City of Burlington, NJ Mayor

The Mayor shall be the Chief executive of the City and shall function as prescribed by the Mayor-Council Plan of the Optional Municipal Charter Law. The Mayor shall:

Enforce the Charter and ordinances of the City and all general laws applicable thereto;

Report annually to the Common Council and to the public on the state of the City and the work of the previous year; and shall also recommend to the Common Council whatever action or programs (s)he deems necessary for the improvement of the City and the welfare of its residents;

Supervise, direct and control all departments of the City government and shall require each department to make annual and such other reports of its work as (s)he may deem desirable, except the City Clerk and staff;

Require such reports and examine such accounts, records and operations of any board, commission or other agency of City government as (s)he deems necessary;

Prepare and submit to the Council for its consideration and adoption an annual operating budget, capital budget and utilities budget, establish the schedules and procedures to be followed by all City departments, offices and agencies in connection therewith; and supervise and administer all phases of the budgetary process;

Supervise the care and custody of all City property, institutions and agencies, and make recommendations concerning the nature and location of City improvements and execute improvements determined by the Council;

Sign all contracts, bonds or other instruments requiring the consent of the City;

Review, analyze and forecast trends of City services and finances and programs of all boards, commissions, agencies and other City bodies, and report and recommend thereon to the Common Council;

Supervise the development, installation and maintenance of centralized budgeting, personnel and purchasing procedures as may be authorized by ordinance;

Negotiate contracts for the City, subject to Council approval;

Assure that all terms and conditions imposed in favor of the City or its inhabitants in any statute, franchise or other contract are faithfully kept and performed;

Serve as an ex officio nonvoting member of all appointive bodies in City government of which (s)he is not an official voting member;

May attend meetings of the Common Council and may take part in discussions of Council, but shall have no vote, except in the case of a tie on the question of filling a vacancy in the Common Council, in which case (s)he may cast the deciding vote. The Mayor may also call a special meeting of the Common Council in accordance with the provisions of the Charter;

Approve or veto ordinances of the Common Council.

The Mayor shall designate the Business Administrator, any department head or the Municipal Clerk to act as Mayor whenever the Mayor shall be prevented by absence from the City, disability or other cause from attending to the duties of his/her office. During such time, the person so designated by the Mayor shall possess all the rights, powers and duties of Mayor. Upon appointment of an Acting Mayor, the Mayor shall so notify the Municipal Clerk and the President of the Common Council. Whenever the Mayor shall have been unable to attend the duties of his/her office for a period of 60 consecutive days for any of the above-stated reasons, an acting Mayor shall be appointed by the Council, who shall succeed to all the rights, powers and duties of the Mayor, or the then Acting Mayor, pending election of a successor.

At the annual reorganization the Mayor shall designate in writing, which writing shall be provided to the Municipal Clerk, the list of municipal officials who may serve as Acting Mayor. The position of Acting Mayor shall be held by the official then present whose position is highest on the list.