[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of South Plainfield 4-17-2006 by Ord. No. 1727. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Administration — See Ch. 5.
Boards, committees and commissions — See Ch. 17.
Officers and employees — See Ch. 71.
The purpose and intent of this chapter is to foster the openness of government and provide citizens with information concerning the various appointed volunteer municipal positions which exist within the Borough of South Plainfield. This chapter further provides for a procedure whereby a citizen can indicate his/her desire to serve in a particular appointed position. Finally, this chapter provides for a notification process so that those citizens who have indicated a desire to hold a position will be notified when that position is under consideration for appointment and will ultimately be notified as to the action that was taken.
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Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
The following terms, as used in this chapter, shall have the meanings set forth below unless the context within which the term is used clearly provides for a different meaning:
APPOINTED VOLUNTEER MUNICIPAL POSITION
Any appointed volunteer position within the Borough government, which is created either by statutory law or by ordinance or resolution. Examples of such positions are members of any board, agency, or committee of the Borough.
APPOINTING AUTHORITY
The official or body which by virtue of statutory law or by ordinance or resolution is given the authority to appoint a person to hold a particular appointed volunteer municipal position.
The Borough Administrator/Clerk shall cause a register of appointed volunteer municipal positions to be prepared and maintained. Such register shall be made available on the Borough's Web site and at the Municipal Building and shall set forth at least the following:
A. 
Title of each appointed volunteer municipal position.
B. 
Brief description of the position's powers and duties.
C. 
Any special credentials or qualifications required to hold the position.
D. 
The length of term for the position.
E. 
The name of the person currently holding the position, the expiration date of his or her term, and the number of vacant seats on the board or commission.
F. 
The dates/times and frequency of any meetings which the holder of the position must attend.
The Borough Administrator/Clerk shall maintain a current updated listing of all existing vacancies for each appointed volunteer municipal position within the municipality. Such list shall be made available free of charge at the Municipal Clerk's office and shall, in addition, be posted by the Municipal Clerk on a bulletin board maintained for public announcements in the Municipal Building.
Unless essential for the proper functioning and/or carrying on of business of the local agency upon which the vacancy has occurred, a vacancy shall not be filled for a period of 10 days from its posting in order to allow interested persons time to submit applications as provided in § 118-6 below.
The Municipal Clerk shall maintain an application form to be completed by any person interested in serving in an appointed volunteer municipal position. Such application shall, at a minimum, contain the following information:
A. 
Name.
B. 
Address.
C. 
Telephone number.
D. 
E-mail address.
E. 
Appointed volunteer municipal position sought.
F. 
Qualifications/experience for position.
G. 
Signature.
Any person interested in serving in an appointed volunteer municipal position may file an application for such position with the Borough Clerk. Such application(s) may be filed at any time, whether or not the appointed volunteer municipal position sought is vacant. A person may withdraw his or her application at any time.
The Municipal Clerk shall maintain all filed applications in a file or binder, segregated for each board or commission. Applications shall be considered void after two years unless renewed by the applicant.
Prior to filling any appointed volunteer municipal position, the appropriate appointing authority shall review each application filed for that position. Each person having submitted an application for an appointed volunteer municipal position under consideration to be filled shall be notified of said vacancy. The appointing authority shall conduct such review, investigation and/or interviews as the appointing authority deems necessary or advisable, in its discretion. After a decision is reached to fill a vacant appointed volunteer municipal position, all those who had submitted an application for that position shall be notified of the appointing decision.