[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Paterson 9-30-2014 by Ord. No. 14-055. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Parks and recreation — See Ch. 363.
There shall be and hereby is established and created a Board of Recreation Commissioners in the City of Paterson, which shall consist of seven persons, including five regular members and two alternate members, who shall be citizens and residents of the City of Paterson. The Mayor, as provided by N.J.S.A. 40:12-1, shall appoint the regular members, with each appointment subject to the advice and consent of the Council. The Council, consistent with N.J.S.A. 40:12-1.1, shall appoint the alternate members.
A. 
The commissioners first appointed shall be appointed as follows:
(1) 
A regular member for a term expiring on the 2015 anniversary of the member's appointment;
(2) 
A regular member for a term expiring on the 2016 anniversary of the member's appointment;
(3) 
A regular member for a term expiring on the 2017 anniversary of the member's appointment;
(4) 
A regular member for a term expiring on the 2018 anniversary of the member's appointment;
(5) 
A regular member for a term expiring on the 2019 anniversary of the member's appointment;
(6) 
An alternate member for a term expiring on the 2015 anniversary of the member's appointment; and
(7) 
An alternate member for a term expiring on the 2016 anniversary of the member's appointment.
B. 
Thereafter, all appointments of regular and alternate members shall be for the term of five years.
Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term only. The members shall serve until their respective successors are appointed and shall qualify. The members shall receive no compensation for their services.
The Mayor shall each year name one member of the Board of Recreation Commissioners as Chair Person, to serve for one year.
The powers and duties of the Chair Person shall be as follows:
A. 
To preside over all meetings of the Board.
B. 
To appoint a Vice Chair and Recording Secretary and an Acting Chair in the event of the nonavailability of the Chair or Vice Chair.
C. 
To appoint such committees as may be authorized by the Board of Recreation Commissioners to carry out the objects and purposes of said Board.
D. 
To authorize the discharge or release for cause any employee upon request and certification of the Executive Director.
E. 
To certify, together with the Executive Director, to the Finance Director all expenditures of the Board of Recreation Commissioners.
The Municipal Council of the City of Paterson shall by resolution appoint two alternate members. Alternate members shall be designated at the time of appointment as "Alternate No. 1" and "Alternate No. 2." The terms of the alternate members shall be for one year, except that one of the alternate members initially appointed shall be for a term of two years. A vacancy shall be filled for the expired term only. Alternate members may participate in discussions of the proceedings but may not vote except in the absence or disqualification of a regular member. A vote shall not be delayed in order that a regular member may vote instead of an alternate member. In the event a choice must be made as to which alternate member is to vote, Alternate No. 1 shall vote first. Furthermore, no alternate member shall be permitted to act on any matter in which the alternate has either directly or indirectly any personal or financial interest. The alternate members shall receive no compensation for their services.
Said Board, with the approval of the Mayor and Council of the City of Paterson, may acquire lands for public playgrounds and recreation places, by gift or purchase, and shall from time to time select lands for public playgrounds and recreation places and, when deemed necessary or advisable by such Board, select lands for an approach or approaches by way of ingress thereto and egress therefrom, of such size and dimensions as it shall think suitable, regard being had to the population of the neighborhood. It shall, in addition to the foregoing powers, have, subject to the approval of the Mayor and Council of the City of Paterson, all the powers which are granted to boards of recreation commissioners with respect to surveys, maps, estimates, acquisition of lands and suitably equipping the same with buildings, stands, seats and other structures and apparatus for such playgrounds and recreation purposes as provided in N.J.S.A. 40:12-3 et seq., and N.J.S.A. 40:12-4 et seq.
Said Board may cause any lands acquired for the purpose to be laid out and improved as a public playground, recreation place or an approach thereto.
The title to all lands acquired or taken under the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:12-1 et seq., through N.J.S.A. 40:12-8 et seq., shall vest in the City of Paterson, and all leases of land for such purposes shall be in the name of the City of Paterson.
A. 
In order to provide the funds, in whole or in part, necessary to improve, maintain and police the playgrounds or recreation places under its control, the Board of Recreation Commissioners may arrange and provide for the giving of outdoor exhibitions, concerts, games and contests and may use and employ such playgrounds or recreation places for the purpose of giving thereon outdoor exhibitions, concerts, games and contests.
B. 
Said Board may charge and collect a reasonable admission fee for each person entering such playground or recreation place during the time or times when the same is being used or employed for such purposes but shall not use or employ any such playground or recreation place for such purpose for a greater period than eight hours in any week nor on more than two days in any one week, and when any such playground or recreation place is used for such purpose, no admission fee shall be charged or collected from children under 12 years of age.
Said Board shall have full control of all lands, playgrounds and recreation places acquired or leased under the provisions N.J.S.A. 40:12-1 et seq., through N.J.S.A. 40:12-8 et seq., and may adopt suitable rules, regulations and bylaws for the use thereof and the conduct of all persons while on or using the same, and any person who shall violate any of such rules, regulations or bylaws shall be deemed and adjudged to be a disorderly person.
Said Board may appoint a staff to consist of an Executive Director and such other staff, including a secretary or clerk and such number of custodians, supervisors and assistants for the several playgrounds and recreation places as it shall think necessary, but the salaries or other compensation of all such officers, custodians and assistants shall be fixed and determined by the Council of the City of Paterson.
The appointed custodians, supervisors and assistants shall notify the Police Department in situations requiring police assistance.
Said Board shall make an annual report on or before the first day of January and submit the same to the Council of the City of Paterson, which report shall contain a comprehensive and detailed report covering operations, receipts, disbursements and expenditures for the full year.
The Council of the City of Paterson shall annually fix, determine and appropriate a sum sufficient for the care, custody, policing and maintenance of such playgrounds and recreation places and for the expenses of said Board, which shall be raised by taxation in the same manner as other taxes.
The money necessary to pay for lands purchased or condemned for such playgrounds and recreation places, and for providing and equipping the same, from time to time, may be raised and provided by the board or body having control of the finances by general taxation, as other taxes are raised and levied, or by the issuance of temporary loan bonds, or by the issuance of permanent bonds. All such bond obligations shall be issued and paid in the manner provided by N.J.S.A. 40:1-1 et seq.