[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Borough Council of the Borough of Berlin 8-13-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-18;[1] amended in its entirety 6-16-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-13. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor’s Note: This chapter was originally enacted as Ch. 65 but was renumbered to fit the alphabetic sequence of the Code.
The Borough of Berlin has several major events each year including Christmas, New Years, Fall Fest, fourth of July and Memorial Day celebrations and more. Each event is organized by different organizations that sponsor said events as sanctioned by our governing body. For example, the Berlin Inter-Community Celebration Association (ICCA) hosts the fourth of July celebration for both Berlin Borough and West Berlin. They have been doing so for over 60 years. Other nonprofits, such as the Berlin Rotary, sponsor events as well. Berlin residents have been fortunate to have such great organizations sponsor the Borough's most important events for our community. Smaller events are also held throughout the year, including the Car Show and a new, annual Berlin Borough Community Yard Sale, which was a great success. It is in this tradition that the Celebration Advisory Committee was conceived; to bring people, resources and the community together in celebration throughout the year in order to enhance the spirit within our community.
The Berlin Borough Celebration Advisory Committee is hereby established as a permanent committee of the Borough Council. Its purpose is to establish a Celebration Advisory Committee (CAC) by the Borough of Berlin Council that will function to help facilitate the creation of new events and activities, as may be sanctioned by the governing body and the Celebration Advisory Committee, to increase community spirit and cohesiveness of our community.
A. 
The mission of the CAC is to create a "Citizens" Celebration Committee in order to help create, develop, promote and enhance "new" activities and events throughout the year in the Borough of Berlin. The CAC will also work together in partnership with existing organizations and the governing body to aid in the success of already major sponsored events to increase support for those organizations and events if needed.
B. 
The formal creation of a Citizens Celebration Committee would consist of no greater than 25 Berlin residents who are individuals who would volunteer to serve on the Committee for a period of three years and would develop, plan, promote and host "new" activities and events within the Borough of Berlin.
C. 
The mission includes the creation of events for the Borough of Berlin, with the long-term goal of having at least one town-wide event each month throughout the year, with several smaller events as may be determined by the CAC and governing body without conflicting with already major sponsored Borough events.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BOROUGH
The governing entity of the Borough of Berlin.
BOROUGH ADMINISTRATOR
Chief Administrative Officer for the Borough of Berlin.
CAC and COMMITTEE
The Celebration Advisory Committee.
CHAIR
The person who has been appointed pursuant to § 6-6 as head of the Committee.
COUNCIL
The Municipal Council of the Borough of Berlin.
A. 
Subject to the provisions of this chapter, the Borough of Berlin CAC shall:
(1) 
Develop a draft plan for consideration and approval of community events for consideration by Council.
(2) 
On behalf of the Borough and with approval of the Council and Borough Administrator, initiate and oversee fundraising activities for all activities and events planned by the CAC.
(3) 
On behalf of the Borough, oversee and direct the implementation of approved projects, events, and activities.
B. 
The Celebration Advisory Committee plan will include:
(1) 
Community events and activities planned;
(2) 
Budgets;
(3) 
Human resource requirements;
(4) 
Potential sources of revenue; and
(5) 
Marketing plans for each event.
A. 
The Committee will consist of up to 25 members, appointed by the Borough Council as follows:
(1) 
Up to 21 Berlin Borough citizens-at-large shall be selected by the Celebration Advisory Committee.
(2) 
Council will appoint a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson for the Committee who will also be members of the Committee.
(3) 
The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall serve a three-year term.
(4) 
During the creation of the Committee, members selected shall have the following terms:
(a) 
Up to eight members will serve a one-year term.
(b) 
Up to eight members will serve a two-year term.
(c) 
Up to nine members will serve a three-year term.
(d) 
The Chair and Vice Chair shall make up two of the nine members selected for the first three-year term.
(e) 
Each year, members whose terms have expired will be replaced or nominated for another full three-year term in accordance with this section.
(5) 
The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall nominate and appoint a Treasurer and Secretary upon the approval of the Borough Council, who will also be members of the Committee.
(6) 
If one or more of the positions on the Celebration Advisory Committee is not filled or becomes vacant, the Celebration Advisory Committee may continue with fewer members.
(7) 
Membership in the CAC is voluntary, and no remuneration will be paid for serving as a member.
The Celebration Advisory Committee will follow these procedures to conduct its business:
A. 
The Committee will meet at the call of the Chair.
B. 
The Committee will meet monthly, on the third Monday of the month, unless otherwise determined by the Committee.
C. 
A quorum for the Committee will be met with a minimum of half of the existing duly appointed members present.
D. 
If the Chair is not in attendance, then the Vice Chair shall act as the presiding officer for that meeting.
E. 
If both the Chair and Vice Chair are not in attendance, then members of the Committee shall choose among themselves a member to act as the presiding officer for that meeting.
F. 
The Committee will solicit input from the public.
G. 
All Committee regular or nonscheduled meetings shall be held open to the public, allow at each such meeting public comment and be held in compliance with the notice requirements of the Open Public Meeting Act.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq.
H. 
The Borough will include in its calendar of events all meeting dates and locations of the Committee.
I. 
The Borough will post within a reasonable timeframe a copy of the meeting minutes on the Borough website.
J. 
The Borough will set up a single web page in a subdirectory of the main Borough website solely for the use of the Celebration Advisory Committee for announcements, events, and media related to events held by the Celebration Advisory Committee.
K. 
The Borough will find a suitable location to support the monthly meeting in a venue capable of holding a minimum of 25 people.
All projects, activities, and events shall be self-funded by the Committee through self-fundraising efforts and/or as follows:
A. 
The Council may financially support any sanctioned project, activity, or event.
B. 
Administrative support will be provided by the Borough Administrator or his/her designee.
C. 
The Treasurer will maintain and keep record of all income and expenditures following standard accounting practices and as prescribed by New Jersey law.
D. 
The Treasurer will provide the Committee with a written report at each meeting outlining all income, expenses, and balances of all capital accounts.
E. 
The Treasurer shall submit receipts for any and all expenditures to the Committee, to be stored at a location to be determined by Council with a copy to the Borough's Chief Financial Officer.
F. 
The Council will establish a separate Celebration Advisory Committee account in its general ledger for the collections and spending of money solely to be allocated and used by the Celebration Advisory Committee, to be administered by the Treasurer and overseen by the Borough's Chief Financial Officer.
G. 
Allocation of any funds from the Celebration Advisory Committee must be approved by a majority of a quorum of the Committee and Council.
The Committee Chair and/or Vice Chair shall report to the Council liason after each meeting an activity report as follows:
A. 
Such activity report will include the following:
(1) 
Any proposals or plans for new events to be reviewed by Council for consideration;
(2) 
Budgets;
(3) 
Human resource requirements;
(4) 
Public safety issues; and
(5) 
Any special requests from the Committee to the Council.
B. 
The Secretary of the Committee shall record the minutes of each meeting and submit them to the Borough following all New Jersey open public record laws.