[Adopted 2-9-2006 as Sec. 2-70 of the 2006 Code of the Borough of High Bridge;
amended in its entirety 2-8-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-004]
The High Bridge Economic Development shall advise the Borough
Council with regard to the economic and commercial interests within
the Borough of High Bridge. It shall have no authority to act without
the authorization of the Borough Council.
It shall be the duty of this Committee to:
A.
Make continuous study and survey of the opportunities of the Borough
of High Bridge for economic development.
B.
Analyze business, industry and trade worldwide with a view to ascertain
the type of commerce best suited to the economic and social improvement
of the Borough.
C.
Prepare an annual report to the Mayor and Council as to the development
of the commercial and merchant districts, including but not limited
to business needs, improvements to Borough infrastructure, construction
capacity, sewer capacity, labor, taxes and property assessment and
improvements for business retention.
D.
Recommend to the Mayor and Council and Planning Board reasonable
and desirable restrictions and improvements concerning commercial
areas.
E.
Recommend to Mayor, Council and Planning Board changes to zoning
establishing a desirable commercial ratable base for an area for business
and trade.
F.
Prepare and sponsor events to improve merchant trade and commerce
in downtown business areas. Sponsor educational symposiums to improve
business knowledge of commercial owners.
G.
The Committee may prepare and distribute material and data advertising
the advantages of the Borough for the purpose of attracting business.
H.
The Committee shall receive from all officials and all authorized
boards, departments and offices of the Borough such assistance as
may be required by the Committee in performing its duties, and the
Committee shall also be given access to all municipal reports and
information which may assist the Committee in the performance of its
duties.
A.
The Committee shall consist of seven members appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Borough Council, except for the ex officio members as set forth in Subsection D below.
B.
Committee
members shall be residents of the Borough or own a business in High
Bridge.
C.
The members
of the Committee shall be appointed to a three-year term, except that
the terms of the initial members shall be staggered. As a result,
the initial appointments shall be two members to a one-year term,
two members to a two-year term and three members to a three-year term.
Thereafter, all appointments shall be for a three-year term.
D.
The Mayor,
and Borough Council President, and a Borough Councilperson liaison,
who shall be appointed by the Mayor, shall be an ex officio member
of the Committee and may serve for a term concurrent with their elected
office. A Borough Councilperson appointed by the Mayor to be a liaison
to the Committee also shall be an ex officio member of the Committee
and may serve for a term beginning January 1 and expiring December
31 of that year.
Each Committee member shall be entitled to one vote. The ex
officio members may actively participate in all business and decisions
of the Committee but shall not be voting members of the Committee.
Approval of any matter requires an affirmative vote from the majority
of the members present, provided a quorum of four voting members is
present.
If any voting member misses more than three consecutive meetings
of the Committee without prior authorization from the Chairperson,
the member shall be considered to have resigned from the Committee.
The resignation shall be noted in the Committee minutes which shall
indicate the reason for the resignation, and the Chairperson shall
notify the Mayor, in writing, about the vacancy. In addition, any
member of the Committee may be removed at any time with or without
cause by a majority vote of the Borough Council.
A.
Regular meetings of the Committee shall be scheduled at least monthly
at a time acceptable to the Committee. Meetings are closed to the
public, except for advertised open public meetings. Individuals who
are not members can be invited to attend by a member of the Committee
with advance invitation by the Chairperson or acting Chairperson.
B.
Special meetings may be called at any time by the Chairperson or
four or more members of the Committee not including the ex officio
members; provided, however, that notification to the public and press
is made in accordance with applicable state laws when meetings are
open to the public.
C.
All meetings shall be held at Borough Hall or upon approval of the
Administrator through audio-visual meetings on a platform determined
by the Borough.
A.
Duties of the Chairperson. The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings
of the Committee. When appropriate, including but not limited to when
requested by the Mayor, the Chairperson will attend meetings of the
Borough Council.
B.
Duties of the Vice Chairperson. In the absence, vacancy, or disqualification
of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson shall assume all the duties
and responsibilities of the Chairperson.
C.
Duties of the Secretary. The Secretary shall keep or cause to be
kept a book of minutes of all meetings of the Committee. The Secretary
shall prepare agendas under the direction of the Chairperson and shall
give notice of regular and special meetings of the Committee. The
Secretary shall forward all approved meeting minutes to the Borough
Clerk monthly.
The Chairperson of the Committee may create such ad hoc committees
as the business of the Committee may require, each of which shall
exist for such period of time and perform such duties as the Committee
may determine. The Chairperson shall appoint the members of the ad
hoc committee. Each ad hoc committee will submit a final report to
the Committee upon completion of its event or other assignment.
A.
Members of the Committee shall serve without compensation.
B.
Members of the Committee shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred
in carrying out the duties of the Committee as approved by the Borough
Council. A request for preapproval of available funds must be made
in writing to the Borough Finance Department prior to the expenditure.
A.
Committee
members shall review and sign any Council-approved code of conduct
documents required for Borough volunteers prior to involvement with
any Borough or other Committee business. Failure to do so shall result
in removal from the Committee.
B.
Council-approved
code of conduct documents shall be furnished by the Clerk and the
signed documents shall be provided by the members to the Clerk.
