Township of West Windsor, NJ Article IV Township Clerk

§ 4-17 Appointment.

A. The Council shall appoint a Township Clerk, who shall serve as Clerk of the Council. The Township Clerk shall prior to appointment have been qualified by training or experience to perform the duties of the office. The Township Clerk shall devote full time to the duties of the office. The Township Clerk shall serve until appointment or qualification of a successor.

B. The Council may appoint a Deputy Township Clerk, who shall serve during the absence or disability of the Township Clerk and shall prior to appointment have been qualified by training or experience to perform the duties of the office.

§ 4-18 Powers and duties.

The Township Clerk or, during the absence or disability of the Township Clerk, the Deputy Township Clerk shall have but not be limited to the following powers and duties:

A. Act as Secretary of the municipal corporation and custodian of the Municipal Seal and of all minutes, books, deeds, bonds, contracts and archival records of the municipal corporation, except those records which the Council may provide, by ordinance, that any other officer shall have custody of, or any other specific class of records.

[Amended 5-13-1996 by Ord. No. 96-10]

B. Act as Secretary to the Council, prepare meeting agendas at the discretion of the Council, be present at all meetings of the Council, keep a journal of the proceedings of every meeting, retain the original copies of all ordinances and resolutions and record the minutes of every meeting.

C. Serve as the chief administrative officer in all elections held in the municipality, subject to the requirements of Title 19 of the New Jersey Statutes Annotated.

D. Serve as chief registrar of the voters in the Township, subject to the requirements of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes.

E. Serve as the administrative officer responsible for the acceptance of applications for licenses and permits and the issuance of licenses and permits, except where statute or municipal ordinance has delegated that responsibility to some other municipal officer.

F. Serve as coordinator and records manager responsible for implementing local archives and records retention programs as mandated pursuant to Title 47 of the New Jersey Statutes Annotated.

G. Perform such other duties as are now hereafter imposed by statute, regulation or by municipal ordinance or regulation.

H. Be the depository for and custodian of all performance bonds running to the Township as obligee or any other form of security given by a contractor, subdivision developer or other person on account of work done or to be done in or for the Township.

I. Serve as the Assessment Search Officer.

J. Number all ordinances and resolutions consecutively. At the close of each year, with the advice and assistance of the Township Attorney, the Township Clerk shall bind, compile or codify all ordinances and resolutions or true copies thereof of the municipality which then remain in force and effect. The Township Clerk shall also properly index the record books, compilation or codification of ordinances and resolutions.

§ 4-19 Public records; inspection by public; fees and service charges.

Public records of the Township shall be open for inspection by members of the public as provided by N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. Such inspection shall be made only during business hours and only upon the availability of the Township Clerk or designee. All requests for public records shall be made, in writing, to the Township Clerk or other officer of the Township who may be authorized to have custody of the records. All fees and service charges shall be paid to the Division of Finance, which shall issue a receipt therefor. The fees for services shall be set by ordinance of Council unless otherwise prescribed by law.