Except as otherwise provided by law, the Council shall exercise
the legislative powers of the Township government.
The Council may, by majority vote of the whole Council, require
any municipal officer to prepare and submit sworn statements regarding
the performance of his official duties and may otherwise investigate
the conduct of any department, office or agency.
The Council and individual members thereof shall deal with officers and employees of the Township only through the Mayor, the Business Administrator or department heads, and except for inquiries as provided in §
7-7, all communications regarding administration of the Township shall be referred to and conducted only with the Mayor, Business Administrator or department heads.
The Council may, by majority vote of the whole Council, and
for cause, remove any municipal officer except the Mayor or a Council
member, upon notice and an opportunity to be heard in public. The
Council may also disapprove mayoral removals by a 2/3 vote of the
whole Council in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40:69A-43(c).
Upon receipt from the Mayor of his nomination to any office
or position requiring the advice and consent of the Council, the same
shall be read under the "administrative agenda" portion of a public
meeting of the Council by the Clerk and, unless otherwise ordered,
shall be considered by the Council, after discussion under "new business"
at such meeting. When taken up for action, the President shall put
the question on each nomination as follows: "Will the Council confirm
the nomination?" On that motion, a vote shall be ordered, and if three
or more members vote to confirm, the President shall announce "The
nomination is confirmed." If less than three members vote to confirm,
the President shall announce "The nomination is rejected." Action
of confirmation or rejection upon a nomination made by the Mayor shall
not be postponed or delayed longer than for one regular meeting. Within
two days after confirmation or rejection of nomination, the Clerk
shall, in writing, notify the Mayor of that fact. In the discretion
of the presiding officer, multiple nominations may be considered as
a single motion where there is no apparent division among Council
members as to the action to be taken with respect to the nominees
in question.
With respect to appointments to be made by the Council, any
member of the Council may nominate as many candidates as there are
offices to be filled. Where there is a single office to be filled,
the first nominee to receive a majority vote shall be deemed appointed.
Where there is more than one office to be filled, such as on a Board
or Commission, the same procedure shall be followed with respect to
each office separately until the total number of appointments to be
made has been completed. In the discretion of the presiding officer,
multiple appointments may be considered as a single motion where there
is no apparent division among Council members as to the action to
be taken with respect to the nominees in question.
Vacancies in any elective office of the Township, including
vacancies in the Council, shall be filled in the manner provided by
the Municipal Vacancy Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:16-1 et seq. The Council shall
fill the vacancy either for the unexpired term or temporarily (as
provided by said Vacancy Law) by appointment to serve until the election
and qualification of a successor. Any person so appointed to fill
a vacancy shall be a member of the same political party as the prior
incumbent.
The Council, at each annual organization meeting, shall elect
a President of the Council and also a Vice President of the Council
from among the members thereof. The President shall preside at all
meetings of the Council and perform such other duties as the Council
may prescribe. In the absence of the President, the Vice President
shall serve as temporary presiding officer and otherwise perform the
duties of the President.
[Amended by Ord. No. 2/18/82]
A. Compensation of Council and Mayor.
(1) The salaries of the Mayor and Council members shall be fixed annually
by the Council by ordinance and shall remain in effect until new rates
are fixed by final adoption of an ordinance establishing new rates.
(2) The President and Vice President of the Council shall not receive
any additional compensation based upon their appointments to such
positions but shall receive the same annual compensation as all other
Council members.
B. Compensation for other officers and employees. The rates of annual
compensation to be paid department heads and all other officers and
employees of the Township shall be fixed annually by the Council by
ordinance. Until otherwise provided by ordinance hereinafter adopted,
the rates of compensation heretofore established for persons holding
office or employment on the effective date of this new Mayor-Council
Plan E form of government shall continue.
There shall be such standing and special committees of the Council
as the Council elects to establish by resolution. In addition, the
Council may elect to act as a committee of the whole. Members of all
committees so established shall be appointed by the President of the
Council. The Council shall adopt rules governing all committees established.