[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of East
Amwell 6-12-1997 by Ord. No. 97-17. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire insurance claims — See Ch. 79.
Any purchase of goods or services shall first be requested by an official
or properly designated employee of the township upon which a purchase order
shall be prepared by the Purchasing Agent, Assistant Treasurer or Treasurer.
Such purchase order shall not be processed unless it is determined through
the township's commitment system that funds are available to commit such funds.
Any person claiming payment from the Township of East Amwell shall first
submit a detailed statement of the items or demand necessitating such claim,
specifying particularly how the bill or demand is made up, with the certification
of the party claiming payment that it is correct. (See N.J.S.A. 40A:5-16a.)
No bill, claim or demand shall be considered for payment unless the
voucher has attached to it or incudes a certification of some officer or duly
designated township employee having personal knowledge of the facts that the
goods have been received by, or the services rendered to, the Township of
East Amwell. (See N.J.S.A. 40A:5-16b.)
The Chief Financial Officer is hereby designated as the certifying and approval officer of the Township of East Amwell, and his duties shall include the making of certifications required by § 8-3 above, ascertaining the existence of proper and sufficient appropriations for the payments to be made and determining that there is legal authority for the payments, evidenced by action of a purchasing department or agent or officer in respect to the goods or services ordered and the incurring of the expense therefor. [See N.J.S.A. 40A:5-17a(1) and (2).]
All bills or claims duly certified shall be presented to the Treasurer
not later than two days prior to the Township Committee meeting at which the
same will be considered. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to examine
all bills or claims for payment in order to ascertain if proper administrative
procedures have been followed. All claims or bills to be considered by the
Township Committee shall be listed systematically and without preference,
and said list shall be made available to every member of the Township Committee
prior to formal action by that body.
The Township Committee shall approve or disapprove all claims in the
manner prescribed by this chapter and in accordance with the law. If the Township
Committee shall reject any claim presented to it, it shall state the reason
for such rejection, and the disapproved claim shall be referred back to the
Treasurer with such instructions as the Township Committee may give at the
time of disapproval.
If it appears to the Township Committee that any claim requires further
study or investigation, the Township Committee may withhold action on the
claim for a reasonable period of time pending further study or investigation.
It shall be the duty of the Municipal Clerk to record all items in the
official minutes or through an appropriate claim register, indicating that
the governing body has by formal action approved the same with appropriate
records as to any claims disapproved or rejected. All records pertaining to
approved or disapproved bills or claims shall be available for public inspection.
The Treasurer shall make disbursements upon receipt of an order by the
Township Committee, attested by the Municipal Clerk.
After the Municipal Clerk has certified that the claims have been approved,
he shall turn the same over to the Treasurer, who shall disburse the properly
signed checks. Said checks shall be signed by the Mayor or Deputy Mayor and
Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer and by the Municipal Clerk or Deputy Clerk.
In the case of salaries, wages and other compensation to individuals for services
when remuneration has been set by municipal ordinance or resolution, payment
may be made by check drawn by any two of the following four officers: Mayor,
Deputy Mayor, Municipal Clerk or Deputy Clerk and countersigned by the Treasurer
or Assistant Treasurer. After preparing checks for the payment of claims,
the Treasurer shall record them in the proper books of account.
