[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Town of
Secaucus 7-26-11 as Ord. No. 2011-18. Amendments noted where applicable.]
There is hereby established in the government of the Town of
Secaucus a department that shall be known as the Department of Finance.
The purpose of the Department is to establish and implement
procedures to ensure that the finances of the Town of Secaucus are
properly managed in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations
and ordinances. The Department shall have the primary responsibility
for the accounting management of the fiscal affairs of the town and
control of the receipt and disbursement of town funds, including administration
of the payroll and grants received by the town as well as the collection
and assessment of taxes. The Department shall also be responsible
for administering municipally-owned properties acquired through nonpayment
of taxes or any other municipal charges. The Department shall be granted
all of the administrative functions, powers and duties related to
the foregoing purposes.
A.
There is hereby assigned and transferred to said Department all of
the officers and employees previously assigned to the Department of
Purchasing, as well as, the Tax Collector, Tax Assessor and Chief
Financial Officer.
B.
There is hereby assigned and transferred to said Department all of
the officers and employees previously assigned to the process of payroll.
C.
There is hereby assigned and transferred to said Department all of
the officers and employees previously assigned to the process of grants
management.
D.
The personnel staff of the Department of Finance may include clerical,
operational, supervisory and managerial positions as deemed necessary
by the Mayor and Council.
There is hereby transferred and assigned to said Department
all of the property, books, papers and records relating to any of
the offices and other governmental agencies hereinabove allocated
and assigned to said Department, except such books, papers and records
as are now required by law or ordinances of the Town of Secaucus to
be kept in the office of some other officer or department of the town
government.
A.
There is hereby created the office of Director of the Department
of Finance. The Director shall be appointed in the same manner as
other directors in the Town of Secaucus and shall serve until the
appointment and qualification of his/her successor and shall be subject
to removal as provided by law. Vacancies in the office of Director
shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
B.
The Director shall be the town officer vested with the control function
of the management of the finances of the municipality. The control
function shall include provision for an encumbrance system of budget
operation, for expenditures only upon written requisition, for the
pre-audit of all claims and demands against the municipality prior
to payment, and for the control of all payments out of any public
funds by individual warrant for each payment to the official having
custody thereof.
C.
The Director shall have the authority to investigate the financial
operations of all departments within the town to the extent required
to ensure that he or she can properly exercise the control function
to which he or she has been assigned.
D.
The compensation of the Director shall be established pursuant to
the annual salary ordinance.
A.
The Director shall be head of the Department and, in addition to
the functions, powers and duties that are hereby or may hereafter
be conferred and imposed upon him/her by law and the ordinances of
the town, shall:
(1)
Exercise supervision and have general responsibility for all the
operations of said Department and of the personnel employed herein.
(2)
Supervise the organization of the Department and changes in the organization
thereof, and, to the extent to which the organization of his/her Department
is not prescribed by law, he/she may organize his/her Department into
such divisions and bureaus and make such assignment of powers and
duties among them and, from time to time, change such organization
or assignments as he/she may deem advisable, except that the boards,
offices and other governmental agencies and positions hereby allocated
and assigned to said Department shall be maintained.
(3)
Formulate and adopt rules and regulations for the efficient conduct
of the work and general administration of the Department and the officers
and employees thereof.
(4)
Make periodic reports with such recommendations as he/she deems appropriate
to the Mayor and Council concerning the affairs of the Department
under his/her jurisdiction.
B.
In addition and without limitation to the general duties set forth
herein, the Director of Finance shall have the following responsibilities:
(1)
To organize, develop, direct and perform the work involved in the
management of the financial affairs of the town and control the receipt
and disbursement of moneys.
(2)
To supervise and perform professional functions involved in the analysis
and audits of the accounts, vouchers and other records and prepare
statements concerning the financial condition of the town.
(3)
To develop, coordinate and maintain a system of accounting and financial
reporting.
(4)
To direct and implement necessary computer systems and programs.
(5)
To train personnel in the operation and maintenance of automated
systems.
(6)
To act as a financial advisor to the Administrator in the formation
of the budget.
(7)
To report on and interpret financial data with the objective of promoting
economy and efficiency in the execution of programs.
(8)
To develop, coordinate and execute financial policies, procedures
and plans.
(9)
To develop, coordinate and maintain an integrated system of financial
staff services through synthesis of data and information flow to provide
the necessary financial control for the town.
(10)
To confer with and serve as a technical advisor to department
directors on financial problems and other related matters.
(11)
To supervise clerical and accounting staff and assign their
duties and responsibilities.
(12)
To prepare, audit and edit reports of costs and other financial
summaries and financial statements and have such financial summaries
and financial statements available for audit.
(13)
To review disbursements and controls to assure adherence to
contractual obligations.
(14)
To supervise and maintain essential accounting records and files,
including books of original entry and general ledger.
(15)
To provide technical and administrative guidance to staff.
(16)
To establish internal operating policies and procedures.
(17)
To plan projects or programs and recommend changes to existing
operations.
(18)
To estimate budgetary needs of the town and allocate resources
appropriately.
(19)
To forecast anticipated budgetary increases/ reductions based
upon an analysis of the town's goals and needs.
(20)
To monitor expenditures against allocations to ensure that disbursements
do not exceed authorized funding levels and develop recommended cost
containment plans as are necessary to ensure proper fiscal administration.
(21)
To maximize revenues by ensuring proper state/federal reimbursements.
(22)
To develop and maintain a system of accounts consistent with
the policy, procedures and requirements of the town and applicable
state/federal statutes and rules.
(23)
To conduct periodic audits and inspections of varied financial
transactions and records.
(24)
To prepare required fiscal/statistical reports.
(25)
To analyze fiscal/statistical management reports.
(26)
To establish and supervise the maintenance of suitable budgetary
controls.
(27)
To supervise the operation of the Department's data processing
activities to ensure that input is accurate and that output is sufficient
to provide all needed financial and statistical information.
(28)
To supervise and review the accounting procedures used throughout
the town to ensure that the procedures are uniform and consistent.
(29)
To prepare or direct the preparation of reports required by
third-party reimbursement agencies.
(30)
To prepare or direct the preparation of reports to governmental
agencies required by law.
(31)
To see that municipal financial operations are in accord with
all legal requirements.
(32)
To monitor financial reports of all departments to see that
they are in conformity with required procedures and policies.
(33)
To perform or direct the performance of cost analyses of departments
and recommend changes based upon established norms.
(34)
To direct the enforcement of delinquent tax payments as prescribed
by law.
(35)
To cause the preparation of the annual financial statement as
prescribed by law.
(36)
To cause the preparation of the annual debt statement according
to law.
(37)
To cause the preparation of the supplemental debt statements
according to the Local Bond Law and municipal bond ordinances.
(38)
To administer the municipal debt, sale of bond application notes
and bonds, as well as the preparation of the necessary financial and
statistical data and the bond sale prospect.
