserve Closed Session minutes." While this is technically true, that letter was in response to my June 30, 2008 complaint to the Mayor and Council that the Council's closed meeting minutes lacked specificity. I was not aware until very recently that the Clerk's office simply "cannot locate" minutes at all.

DiJosie's November 24, 2010 letter, Carlamere's July 10, 2008 letter and my June 30, 2008 complaint are on-line here.