[Adopted 6-2-1983; amended in its entirety 5-24-1990 by Ord. No. 13-90 (Ch.
44 of the 1981 Code)]
There is hereby created a Board of Recreation Commissioners
who shall serve the Township of Allamuchy strictly in accordance with
the provisions of this article.
A. All present members of the Board of Recreation Commissioners shall
continue to hold office for the terms for which they were respectively
appointed, and hereafter the Mayor and Council shall appoint, in the
discretion of said Mayor, not fewer than three nor more than seven
persons, citizens and residents of this Township, as members of a
Board of Recreation Commissioners.
B. The Commissioners first appointed shall be appointed for terms of
one, two, three, four and five years, respectively, in such a manner
so that the terms of at least one Commissioner and not more than two
Commissioners shall expire in each year according to the number of
appointments. Thereafter, all appointments shall be for the term of
three years if the Board consists of three members or five years if
the Board consists of five or seven members. Vacancies shall be filled
for the unexpired term only. The members shall serve until their respective
successors are appointed and shall qualify.
C. Alternate members. The Mayor and Council may appoint, in the discretion
of the Mayor, not more than two alternate members. Alternate members
shall be designated at the time of appointment as Alternate Member
One and Alternate Member Two. The length of the terms of the alternate
member shall be the same as the length of the terms of the regular
members of the Board of Recreation Commissioners. If two alternates
are appointed, their terms shall be staggered by the appointment of
one of the alternates for an initial term that is a year less than
a regular term. A vacancy occurring otherwise than by expiration of
term shall be filled by the governing body for the unexpired term
only. Alternate members may participate in discussions of the proceedings
but may not vote, except in the absence or disqualification of a regular
member of the Board of Recreation Commissioners. 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 Number One shall vote.
[Added 6-17-1996 by Ord. No. 4-96]
D. The members shall receive no compensation for their services.
A. The Board may acquire lands for public playgrounds and recreation
places by gift or purchase, and it shall from time to time select
lands for public playgrounds and recreation places and, when deemed
necessary or advisable by such Board, select lands for an approach
or approaches by way of ingress thereto and egress therefrom of such
size and dimensions as it shall think suitable, with regard being
given to the population of the neighborhood.
B. Said Board shall cause surveys and maps to be made thereof, together
with a careful estimate, as nearly accurate as may be, of the probable
costs of acquiring such lands, and a statement of the annual rental
and duration of term if it is proposed to lease the same, together
with an estimate of the cost of preparing such lands and suitably
equipping the same by the erection of buildings, stands, seats and
other structures and apparatus for such playgrounds and recreation
places.
C. Such surveys, maps and estimates shall be submitted to the Township
Council with a request that an appropriation be made for the purpose
of acquiring or leasing such lands, as the case may be, and suitably
preparing and equipping the same.
If the Township Council authorizes the acquisition of such lands
and if the Township Council appropriates a sum for the purchase and
equipment thereof or authorizes the leasing thereof and appropriates
a sum for the equipment thereof, the Board shall acquire the same
by purchase, condemnation or lease, as the case may be, and suitably
prepare and equip the same for a playground and recreation place or
approach thereto.
If the Board is unable to agree with the owner or owners as
to the price and terms of purchase or if, by reason of any legal disability
or the absence of any owner or owners thereof or for any other cause,
an agreement for the purchase of such lands or any part thereof or
any rights of interest therein cannot be made, the Board may cause
such lands or any rights of interest therein to be condemned and taken
on behalf of the Township, and the compensation to be made thereof
shall be ascertained and paid or tendered in the manner provided in
N.J.S.A. 20:1-1 et seq., as appended and supplemented.
The Board may cause any land so acquired to be laid out and
improved as a public playground, recreation place or an approach thereto.
The title to all lands acquired or taken under the provisions
of N.J.S.A. 40:12-1 to 40:12-8 shall vest in the Township of Allamuchy,
in the County of Warren, and all leases of land for such purpose shall
be in the name of the Township.
A. In order to provide the funds, in whole or in part, necessary to
improve, maintain and police the playgrounds or recreation places
under its control, the Board may arrange and provide for the giving
of exhibitions, plays, concerts, games and contests and may use and
employ such playgrounds or recreation places for the purpose of giving
thereon exhibitions, plays, concerts, games and contests.
B. The Board may charge and collect a reasonable admission fee for each
person entering such playground or recreation place as a spectator
during the time or times when the same is being used or employed for
such purposes, and when any such playground or recreation place is
used for such purpose, no admission fee shall be charged or collected
from children under 12 years of age.
C. The Board may charge and collect a reasonable service charge from
persons using, as participants, special areas and facilities which
require special maintenance and the use of which is restricted to
relatively few people, in order to assist in the meeting of the operating
costs thereof in whole or in part.
The Board shall have full control over all lands, playgrounds
and recreation places acquired or leased over which the Board may
be given jurisdiction and supervision by the Township Council, by
resolution or otherwise, and may adopt suitable rules, regulations
and bylaws for the use thereof and the conduct of all persons while
on or using the same. All rules and regulations adopted by the Board
shall first be ratified by the Mayor and Township Council of the Township
of Allamuchy. If the Mayor and Council of Allamuchy Township shall
dispute any rule or regulation promulgated by the Board of Recreation
Commissioners, the Board shall either amend such rule or regulation
to comply with the requirements imposed by the Mayor and Township
Council or shall not adopt such rule or regulation. Once ratified,
all rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Recreation Commissioners
shall have the full force of law as if made by the Mayor and Council
of the Township of Allamuchy.
The custodians, supervisors and assistants appointed by the
Board shall, while on duty and for the purpose of preserving order
and the observance of the rules, regulations and bylaws of the Board,
have all the power and authority of police officers of the Township.
The Board may appoint a Recreation Director for a term not to
exceed three years, a secretary or clerk, who need not be members
of the Board, and such number of custodians, supervisors and assistants
for the several playgrounds and recreation places under its control
as it shall think necessary, and fix and determine their salaries,
provided that the payment of salaries and the amount thereof shall
be subject to the prior approval of the Township Council.
The Township Council shall annually fix, determine and appropriate
a sum sufficient for the care, custody, policing and maintenance of
such playgrounds and recreation places and for the expenses of said
Board, which shall be raised by taxation in the same manner as other
taxes.
The Township Council shall provide a suitable office or offices
for said Board.
The money necessary to pay for lands purchased or condemned
for such playgrounds and recreation places and for providing and equipping
the same from time to time may be raised and provided by the Township
Council by general taxation, as other taxes are raised and levied,
or by the issuance of temporary loan bonds or by the issuance of permanent
bonds. All such bonds or other obligations shall be issued and paid
in the manner provided by the law.
A. All moneys received by said Board shall be paid over to the Chief
Financial Officer and be kept by her in a special fund which shall
be under the control of the Board and used only for the purpose of
defraying the expenses of improving, maintaining or policing the playgrounds
and recreation places and for the other expenses of the Board.
B. Payments shall be made upon the approval of said Board, signed by
its Chairman and attested by its Secretary, after receipt of a proper
voucher therefor from the provider of goods or services. The Board
shall not have the power and authority to incur any obligation in
the name of the Township except as authorized from time to time by
the Township Council under the provisions of this chapter.
Annually in the month of January, the Board shall meet and organize
and elect from among its members a Chairman and such other officers
as it shall deem necessary to serve until the next annual meeting
and until their respective successors have been elected and shall
qualify. The Board may also adopt bylaws to govern the conduct of
its business.
[Added 2-28-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-03]
The Recreation Commission shall have jurisdiction over the Allamuchy
Township Dog Park and shall create rules and regulations governing
use of the dog park. The Recreation Commission shall create a registration
process and is authorized to charge $25 for the first dog and $5 for
each subsequent dog provided that the fees are paid to the municipal
building following procedures approved by the CFO.