The Berkeley Heights School District must produce records by Aug. 12 that could reveal how board policy decisions were documented and shared in the months before six board members were publicly censured by the state.

A public records request filed under New Jersey's Open Public Records Act seeks four categories of documents: the May 13 Policy Committee meeting minutes, Google Drive sharing and activity history tied to those minutes, a May 18 email with recipient metadata, and records showing whether and when the minutes were posted publicly. The district acknowledged the request on Monday, Aug. 3, assigned it number 27-000014, and said it would respond by Aug. 12, citing its Friday closure in calculating the response date.

The acknowledgment included no documents.The request targets the digital trail behind a single Policy Committee meeting held less than three months before New Jersey Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer issued a 16-page decision upholding the censure of board members Pamela Stanley, Robert Cianciulli, Jordan Hyman, Angela Penna, Michael D'Aquila and Joy Young. As we reported Aug. 2, the commissioner found Stanley "used public funds in furtherance of private means" and that all six members acted beyond the board's policy-making role.

The Google Drive history sought in the OPRA request could show who accessed, edited or shared the May 13 minutes, and when. Under state law, Google Drive records and emails related to official government business are government records subject to disclosure regardless of the platform used, according to the New Jersey Government Records Council.

OPRA requires public agencies to respond to standard requests within seven business days. Failure to respond is treated as a deemed denial. Knowing and willful violations carry personal civil penalties starting at $1,000 for a first offense and rising to $5,000 for a third.

The identity of the requester has not been publicly disclosed.

If the district produces records by Aug. 12, the documents could clarify what the Policy Committee discussed on May 13, who had access to the minutes, and whether they were shared publicly on time. If the district does not respond, the requester may file a complaint with the Government Records Council or pursue the matter in Superior Court. The censured board members' 45-day appeal window on the commissioner's July 22 decision runs through early September.