[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Sea Bright 12-18-2001 by Ord. No. 18-01. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Administrative Code of the Borough of Sea Bright" and is hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "rules" or the "code." These rules are established to work in conjunction and compliance with law as set forth in state statutes, and such law is not necessarily restated herein.
The Borough of Sea Bright is governed by the Borough form of government, as adopted pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:60-1 et seq.
The Borough shall be governed by six Council members elected at large, a Mayor elected at large and such other officers as shall be appointed pursuant to this code, law or ordinance. The Mayor and Council shall possess all powers granted or permissible under the laws of the State of New Jersey. The Mayor and Council members must reside permanently in the Borough of Sea Bright and shall comply with ordinances and laws of the State of New Jersey.
A. 
The Council shall consist of six members elected at large by the voters of Sea Bright and shall each serve a term of three years, beginning on reorganization day in January next following his/her election.
B. 
Legislative power. The legislative power of the Borough shall be exercised by the Council except as may be otherwise prescribed by state statute. The Mayor may participate in discussion but will vote only in the case of a tie or when providing the fourth vote as part of a quorum. A majority of the whole number of the governing body shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
A. 
The Mayor shall be elected at large by the voters of Sea Bright and shall serve a term of four years, beginning on reorganization day in January next following his/her election. The Mayor, as the presiding officer, shall hold all powers and duties in accordance with the law and shall exercise executive power of the Borough. It shall be the duty of the Mayor to see that all laws and ordinances within the Borough are duly observed. The Mayor shall address the Council and report to residents annually on the condition of the Borough and at such other times as he/she may deem necessary.
B. 
Appointment power. The Mayor shall appoint, with the confirmation of Council, an Assessor, a Tax Collector, an Attorney, a Prosecutor and Alternate Prosecutor, a Clerk, a Chief Financial Officer and such other officers as may be required by law. The Mayor also shall appoint, with confirmation of Council, all officers and employees whose appointment or election is not otherwise provided for by law or by this code. Whenever required to make such an appointment, the Mayor shall nominate and, with the confirmation of Council, appoint appropriate personnel, including the filling of vacancies. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired term only, and the Mayor shall make such nomination within 30 days after the office becomes vacant. If the Mayor fails to nominate an individual within said 30 days, at the expiration of the 30 days the Council shall appoint the officers. Such Council appointments shall require four affirmative votes from the members of Council present at the meeting. If the Council fails to confirm any nomination made by the Mayor and requiring Council confirmation, then, after the expiration of 30 days from the day of nomination, the Council shall appoint the officers. Such Council appointments shall require four affirmative votes from the members of Council present at the meeting.
C. 
Other duties. The Mayor also shall preside at all meetings of the Council; state the question and announce the result on all matters on which the Council will vote; rule on all questions of order subject to appeal by and to the Council; sign all ordinances adopted in his/her presence; appoint, with Council confirmation, special Council task forces to carry out the work of the governing body; keep the Council President fully informed on all issues to ensure adequate communication with the entire governing body; duly notify the Clerk and Council President of intended absences from the jurisdiction (as defined by statute); and shall have such other functions, powers and duties as the Council and law may prescribe.
On each reorganization day, the Council will elect from among itself a President, to serve a one-year term. No individual will serve for more than three years consecutively. The Council President shall hold all powers and duties in accordance with the law; shall keep the Mayor fully informed on all issues to ensure adequate communication with the entire governing body; shall facilitate the annual organization of standing Council committees and present such Committees for confirmation on reorganization day; shall provide final approval of each meeting agenda throughout the year; and shall sign all ordinances adopted in his/her presence when serving as presiding officer.
The governing body shall accomplish the work of the government through three specific categories of committees:
A. 
Standing Council committees. Six committees, as presented by the Council President and confirmed by Council on each reorganization day, shall oversee policy and procedure in all major departments of the municipality. Each Council member will serve on three committees, holding the position of Chairperson for one committee, the position of second to Chairperson on another, and the position of third to Chairperson on the third committee. In addition to other responsibilities set forth in this chapter and to working with appropriate municipal department heads and employees, committee Chairpersons will fulfill duties as prescribed in the Borough financial policies and procedures, will adhere to Borough ordinances and law, will hold regular committee meetings to ensure effective Council communication and officially will report at the second regular monthly meeting of Council on recent committee activities.
B. 
Mayor's blue ribbon committees. The Mayor, with confirmation of Council, may appoint as many as three "blue ribbon" committees annually to serve for a period, to be designated at the time the committee is created, of not less than two months and not more than nine months, to focus special attention to specific issues not otherwise included among standing Council committee responsibilities. Such committees will consist of three governing body members, including a Chairperson. Official reports of the blue ribbon committees will be made by the Chairperson on an as-needed basis and will appear as regular agenda items for discussion and action.
C. 
Community advisory committees. The governing body may appoint community advisory committees to assist in those aspects of government that require community involvement. Such committees will consist of not more than nine members and one Council liaison. If a particular community committee falls under the auspices of a standing Council committee, that Council Chairperson will serve as liaison. Otherwise, the governing body will appoint a Council liaison. Members of community advisory committees shall consist of Borough of Sea Bright employees, as well as Sea Bright residents, property owners, or business owners and/or business managers in Sea Bright. Each committee will elect its Chairperson. The Council liaison will provide official reports of committee activity to Council as specific agenda items and on an as-needed basis and will oversee committee compliance with the legal and financial aspects of the municipal government.
[Amended 2-3-2004 by Ord. No. 2-2004; 9-6-2005 by Ord. No. 18-2005]
A. 
The Municipal Clerk shall serve as Clerk of the governing body, with all responsibilities as prescribed by law. In the absence of the Clerk, the governing body shall appoint a Clerk Pro Tempore as set forth in § 3-5B.
B. 
The Borough Clerk shall serve as the custodian of government records in accordance with the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:lA-l et seq. The custodian shall be responsible for compliance with the Open Public Records Act and shall establish a policy and develop and maintain forms relating to public access to government records in accordance with the Open Public Records Act. The custodian shall also serve as coordinator and records manager responsible for implementing local archives and records retention programs mandated by law.
[Added 5-18-2004 by Ord. No. 12-2004]
[Added 5-18-2004 by Ord. No. 12-2004]
A. 
Whenever the nature, format, matter of collation or volume of a government record embodied in the form of printed matter to be inspected, examined or copied pursuant to the Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:lA-1 et seq. is such that the record cannot be reproduced by ordinary document copying equipment in the ordinary business size or involves an extraordinary expenditure of time and effort to accommodate the request, the Borough may charge, in addition to the actual cost of duplicating the record, a special service charge that shall be reasonable and shall be based upon the actual direct cost of providing the copy or copies.
B. 
A special service charge may be assessed for providing copies of documents and/or for providing access to documents for inspection purposes, provided that the custodian of records determines that the Borough does not have the capability to satisfy the request and/or the request involves an extraordinary expenditure of time and effort on behalf of the custodian of records and/or the staff or agents of the Borough in order to accommodate the request. For the purposes of this section, the term “extraordinary” shall be construed to mean that which is beyond what is common or usual, and shall be determined on a case-by-case basis.
C. 
The special service charge shall be the direct cost incurred in reproducing the requested government records(s).
D. 
The custodian may arrange for duplication of government records by outside sources where the Borough does not have the capabilities to satisfy the request in-house. In such circumstances, the custodian may utilize informal bidding techniques and shall endeavor to find the least expensive means to accommodate this request.
E. 
Government records shall be provided in the medium requested based upon the Borough’s capabilities. If the Borough does not have the ability to supply a public record in the medium requested, the custodian of records shall either convert the record to the medium requested or provide a copy in some other meaningful medium. If a request is for a record in a medium not routinely used by the Borough, not routinely developed or maintained by the Borough or requiring a substantial amount of manipulation or programming of information technology, the Borough shall impose a special service charge in addition to the actual cost of duplication. The special service charge shall be reasonable and shall be based upon the cost for any extensive use of information technology or for the labor cost of personnel providing the service that is actually incurred by the Borough or attributable to the Borough for the programming or clerical and supervisory assistance required, or both. The custodian shall not be required to satisfy a request through any medium that would render harm, violate any licensing agreements or jeopardize the security of any computer hardware or software and shall find other acceptable mediums to satisfy a request.
F. 
The special service charge may also include the direct cost(s) associated in providing access to record(s) for inspection purposes. Such costs shall be determined by the custodian of records based upon the actual time and effort incurred by Borough staff and/or agents best suited to reply to the request. The charge may include the hourly wage rates of staff and/or agents involved in all tasks related to accommodating the request, multiplied by the total number of hours spent by such staff or agents. The charge may also include reasonable costs attributable to supervisory work where participation by supervisory personnel is required in order to accommodate the request.
G. 
In all cases, the custodian shall endeavor to utilize the least expensive means to accommodate a request for access to government records, and the custodian shall provide the requestor with an opportunity to review and object to any special service charge prior to it being incurred.
H. 
A deposit of 50% of the estimated cost to satisfy a special service charge shall be required in advance. The. requestor shall be responsible for paying the remainder at the time that the public record(s) and/or services are provided.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 18-2016]
An agenda for each meeting of the Council shall be prepared by the Clerk in consultation with the Council President and shall provide the specific order of business and action for that particular meeting.
A. 
Preparation. The Municipal Clerk will accept agenda items only as submitted by the Mayor, Council President, Chief Financial Officer, Municipal Attorney, Municipal Administrator or the appropriate Chairpersons of standing Council committees. The Municipal Clerk will not accept agenda items or supporting materials after the deadline(s) established in this chapter.
B. 
Deadlines and delivery. The agenda shall be completed no later than 12:00 noon on the Friday preceding the regular Tuesday meeting of Council. In the event of official Borough closings, the Municipal Clerk shall establish an alternate agenda deadline and shall provide the governing body adequate notice of such changes. A tentative agenda will appear on the municipal website no later than 4:30 p.m. on or before that Friday. The agenda and support materials, known as the "packet," shall be provided to the Police Department by 4:30 p.m. on or before the Friday preceding the regular Tuesday meeting and shall be hand delivered to the governing body.
C. 
Urgent additions. The Clerk may accept additional items or any supporting materials to the published agenda only from the Municipal Administrator, Municipal Attorney, Chief Financial Officer and/or as approved by both the Mayor and Council President. Such items and/or documentations must appear on a revised agenda no later than 12:00 noon on the day of a Council meeting.
[Amended 2-15-2011 by Ord. No. 3-2011; 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 18-2016; 2-20-2024 by Ord. No. 01-2024]
There shall be one regular meeting of the Council and one workshop meeting each month and adequate notice will be provided according to law. A recessed meeting shall be considered a continuation of a preceding meeting, and the business of the Council shall resume where it was last acted upon. Special meetings can be called by the Mayor or Council and when necessary and adequate notice will be provided according to law. An annual re-organization meeting, known as "re-organization day," will be held on the first Saturday following January 1.
A. 
Time limits. Meetings of the Council will be limited to 2.5 hours of duration, including executive session deliberations. Extension of that time limit can be made only through a motion and majority vote of Council.
B. 
Order of business. The agenda, executed in compliance with Roberts Rules of Order under the authority of the Mayor or other presiding officer, will dictate the order of business for each meeting of Council. The agenda regularly will include approval of minutes, ordinances, resolutions, old business items and new business items. Each regular meeting of Council will include sections entitled "Remarks from the Public" and "Mayor's Report." The second regular meeting of each month will include a section entitled "Standing Committee Reports."
C. 
Consent agenda. The Clerk, at his/her discretion, may submit a "consent agenda," which compiles routine action items into one motion for adoption. Consent agenda items cannot be added after the primary agenda deadline. Before adopting the consent agenda, any Council member may remove an included item for separate action. Personnel appointments and new nonbudget expenditures will not be included on the consent agenda.
D. 
Action and discussion. The Mayor or other presiding officer will not allow discussion of or action on items not on the agenda. Neither standing Council committee reports nor the Mayor's report will include items requiring Council action unless previously submitted to the agenda.
E. 
Statements by members of the public.
(1) 
Three minutes is a reasonable amount of time for individual members of the public to address the governing body of the Borough of Sea Bright; and
(2) 
Limiting the time to address the governing body of the Borough of Sea Bright to three minutes will provide more members of the public with a greater opportunity to address the Mayor and Council; and
(3) 
The Mayor or Acting Mayor will maintain discretion in allowing members of the public to exceed the three-minute time limit; and
(4) 
Upon recognition by the Mayor or Acting Mayor, the person shall proceed to the floor and give his/her name and address for the record. The person shall address statements to the Mayor and Council as a body and not to any member, employee, or professional unless permitted by the Mayor or Acting Mayor. A Council member shall not direct any question to a speaker addressing the governing body unless permitted by the Mayor or Acting Mayor.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 3-11, Borough bulletin, which immediately followed this section, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
[Added 10-19-2010 by Ord. No. 24-2010]
A. 
Purpose. The purpose of the within section is to adopt a policy establishing a lower absentee threshold than that established in N.J.S.A. 40A:9-12.1. The governing body believes that the hereinafter-established absentee policy will help the Council, boards, committees, and authorities to better function and perform their duties.
B. 
Absentee policy established. In the event that an elected official or member of a board, committee, or authority established within the Borough of Sea Bright fails to attend and participate at meetings of such body for a period of six consecutive weeks, or three consecutive meetings, whichever shall be of a longer duration, without being excused for just cause, the Municipal Clerk or Secretary of said body shall notify the governing body, in writing, of that determination. Said Council, board, committee or authority may refuse to excuse said absences only with respect to those failures to attend or participate which are not due to just cause.
C. 
The governing body, upon being presented with the above determination, shall deem said position vacant and proceed to fill said appointment for the unexpired term in accordance with the appropriate statute.
[Added 10-19-2010 by Ord. No. 25-2010]
A. 
The Borough of Sea Bright hereby establishes a policy whereby elected officials shall be required to attend courses and seminars in regard to their responsibilities and duties in local governments.
B. 
Such courses and seminars are those that are offered by agencies and organizations with an interest in furthering education in municipal government including, but not limited to, the New Jersey League of Municipalities, Rutgers University, and the New Jersey Mayors Association.
[Added 9-1-2020 by Ord. No. 8-2020]
A. 
Annual stipends for the Mayor, Council President and other members of the Borough Council shall be established in the Salary Ordinance[1] and shall be set by resolution of the Borough Council.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Salary Ordinance is on file in the Borough offices; see Ch. 45, Salaries and Compensation.
B. 
This section shall apply only to those officials of the Borough elected to terms commencing on or after January 1, 2021, or appointed to fill vacancies thereafter.