Any person claiming payment from the municipality
shall present a detailed bill of demand (R.S. 40A:5-16) to the Municipal
Clerk, duly certified, or, in the alternative, supported by an affidavit
of the claimant.
It shall be the duty of the Clerk to see that
the signature of the officer or employee, who has been duly designated
by the local unit to certify that the materials have been received
by or the services rendered to the local unit, appears on every claim.
Claims shall then be presented to the chairman
of the committee responsible for the placing of the order, who, if
satisfied the claims are proper, shall approve the same. After such
approval is given, the chairman shall file the claims with the Municipal
Clerk, who shall then present these claims to the governing body for
formal approval at a regular meeting.
Claims shall be considered by the governing
body, which shall approve the same, except that the said governing
body may reject any claim presented to it, stating the reason for
such rejection. Any disapproved claim shall be referred to the Municipal
Clerk with such instructions as the governing body may give at the
time of disapproval.
Claims shall be listed in an appropriate register,
this record to be so captioned that the minute record will clearly
indicate that the claims have been considered by the governing body
and approval has been given thereto.
It shall be the duty of the Municipal Clerk,
or such other officer designated by resolution of the governing body,
to indicate on said claims that they have been approved for payment,
with the date of approval thereof noted on the claim.
After the Clerk has certified that the claims
have been approved, he shall turn the same over to the Treasurer or
other chief financial officer, who shall forthwith prepare the necessary/checks
for the payment thereof, which said checks shall be signed by the
Mayor and the Treasurer or other chief financial officer. After preparing
checks for the payment of claims, he shall record them in proper books
of account and thereafter mail or otherwise distribute the checks
to the claimants.
In the case of payrolls, the appropriate department
heads, or such officer or employee as may be designated by resolution
of the governing body, shall prepare the necessary payrolls for all
employees, which payroll shall be duly certified by the person authorized
to certify that the services have been rendered and the amount specified
is due and owing to the employee or employees. Said payroll shall
then be approved by the department head responsible therefor and presented
to the governing body for approval and, after approval, shall be paid
in due course.
In the case of reimbursement for actual and
necessary traveling expenses, itemized claims supported by receipts
where available should be presented in order to obtain reimbursement
for expenses incurred by local officials where authorized to travel
by the municipality.