This chapter is adopted pursuant to the Local Fiscal Affairs
Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:5-16 to 18, inclusive.
[Amended 10-9-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-16]
Any person claiming payment from the Township shall first submit
a detailed statement of the items or demand necessitating such claim
to the Township Clerk, 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 Township official responsible for certain
functions, or of his duly designated representative, having personal
knowledge of the facts that the goods have been received by, or the
services rendered to, the Township and that those services or goods
are consistent with any existing contract or purchase order. The Township
Director of Finance and/or his/her designee shall audit, warrant and
make recommendations on all claims and bills.
The bill or claim duly certified shall be presented to the Township
Clerk for inclusion in the agenda of the next immediate formal meeting
of the Township Council. The Clerk shall examine all bills or claims
submitted for payment in order to ascertain if proper administrative
procedures have been followed. All claims or bills to be considered
by the Township Council shall be listed systematically without preference,
and the list shall be made available to every member of the committee
at least three full days prior to formal action.
Claims shall be considered by the Township Council, which shall
approve the same, except that the Council may reject any claim presented
to it, stating the reason for such rejection. Any disapproved claim
shall be referred back to the Township Clerk with such instructions
as the Township Council may give at the time of disapproval.
The Township Clerk shall record all claims in the official minutes
or in an appropriate claims register, indicating that the Township
Council has by formal action approved such claims, with appropriate
records as to any claims disapproved or rejected. All records pertaining
to approved and disapproved bills or claims shall be available for
public inspection.
[Amended 10-9-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-16]
After the Clerk has certified that the claims have been approved,
the Clerk shall submit such claims to the Director of Finance and/or
his/her designee, or other chief financial officer, who shall forthwith
prepare the necessary checks for the payment thereof. Checks shall
be signed by the Mayor and thereafter signed by the Director of Finance
and/or his/her designee or other chief financial officer. After preparing
checks for the payment of claims, the Director of Finance and/or his/her
designee shall record them in proper books of account and thereafter
mail the checks to the claimants.
No Township employee or official shall obligate the Township
for payment of any claim in excess of $500 without prior submission
to and approval of the Township Council, except in an emergency where
such prior submission and approval would be impracticable.