[New]
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:62-1, the Town of Kearny is organized under the Town form of government, which consists of eight members of Council and the Mayor, who is also the Councilman-at-large.
[New; Ord. No. 2006-(O)-04]
The Council shall consist of eight members, two of which are elected from each of four wards. Council Members shall be elected for a term of four years. The election for Council Members shall be held in the year in which their respective terms expire. No person shall be permitted to vote at any such election unless he is an actual resident of the election district in which he offers his vote.
[New; Ord. No. 2006-(O)-04]
The Mayor shall be elected by the voters of the Town of Kearny and shall be known as the Councilman-at-large. He shall serve for a term of four years.
[New]
a.
The Councilman-at-large shall be officially known and designated as the Mayor of the Town of Kearny. He shall be so designated in all official documents and instruments of every kind, and shall sign all ordinances, warrants, bonds, notes, contracts and all other official documents and instruments by that title.
b.
The Mayor shall be the head of the municipal government.
c.
The Mayor shall have all those powers placed in the Mayor by general law.
d.
The Mayor shall be known as the Chairman of the Council, preside at all its meetings and possess all the powers of a member of Council.
e.
Every ordinance adopted by the Town Council shall be presented to the Mayor within five days after its passage, Sundays excepted, by the Town Clerk. The Mayor shall, within 10 days after receiving the ordinance, either approve it by affixing his signature thereto or return it to the Council by delivering it to the Clerk together with a statement setting forth his objections thereto. No ordinance shall take effect without the Mayor's approval, unless the Mayor fails to return the ordinance to the Council, as prescribed above, or unless the Council, upon consideration of the ordinance following its return, shall, by a vote of 2/3 of all members of the Council, resolve to override the veto.
f.
No ordinance shall be passed except by a vote of a majority of the members of the Council present at the meeting, provided that at least four affirmative votes shall be required for such purpose.
[New]
a.
The Council shall be the legislative body of the municipality.
b.
The Council may, subject to general law and the provisions of this act:
1.
Pass, adopt, amend and repeal any ordinance or, where permitted, any resolution for any purpose required for the government of the Town or for the accomplishment of any public purpose for which the municipality is authorized to act under general law;
2.
Control and regulate the finances of the Town and raise money by borrowing and taxation;
3.
Create such offices and positions as it may deem necessary. The officers appointed thereto shall perform the duties required by law and the ordinances of the Council. Other than the Town Attorney, Engineer, Construction Official, Borough Clerk, Tax Collector and Tax Assessor, these officers shall serve at the pleasure of the Council. The Town Attorney, Engineer, Clerk, Tax Collector and Tax Assessor shall serve for terms as provided in chapter 9 of Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes;
4.
Investigate any activity of the Town;
5.
Remove any officer of the Town, other than those officers except by law, for cause; and
6.
Override a veto of the Mayor by a 2/3 majority of all the members of the Council.
c.
The Council shall have all the executive responsibilities of the Town not placed, by general law or this act, in the office of the Mayor.
d.
The Council may, by ordinance, appoint such subordinate officers as it may deem necessary, except that the Town Clerk, the Tax Assessor and the Tax Collector shall be appointed by the Mayor and Council.
e.
Every officer appointed pursuant to this section shall hold office during his official term and until his successor shall have been duly appointed and qualified.
f.
The Town Council may, by ordinance, delegate all or a portion of the executive responsibilities of the municipality to an Administrator.
[New]
a.
The Mayor and Council Members of the Town of Kearny shall constitute the Council thereof. They shall hold an annual meeting on the first day of January at 12:00 noon, or during the first seven days of January in any year.
b.
The Mayor, heretofore known as the Councilman-at-large, shall be Chairman of the Council and preside at all meetings of the Council. In his absence, the Council may elect one of its own as Chairman for the time being.
c.
The Council shall appoint the times of meetings and determine and establish the rules of its own proceedings.
d.
A majority of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a smaller number may meet and adjourn from day to day.
e.
The Mayor or any two Councilmen may call for a special meeting by written notice to each of the members, served personally or left at the member's usual place of residence at least 24 hours before the time appointed for the meeting. No other business than that specified in the call for the meeting shall be discussed or transacted.
f.
The Council may, at its annual meeting, establish for its members such committees of the Council as will assist it for the ensuing year. (N.J.S.A. 40A:62-3)
[1973 Code § 44-1; Ord. No. 2-23-83]
On January 1 of each year, the Governing Body shall, by resolution, appoint one of its members as liaison to the following Boards and Agencies in the Town, which liaison member shall serve in that function for a period of one year.