Any firm, business, person or persons claiming payment from the Township
of Franklin shall first submit a detailed statement of the items or demand
necessitating such claim to the Township Clerk or responsible department head,
specifying particularly how the bill or demand is made up, and a certification
by the party claiming payment that it is correct. No bill, claim or demand
shall be considered for payment unless the voucher has attached to it or includes
a certification by a department head or other municipal official responsible
for the particular function, or by his duly designated representative, having
personal knowledge of the facts that the goods have been received by or the
services rendered to the Township of Franklin and that those services or goods
are consistent with any existing contract or purchase order. The chief financial
officer shall have the duty to audit, warrant and make recommendations on
all claims and bills.
The bill or claim duly certified shall be presented to the Municipal
Clerk for inclusion in the agenda of the next immediate formal meeting of
the governing body, and it shall be the duty of the Clerk to examine all bills
or claims submitted for payment in order to ascertain if proper administrative
procedures have been followed. All claims or bills to be considered by the
governing body shall be listed systematically without preference.
Claims shall be considered by the governing body, which shall approve
the same, except that said governing body may reject any claim presented to
it, stating the reason for such rejection. Any disapproved claim shall be
referred back to the Municipal Clerk with such instructions as the governing
body may give at the time of disapproval.
It shall be the duty of the Municipal Clerk to record all claims in
the official minutes or through an appropriate claims register, indicating
that the governing body has by formal action approved the same, with appropriate
record as to any claims disapproved or rejected. All records pertaining to
approved and disapproved bills or claims shall be available for public inspection.
[Amended 5-30-1987 by Ord. No. 87-5]
A. After the Clerk has certified that the claims have been
approved, the Clerk shall turn the same over to the Township Treasurer or
other chief financial officer, who shall forthwith prepare the necessary checks
for the payment thereof. Said checks as drawn on the municipality for disbursement
shall be signed by the Treasurer, chief financial officer and one of the following:
(1) The Mayor, Acting Mayor or Deputy Mayor.
B. The Township Treasurer or chief financial officer shall
then record said checks of disbursements in proper books of account and either
the Treasurer or chief financial officer or Clerk shall mail the checks to
the claimants.