[Adopted 1-9-2001 by Ord. No. 2296 (Ch. 19 of the 1979 Code); amended in its entirety 4-23-2013 by Ord. No. 2653]
Pursuant to the authority vested in the City Council of the City of Garfield under virtue of N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 et seq., there is hereby established an Environmental Commission to be known as the "Environmental Commission."
A. 
The Environmental Commission shall consist of seven regular members appointed by the Mayor and Council, all of whom shall be residents of the City of Garfield.
B. 
The members shall serve without compensation.
C. 
The Mayor and Council shall designate one of the members to serve as Chairman and presiding officer of the Commission.
D. 
The terms of the first Commissioners shall be for one, two or three years, to be designated by the Mayor and Council in making the appointments so that the terms of approximately 1/3 of the members will expire each year, and their successors shall be appointed for terms of three years.
E. 
The Mayor and Council may remove any member of the Commission for cause, on written charges served upon the member and after a hearing thereon, at which the member shall be entitled to be heard in person or by counsel.
F. 
A vacancy on the Commission occurring otherwise than by expiration of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as an original appointment.
The Environmental Commission shall have the following duties:
A. 
To study and make recommendations to the Mayor and Council in areas of conservation and environmental protection, which shall include but not be limited to pollution control of all types; waste disposal, including sewage, garbage and solid waste; open space preservation, with emphasis on outdoor recreation needs; aesthetic flora and fauna preservation and beautification; and water resources.
B. 
To plan local conservation programs and to inform the public about these programs.
C. 
To prepare, print and distribute information materials, such as books, maps, charts, plans and pamphlets, which in its judgment it deems necessary for its purposes, within the limits of funds appropriated to the Commission.
D. 
To keep an index of all open areas, publicly and privately owned, in order to obtain information on the proper use of such areas.
E. 
To recommend, from time to time, to the Planning Board, plans and programs for inclusion in the Master Plan of the City of Garfield, for development and use of such areas.
F. 
To act as the coordinating agency of the community on conservation matters with appropriate federal, regional, state and other agencies concerned with such matters.
G. 
To do such other acts and things as are reasonably related to and assigned to carry out the purposes and objectives of the Commission.
A. 
Regular meetings of the Commission shall be established.
B. 
At all meetings, a quorum shall consist of a majority of the members of the Commission.
C. 
The Commission shall keep records of its meetings and shall make an annual report to the Mayor and Council of the City of Garfield on or before the 15th day of December.