[HISTORY: Derived from Ch. II, Sec. 2-24, of the General Ordinances
of the Borough of Fort Lee, 1978, adopted 3-1-1979. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Chief Financial Officer — See Ch. 18.
Any person claiming payment from the Borough of Fort Lee shall first
submit a detailed statement of the items or demand necessitating such claim
to the designated borough department, specifying particularly how the bill
or demand is made up, and a certification of the party claiming payment that
it is correct.
All vouchers or claims for payment shall be reviewed by the Purchasing
Agent in order to determine that the claims, bills or vouchers are in order
and are properly coded.
After the Purchasing Agent has approved the voucher or claim, it shall
be forwarded to the certifying officer who shall ascertain the existence of
proper and efficient appropriations, who shall verify the fact that the goods
have been received by or the services rendered to the borough and who shall
determine that there is legal authority for payment.
No bill, claim or demand shall be paid unless the voucher has attached
to it (or includes) a certification from a borough department head, having
personal knowledge of the fact that the goods have been received by or the
services rendered to the Borough of Fort Lee.
The bill or claim duly certified shall be presented to the Municipal
Clerk for inclusion in the proceedings of a formal meeting of the governing
body at which bills are paid, and it shall be the duty of the Clerk to examine
all bills or claims submitted for payment in order to ascertain if proper
administrative procedures have been followed. All claims or bills to be considered
by the governing body shall be listed systematically and without preference,
and such list shall be made available to every member of the governing body
prior to formal action by that body.
Claims shall be considered by the Council which shall approve the same,
except that the governing body may reject any claim presented to it, stating
the reason for such rejection. Any disapproved claim shall be referred back
to the Municipal Clerk with such instructions as the governing body may give
at the time of disapproval.
It shall be the duty of the Municipal Clerk to record all claims in
the official minutes or through an appropriate claims register indicating
that the governing body has by formal action approved the same with appropriate
records as to any claims disapproved or rejected. All records pertaining to
approved or disapproved bills or claims shall be available for public inspection.
The Director of Finance/Treasurer shall make disbursements upon receipt
of an order by the Borough Council, attested by the Borough Clerk. In the
event that the Mayor vetoes the payment of any claims or bills, the Director
of Finance/Treasurer may be authorized to make payment by a vote of the Borough
Council whereby at least 2/3 of all the Councilmen vote to override such veto
of any claim or bill.
After the Clerk has certified that the claims have been approved, she
shall turn the same over to the Director of Finance/Treasurer, who shall forthwith
prepare the necessary checks for the payment thereof, which checks shall be
signed by the Mayor and thereafter signed by the Director of Finance/Treasurer.
After preparing checks for the payment of claims, the Director of Finance/Treasurer
shall record them in proper books of account and thereafter forward the checks
to the claimants.
The Borough Administrator is hereby designated as the certifying and
approval officer.
The aforesaid provisions of this section are made pursuant to the provisions
of N.J.S.A. 40A:5-16 through 40A:5-18, 40:87-50 and 40:87-51.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: N.J.S.A. 40:87-50 and 40:87-51 were repealed by L.
1987, c. 379, effective 1-1-1988.
A.
The Director of Finance/Treasurer may pay the following
specified claims when due, prior to submission and approval of the Mayor and
Council:
(1)
Payments to recipients of public assistance.
(2)
Net payroll master check.
(3)
Social security contribution (withholding and borough
contribution).
(4)
Federal income tax withholding.
(5)
State income tax withholding.
(6)
Employee hospitalization premiums.
(7)
School and county taxes.
(8)
Investment purchases.
(9)
Contributions to the various pension funds, withholding
and borough share.
(10)
State unemployment insurance premium payments.
(11)
Disbursements authorized by separate prior resolutions
of the governing body such as refunds of overpayment of taxes.
(12)
Replacement of voided checks.
(13)
Special emergency requirements to avoid loss to borough
such as loss of discounts, application of penalties or lapses of insurance
policies.
B.
With respect to all such claims set forth in subsection
2-24.12 above, all other safeguards and prerequisites for payment of claims
shall remain in full force and effect and be strictly adhered to.
