A.
The budget shall be prepared by the Mayor with the assistance of
the Business Administrator. During the month of November, the Mayor
shall require all department heads to submit requests for appropriations
for the ensuing budget year and to appear before the Mayor or the
Business Administrator at public hearings which shall be held during
the month on the various requests. On or before January 15, the Mayor
shall submit to the Council his recommended budget, together with
such explanatory comment or statement as he may deem desirable.
B.
The Business Administrator, with the assistance of the Director of
Finance, shall prepare all estimates of non-property-tax revenues
anticipated for the support of each annual budget.
C.
The budget document shall be prepared in such form as is required
by law for municipal budgets and in accordance with the Charter. There
shall be appended to the budget a detailed analysis of all items of
expenditure and revenue.
D.
The Council may reduce any item in the Mayor's budget by a vote of
the majority of the Council, but an increase in any item shall become
effective only upon an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members
of the Council.
A.
The Business Administrator shall supervise the administration of
each annual budget. In consultation with the Director of Finance,
he shall establish quarterly or other periodic allotment of appropriations
as he may deem necessary. Each department shall plan and administer
its expenditure program within the limits of these allotments.
B.
If at any time during the budget year the Business Administrator
shall ascertain that the Township government is faced with the probability
of incurring a cash deficit for the current year, he shall reconsider
the work programs and allotments of the several departments. Upon
such reconsideration and with the approval of the Mayor, he may revise
budget allotments so as to forestall, as far as possible, the making
of commitments and expenditures in excess of the revenues to be realized
during the fiscal year. He shall file with the Director of Finance
a copy of such revised allotments, and the Director of Finance shall
control all expenditures within the limits thereof.
[Amended 8-18-2007 by Ord. No. 07-023; 2-9-2008 by Ord. No.
08-003; 9-23-2010 by Ord. No. 10-028; 3-2-2011 by Ord. No.
11-007]
A.
Public bids received pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 et seq. may be
received at a time and place designated by the Division of Purchasing.
Public bid openings shall be attended by, at least, a representative
of the Division of Purchasing, a Township Attorney and the Municipal
Clerk; provided, however, that, if one of these officials is unable
to be present, the bid opening shall be deemed official so long as
the other two officials are present.[1]
B.
The Division of Purchasing is empowered to prepare specifications
for the performance of work or the purchases or furnishing or hiring
of any materials, supplies or services needed by the Township, to
publicly advertise for and receive bids on such work or purchases,
to require bidding deposits made in conjunction with bids and performance
security from contractors who are awarded bids, and, when desirable,
to establish regulations for the qualification of prospective bidders,
to require standard questionnaires for prospective bidders and classify
and reclassify prospective bidders, all in accordance with the Local
Public Contracts Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 et seq. ("LPCL"). The Purchasing
Agent shall be permitted to award, without public bidding and without
Council resolution, any contract which does not exceed $36,000, or
the State of New Jersey threshold, whether greater or lesser. Any
contract which exceeds the $36,000, or the State of New Jersey threshold,
whether greater or lesser, shall be subject to the requirements of
the LPCL and this section.[2]
C.
All advertisements for bids shall be published at least once, 10
days prior to the date fixed to receive bids, in a newspaper of general
circulation within the Township area. All bids requiring public advertisement
shall designate the manner of submitting bids, the method of receiving
bids and the time and place for receipt of bids.
D.
Bids received in advance shall remain sealed and shall only be opened
for examination at the time and place filed for the receipt of bids.
At the time and place set for the receipt of bids, all bids tendered
shall be publicly received and immediately unsealed and their contents
announced publicly in the presence of any present bidding parties
or their agents. The price and terms of the bids shall become incorporated
as a part of the minutes of the Council meeting at which the Council
takes action thereon.
E.
The Council shall award the contract or reject all bids within 60
days after receipt. The Council shall reserve the right at all times
to reject any and all bids received.
F.
The security delivered with the bids shall be returned to the unsuccessful
bidders within three days, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays excepted.
The security of the successful bidder shall be retained until a contract
is executed and any performance security has been submitted.
G.
If an award of contract cannot be made within the sixty-day period,
the three lowest responsible bidders may agree to an extension in
making the award, which shall not exceed an additional 30 days.
H.
In awarding the bid, any authorized formal contract shall be executed
by the Mayor and attested by the Municipal Clerk, and the seal of
the Township affixed thereto. In lieu of a formal contract, the Division
of Purchasing may issue a purchase order to the successful bidder
for the required purchase. The successful bidder shall then be required
to perform in accordance with the terms set forth in the specifications
for such items.[3]
The Administrator shall establish and approve uniform standards
for requisitions and purchases through the Division of Purchasing.
The Department of Administration shall control the delivery of all
supplies, materials, equipment and other items purchased, and may
make or cause to be made proper tests, checks and inspections thereof.
The Division of Purchasing shall ascertain whether the supplies, materials,
equipment and other items purchased comply with the specifications,
and shall cause laboratory or other tests to be made whenever, in
the opinion of the division head, it is necessary to determine whether
the materials or supplies furnished are of a quality and standard
required.
All purchases of any supplies, materials or equipment or contractual
services for the Township's account shall be made by the Division
of Purchasing pursuant to a written requisition from the head of the
department whose appropriation will be charged.
A.
Each department shall follow such procedure and use such forms for
purchasing as the Business Administrator shall prescribe. Upon request
of the Business Administrator, each department head shall submit a
complete statement of the work and labor under contract and the materials,
supplies and equipment which will be required by the department during
the ensuing year, half year or quarter year as the Business Administrator
may determine, according to the best estimate of the department head.
Such statement shall be in such form and detail as the Administrator
may require.
B.
A certification from the Director of Finance that a sufficient unencumbered
balance of appropriation is available to pay therefor shall accompany
each purchase order.
C.
Where purchases in excess of $500 are made without competitive bidding,
the Division of Purchasing shall obtain and record, wherever possible,
at least three price quotations for the item of purchase. Whenever
circumstances permit, the purchase shall be made from the lowest of
such quotations, price and other factors considered.[1]
D.
The Business Administrator, through the Division of Purchasing, shall
establish a procedure for the purchase of any item required for the
immediate protection, public health, safety or welfare of the Township,
which will permit such emergency purchases to be made for specific
purposes in a manner other than that prescribed by this section.[2]
E.
Except as the Business Administrator or such other officer as he
may designate may authorize in case of emergency, no purchase shall
be made and no bill, claim or voucher shall be approved unless the
procedures prescribed by or pursuant to the Charter and this chapter
have been followed.
F.
Immediately upon delivery of any purchase item, the receiving department
shall make a record thereof on a form to be approved by the Business
Administrator, and the department's acceptance of delivery shall be
certified by the department head or by division superintendents designated
for this purpose by their director. A voucher properly prepared and
executed by the vendor shall be submitted to the Treasurer, who shall
not authorize payment unless and until he has first examined a properly
prepared and certified receiving report and has satisfied himself
that the items billed were properly authorized and delivered in accordance
with a duly issued purchase order or any change thereof authorized
by the Department of Administration.
The Department of Administration shall have the authority to
declare any Township-owned property as surplus or as not needed for
public use by any Township agency and may transfer such property to
any other Township agency or dispose of it by public sale pursuant
to N.J.S.A. 40A:12-13.1.
The method of disbursement of funds for any purpose shall be
by check drawn on the Department of Finance and, after being signed
by the Mayor, countersigned by the Finance Director.
