[Ord. No. 332 § 1]
The following procedures shall be followed in making commitments
which financially obligate the Borough and for the approval or disapproval
of all claims submitted to the Borough.
[Ord. No. 332 § 1]
Any person claiming payment from the Borough shall present a
detailed bill of items or demand to the Borough Clerk, upon forms
furnished by the Borough Clerk, duly certified as to the true, accurate
and correct nature of such demand.
[Ord. No. 332 § 6]
In the case of payroll, the officers or employees as may be
designated by resolution of the Mayor and Council shall prepare the
necessary payrolls for all employees, which payrolls shall be duly
certified by the persons authorized to certify that the services have
been rendered and the amount specified is then due and owing to the
employee or employees in accordance with the applicable provisions
of the salary ordinance then in effect or resolutions adopted pursuant
thereto. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to supervise preparation
and certification of the payrolls and, if found to be in proper order,
the Treasurer shall cause the payrolls to be paid in due course. The
payrolls shall then be presented to the Mayor and Council for approval
and ratification at the next succeeding public meeting.
[Ord. No. 407 § 1;
New]
The rate of interest to be charged by the Borough of Peapack
and Gladstone on delinquent taxes be and hereby is set by Resolution
in January of each year.
[Ord. No. 754 § 1; Ord. No. 1001-2015]
a. Establishment of Trust Fund.
1. There is hereby established a reserve in the General Capital Fund
which shall be noted and designated as the "Open Space, Recreation,
Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund" hereinafter known as
"Trust Fund". The Trust Fund may be used to further the goals of open
space, recreation, farmland and historic preservation. A separate
bank account shall be established and maintained for the Trust Fund
entitled, "Borough of Peapack and Gladstone Open Space, Recreation,
Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Account". As directed by
the Borough Council, funds from the Trust Fund may be utilized to
acquire, maintain or improve all types of interests in real property,
including, not by way of limitation, fee simple acquisitions, easements,
development rights, or any other lesser interests in real estate which
will further the goals set forth above.
2. Consistent with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40: 12-15.7, the purposes
of the Trust Fund shall include:
(a)
Acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes;
(b)
Development of lands acquired for recreation and conservation
purposes;
(c)
Maintenance of lands acquired for recreation and conservation
purposes;
(d)
Acquisition of farmland for farmland preservation purposes;
(e)
Historic preservation of historic properties, structures, facilities,
sites, areas, or objects, and the acquisition of such properties,
structures, facilities, sites, areas, or objects for historic preservation
purposes; or
(f)
Payment of debt service on indebtedness issued or incurred by
the municipality for any of the purposes set forth in subparagraphs
(a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) of this paragraph.
3. The lands in which such interests may be acquired shall include undeveloped
land as well as land containing improvements at the time of acquisition
provided the principal purpose of the acquisition is to further the
goals of this section.
4. The Borough Council shall have the option of paying for land acquisitions
with improvements upon them either solely through the Trust Fund or
by apportioning the cost thereof by charging the Trust Fund for the
land portion and the Borough's capital account for the improvement
portion. It is understood that such acquisition may occur via gift,
purchase or by eminent domain proceedings pursuant to N.J.S.A. 20:3-1
et seq.
5. In addition, the Borough Council may authorize the disbursement of
monies from the Trust Fund to assist any recognized public or recognized
not-for-profit private entity in acquiring interests in real property,
primarily located within the Borough, for the purposes stated herein,
provided that suitable arrangements are made to assure (i) that such
lands are made subject to such restrictions as are imposed by this
section; and (ii) that in the event such interests subsequently are
sold, the net proceeds of such disposition will be paid over to the
Borough's Trust Fund in the same proportion that the Borough's
contribution bore to the original purchase price.
b. Funding of the Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historic Preservation
Trust Fund.
Beginning in 1999, a special tax rate was added to the total
Borough tax rate in the amount of two ($0.02) cents per one hundred
($100.00) dollars of the annual assessed valuations and tax rate,
the revenue from which was deposited into the Trust Fund. In subsequent
years, the Borough Council, annually by resolution, after a public
hearing, shall establish the rate, not to exceed three ($0.03) cents
per one hundred ($100.00) dollars of the assessed valuation of the
new year. By virtue of the adoption of Ordinance Number 754, the rate
was increased from two ($0.02) to three ($0.03) cents per one hundred
($100.00) dollars of the assessed value. The Trust Fund shall also
be permitted to accept donations and testamentary bequests.
The funds accumulated within the Trust Fund shall be utilized as delineated in subsections
3-3.1a1 through
5 above. In connection with any acquisition, the funds may be utilized for appraisals and other items of expense permitted by law or as a down payment for the issuance of bonds or for debt service for the same purpose at the discretion of the Borough Council. Any and all interest accruing shall remain in the Trust Fund and may be utilized for the above described purposes.
In no event shall the Borough pay more than fair market value
for any acquisition. The Borough shall obtain a minimum of one (1)
appraisal from a certified appraiser plus the appraisal of the Borough
Tax Assessor, as a guide to the fair market value. The cost of such
appraisals may be paid out of the Trust Fund.
c. Utilization of the Land Acquired Through the Open Space, Recreation,
Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.
The land acquired under the Trust Fund shall be utilized for
open space including parks, recreation areas, natural areas, greenways,
wild life habitats, preservation of farmland and historic areas and
such other uses consistent with this section as well as for necessary
improvements to further the goals of this section, including the improvement
of land for recreational purposes.
d. Sale of Property.
No real property or interest therein acquired with funds from
the Trust Fund shall be sold, conveyed, leased or otherwise alienated
unless it is needed for another public use or otherwise furthers the
purposes of the Trust Fund. If such a sale, lease or conveyance is
made, the Borough Council shall be required to (1) place the monies
received into the Trust Fund and (2) following the procedures set
forth herein, replace such property(s) or interest(s) with property(s)
or an interest(s) of at least equal fair market value and of reasonably
equivalent usefulness, size, quality and location.
The deed of any property acquired with funds from the Trust
Fund shall contain a specific notation reflecting that the property
was acquired with funds from the Trust Fund and shall not be conveyed
except in accordance with the provisions of this section.
[Ord. No. 754 § 3]
The section will be in effect for a period of five (5) consecutive
years. The Borough Council shall then conduct a review and, if it
deems appropriate, issue a report with recommendations and conclusions
concerning the continuation of the Trust Fund and whether a public
referendum is appropriate.