There shall be, by this chapter, hereby established within the
City of Somers Point, County of Atlantic, a Veterans Advisory Board,
which shall serve as an ad hoc advisory board to the Mayor and City
Council for the purpose of keeping the Mayor and Council informed
of developments regarding veterans and for the purposes of coordination
of Veteran related activities, issues, parades, and developments which,
in effect, affect the entire community.
The Veterans Advisory Board shall meet on no fewer than four
occasions (quarterly) throughout the year, and at such other times
as deemed necessary in the discretion of the Board Chairperson, to
discuss matters of interest to veterans, current and pending City
ordinances, county or state laws affecting veterans and other issues
of interest to veterans which may have an impact upon the City as
a whole. The Advisory Board shall report to the Mayor and City Council
as requested by the Mayor or City Council, or as often as the Advisory
Board believes it is necessary, on activities and discussions and
provide the Council with a summary of the issues it has discussed
and the positions it believes should be advanced on behalf of veterans.
The Advisory Board shall be strictly advisory, and its recommendations,
decisions, comments or other observations shall not be binding in
any way on the City Council or any other municipal body, board or
agency.
The Veterans Advisory Board shall have no authority to expend
any funds of the City and no funds shall be appropriated in the City
budget for the Board. Any and all projects proposed by the Board which
may require funding must be first submitted to City Council for approval.
Furthermore, the Board shall not have the legal authority to enter
into any contract on behalf of the City or to otherwise legally obligate
the City regarding the expenditure of funds or any other obligation.
It is the intent of this chapter that the Veterans Advisory
Board shall be solely an advisory board consisting of volunteers appointed
by the City Council.
It is expressly intended that the Veterans Advisory Board is
an ad hoc group to assist the Mayor and City Council in addressing
issues and problems confronting veterans. The Board shall be permitted
to communicate with other agencies in order to render suggestions,
opinions and recommendations with regard to veterans; provided, however,
that all such communication should be first directed to the City Council
for approval.
This chapter shall take effect upon its final passage and publication
as provided by law.