[Adopted 6-11-1956 by Ord. No. 1205; amended 5-20-1980 by Ord. No. 1723 (Ch. 49, Art. II, of the 1979 Code)]
The City Attorney shall have all of the qualifications required under the laws of New Jersey and the amendments and supplements thereto.
The City Attorney shall be the chief legal adviser of the City government and all of its officers, departments, divisions, committees and boards. He also shall give all necessary legal counsel and advice, when required by the City Council, concerning rights and duties of any and all officers, assistants and subordinate employees of the City. He shall prepare all ordinances, regulations, resolutions, contracts and other legal papers of whatsoever nature they may be and assist in the preparation of and advise upon any legislation affecting the City, its administration and form of government.
The City Attorney shall be the attorney of record in all actions and proceedings for the enforcement of ordinances and other regulations of the City and in all actions or proceedings in any court or before any board wherein the City of Garfield or its officers, boards, departments or employees, by reason of any suits growing out of their official duties, shall be parties defendant or parties in interest. The City Attorney may settle and compromise, with the advice and consent of the City Council, any matters referred to him. He shall, when required by law or rules of the New Jersey courts, defend without charge any action instituted against any officer, agent or employee by reason of any act or thing done by such officer, agent or employee in the line of his duty and in the course of his employment. He shall have complete charge of any and all condemnation proceedings instituted by and in behalf of the City of Garfield. He shall perform such other duties, within the scope hereof, as may be required of him for the City, by ordinance or resolution of the City Council.
The City Attorney shall prepare all conveyances, easements, agreements, leases and other documents to, by or from the City pertaining to real estate or any interest therein except in relation to foreclosure of tax title lien certificates. He shall be paid for and in connection with the foreclosure of tax title lien certificates such reasonable compensation as is usually paid in like matters. When the duties of the office require attendance of the City Attorney outside the City, his reasonable traveling expenses shall be allowed. The City Attorney shall also be allowed such legal fees and costs for which the City Attorney as attorney of the City may be liable.
The City Attorney is authorized, with the consent of the City Council, to employ such additional counsel to aid in the trial and argument of such causes and proceedings of importance in which the City may be a party or be interested as he may deem necessary.
The City Attorney shall personally attend the regular, adjourned and special meetings of the City Council. He shall attend the regular committee, department, division and board meetings only upon specific request to so do.
The City Attorney shall, on or before January 15 of each year, or at such other time as he may be requested so to do by the City Council, make a report to said Council of all matters or legal proceedings in which the City has been interested, begun, pending or determined during the 12 months next preceding the time of making such report.
The annual compensation for the City Attorney shall be as established from time to time by the City Council in the Salary Ordinance. [1] Such compensation shall be in full for services rendered in all matters, except as herein otherwise provided. Said annual compensation herein provided for shall be paid in semimonthly installments in the same manner and at the same time as other officers and employees of the City are paid.
[1]
Editor's Note: The currently effective Salary Ordinance is on file in the office of the City Clerk.