[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Weymouth 2-1-2006 by Ord. No. 439-2006. Amendments noted where applicable.]
There shall be by this Chapter hereby established within the
Township of Weymouth, County of Atlantic, a Veterans' Advisory
Board, which shall serve as an ad hoc advisory board to the Township
Committee for the purposes of keeping the Township Committee informed
of developments regarding veterans, and may respond to any ordinances
introduced by the Township Committee that may have an impact upon
veterans and shall otherwise advise the Township Committee with respect
to pending legislation at the county or state level which may impact
veterans.
A.Â
Meetings. The Veterans' Advisory Board shall meet no less than
eight occasions per year or as often as necessary to discuss matters
of interest to veterans, current and pending Township ordinances,
county or state laws affecting veterans and other issues of interest
to veterans which may have an impact upon the Township as a whole.
The Advisory Board shall report to the Township Committee at least
two times per year or as often as the Advisory Board believes it is
necessary on activities and discussions and provide the Committee
with a summary of the issues it has discussed and the positions it
believes should be advanced on behalf of veterans. The Advisory Board
shall be strictly advisory, and its recommendations, decisions, comments
or other observations shall not be binding in any way on the Township
Committee or any other municipal body, board or agency.
B.Â
Membership and term. The Veterans' Advisory Board shall consist
of seven members who shall be appointed by a majority of the Township
Committee in the following manner and for the following terms:
(1)Â
Currently, the Veterans' Advisory Board consists of seven members
serving three-year terms. Upon the initial establishment of the Board,
three members shall be appointed to a term of three years; three members
shall be appointed to a term of two years; and one member shall be
appointed to a term of one year. Thereafter, each member shall be
appointed to a three-year term. All terms shall expire on December
31 of the appropriate year and shall begin on January 1 of the appropriate
year. The members of the Veterans' Advisory Board shall be residents
of the Township of Weymouth and be certified veterans with a DD-214
record of military service. The members shall choose a Chairman, Vice
Chairman and a Secretary for the Board. The Chairman shall serve as
a liaison between the Board and the Township Committee. The Secretary
shall keep notes of the meeting, which notes shall be deemed to be
the property of the Township. The Chairman shall serve as the spokesperson
for the Board in discussion with the Township Committee. The Chairman
shall vote on all issues before the Advisory Board, and his/her vote
shall be equal to all other members of the Advisory Board.
It is the intent of this chapter that the Veterans' Advisory
Board shall be solely an advisory board consisting of volunteers appointed
by the Township Committee. The Board has a budget approved by the
Township Committee for operating expenses but shall have no additional
authority to expend any public funds. It is the intent of this chapter
that this Board shall be considered a "public body" within the meaning
and intent of the Open Public Meetings Act, N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq.
Accordingly, there shall be the obligation for the Board to provide
advanced notices of its meetings and to otherwise comply with this
Act.
It is expressly intended that the Veterans' Advisory Board
is an ad hoc group to assist the Township Committee in addressing
issues and problems facing veterans. The Board shall be permitted
to communicate with other agencies in order to render suggestions,
opinions and recommendations with regard to veterans but all such
communication should first be directed to the Township Committee for
approval.
