[Adopted 2-14-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-1]
The purpose of this article is to establish an Economic Development Committee known as the "Township of Ocean Economic Development Committee."
The members of the Committee shall be appointed by majority vote of the Township Committee. The members of the Economic Development Committee shall annually choose from its members the Chairman and such other officers as it may deem necessary. One member of the Township Committee, to be selected by it, shall be an ex officio member of the Economic Development Committee. The members of the Economic Development Committee shall serve without compensation.
The terms of each member, other than the ex officio member who shall be appointed annually by the Township Committee, shall be for five years. However, the initial term of each of the first members shall expire on December 31, of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth years, next ensuing after the date of their appointment. As a result, the initial appointments of all new members shall be as follows: One member shall be appointed for one year, one member for two years, one member for three years, two members for four years and two members for five years. At the expiration of the initial term of each member, all future appointments shall be for a term of five years and said member shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualify.
To effectuate its purposes, the Economic Development Committee shall have the power to:
A. 
Adopt and use an official seal.
B. 
Adopt suitable by-laws for the management of its affairs.
C. 
Make independent correspondence and other communications to affect its purposes.
This Committee is created and formed for the following purposes:
A. 
To inquire into, assess and publicize the extent, advantages and utility of the vacant lands of the Township, whether municipally owned or otherwise.
B. 
To classify such vacant lands according to their adaptability for the development thereon of various types of industrial, professional, commercial and other business enterprises.
C. 
To study and analyze the various industries, professional organizations and commercial and business enterprises of the nation and, to the extent it deems necessary for its purposes, the enterprises of other nations, with a view to ascertaining the opportunities for the economic expansion of the Township. In this connection, the reports, records, statistics, compendia and similar documents of existing federal, state, county, municipal and other governmental and public agencies and similar bodies interested the compilation of the information relating to economic development, shall be resorted to whenever possible in order to avoid unnecessary original research and gathering of source materials.
D. 
To advertise the economic advantages and opportunities of the municipality and the availability of real estate within the municipality for economic development and to encourage and work with the Township Committee to accomplish the settlement within the municipality of beneficial industries, professional organizations and commercial and business enterprises.
E. 
To solicit the several industries, professional organizations and other commercial and business enterprises, whose settlement in the Township is best calculated to advance the interests of the Township and of its citizens, and to encourage economic development of the Township.
F. 
To foster and encourage the continual growth of established local industries, professional organizations and other commercial and business enterprises and to facilitate a continuous and ongoing relationship with local industries, professional organizations and other commercial and business enterprises for the continued economic advancement and betterment of the local community.
The Economic Development Committee shall not have:
A. 
Any power of condemnation or eminent domain.
B. 
Any power to pledge the credit of the Township or to create any debt or in any manner act as the agent of the Township.
A. 
The Economic Development Committee shall submit a report to the Township Committee biannually. Those reports shall be submitted by June 15 and by December 15 each year, and shall include all Committee activities since the last report and any additional information the Committee wishes to provide.
B. 
The Committee shall also advise the Township Committee of any action or assistance needed by any other committee, commission or board of the Township to foster the economic development of the municipality.