[Ord. No. 2010-28; New]
Under the direction and supervision of the Mayor as chief executive,
there shall be such departments, not exceeding nine in number, as
established by this Code or by amendments or supplements thereto.
Each department shall have, exercise and discharge such functions,
duties and powers as may be provided by the Charter, this Code or
by other ordinances. The following departments are hereby established:
[Added 3-21-2019 by Ord.
No. 03-2019]
a.
Appointment and Compensation. The Administrator shall be appointed
by and to serve at the pleasure of the Mayor. The Administrator shall
receive such compensation as shall be prescribed by the Salary Ordinance.
The Administrator need not be a resident of the City of Lambertville.
b.
General Powers and Duties. Under the direction and supervision of
the Mayor, the Administrator shall be the administrative officer of
the municipality. The Administrator shall serve as the Personnel Officer
and shall have the authority, except for the Police Department, to
hire, transfer, promote, demote and discharge any employees, subject
to approval of the Mayor. The Administrator shall have the authority
to impose lesser forms of discipline than demotion or discharge without
the approval of the Mayor and City Council, subject to any applicable
ordinances of the City or laws of the state. The Administrator shall
serve as the Purchasing Agent of the municipality, unless and until
the City Council shall authorize the appointment of a Purchasing Agent.
The Administrator shall, to the extent permitted by law:
1.
Keep the Mayor advised of the financial condition of the municipality
and make reports to the governing body as requested by the Mayor or
Council.
2.
Study the governmental and administrative operations and needs of
the municipal government and prepare and recommend to the Mayor and
Council necessary and desirable plans and programs to meet present
and foreseeable needs.
3.
Any time he or she deems, investigate, at the direction of the Mayor
or Council, the affairs of any office or department of the municipality.
4.
Manage and resolve inquiries and complaints concerning affairs affecting
the City government, provide information and assistance and remedy
or cause to be remedied the source of any just complaint.
5.
Perform such other duties as may be required of him/her by ordinance
or resolution of the City Council.
c.
Administrative Supervision and Direction. The Administrator, to the
extent permitted by law, shall be empowered to:
1.
Direct and supervise the office of Administration, Finance and other
departments or offices that may be created by the governing body,
and have consultation with and input from those departments for the
sound personnel policies and administrative practices.
2.
Audit all bills and vouchers for payment prior to final approval
by the City Council.
3.
Maintain a continuing review and analysis of budget operations, work
programs and costs of municipal services.
4.
Establish for working personnel vacation and sick leave schedules
and appropriate records and reports in accordance with any applicable
ordinances of the City or laws of the state.
5.
Recommend, implement and enforce the procedures and policies of the
Department of Administration, Finance and other departments or offices
that may be created by the governing body.
[Ord. No. 2010-28; amended 3-21-2019 by Ord. No. 03-2019]
a.
The head of each department, with the exception of the Department
of Public Safety, shall be a Director appointed by the Mayor, with
the advice and consent of Council.
b.
The head of the Department of Finance shall have the title of Chief
Financial Officer, and the City Business Administrator, Director of
the Department of Administration.
c.
The Mayor shall recruit, select and appoint persons qualified by
training and experience for their respective office as department
heads.
d.
Each department head shall serve during the term of the Mayor appointing
him/her, unless removed from office by the Mayor, and shall continue
to serve until a successor is appointed and qualified.
e.
Each department head shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor.
f.
Personnel subordinate to the Director of a department shall be appointed
by the Director with the approval of the Mayor, except as otherwise
provided by this Code, and shall serve during the term of the Mayor
by whom they are appointed, unless otherwise provided by the Charter,
general law, this Code or other ordinances.
g.
Personnel subordinate to the Director of a department may be removed
by the Director with the approval of the Mayor, unless otherwise provided
by the Charter, general law, this Code or other ordinances.
h.
Nothing in this Code shall be construed to prevent the Mayor from
appointing to any position for which the Mayor has the responsibility
of making appointments, any otherwise qualified person, including
him/herself, Council members or other municipal officers, except as
specifically prohibited by the Charter, general law or this Code.
i.
The Mayor shall send to Council the names of his or her appointees
to the position of department heads within 45 days of assuming office.
j.
Council shall act when required by the Charter, this Code or general
law, on appointments of department heads within 15 days of assuming
office.
k.
No new department, division, office, officer or employee position
shall be created except by action of the Council, and no existing
department, division, office, officer or employee position shall be
abolished except by action of the Council; the creation and/or the
abolition of any position by Council shall be specifically noted as
appropriate in the annual budget; and any ordinance establishing a
new department, division, office, officer or employee position shall
include a statement of the powers, duties and responsibilities of
the function therein created, and this Code shall be appropriately
amended.
[Ord. No. 2010-28; amended 3-21-2019 by Ord. No. 03-2019]
Whenever a vacancy exists in any office required by the Charter
or by this Code to be filled by the Mayor with the advice and consent
of Council and there is no holdover incumbent, the Mayor may temporarily
fill such vacancy, in the absence of any contrary provision in the
Charter or in this Code, by appointing an acting officer, including
the designation of him/herself as an acting department head in the
event of a vacancy in such office. Such appointee shall have all of
the functions, powers and duties of the office until it shall be permanently
filled. Any such appointment shall terminate not later than 60 days
after the date of the appointment, unless the Council shall by resolution
authorize one or more extensions of such a period.
[Ord. No. 2010-28; amended 3-21-2019 by Ord. No. 03-2019]
The head of each department, under the supervision of the Mayor
and subject to the Charter and to this Code, shall:
a.
Prescribe the internal organization of the department and the duties
of subordinate officers and employees within the department with the
approval of the City Business Administrator, except as provided by
the Charter, this Code or by ordinance.
b.
Ensure that all powers, functions and duties assigned to the department
are carried out with diligence.
c.
Operate his or her department in an efficient and effective manner.
d.
Report in writing to the Mayor and City Business Administrator recommendations
for improving departmental performance, requirements of the department
and the results of the assignments made to the department.
e.
Report promptly to the Mayor, City Business Administrator and to
the Chief Financial Officer projected deviations in the financial
performance of the department.
f.
Report at least monthly to the Mayor and Council, in such form as
shall be approved by the Mayor, on the work of the department during
the preceding month.
g.
Cooperate with the Mayor, City Business Administrator, Chief Financial
Officer and Council in the preparation of the annual budget, providing
supporting information for all budgetary requirements and explanation
of all deviations from previous budgets.
h.
Assign, with the City Business Administrator's approval, functions,
powers and duties to subordinate officers and employees within the
department and modify such assignments as need appears.
i.
Assign priorities to the conduct of the functions, powers and duties
allocated to the department.
j.
Supervise the work of the department through the divisions established
by this Code and supervise and direct the work of the employees of
the department.
k.
Delegate to other officers or employees of his or her department
such of his or her powers as he or she may deem necessary for efficient
administration and operation.
l.
Prohibit the expenditure of municipal funds or the commitment of
municipal funds by the department except as provided by law.
m.
Provide liaison with other departments, divisions, boards, etc.,
as required for the efficient and effective operation of the administrative
branch.
n.
Familiarize him/herself with general law affecting his or her department
and with funds available for the performance of the functions of his
or her department from sources outside the City.
[Ord. No. 2010-28]
The Chief Financial Officer, the Municipal Tax Collector and
the Municipal Court Judge and Administrator shall each give bond,
at the expense of the City, in accordance with general law.
[Ord. No. 2010-28]
No officer or employee elected or appointed in the City shall
engage in any type of activity which could be considered to be a conflict
of interest and which would be incompatible with the proper discharge
of his official duties in the public interest or would intend to impair
his independence of judgment or action in the performance of his official
duties.
[Ord. No. 2010-28]
Any official or employee who has or may have any interest, direct
or indirect, in any measure, indebtedness or action, and who participates
in discussion with or gives an official opinion to the Council or
to any municipal agency with respect thereto, shall disclose on the
records of the Council or agency the nature and extent of such interest.
[Ord. No. 2010-28]
Pension fund membership and rights of any officer or employee
shall not be adversely affected due to the adoption of this Code or
of any amendments or supplements thereto. In the event of the termination
of employment of any officer or employee prior to his retirement for
whom funds have been set aside for a pension or for retirement benefits
during the period of his employment, such funds shall be paid to such
officer or employee in accordance with State Law.[1]
[Ord. No. 2010-28]
Any officer or employee of the City who has acquired tenure
in his position through any provision of law or of ordinance shall
retain said tenure in the same position without effect due to the
adoption of this Code.
[Ord. No. 2010-28]
The Council shall have an annual audit made of the City accounts
and financial transactions as required by law. Such annual audit shall
be made by a registered municipal accountant of New Jersey, appointed
by the Mayor with the advice and consent of Council.
[Ord. No. 2010-28]
No rule or regulation made by any department, officer, agency
or authority of the City, except such as relates to the organization
or internal management of the City government or a part thereof, shall
take effect until it is filed with the City Clerk. The Council shall
provide for the prompt publication of such regulations and rules.
[Ord. No. 2010-28]
a.
All the books, maps, papers, accounts, statements, vouchers and other
documents whatsoever acquired or produced in any department shall
be carefully and conveniently filed, kept and preserved and shall
be and remain the sole property of the City and shall not at any time
be removed from the offices of such department except when required
for use in official business and shall then be returned to such office
without delay. Each department head shall be responsible for enforcing
the requirements of this section in his department. This section shall
be subject to the provisions of Destruction of Public Records Law
(1953) (N.J.S.A. 47:3-15 et seq.) and the Division of Records Management,
State of New Jersey.
b.
In accordance with the Open Public Records Act of July 1, 2001, the
City of Lambertville appoints the City Clerk as the person responsible
for processing of all requests for copies of public records. All requests
shall be documented and recorded as prescribed in N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.
[Ord. No. 2010-28]
Upon termination of the term of office of any officer or the
employment of any employee, he shall forthwith deliver to his successor,
or if there be no successor, to the Clerk or other person who may
be designated by the Council to receive same, all moneys, papers,
books, memoranda, accounts and data of any nature whatsoever pertaining
to his office or to his employment.
[Ord. No. 2010-28]
The public, administrative and executive business offices of
the City shall be open for the transaction of public business on a
regular schedule as prescribed by the Mayor with the approval of the
Council, except as otherwise provided by law. Notice of the regular
office hours of all officials shall be posted on the City bulletin
board and the City's website.
[Ord. No. 2010-28]
Whenever addition of personnel within any department shall be
authorized by ordinance, or whenever vacancy shall exist in a previously
authorized position, such position being that of department Director
or one for which monetary compensation is authorized, the vacancy
shall be announced in a public meeting of the Council and shall be
advertised once in the official newspaper of the City. Such announcement
shall specify the nature of the position, the person to whom applications
shall be submitted and the date by which applications are due. At
least seven days shall be provided between appearance of the advertisement
and closing of applications.
