There shall be an Office of the Clerk, the head
of which shall be the Township Clerk. The Township Clerk shall be
appointed by the Council and shall, prior to his appointment, be qualified
by training and experience to perform the duties of his office. He
shall serve for a term of three years and shall receive such compensation
as shall be provided by ordinance.[1]
The Clerk shall serve as Clerk of the Council
and as Secretary of any special legislative committees of the Council
appointed pursuant to the Charter. He shall attend all meetings of
the Council and such committees when required by the Chairman thereof,
and shall keep the minutes of the proceedings of the Council and of
such committees. The minutes of each meeting of the Council shall
be signed by the officer presiding at the meeting and by the Clerk.
A.
The Clerk shall engross all ordinances and all resolutions
of a permanent character in books to be provided for that purpose.
After each ordinance he shall also engross and certify the proof of
publication thereof as required by law. Each ordinance and resolution
so engrossed shall be signed by the Mayor and the Clerk, who shall
attest that it was duly adopted upon the date stated, and when so
signed, the engrossed copy shall be deemed to be a public record of
the ordinance or resolution. Any omission by the Clerk or the Mayor
to engross, sign or certify as herein required shall not impair or
affect the validity of any ordinance which has been duly adopted.
B.
At the close of each year, the Clerk, with the advice
and assistance of the Township Attorney, shall bind, compile or codify
all the ordinances and resolutions, or true copies thereof, which
then remain in force and effect. He shall also properly index the
record books, compilation or codification of ordinances and resolutions.
The Clerk shall have custody of and shall safely
keep all records, books and documents of the Township, except those
committed by Charter or ordinance to any other office or transferred
thereto by the Manager. He shall, upon request and upon the payment
of the fees prescribed therefor by resolution of the Council for the
use of the Township, furnish a certified copy of any such paper in
his custody, under the corporate seal of the Township.
The Clerk shall cause the corporate seal of
the Township to be affixed to instruments and writings when authorized
by ordinance or resolution of the Council, or when necessary to exemplify
any document on record in his office, or to certify any act or paper
which from the records in his office shall appear to have been a public
act of the Township or a public document. He shall not affix the said
seal or cause or permit it to be affixed to any other instrument or
writing or other paper, unless required by law or ordinance.
The Clerk, subject to the supervision of the
Manager, shall:
A.
Be the depository and custodian of all:
(1)
Official surety bonds furnished by or on account of
any officer or employee, except his own bond (which shall be placed
in the custody of the Treasurer).
(2)
Insurance policies upon or with respect to risks insured
for the benefit of the Township or to protect it against any claim,
demand or liability whatsoever.
(3)
Formal contracts for work, labor services, supplies,
equipment and materials to which the municipality may be a party.
B.
Be the depository for and have custody of all performance
bonds running to the Township as obligee, or any other form of security
given by any contractor, subdivision developer or other persons on
account of work done or to be done in or for the Township.
C.
Have custody of all leases of property owned by the
Township.
D.
Report to the Manager, at such time as the Manager
may require, on the coverage, expiration date and premium of each
surety bond and contract of insurance, the nature and terms of outstanding
leases, the rent reserved by each and their respective expiration
dates.
[Amended 11-1-1977 by Ord. No. 40-11-77]
No rule or general regulation made by any department,
officer, agency or authority of the municipality, except such as relates
to the organization or internal management of the municipal government
or a part thereof, shall take effect until it is filed with the Township
Clerk. The Clerk shall maintain a current compilation of all such
rules and regulations, which shall be available for public inspection
in his office during business hours.
In addition to such other functions, powers
and duties as may be prescribed by the Charter and ordinances, and
subject to the supervision and direction of the Manager, the Clerk
shall:
A.
Perform all of the functions required of municipal
clerks by the General Election Law (Title 19 of the Revised Statutes
of the State of New Jersey) and any other law or ordinance.
B.
Administer the provisions of the Township ordinances
with reference to the licensing of occupations and activities for
which licenses are required by law or ordinance to be obtained from
the Clerk.
C.
Issue certificates as to approval of land subdivisions
by the Planning Board or the Council, pursuant to the State Municipal
Planning Act (1953) (New Jersey Laws of 1953, Ch. 433, as amended,
N.J.S.A. 40:55-1.24.)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: N.J.S.A. 40:55-1.24 was repealed
by L.1975, c. 291, § 80, effective 8-1-1976
D.
Have such other, different and additional functions,
powers and duties as may be prescribed by law or ordinance or delegated
to him by the Manager.
There shall be the office of Deputy Clerk or
Clerks, the number of which shall be determined in accordance with
the needs of the community but which number, for the purpose of this
section, shall be indefinite. The Deputy or Deputies so appointed
shall have all of the powers and shall perform all of the duties of
the Township Clerk during such times and for such periods as the Township
Clerk shall be absent or otherwise unavailable.
