Township of Independence, NJ Claims, Approval of

Any person claiming payment from the municipality for goods or services rendered shall present a duly certified, detailed bill of demand in the form of a municipal voucher, same to be presented to the Township Clerk.

§ 7-2 Certification of claims.

[Amended 12-10-1984 by Ord. No. 84-11]

It shall be the duty of the Clerk to contact the appropriate department head or municipal employee who has knowledge that said goods or services rendered were in fact delivered to the municipality and to have same certify this knowledge by affixing his or her signature to the municipal voucher in the designated place.

§ 7-3 Questioning of claims.

[Amended 12-10-1984 by Ord. No. 84-11]

The Mayor or other official designated by the Township Committee may question the accuracy, veracity or legitimacy of any claim against the Township by demanding further clarification from the claimant and, where appropriate, making adjustments in claims submitted. The Township Committee shall be the final arbiter of any payment of claims in dispute.

§ 7-4 Approval for payment.

After being satisfied that all claims are in proper order and that moneys are available to pay same, the Treasurer shall deliver said bills to the Township Committee for approval at a regular public meeting of said body. Claims shall be approved for payment not less than once in each calendar month; the Treasurer may set administrative deadlines after which claims may not be submitted for approval at a given public meeting of the governing body.

§ 7-5 Record of claims.

It shall be the duty of the Clerk to record all claims, approved or disapproved, in the official minutes. All claims disapproved by the Township Committee shall be referred back to the Treasurer with explanation, said explanation likewise to be entered into the public record.

§ 7-6 Preparation of checks.

Upon approval of payment by the Township Committee, the Treasurer shall forthwith prepare all necessary checks, same to be signed by the Mayor or other designated member of the Township Committee and cosigned by the Treasurer or other chief financial officer. All such checks shall be recorded in proper books of account and thereafter mailed or otherwise delivered to claimants.

§ 7-7 Payroll account.

In the case of payrolls, the Treasurer or Clerk shall prepare, sign and issue payroll checks in accordance with proper payroll procedure and upon certification that each employee has rendered the service for which he or she is receiving remuneration. The Township Committee may at any time demand of the Treasurer a full and complete accounting of moneys placed in and disbursed from the payroll account.