Editor's Note: Appendix A was revised October 10, 2013. Amendments noted where applicable.
[Prior ordinance history: Ord. 5-24-73; Ord. No. 88/9; Ord. No. 00/28; Ord. No. 11/01; Ord. No. OR:12/17.]
[Ord. No. 14/04; amended 2-13-2025 by Ord. No. 25/01]
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:45A-1, the date and time of the annual organization or reorganization meeting is scheduled for any day during the first week in January. The date of the annual organization or reorganization meeting shall be set by Resolution of the Mayor and Council during the prior December and notice of that meeting shall be given pursuant to applicable law.
Regular meetings, with exceptions deemed by the Mayor, shall be held on a Thursday, twice a month; any exceptions shall be scheduled in the Annual Meeting Notice and/or following the appropriate Open Public Meetings Law procedures. All meetings shall commence at 7:30 p.m. at the Council chambers unless another time or place is fixed by Resolution of the Mayor and Council or in the call for the meeting. When the selected Thursday falls on a holiday, the regular meeting for that month may be held on the Monday before or the Monday following.
[Amended 6-15-2023 by Ord. No. 23/06]
At the annual reorganization meeting of the Council, the Council shall elect, by majority vote of all its members, one (1) of its members to act as President of the Council for the ensuing year. The President of the Council shall, in the absence of the Mayor from the Borough and in accordance with law, perform the duties of the Mayor. If the President of the Council is unable to perform the duties of the Acting Mayor, then the member of Council with the longest term of service may act temporarily for the President of the Council.
The Council shall be called to order by the Mayor or, in his absence, by the President of the Council or, in the absence of both, by the member of the Council with the longest term of service.
A quorum shall consist of three (3) Councilmembers and the Mayor or, in the absence of the Mayor, four (4) Councilmembers shall constitute a quorum for transacting business.
[Amended 6-15-2023 by Ord. No. 23/06; 5-2-2024 by Ord. No. 24/07; 2-13-2025 by Ord. No. 25/01]
The regular order of business shall be as follows:
a. 
Salute to the flag and a moment of silence for our service men and women serving at home and abroad.
b. 
Roll call by the Clerk.
c. 
Special presentations, if any.
d. 
Reports of standing committees as follows:
1. 
Administration and Finance
2. 
Police
3. 
Public Works/Buildings and Grounds
4. 
Public Affairs
i. 
Environmental
ii. 
Recreation
iii. 
Historical
iv. 
Board of Health
v. 
Green Team
5. 
Fire
6. 
Laws/Ordinances
e. 
Reports of Borough officers and special committees
f. 
Public portion, Agenda items only
g. 
Unfinished Business
h. 
New Business, Reports, Correspondence[1]
[1]
The following correspondence will be listed on the Agenda, correspondence from other governmental entities, public notices, public utility notices, and resignations. All other correspondence will not be listed but referred to the appropriate Council Committee.
i. 
Consent Agenda Resolutions
j. 
Non-Consent Agenda Items
k. 
Public portion, general discussion
l. 
Executive Session, if necessary
m. 
Adjournment
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Mayor or presiding officer may amend the Order of Business at a Council meeting to preserve order and decorum or to provide an accommodation to a Borough official or member of the public.
[Amended 6-15-2023 by Ord. No. 23/06]
The Mayor shall, when necessary or advisable, call special meetings of the Council. In case of his neglect or refusal, any four (4) members of the Council may call such meeting by notice in writing addressed and delivered to the Borough Clerk. In all cases of special meetings, the call shall state the purpose for which such special meeting shall be called, and the time, which shall be not less than three (3) days after delivery to the Borough Clerk, and the place at which it shall be held. The Clerk shall give written notice of such special meeting to each member of the Council, specifying the time, place and purpose of such special meeting, and such notice shall be addressed and delivered to each member personally, or left at his/her residence at least two (2) days before the time fixed for such meeting, or provide same by way of e-mail. Presence of any member at such meeting without compliance with the requirements of this Rule as to notice shall constitute a waiver by such member of said requirements.
[Amended 6-15-2023 by Ord. No. 23/06]
a. 
The standing committees of the Council shall consist of three (3) members each, appointed by the Mayor, and the members shall serve at the discretion of the Mayor. The standing committees shall be as follows:
1. 
Administration and Finance
2. 
Police
3. 
Public Works/Buildings and Grounds
4. 
Public Affairs
5. 
Fire
6. 
Laws/Ordinances
b. 
Members of any committee shall rank in the order which they are named by the Mayor, and, in the absence of the Chairman, the ranking member present shall act as Chairman of the committee.
c. 
The duties of the above committees shall in general be as follows:
1. 
Administration and Finance:
(a) 
Council
(b) 
Administrator
(c) 
Clerk
(d) 
Tax Collector
(e) 
Tax Assessor
(f) 
Library
(g) 
Welfare
(h) 
Finance
(i) 
Budget
(j) 
Audit
(k) 
Insurance
(l) 
Employees' bonds
(m) 
Contributions
(n) 
Miscellaneous clerical salaries
2. 
Police:
(a) 
Police Department
(b) 
Municipal Court
(c) 
Court Administrator
(d) 
Police salaries
(e) 
Pension fund
(f) 
Police equipment
(g) 
Recommendation of Rules and regulations of Police Department
(h) 
Traffic and Beautification Committee
(i) 
Community Service
3. 
Public Works Buildings and Grounds:
(a) 
Maintenance of roads
(b) 
Snow removal
(c) 
Streetlights
(d) 
Sewer operation
(e) 
Engineering Department
(f) 
State aid roads
(g) 
Road Department salaries
(h) 
Road equipment
(i) 
Roads
(j) 
Recreation areas
(k) 
Sewers
(l) 
Buildings and grounds
(m) 
Solid waste
4. 
Public Affairs:
(a) 
Board of Health
(b) 
Zoning Official
(c) 
Board of Adjustment
(d) 
Environmental Commission
(e) 
Recreation Commission
(f) 
Historical Committee
5. 
Fire:
(a) 
Fire hydrants
(b) 
Fire Department
(c) 
Fire equipment
(d) 
Fire inspection
(e) 
Fire Safety Official
(f) 
Construction Official
(g) 
Office of Emergency Management
6. 
Laws/Ordinances:
(a) 
Legal
(b) 
Planning Board
[Amended 6-15-2023 by Ord. No. 23/06]
Rule 8. Nonstanding and Special Committees.
The Mayor shall appoint such other nonstanding committees or special committees, comprised of members and/or citizens as he shall deem advisable; and all members of all committees shall be appointed by the Mayor, or, in his absence, by the presiding officer for the time being. The Council may also establish a nonstanding committee or special committee by way of ordinance, with the term of membership and appointments to be set forth in said ordinance.
Any member may call for a division of the questions if two (2) or more distinct propositions be therein involved, either of which may stand on its own merits.
When a question is under consideration, no motion shall be entertained, except to adjourn, to lay on the table the previous question, to postpone indefinitely, to postpone to a stated time, to recommit, to refer to a committee or to amend, which motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are mentioned.
Any member having voted with the majority on any question may move for a reconsideration thereof at the same or any regular meeting; but no motion for a reconsideration shall be taken a second time on the same question, except by unanimous consent.
All Resolutions, if required by the Mayor or presiding officer or a member, shall be reduced to writing. Oral motions shall be permitted provided the oral motion is reduced to writing and presented to the Council for memorialization at its next regularly scheduled meeting. All motions, when seconded and stated from the Chair, shall be open for discussion. No motion or Resolution can be withdrawn after it shall have been amended or decided.
[Amended 2-13-2025 by Ord. No. 25/01]
Every member who shall be present when the question is put shall vote for or against the same. Any member who desires to abstain must, prior to any discussion on the measure, seek to be excused from the vote. If the Council excuses that member, then the member shall step down and not participate in the discussion or vote.
The yeas and nays may be called for by the Mayor or presiding officer or any member, in which case the names of the members voting shall be recorded on the minutes. On every Resolution appropriating money, the Resolution may be placed on the Consent Agenda and the yeas and nays on the Consent Agenda shall be called and recorded on the minutes.
A member called to order shall immediately comply, unless permitted to explain, and the Council, if appealed to, shall decide on the case. If there be no appeal, the decision of the Chair shall be binding.
Committees appointed to report on any subject referred to them by the Mayor or the Council shall report the facts in writing or verbally, as directed by the Mayor, in relation to the subject referred, and shall attach to said report all resolutions, petitions, remonstrances and other papers relative to the subject of the report. A minority of any committee may submit a report. The Council standing committees may report to the Mayor and Council in writing or orally, at the discretion of the Committee Chair.
Purchase orders for claims against the Council shall be provided by and furnished to claimants on application at the office of the Chief Financial Officer, and no claims shall be received by the Council unless the same be made out on the appropriate purchase orders and verified under oath.
These Rules shall not be altered, amended, repealed or added to except at a meeting of the Council and by a majority vote of the entire Council, except that if the entire Council shall divide evenly on the question of alteration, amendment, repeal or addition, the Mayor shall have a vote to break the tie.
All and every previous Rule or Rules at any time heretofore adopted by this Council are hereby abrogated, and the Rules hereby adopted shall, until changed by subsequent action, be the only Rules of this Council.
[Amended 6-15-2023 by Ord. No. 23/06]
Rule 29. Time Limit for Items for Agenda.
No communication, report, petition or matter of any nature may be considered by the Mayor and Council at its next regular meeting unless it was received by the Borough Clerk no later than noon 12:00 p.m. of the Friday prior to the meeting, if it be a regular meeting date, unless such matter is of an emergent nature that requires immediate Council consideration, which emergent status shall be determined by the Mayor. Nothing herein shall prohibit a member of the Council from raising a discussion item or from making a motion on the dais during a meeting.
[Added 5-2-2024 by Ord. No. 24/07; amended 2-13-2025 by Ord. No. 25/01]
The public shall be provided an opportunity to address the Mayor and Council during public portions of all Borough Council meetings in compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act, N.J.S. A. 10:4-6, et seq. The Mayor or presiding officer shall determine the method and order for public comment during each public portion of the agenda. During each public portion, members of the public shall be provided five (5) minutes to speak, unless otherwise extended by the Mayor or presiding officer. No member of the public shall speak more than once during each public portion. Members of the public are not permitted to yield their time to speak to any other person(s).
[Added 1-23-2026 by Ord. No. 26/01]
Except as otherwise provided herein, all regular and special meetings of the Mayor and Council shall adjourn no later than 10:00 p.m., notwithstanding when such meeting commenced. Any matter not reached or not concluded by 10:00 p.m. shall be deemed unfinished business and may be carried over to a future duly noticed regular or special meeting of the Mayor and Council, being placed on the agenda in accordance with applicable law and Council rules. The Council may, by majority vote of the members present, continue a meeting beyond 10:00 p.m. when necessary to address matters requiring immediate consideration. Nothing herein shall be construed to eliminate or unlawfully restrict public comment as required by N.J.S.A. 10:4-12, nor to limit public participation on matters heard during the meeting. A meeting may be extended beyond 10:00 p.m. to provide for a public hearing where required by law.
[Ord. No. OR:13/21; amended 6-15-2023 by Ord. No. 23/06]
Editor's Note: Except for bond and local improvement ordinances.
The adoption of all ordinances shall comply with the procedural requirements of N.J.S.A. 40:49-1, et seq., and N.J.S.A. 40A:60-1, et seq., including all additional requirements that may be applicable pursuant to New Jersey law, including, without limitation, the required Planning Board review and notice requirements of the Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1, et seq. The general procedures for the adoption of an ordinance shall be as follows:
First Reading.
Councilmember:
Mayor, I move the adoption of an ordinance concerning [subject matter or title of ordinance] on first reading direct the Clerk to advertise a public hearing, in accordance with law.
(Roll call on ordinance.)
Final Adoption.
Councilmember:
Under Unfinished Business: Mayor, I call up for second reading an ordinance concerning [subject matter or title of ordinance] and move to open the public hearing on the ordinance.
(Public hearing held.)
(Public hearing closed.)
Councilmember:
Mayor, I move the public hearing be closed, this ordinance be adopted on second reading, and to authorize and direct the Clerk to advertise the adoption in accordance with law.
(Roll call vote on ordinance.)