Taking Action in Essex County

[maintenanceguy 510]

I don't live anywhere near Essex Co. but if you really want to know what's happening, file an OPRA request with the county administrator requesting a copy of the contract with the company that is doing the restoration work on the damaged mental health records and a copy of the contract with the company that is doing or will be doing the mental health background checks for the local PD's.

 

You aren't even required to fill out the proper form, an email to the county clerk is all that's required. It's your tax money, you have a right to see the contracts. I believe they have 7 days to respond - it may be 10. I've done a few OPRA requests and the process is always easy, govt. units have always been cooperative - as long as you know what you're asking for. They are not required to do research, only to provide requested documents.

[410guy 5]

The more i think about this, the less sense it makes. 2 different answers from the same office. Perhaps there are two different women answering the phone? One of which is misinformed? Either that, or is it perhaps they are nowhere near getting the records restored and are just telling us all sorts of shit? Anyone's guess i suppose.

 

I found out i won't be able to get in touch with the detective until Tuesday (Nutley PD) to try and find out the real story. If this nonsense is going to continue for months i might just ask him to cancel my app, tired of all the waiting and the frustration. At this point id rather put the $1000 i was going to spend on two pistols into my "move the hell outta NJ" savings fund instead. At least i already have the FID, i really feel for the guys who are applying for the Initial FID and trying to get their first gun and having to deal with this crap.

[gd1147 0]

The more i think about this, the less sense it makes. 2 different answers from the same office. Perhaps there are two different women answering the phone? One of which is misinformed? Either that, or is it perhaps they are nowhere near getting the records restored and are just telling us all sorts of shit? Anyone's guess i suppose.

 

I found out i won't be able to get in touch with the detective until Tuesday (Nutley PD) to try and find out the real story. If this nonsense is going to continue for months i might just ask him to cancel my app, tired of all the waiting and the frustration. At this point id rather put the $1000 i was going to spend on two pistols into my "move the hell outta NJ" savings fund instead. At least i already have the FID, i really feel for the guys who are applying for the Initial FID and trying to get their first gun and having to deal with this crap.

 

I'm in Nutley too. Don't give in, that's what they expect you to do in NJ.

[410guy 5]

I know its like admitting they won, but I'm just tempted to wash my hands of this whole experience. But if our guy at the PD thinks it will only be a little longer, i will stick it out.

[Agent_Smith 1]

I am feeling pretty patient with ammo nonexistent and many guns hard to come by. However, someone should give us a straight answer about how long it will take to complete the work. What is an OPRA request?

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

What is an OPRA request?

 

Open Public Records Act...

 

http://www.nj.gov/grc/public/citizens/

[OMC11 0]

I applied in October in West Orange and got my fingerprints done post-sandy in Mid-November. Haven't heard anything, but I've been bothering the PD on a bi-weekly basis. I really hope this gets fixed soon, when I moved back to NJ after the Marines I never imagined my 2A rights would be infringed to this level.

[BossyMossy 0]

I am feeling pretty patient with ammo nonexistent and many guns hard to come by. However, someone should give us a straight answer about how long it will take to complete the work. What is an OPRA request?

 

Not me! I have a Glock 19 boxed with my name on it just waiting to be picked up... I'm starting to think that it might be best to just grab a couple goodies for my AR and focus on that for now. Might have to pick myself up an EOTECH to keep busy lol

[carl_g 568]

Did anyone call today? I am planning on doing so sometime during the day. We should get multiple people to call and compare notes.

[mx597turbo 0]

Personally, I'm tied up with other things until the end of the month, so I won't be able to call or follow up for a while. As far as the Adjuster's office, I am pretty sure I spoke to the same person every time I called, unless two women sound exactly the same.

 

FWIW, the last time I called, the lady said she wanted this whole thing over. She said she's sick of getting calls about guns. I doubt she's doing anything to slow down the process. I would say the best thing would be to keep up pressure on the Adjuster's office and the local PDs, just so people don't forget about us.

 

With the fingerprints, I'm pretty sure they are valid for 6 months from the day you got printed, not from your initial application with the PD. For example, if you submitted you FID application on Oct. 1, but didn't get printed until Oct. 15, your prints should be good until April 15. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this.

[gd1147 0]

Personally, I'm tied up with other things until the end of the month, so I won't be able to call or follow up for a while. As far as the Adjuster's office, I am pretty sure I spoke to the same person every time I called, unless two women sound exactly the same.

 

FWIW, the last time I called, the lady said she wanted this whole thing over. She said she's sick of getting calls about guns. I doubt she's doing anything to slow down the process. I would say the best thing would be to keep up pressure on the Adjuster's office and the local PDs, just so people don't forget about us.

 

With the fingerprints, I'm pretty sure they are valid for 6 months from the day you got printed, not from your initial application with the PD. For example, if you submitted you FID application on Oct. 1, but didn't get printed until Oct. 15, your prints should be good until April 15. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this.

 

I figured she would be getting to a breaking point soon. I think the prints should actually be good for 6 months from when your background check is completed, not from the date of printing but I could be wrong.

[410guy 5]

Ill be calling nutley PD tomorrow on my lunch break. Im not going to call the adjusters office because my momma taught me if you dont have anything nice to say, dont say anything at all.

[jm1827 284]

Keep calling, be professional, polite and always ask what the next step is and is there anything else you can do. That is what I have been doing with the NJSP for the last 11 weeks.

[carl_g 568]

I called. She told me she didn't know and they are told that the record restoration was complete yet they have no records to search.

I was polite, she appogized and that was that..

I am contacting my mayor and town counsel next.

[Kevin Mc 0]

I would call again, but that seems to not be the best approach....

 

What is the location of the office? I know it is in Belleville, anybody have the address and hours of operation?

 

I will go down this week if I can get a location.

 

Also, who is responsible for the operation of this office? It is time to start calling and/or have an attorney call the person directly responsible for the office and records.

 

Please post here or PM me with this info if you have it.

 

Kevin

[mchosi1 0]

I called today and she told me that her boss is going to start putting pressure on the company that is doing the restoration. So it looks like the restoration of the records is not done yet. She did not have a time table of when this would be done. Also, she told me there were over 1000 mental health record requests in the back log. Looks like we won't see any FID and PP for months or even a year in Essex.

[FamilyMan 0]

Let's see if we can find out who her boss is and start calling him/her.

[410guy 5]

I'm not sure what else we could possibly do at this point. The NRA doesn't seem to care, the State Police can't help, our local PDs seem sympathetic and are probably as frustrated as we are, but can't help either.

[Knuckle Sandwich 5]

I don't live anywhere near Essex Co. but if you really want to know what's happening, file an OPRA request with the county administrator requesting a copy of the contract with the company that is doing the restoration work on the damaged mental health records and a copy of the contract with the company that is doing or will be doing the mental health background checks for the local PD's.

 

You aren't even required to fill out the proper form, an email to the county clerk is all that's required. It's your tax money, you have a right to see the contracts. I believe they have 7 days to respond - it may be 10. I've done a few OPRA requests and the process is always easy, govt. units have always been cooperative - as long as you know what you're asking for. They are not required to do research, only to provide requested documents.

 

Quoting this, just because I think it is the logical, and correct next step. Someone who lives in Essex Co. should probably bite the proverbial bullet and file the request.

[carl_g 568]

Here's directions http://www.essex-countynj.org/index.php?section=dir_ec

The county adjuster is:

County Adjuster James R. Paganelli

(T) 973-621-4464

[rush1329 1]

Here's directions http://www.essex-cou...?section=dir_ec

The county adjuster is:

County Adjuster James R. Paganelli

(T) 973-621-4464

 

i just called this number to attempt a follow-up with mr paganelli. no answer and the voicemail said the number belong to kathy delia (spelling?). I assume this is his secretary

[mchosi1 0]

I just spoke to Nancy. She told me that the company that is doing the restoration will be "delivering" the records to them on 3/13.

 

I keep asking myself, what mental health records??? I HAVE NO MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS!!!!

[carl_g 568]

I don't think they like us calling but it is our right to do so. If someone doesn't answer wait 10 minutes and call back. Lets us know what they have to say. Ask them if they are starting next week as planned.

[gd1147 0]

I just spoke to Nancy. She told me that the company that is doing the restoration will be "delivering" the records to them on 3/13.

 

I keep asking myself, what mental health records??? I HAVE NO MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS!!!!

 

So did they say if they are paper records or electronic? I thought they took this time to scan everything in and index them.

[mchosi1 0]

So did they say if they are paper records or electronic? I thought they took this time to scan everything in and index them.

 

I did not ask this question, but I will when I call back on Monday.

[gd1147 0]

Ill be calling nutley PD tomorrow on my lunch break. Im not going to call the adjusters office because my momma taught me if you dont have anything nice to say, dont say anything at all.

 

Forgot to ask you if Nutley PD had any update. ?

[410guy 5]

Tried calling but couldn't get in touch with him. He may only be there one day a week (Tuesday) and only on certain hours.

[mchosi1 0]

Spoke to Nancy this morning, she assured me that the date of 3/13 is the day they will get the records. Also, I asked her how long it will take to clear the back logged checks. She replied, "A few weeks to get all caught up". If this all works out everything should be back to normal by mid April.

[carl_g 568]

Great work guys! We should call on Wednesday to ensure they got the records as planned.

[Billyboy 0]

So did she mention a time..or just the date? Just curious.