[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Jackson 12-26-2006 by Ord. No. 32-06 (Ch. 22). Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 3-11-2025 by Ord. No. 08-25]
Any person claiming payment from the Township of Jackson shall first submit a detailed statement of the items or demand necessitating such claim to the Chief Financial Officer, specifying particularly how the bill or demand is made up, and a certification of the party claiming payment that it is correct. No bill, claim or demand shall be considered for payment unless the voucher has attached to it or includes a certification of a department head, or other municipal official responsible for certain functions, or of his or her duly designated representative having personal knowledge of the facts that the goods have been received by or the services rendered to the Township of Jackson, and that those services or goods are consistent with any existing contract or purchase order. The Chief Financial Officer shall have the duty to audit, warrant and make recommendations on all claims and bills. This section, however, shall not apply to claims for payment of Planning and Zoning Board professional fees, which shall be processed and paid in accordance with § 10-9 below.
The bill or claim duly certified shall be presented to the Municipal Clerk for inclusion in the agenda of the next formal meeting of the Township Council so as to comply with N.J.S.A. 2A:30A-1 et seq., and it shall be the duty of the Clerk to examine all bills or claims submitted for payment in order to ascertain if proper administrative procedures have been followed. Claims or bills to be considered by the Township Council shall be listed without preference, and said list shall be made available to every member of said Township Council prior to formal action by that body.
Claims shall be considered by the Township Council, which shall approve the same, except that said Township Council may reject any claim presented to it, stating the reason for such rejection. Any disapproved claim shall be referred back to the Municipal Clerk with such instructions as the Township Council may give at the time of disapproval.
It shall be the duty of the Municipal Clerk to record all claims in the official minutes or through an appropriate claims register, indicating that the Township Council has by formal action approved the same, with appropriate record as to any claims disapproved or rejected. All records pertaining to approved and disapproved bills or claims shall be available for public inspection.
After the Clerk has certified that the claims have been approved, he or she shall submit said claims to the Chief Financial Officer, who shall forthwith prepare the necessary checks for the payment thereof, which said checks shall be signed by the Mayor and thereafter signed by the Township Clerk and Chief Financial Officer. After preparing checks for the payment of claims, he or she shall record them in proper books of account and forward said checks to claimants.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Township Council may, by resolution, provide for and authorize the payment of advances to specific Township officers and employees for travel expense and incidental expenses thereto when such travel and incidental expenses are necessary and proper, as the Township Council in its sole discretion shall determine, in advancing the scope and nature of the work of the particular Township officer or employee, subject to § 10-8.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the Township Council may, by resolution, provide for and authorize the payment of advances for vendor services, excluding the provision of materials and supplies, when such services are of a professional nature as defined in the Local Public Contracts Law of New Jersey, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 et seq., and when the Township Council, in its sole discretion, shall determine that circumstances exist which require the simultaneous payment for the services when the services are provided.
In making advances pursuant to this chapter, to any individual and/or vendor, the following procedure shall govern:
A. 
A resolution shall be prepared by the Township Administrator, setting forth the department head requesting the advance, the party to whom the advance is to be paid and the purpose and amount of the advance.
B. 
A voucher requesting the advance and completed in accordance with § 10-1 shall be attached to the original resolution on file in the office of the Township Administrator, bearing the signature of the appropriate department head requesting the advance and the party to whom the advance is to be paid.
C. 
The advance resolution shall be submitted to the Township Council for consideration at the next regular meeting of the Township Council, pursuant to §§ 10-2 and 10-3.
D. 
If the resolution is approved, an advance check shall be issued pursuant to § 10-5.
E. 
Within 10 days of the completion of the authorized travel or payment for the vendor's services, the Township department head from whose department the request originated shall countersign the previously submitted voucher, submit a detailed bill and require any necessary adjustment to be made as to the advance payment to any officer or employee within his or her department, including the repayment of any excess advance, under the supervision of the Township Administrator.
[Added 3-11-2025 by Ord. No. 08-25]
A. 
All professionals rendering services to the municipality or approving authority for review of applications for development, review and preparation of documents, inspection of improvements or other purposes under the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq., shall prepare and submit bills and voucher in the form, and within the scope, established by N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53.2.
B. 
As required by N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53.2(a), the Chief Financial Officer shall make all of the payments to professionals for services rendered to the municipality or approving authority for review of applications for development, review and preparation of documents, inspection of improvements or other purposes under the provisions of P.L. 1975, c. 291, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.). Such fees or charges shall be based upon a schedule established by resolution or in accordance with the written contract of said Board professional.
C. 
As required by N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53.2(c), all professionals shall submit vouchers to the Chief Financial Officer on a monthly basis in accordance with schedules and procedures established by the Chief Financial Officer. The professional shall send an informational copy of all vouchers or statements submitted to the Chief Financial Officer simultaneously to the applicant.
D. 
As further required by N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53.2(c), if the services for review of applications for development, review and preparation of documents, inspection of improvements or other purposes under the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq., are provided by a municipal employee, the municipal employee shall prepare and submit to the Chief Financial Officer a statement containing the same information as required on a voucher, on a monthly basis and shall send an informational copy of all vouchers or statements submitted to the Chief Financial Officer simultaneously to the applicant.
E. 
As further required by N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53.2(c), the Chief Financial Officer shall prepare and send to the applicant a statement which shall include an accounting of funds listing all deposits, interest earnings, disbursements, and the cumulative balance of the escrow account. This information shall be provided on a quarterly basis, if monthly charges are $1,000 or less, or on a monthly basis if monthly charges exceed $1,000. If an escrow account or deposit contains insufficient funds to enable the municipality or approving authority to perform required application reviews or improvement inspections, the Chief Financial Officer shall provide the applicant with a notice of the insufficient escrow or deposit balance. In order for work to continue on the development or the application, the applicant shall within a reasonable time period post a deposit to the account in an amount to be agreed upon by the municipality or approving authority and the applicant. In the interim, any required health and safety inspections shall be made and charged back against the replenishment of funds.
F. 
Unless the Chief Financial Officer receives an objection to a voucher bill or statement of the Boards Professionals within 10 days of the submittal of same, the Chief Financial Officer shall review the vouchers submitted and process for payment if said voucher is in accordance with the written contract between the Township and the Boards professional.