[New]
The legislative power of the Borough shall be exercised by the
Council except as may be otherwise provided by the Charter or by general
law.
[New]
The Council shall consist of seven members. Members of the Council
shall be elected at large by the voters of the Borough at the general
election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in
November, or at such other time as may be provided by law for holding
general elections. Councilmembers shall serve for a term of four years,
beginning on the first day of January next following their election.
[1985 Code §§ 2-2.1, 2-2.2; New]
a.
Vacancies on Council shall be filled in the manner prescribed by
law.
b.
Every person appointed by the Borough Council or by the Governor
to fill a vacancy on the Council, either for the unexpired term or
temporarily, shall have the qualifications required by statute to
permit the appointee to qualify for election to the office, and if
the previous incumbent had been elected to office as the nominee of
a political party, the person so appointed shall be of the same political
party.
[1985 Code § 2-2.3]
The Council shall meet for purposes of reorganizing and electing
a Mayor and Deputy Mayor and making such appointments as shall be
required by law, on January 1 or within the first seven days in January,
annually. The Mayor and Council, by resolution, during the month preceding
the reorganization, may fix any day and time in the first week succeeding
January 1 as the day and time for such reorganization.
The Council shall elect a Mayor and Deputy Mayor who shall each
serve for a term of one year and until their successors are elected.
[1985 Code § 2-2.4]
Members-elect of the Council shall be notified of all Council
meetings to be held between Election Day and the date of the organizational
meeting of the new Council, the same as incumbents. They shall be
entitled to attend all such meetings and to participate in all pre-meeting
conferences without vote.
[1985 Code § 2-2.5]
a.
Open Public Meetings Act. All meetings, including pre-meeting conferences
shall be public and held at times and places fixed by the Council,
in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act (N.J.S.A. 10:4-1 et
seq.). Exceptions, if any, shall be as authorized therein.
b.
Regular Meetings. Council shall hold its regular meetings and conference
meetings as per a resolution to be adopted. This resolution may be
amended or modified by subsequent resolutions duly adopted.
c.
Pre-Meeting Conferences. The Council may hold pre-meeting conferences
in preparation for regular meetings as permitted by law.
d.
Special Meetings. The Mayor may call special Council meetings. Upon
written request of a majority of the whole Council to the Clerk, the
Clerk shall call a special meeting. The request and call for a special
meeting shall state the purpose thereof and no other business shall
be transacted. The call shall be filed with the Clerk at least 72
hours before the time for which the meeting is called; provided, that
if the Mayor declares an emergency affecting the public health or
safety, the call so stating may be filed three hours before the meeting.
Upon receipt of notice, the Clerk shall forthwith notify each member
and member-elect, make copies of the call available to the press and
post at least one copy in a prominent place in the municipal building.
[1985 Code § 2-2.6; N.J.S.A. 40:69A 180[a]]
Council may adopt, by resolution, by-laws and rules of procedure
not inconsistent with ordinance or statute. A majority of the whole
number of members of the Council shall constitute a quorum, but no
ordinance shall be adopted by the Council without the affirmative
vote of a majority of all the members of the Council.
[New]
The Mayor shall preside at all meetings of the Borough Council
and shall have a voice and vote in its proceedings. All bonds, notes,
contracts and written obligations of the Borough shall be executed
on its behalf by the Mayor or, in the event of his inability to act,
by the Deputy Mayor.
[New]
At the organizational meeting, the Council, by a majority vote,
shall elect from their number a Deputy Mayor, who shall preside at
all of its meetings when the Mayor does not preside. The Deputy Mayor
shall hold office for one year and until the next annual meeting.
He shall have the right to debate the vote on all questions before
the Council. If the Council, at its annual meeting, fails to elect
a Deputy Mayor, the Mayor shall appoint the Deputy from the Council
and in that case no confirmation by the Council shall be necessary.
If the Mayor is absent from the Borough for a period of three consecutive
days or for any reason is unable to act, the Deputy Mayor shall perform
all the duties of the Mayor during his absence or inability. The Mayor,
in case of his intended absence from the Borough for more than three
days at any one time, shall notify the Deputy Mayor in writing of
such intended absence, whereupon the Deputy Mayor shall be and become
acting Mayor from the receipt of such notice and continue to act until
the Mayor's return. In case of the temporary inability of the Deputy
Mayor to so act, the Council member having the longest term of service
as such may act temporarily for the Mayor.
