Any person claiming payment from the Borough of Seaside Park
shall first submit a detailed statement of the items or demand necessitating
such claim to the responsible executive agency, 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 from a designated Borough employee, having
personal knowledge of the facts that the goods have been received
by, or the services rendered to, the Borough of Seaside Park, and
that those services or goods are consistent with an existing contract
or purchase order. The Certified Municipal Finance Officer shall have
the duty to audit, warrant and make recommendations on all claims
and bills.
[Amended 1-27-1977 by Ord. No. 749]
The bills or claims duly certified shall be presented to the
Municipal Clerk prior to the third Thursday of each month so that
they may be reviewed by the Mayor and Council at its meeting held
on the third Thursday. 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 governing body shall be listed systematically and without preference,
and said list shall be made available to every member of said governing
body at the meeting held on the third Thursday. The governing body
will take formal action on the payment of bills at its Council meeting
held the fourth Thursday of each month or, if said meeting is not
held for any reason, at its next succeeding Council meeting.
Claims shall be considered by the Council which shall approve
the same, except that said governing body may reject any claim presented
to it, stating the reason for such rejection. Any tie votes may be
broken by vote of the Mayor. Any disapproved claim shall be referred
back to the Municipal Clerk with such instructions as the governing
body 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 governing body has by formal action approved the
same with appropriate records as to any claims disapproved or rejected.
All records pertaining to approved or disapproved bills or claims
shall be available for public inspection.
The Certified Municipal Finance Officer shall make disbursements
upon receipt of an order by Borough Council, attested by the Borough
Clerk. In the event that the Mayor vetoes the payment of any claims
or bills, the Certified Municipal Finance Officer may be authorized
to make payment by a vote of the Borough Council whereby at least
2/3 of all the Councilmen vote to override such veto of any claim
or bill.
After the Clerk has certified that the claims have been approved,
he shall turn the same over to the Certified Municipal Finance 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 Certified Municipal Finance Officer. After preparing checks
for the payment of claims, he shall record them in proper books of
account and thereafter mail the checks to the claimants.