There is hereby established the Economic Development Advisory
Committee of the Township of Lopatcong, County of Warren, State of
New Jersey.
The Committee shall consist of not more than nine members and
shall be a body corporate having the powers enumerated herein. In
addition, there shall be two alternates to the Committee.
To effectuate its purposes, the Committee hereby created shall
have the following powers:
A. To adopt suitable bylaws for the management of its affairs. All bylaws
must be approved by Township Council.
B. To inquire into, survey and publicize the extent, advantages and
utility of the vacant land of the Township, whether municipality-owned
or otherwise.
C. To study and analyze the various industries of the nation and, to
the extent it deems necessary for its purposes, the industries and
businesses of other nations, with a view to ascertaining the opportunities
for the commercial expansion of the Township. In this connection,
the reports, records, statistics, compendia and similar documents
of existing federal, state, county, municipal and other governmental
and public agencies, as well as of responsible private institutions,
boards, agencies and similar bodies interested in the compilation
of the information relating to industry and business, shall be resorted
to, wherever possible, in order to avoid original research and gathering
of source material.
D. To recommend to the Township Council the methods of advertising the
commercial advantages and opportunities of the Township of Lopatcong
in the County of Warren and the availability of real estate within
the Township for commercial settlement within the Township.
E. To investigate the availability of state or federal grants which
may be available for general community development and particularly
for development of commercial and industrial enterprises within the
Township.
F. Make such additional studies as may be desirable and necessary to
attract commercial ratables to the Township and to perform such other
functions as may be directed from time to time by the Township Council.
G. Such Committee shall recommend to Council that it make an economic
survey, analyzing the present and potential possibilities of the municipality,
with a view to ascertaining its commercial needs. In carrying out
such a survey, the Committee shall study the needs of existing local
businesses so that means may be evolved to enable them to compete
more successfully with competitors in other states; and more particularly
how they might successfully round out and enlarge the business within
the municipality with a view to diversifying and stabilizing employment
conditions. The Committee may recommend any investigation deemed necessary
to enable it effectually to carry out the provisions of this chapter,
and, for that purpose, the Committee may take and hear proofs and
testimony and compel the attendance of witnesses and the production
of books, papers, records and documents, including public records,
and its authorized agents may enter upon any lands as in its judgment
may be necessary for the purpose of making surveys and examination
to accomplish any purpose authorized by this chapter.
H. No Committee created under this chapter shall have any power of condemnation
or eminent domain.
I. No Committee created under this chapter shall have power to pledge
the credit of the municipality by which it is created or of any other
municipality or of the State of New Jersey or to create any debt against
or in any manner act as the agent of such municipality or of the State
of New Jersey.
The Economic Development Advisory Committee shall make an annual
report to the Council of the Township of Lopatcong, setting forth
in detail its operations and transactions for the preceding 12 months,
and shall include therein its receipts and disbursements during that
period, if any. A copy of the report shall be filed in the office
of the Municipal Clerk and be open to public inspection during the
regular business hours of the Clerk's office.
The Economic Development Advisory Committee shall meet at least
quarterly and at the call of the Chairperson.