[Adopted 3-13-1978 by Ord. No. 78-3
as Ch. 24 of the 1977 Code]
The Township Committee of the Township of Pennsauken
is hereby authorized to establish an Environmental Commission for
the protection, development or use of natural resources, including
water resources located within the Township of Pennsauken, in the
County of Camden and State of New Jersey.
A.
Said Commission shall consist of seven members appointed
by the Mayor, one of whom shall be a member of the Municipal Planning
Board and all of whom shall be residents of the Township of Pennsauken.
The members of the Commission shall serve without pay. Each year,
prior to reorganization of the Commission, the Mayor shall designate
one of the members of the Commission to serve as Chairperson and presiding
officer, and the terms of office of the first Commissioners shall
be for one, two or three years, to be designated by the Mayor in making
appointments so that the terms of approximately 1/3 of the members
shall expire each year, and their successors shall be appointed for
terms of three years and until the appointment and qualification of
their successors. Removals or replacements of members of the Commission
shall be in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 et seq.
B.
Alternate members.
[Added 12-30-2002 by Ord. No. 02-32]
(1)
The may appoint not more than two alternate members.
Alternate members shall be designated at the time of appointment as
"Alternate No. 1" and "Alternate No. 2."
(2)
The terms of the alternate members shall be for two
years, except that the terms of the alternate members first appointed
shall be two years for Alternate No. 1 and one year for Alternate
No. 2 so that the term of not more than one alternate member shall
expire in any one year. A vacancy occurring otherwise than by expiration
of term shall be filled by the appointing authority for the unexpired
term only.
(3)
An alternate member shall not be permitted to act
on any matter in which he or she has either directly or indirectly
any personal or financial interest. An alternate member may, after
public hearing if he or she requests one, be removed by the governing
body for cause.
(4)
An alternate member may participate in discussions
of the proceedings but may not vote except in the absence or disqualification
of a regular member. A vote shall not be delayed in order that a regular
member may vote instead of an alternate member. In the event that
a choice must be made as to which alternate member is to vote, Alternate
No. 1 shall vote first.
The Commission shall have the power to conduct
research into the use and possible use of the open land areas of the
Township of Pennsauken and may coordinate with the activities of unofficial
bodies organized for similar purposes. It shall keep an index of all
open areas, publicly or privately owned, including open marshlands,
swamps and other wetlands, in order to obtain information on the most
desirable use of such areas. The Commission may from time to time
recommend to the Planning Board plans and programs for inclusion in
a municipal Master Plan and the development and use of such areas
and may, with the prior approval of the Township Committee, advertise,
prepare, print and distribute books, maps, charts, plans and pamphlets
which, in its judgment, it deems desirable for its purposes.
Subject to the approval of the governing body,
the Environmental Commission may acquire property, real and personal,
in the name of the Township of Pennsauken by gift, purchase, grant,
bequest, devise or lease for any of its purposes and shall administer
the same for such purposes, subject to the terms of the conveyance
or gift. Such an acquisition may be to acquire the fee or any lesser
interest, development right, easement (including a conservation easement),
covenant or other contractual right (including a conveyance on conditions
or with limitations or reversions) as may be necessary to acquire,
maintain, improve, protect, limit the future use of or otherwise conserve
and properly utilize open spaces and other land and water areas in
the municipality.
The Environmental Commission shall keep records
of its meetings and activities and shall make an annual report to
the Township Committee.
The Township Committee, at its discretion, may
appropriate funds for the expenses incurred or contemplated by the
Environmental Commission. The Commission may appoint such clerks and
other employees as it may from time to time require and as shall be
within the limits of the funds appropriated to it.
The Commission shall meet no less frequently than quarterly or at the call of its Chairperson. It shall organize annually in the month of January at which time its Chairperson shall be appointed by the Mayor. At its organizational meeting, the Commission shall appoint a Secretary, who shall be a member of the Commission, and such other personnel as it shall deem necessary as authorized in § 9-6 hereof.
