The fiscal year shall be as established by ordinance of the
Council. Whenever the fiscal year is changed by ordinance, the same
ordinance shall specify an orderly transition procedure for all financial
and budgeting controls.
The Council shall cause a Township Financial Plan to be prepared
for each fiscal year. The Financial Plan shall be the basis for financial
operation of the Township during the fiscal year The Township Financial
Plan shall be comprised of the following parts:
A.
The Operating Budget. The Operating Budget shall define all anticipated
revenues and operating expenditures for the fiscal year. The Budget
shall be in such detail as specified in the Administrative Code. The
budget must disclose the source and amount of all anticipated Township
revenues and the nature and amount of expenditures for each operating
department. Available surpluses from prior years shall be included
in anticipated revenues. The Budget shall not authorize expenditures
to an amount greater than the total anticipated revenues.
B.
The Capital Program. The Capital Program shall define all expenditures
for capital improvements to be made during the five fiscal years next
ensuing. Supporting information as to the necessity of such improvements
shall be provided in the program. The estimated annual cost of operating
and maintaining facilities to be constructed or acquired shall be
provided in the program. These costs will be included in the appropriate
Operating Budgets. The Capital Program may be revised and extended
each year with regard to improvements still pending or in process.
C.
Statement of Debt. The Statement of Debt shall describe the type
of instrument of each indebtedness and the terms thereof. Proposed
additional indebtedness shall be similarly described. The projects
necessitating such debt or other reasons for incurring such debt shall
be defined.
D.
The Financial Plan Explanation. The explanation shall discuss the
Financial Plan both in fiscal terms and in terms of the programs and
services to be provided. The explanation shall include:
(1)
An outline of the proposed financial policies of the Township
for the ensuing fiscal year, describing important aspects of the financial
plan;
(2)
A description of major changes from current financial policies,
expenditures and revenues together with the reasons for such changes;
(3)
A summary of the Township's present debt position and projected
debt position; and
(4)
Such other material as the Council deems desirable.
[Amended 11-5-1996]
The proposed Township Financial Plan shall be submitted to the
Council at a public meeting at least sixty days prior to the beginning
of the ensuing fiscal year. It shall be made available for public
inspection at the Township Building during regular business hours.
A public hearing shall be held not less than thirty days prior to
the adoption of a final Township Plan. Not less than ten days prior
to said public hearing, the Council shall advertise:
A.
A summary of the Financial Plan;
B.
A statement of when and where copies of the complete Financial Plan
are available for inspection; and
C.
The time and place of the public hearing on the final Financial Plan.
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The Financial Plan shall be adopted at a public meeting by the
majority of the Council. It shall then become the Financial Plan of
the Township for the ensuing fiscal year. The plan shall be adopted
at least ten days prior to the beginning of the fiscal year. Should
the Council fail to adopt a Financial Plan within the specified period,
the Township shall operate on the basis of the current fiscal year's
plan, prorating expenses at the rate of one-twelfth of each defined
operating expenditure per month. The Capital Program shall be similarly
pro-rated based upon the current year's program. These pro-ratings
shall be used until the Council adopts a final Township Financial
Plan.
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A.
Amendment Before Adoption. The Council may adopt the Financial Plan
with or without amendment. In amending the Plan, it may add or increase
programs or amounts and may delete or decrease any programs or amounts,
except expenditures required by law or for debt service or for estimated
cash deficit. No amendment to the Plan shall increase the authorized
expenditures to an amount greater than the total of anticipated revenues.
Amendments to the Plan shall be presented and discussed at a public
meeting prior to the adoption of a final Financial Plan.
B.
Amendment After Adoption.
1.
Supplemental Appropriations. If, during the fiscal year, the Council
determines that there are available for appropriation revenues in
excess of those estimated in the Operating Budget, the Council by
resolution may make supplemental appropriations for the year up to
the amount of such excess. If the excess of revenues exceeds one percent
of the revenues anticipated in the Financial Plan, the intended distribution
of the funds shall be advertised prior to the adoption of said resolution.
2.
Emergency Appropriations. To meet a public emergency affecting life,
health, property or the public peace, the Council may make emergency
appropriations. Such appropriations may be made by emergency ordinance
in accordance with the provisions of this Charter. To the extent that
there are no available unappropriated revenues to meet such appropriations,
the Council may by such emergency ordinance authorize the issuance
of emergency notes. These notes may be renewed from time to time,
but the notes and their renewals in any fiscal year shall be paid
not later than the last day of the fiscal year next succeeding that
in which the emergency appropriation was made.
3.
Reduction of Appropriations. If at any time during the fiscal year
it appears probable that the revenues available will be insufficient
to meet the amount appropriated, such information shall be reported
to the Council without delay, indicating the estimated amount of the
deficit. The Council shall then take such action as it deems necessary
to prevent or minimize any deficit and for that purpose it may by
resolution reduce one or more appropriations.
4.
Transfer of Appropriations. At any time during the fiscal year, the
administration may transfer part or all of any unencumbered appropriation
balance among programs within a department, office or agency. The
Council may by resolution transfer part or all of any unencumbered
appropriation balance from one department, office or agency to another.
5.
Limitations. No appropriation for debt service may be reduced or
transferred. No appropriation may be reduced below any amount required
by law or by more than the amount of the unencumbered balance thereof.
The supplemental and emergency appropriations and reduction or transfer
of appropriations authorized by this section may be made effective
immediately upon adoption.
Every appropriation, except an appropriation for a capital expenditure,
shall lapse at the close of the fiscal year to the extent that it
has not been expended or encumbered. An appropriation for a capital
expenditure shall continue in force until the purpose for which it
was made has been accomplished. If three years pass without any disbursement
from or encumbrance of the capital appropriation, it shall lapse.
The Council shall provide by ordinance the procedures and the
accounting required for the receipt, deposit or disbursement of all
monies due to or payable by the Township.
A.
The Township may make contracts for lawful purposes subject to the
provisions of this Charter and general law. No contract shall be made
unless there is sufficient unencumbered balance in an appropriation
of the current financial plan.
B.
The Township Council shall establish or amend by specific ordinance
the value of a contract defined in the subsequent sections as a "Major
Contract."
C.
All Major Contracts of the Township shall be in writing and shall
be executed on behalf of the Township by a member of the Council.
Also, all contracts extending over a period of more than two years,
or for the purchase, sale, lease or use of real estate, or authorizing
contracts for the construction of capital improvements, shall be formally
approved by the Council and executed by a member of Council. Also,
all Major Contracts shall be submitted, prior to execution, to the
Township Solicitor for an opinion as to their legality.
D.
For other than Major Contracts, the Council may, by ordinance, authorize
others to execute contracts which are made pursuant to the budget
or other prior authorizations.
E.
Competitive bidding shall be required for all Major Contracts except for those listed in subsection F. hereof. The former contracts shall be made only with the lowest responsible bidder. The invitation for bids shall be advertised at least ten days prior to the date fixed for the opening of bids. Acceptance of bids shall be made by public announcement at the meeting at which bids are received, or at a subsequent meeting, the time and place of which shall be publicly announced when bids are received. As to other details, the Council shall, by ordinance, establish a procedure for competitive bidding to include definitions, deposit and bond requirements, conditions, terms, rules, regulations, waivers, rights of acceptance and rejection and exception as it shall from time to time deem advisable.
F.
Competitive bidding shall not be required for:
(1)
Labor or services rendered by Township officers or employees
in the course of their normal duties;
(2)
Contracts relating to the acquisition or use of real property;
(3)
Contracts for services or supplies from a unique source;
(4)
Contracts assigned for negotiation by unanimous consent of the
Council.
G.
No person shall evade the provisions of this Article by purchasing
or contracting for services or goods piecemeal, if such transactions
conducted as a single transaction would result in Major Contracts.
The Township Auditors shall conduct an annual audit.
Council shall provide for an independent audit of all Township
accounts at least every four years.
All such audits shall be conducted by a certified public accountant.
All audits, including the independent audits, shall be made public
and advertised.
