There shall be a Department of Administration
and Finance, and the Director of this Department shall be the Business
Administrator. The Business Administrator may designate a member of
this Department as Assistant Administrator to act for and in place
of the Business Administrator in his absence.
A.
Bills, claims and demands against the municipality
shall be deemed approved or disapproved in accordance with the procedure
prescribed in this section. A voucher on a form prescribed by the
Administrator shall be presented for each bill, claim or demand and
shall be paid only upon the audit, warrant and approval of the Administrator.
Disbursement shall be made by a combination warrant - bank check or
draft warranted and signed by the Chief Financial Officer and Township
Clerk. Should either the Chief Financial Officer or Township Clerk
be unavailable to sign a disbursement check, the Mayor is authorized
to be the second signature authorization. Payroll checks may be signed
by the Chief Financial Officer alone upon voucher and warrant of the
Administrator for total payroll.
[Amended 10-2-1991 by Ord. No. 1991-31]
B.
Signatures and countersignatures may be subscribed
to a bank check or a warrant check either manually or mechanically
or by a combination of such means, as the Administrator shall prescribe
or approve in writing filed in the office of the Clerk.
C.
The Chief Financial Officer shall prepare a list of
all bills, claims and vouchers scheduled for payment for review and
approval of the Township Council at its regular meetings. Prior to
submitting a bill list to Township Council, the list shall be reviewed
and approved by the Business Administrator. All bills scheduled for
payment must be submitted and approved by the Business Administrator
no later than seven working days prior to the meeting. The bill list
shall be prepared in sufficient quantity for each member of Council,
the Mayor and Business Administrator, and at least one copy shall
be filed with the Clerk as a public record, open to examination in
his/her office. Bills, claims and demands may be approved for payment,
when necessary, between regular Council meetings, provided that three
Township Council members sign the voucher form, and further provided
that all other payment procedures above are followed.
[Amended 10-2-1991 by Ord. No. 1991-31]
[Amended 10-4-1989 by Ord. No. 1989-24]
The Mayor, with the advice and consent of the
Council, shall appoint the official tax search officer, who shall
be authorized to make examinations and issue official tax search certificates
with respect to liens for the municipal taxes and other charges which
have the effect of a tax lien. The tax search officer shall serve
during the term of office of the Mayor appointing him and until the
appointment and qualification of his successor.
All receipts of the municipality and any department
thereof shall be deposited in authorized depositories, to be designated
by resolution of the Council, and such deposits shall be made in such
accounts and upon such procedure as shall be approved or directed
by the Business Administrator.
There shall be a Division of Administration,
the Director of which shall be the Business Administrator, who shall
perform the following duties:
A.
Prescribe uniform forms and procedures for budget
preparation by all departments.
B.
Develop and administer the municipality's personnel
program, including preparation of pay plans, recruitment of needed
personnel, in-service training programs and a complete system of personnel
records.
C.
Review and analyze budget requests and assist in preparation
of the budget document.
D.
Have, exercise and discharge the functions, powers
and duties of centralized purchasing as hereinafter provided.
E.
Coordinate the processes of appointment and removal
of municipal employees within the various departments and, to this
end, review and approve all proposed appointments and discharges of
personnel prior to any such action by a department, as well as maintaining
an orderly system for the consideration, review and adjustment of
employee grievances.
There shall be a Division of Accounts and Control,
the head of which shall be the Business Administrator. His duties
shall be to:
A.
Prescribe and approve all financial systems and procedures
and install uniform charts of accounts.
B.
Make revenue and expenditure estimates for the Mayor.
C.
Maintain the central accounts and records.
D.
Control all expenditures within the limits of appropriations
through an encumbrance system of budget operation.
E.
Preaudit bills and claims.
F.
Prepare warrant checks for the signature of the Treasurer.
G.
Review and approve payrolls for certification by civil
service and payment by the Treasurer.
There shall be a Division of Revenue, which
shall consist of the Bureau of Assessments and the Bureau of Collections.
A.
[1]Bureau of Assessments. There shall be a Bureau of Assessments,
the head of which shall be the Tax Assessor, whose duties shall be
as provided below. The single, full-time Tax Assessor for the taxing
district of the Township of Florence shall perform the following duties:
(1)
All powers and duties prescribed by law for a Municipal
Tax Assessor.
(2)
To make assessments for the benefit of local improvements
and, for that purpose, have and exercise the powers and duties prescribed
by law.
(3)
To maintain adequate assessment records for each separate
parcel of real property assessed or exempted and establish and maintain
such files, records and procedures as may be required for the valuation
and assessment of said property pursuant to law.
(4)
Maintain a current Tax Map of the municipality as
a public record and cause to be recorded thereon all changes in ownership
or character of real property assessed, employing for the purpose
the facilities of other departments as provided by the Administrative
Code of the Township of Florence.
B.
Bureau of Collections. There shall be a Bureau of
Collections, the head of which shall be the Tax Collector, whose duties
shall be as follows:
(1)
To perform the functions of a Collector of Taxes under
general law, including, without limitation thereto, the rendering
of bills for property taxes pursuant to law, enforcement of tax collections
by tax sales and otherwise and the maintenance of tax accounting records
in such manner as may be prescribed or approved pursuant to the Charter
and code.
(2)
To receive and collect all current and delinquent
real and personal property taxes and municipal fees and charges and
receive penalties and interest pursuant to law.
(3)
To make or cause to be made and certify searches for
tax and other liens on real property as may be authorized by law and
charge and collect for the use of the municipality the fee required
pursuant to law for any such search.
(4)
To receive funds entrusted to or under the control
of any department and deposit all funds received by it in depositories
authorized by the Council.
(5)
To perform the functions of the Collector of the amounts
due through the Water and Sewer Department, including, without limitation
thereto, the rendering of bills, enforcement of collections and municipal
liens as provided by law and the maintenance of accounting records
in such manner as may be prescribed or approved pursuant to the law.
[Added 12-4-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-34]
[Amended 2-21-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-1]
A.
There shall be a Division of Law, the head of which
shall be the Solicitor (Township Attorney). The Township Solicitor
shall be appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the Council. The
Township Solicitor shall be an attorney at law of New Jersey, but
need not be a resident of the Township. The Township Solicitor may
be an employee of the Township with the compensation as authorized
by ordinance or may be compensated in accordance with a professional
services agreement.
B.
The Township Solicitor shall have all powers and perform
all duties as are provided for the office of Township Solicitor by
general law or ordinances of the Township. The Township Solicitor
shall represent the Township in all judicial and administrative proceedings
in which the Township or any of its officers or agencies may be a
party or have an interest. In furtherance of the general powers and
duties, both without limitation thereto, the Township Solicitor shall:
(1)
Provide legal advice and assistance to the Mayor and
Council and to all other departments and prosecute and defend actions
and proceedings by and against the municipality.
(2)
Draft ordinances and resolutions and advise as to
their form and sufficiency prior to passage.
(3)
Review and approve all contracts, deeds, documents
and instruments prior to the execution thereof by or on behalf of
the municipality.
(4)
Conduct appeals from orders, decisions or judgments
affecting any interest in the municipality as he may, in his discretion,
determine to be necessary or desirable or as directed by the Mayor
or Council.
(5)
Subject to the approval of the Mayor or Council, have
power to enter into any agreement, compromise or settlement of any
litigation in which the municipality is involved, provided that this
subsection shall not operate to limit or abridge the discretion of
the Solicitor handling any matter in regard to the proper conduct
of any trial, action or proceeding or deprive him of the powers and
privileges ordinarily exercised in judicial proceedings by counsel
acting for private clients.
(6)
Render opinions, in writing, upon any question of
law submitted to him by the Mayor, the Council, the Business Administrator
or the head of any department with respect to their official powers
and duties.
(7)
Maintain a record of all actions, suits, proceedings
and matters which relate to the municipality's interest and report
thereon from time to time as the Mayor or Council may require.
(8)
When designated by the Mayor or Council, conduct prosecutions
for crimes and offenses recognizable by the Florence Township Municipal
Court, including violations of ordinances of the municipality, complaints
of any department under state law and for violations of rules or regulations
duly promulgated by any department.
(9)
Appoint special counsel to assist in the preparation,
trial or argument of such legal matters or proceedings as he may determine
whenever he deems the interests of the municipality so require, subject
to the approval of the Mayor and within the limits of available appropriations.
C.
Township Prosecutor. There is hereby created within
the Division of Law the office of Township Prosecutor. For the purposes
of prosecuting violations of ordinances, the Township Prosecutor is
hereby designated as an Assistant Township Solicitor. The Township
Prosecutor shall be an attorney at law of the State of New Jersey
who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the Council.
The term of the Township Prosecutor shall begin on the first day of
January of the year of appointment and shall continue for a period
of one year or until a successor has been appointed and qualified.
The Township Prosecutor shall prosecute on behalf of the state or
the Township any case to be tried before the Municipal Court whenever
requested to do so by the Judge, the Mayor, the Business Administrator,
the Township Solicitor or the Chief of Police and shall assume any
and all duties as may from time to time be assigned to the office
of Township Prosecutor by charter, administrative code, police power
or rule or regulation. The Township Prosecutor may be an employee
of the Township with the compensation as authorized by ordinance or
may be compensated in accordance with a professional services agreement.
D.
Substitute prosecutor. There is hereby created within
the Division of Law, for administrative purposes, a Substitute Prosecutor
who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the Council
for a term of one year. The Substitute Prosecutor shall receive the
compensation as shall be provided by ordinance. The Substitute Prosecutor
shall be an attorney at law of the State of New Jersey and shall serve
as Prosecutor in any matter assigned by the Township Prosecutor where
there would be a conflict of interest for the Township Prosecutor
to handle the matter or where the Township Prosecutor is not available
to handle the matter personally.
E.
Public defender. There is hereby created within the
Division of Law, for administrative purposes, but independent from
the Division of Law, a Township Public Defender who shall be appointed
by the Mayor for a term of one year. The Township Public Defender
shall receive the compensation as shall be provided by ordinance or
by professional services agreement. The Township Public Defender shall
be an attorney at law of the State of New Jersey and shall represent
those defendants appearing in Municipal Court who are determined by
the Court to be indigent and whose representation is assigned to the
Township Public Defender by the Court.
F.
All papers, documents, memoranda, reports and other
materials relating to the administration of the Division of Law shall
be and remain the property of the municipality. Upon the termination
of his service with the municipality, each legal officer shall forthwith
surrender to his successor all such property, together with a written
consent to substitution of his successor in all legal actions and
proceedings then pending to which the municipality is a party.
There shall be a Division of Planning and Development,
which shall be comprised of the Planning Board and Board of Adjustment.
A.
Planning Board. The Planning Board constituted and
empowered pursuant to law is allocated and assigned within the Division
of Planning and Development.[1] The Board shall:
(1)
Have, exercise and discharge the functions, powers
and duties of a Planning Board under general law and ordinances.
(2)
Study and review plans, programs or projects with
respect to all matters related to planning and development of the
municipality, the regulation of land use, rehabilitation of housing,
conservation of neighborhoods, urban renewal and redevelopment.
(3)
Study and report to the Council with respect to plans,
programs and projects which may be referred to it by the Council and
submit such report within such time as the Council may prescribe.
(4)
Receive and consider findings and recommendations
of the Division of Engineering with respect to subdivision applications
as hereinafter provided.
(5)
Receive and consider findings and recommendations
with respect to subdivision applications.
(6)
Conduct continuous studies and collect statistical
and other data to serve as the basis for planning recommendations.
(7)
Conduct studies and prepare materials for a Master
Plan or general plan of development for the municipality, including
such elements as may be authorized by law.
(8)
Prepare and adopt a Master Plan or general plan of
development for the municipality, including such elements as may be
authorized by law.
(9)
Be official custodian of the legally established maps
of the municipality, including, without limitation thereto, the Official
Map, Zoning Map and Election Map, as established, changed or amended
from time to time pursuant to law, except that this shall not include
the Tax Map.
B.
Board of Adjustment. For purposes of the budget, personnel
and purchasing, the Board of Adjustment is allocated and assigned
within the Division of Planning and Development. The Board shall designate
and appoint one of its members as Secretary. The Board of Adjustment
shall, with the assistance of the Construction Code Official, administer
and enforce the Housing Codes, Plumbing and Electrical Codes, the
Zoning Ordinance and programs for neighborhood conservation, improvement
and rehabilitation.
[Amended 12-1-1993 by Ord. No. 1993-32]
[Amended 12-4-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-33]
A.
There shall be a Division of Engineering which shall:
(1)
Provide all staff engineering, including engineering
for water and sewer facilities and general municipal engineering and
land surveying services.
(2)
Prepare, maintain and preserve maps, charts and records
of roads, utilities, public buildings and structures and all public
facilities owned or operated by the municipality.
(3)
Prepare, review and approve specifications for public
works contracts, supervise and inspect the execution of such contracts
and certify the satisfactory completion of work to authorize progress
payments pursuant to contract.
(4)
Examine proposed preliminary and final subdivision
plats, review them for conformity with the municipal Subdivision Ordinance[1] and other land use requirements and advise the Planning
Board as to such matters and inspect and approve all installations
made in accordance with the requirements of the Planning Board prior
to the acceptance of any street or the release of any security related
to a subdivision approval, and the Planning Board shall not act on
any subdivision application unless and until the findings and recommendations
of the Division of Engineering have been submitted to the Board and
made a part of its public record.
(5)
Maintain a Tax Map for the Tax Assessor in a current
status and properly record thereon all changes of ownership and information
provided pursuant to law.
(6)
Inspect and control the maintenance of all municipal
buildings and structures and establish uniform standards for the protection
and preservation of such public property.
B.
Township Engineer. Within the Division of Engineering
there shall be the Township Engineer, who shall be appointed by the
Mayor as provided by law and who shall be compensated for all regular
services as provided by the salary ordinance of the Township. The
Township Engineer shall be a duly licensed professional engineer of
the State of New Jersey and shall perform those duties as are prescribed
by general law and ordinance and as may be assigned to the Township
Engineer.
There shall be a Division of Health and Welfare,
which shall be known as the "Board of Health" and which shall consist
of the Mayor, members of Council, the Business Administrator, the
Registrar of Vital Statistics, the Township Welfare Officer, the Township
Dog Warden and such other assistants and deputies as the Council may
otherwise provide by ordinance. The duties of the Division of Health
and Welfare shall be as follows:
A.
To administer and enforce the local health ordinances
with the assistance of the Burlington County Board of Health.
B.
To maintain and administer records of vital statistics,
including births, deaths and marriages, in accordance with state law
and issue marriage licenses pursuant to law.
C.
To administer laws and ordinances relating to relief
of the needy, including the furnishing of all forms of public assistance
to needy persons who are eligible for assistance provided by law through
county and state agencies.
D.
To cooperate with other public agencies and institutions
and with voluntary institutions in the certification of medically
indigent patients for care and treatment.
E.
To perform such other functions and duties as the
head of the department may from time to time require or deem necessary.
