[Adopted 12-26-1975 by Ord. No. 700 as § 2-1 of the 1975 Revised General Ordinances (Ch. 17 of the 1986 Code); amended in its entirety 12-20-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-23]
A. 
There shall be a Borough Clerk, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:9-133 et seq., who shall be appointed by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Borough Council, to an initial term of three years and who shall receive a salary as determined by the annual salary ordinance and resolution. The Borough Clerk must be certified as a registered municipal clerk by the Department of Community Affairs Division of Local Government Services. Upon completion of an initial three-year term of office and reappointment by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Borough Council, the Borough Clerk shall be granted tenure pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:9-133 et seq.
B. 
In the case of a vacancy in the office of Borough Clerk, the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Borough Council, may appoint an Acting Borough Clerk pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:9-133.
C. 
The Borough Clerk shall be the Director of the Clerk's Office and shall report to the Borough Administrator and provide regular reports of the activity of the office to the Borough Administrator. The Borough Clerk's Office may be staffed by any number of clerk-typists and administrative assistants, as may be determined by the Mayor and Borough Council, who shall receive a salary as determined by the annual salary ordinance and resolution and who shall work under the direction of the Borough Clerk in fulfilling the responsibilities and duties of the Clerk's Office, the Borough Administrator's Office, and the Mayor's Office.
D. 
There may be a Deputy Borough Clerk, as may be determined by the Mayor and Borough Council, who shall be appointed by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Borough Council, and who shall receive a salary as determined by the annual salary ordinance and resolution. The term of office shall be for one year from January 1 to December 31. The filling of a vacancy shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term. The Deputy Borough Clerk shall work under the direction of the Borough Clerk in supervising the staff of the Clerk's Office and fulfilling the responsibilities and duties of the Clerk's Office, the Borough Administrator's Office, and the Mayor's Office.
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:9-133 et seq., and subject to the supervision of the Mayor and Council and the Borough Administrator, the Borough Clerk shall have all the following powers and duties:
A. 
Act as secretary of the municipal corporation and custodian of the municipal seal and of all minutes, books, deeds, bonds, contracts, and archival records of the municipal corporation. The governing body may, however, provide by ordinance that any other specific officer shall have custody of any specific other class of record.
B. 
Act as secretary to the governing body for the purpose of: preparing meeting agendas for all meetings of the Mayor and Council; being present at all meetings of the Mayor and Council; keeping the minutes of all meetings of the Mayor and Council; maintaining a journal of the proceedings of every meeting of the Mayor and Council; and retaining the original copies of all ordinances and resolutions adopted by the Mayor and Council.
C. 
Serve as the chief administrative officer in all elections held in the municipality, subject to the requirements of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes.
D. 
Serve as chief registrar of voters in the municipality, subject to the requirements of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes.
E. 
Serve as the administrative officer responsible for the acceptance of applications for licenses and permits and the issuance of licenses and permits, except where statute or municipal ordinance has delegated that responsibility to some other municipal officer.
F. 
Serve as coordinator and records manager responsible for implementing local archives and records retention programs as mandated pursuant to Title 47 of the Revised Statutes.
The Clerk shall have custody of and safely keep all records, books and documents of the Borough, except those committed by ordinance, resolution or law to any other office. On request and on the payment of the fees prescribed therefor, the Clerk shall furnish a certified copy of any paper in the Clerk's custody under the corporate seal of the Borough.
The Clerk shall cause the corporate seal of the Borough to be affixed to instruments and writings when authorized by ordinance or resolution of the Mayor and Council or when necessary to exemplify any document on record in the Clerk's office or to certify any act or paper which from the records in the Clerk's office shall appear to have been a public act of the Borough or a public document.
Subject to the supervision of the Mayor and Borough Council and the Borough Administrator, the Borough Clerk shall have all the following authorities and responsibilities:
A. 
Be a signatory on all Borough bank accounts and checks thereof.
B. 
Record, sign, and certify all ordinances as to their adoption and proof of publication and maintain all ordinances within a properly updated and indexed Borough Code Book. Any omission by the Clerk to record, sign or certify any ordinance or properly maintain it within the Borough Code Book shall not impair or affect the validity of an ordinance which has been duly adopted.
C. 
Be the depository for and the custodian of all of the following:
(1) 
Bylaws of the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Wood-Ridge.
(2) 
Surety bonds furnished by or on account of any officer or employee of the Borough, except the Clerk's own bond, which shall be placed in the custody of the Tax Collector.
(3) 
Performance bonds pledged and inuring to the benefit of the Borough or any other form of security given by a contractor, subdivision developer or other persons on account of work done or to be done in or for the Borough.
(4) 
Insurance policies on or with respect to risks insured for the benefit of the Borough or to protect it against any claim, demand or liability.
(5) 
Contracts for work, labor, services, supplies, equipment and materials to which the Borough may be a party.
(6) 
Deeds and leases of property owned by the Borough.
(7) 
Personnel records of all employees of the Borough.
(8) 
Bylaws, policies, rules, and/or regulations promulgated by the Mayor and Council and/or any Borough officer or employee governing the powers, duties and/or conduct of any Borough employees or the operation of any department, agency, office, board or commission of the Borough.
D. 
Serve as executive secretary to the Mayor, the Borough Council, and the Borough Administrator and assign and supervise subordinate staff as necessary to perform and fulfill any and all such related duties.
E. 
Serve as the Borough Assessment Searcher.
F. 
Serve as the Borough Registrar of Vital Statistics and Secretary of the Board of Health.
G. 
Act as the point of contact for inquiries from, and provide customer service support to, residents, other government instrumentalities and agencies, and the public at large.
H. 
Any such other authorities and responsibilities which may be directed or delegated by the Mayor and Borough Council via resolution or ordinance.
I. 
Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Mayor and Borough Council and/or the Borough Administrator.