[Adopted 12-29-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-17]
[Amended 4-24-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-09]
There is hereby established a Metuchen Parade Commission to organize, oversee and conduct the two parades annually in the Borough: 1) the Memorial Day Parade; and 2) the Winter Festival Parade for the Borough of Metuchen. The Parade Commission shall be made up of seven members. The membership of the Commission shall be composed of residents of, or owners or operators of businesses in, the Borough of Metuchen. At least one member of the Commission shall have served, or is currently a member of one of the branches of the United States Armed Forces. Each member's term of office shall be for a period of three years on a staggering basis. The initial appointment of its initial five members shall be as follows: two members for a term of three years; two members for a term of two years and one member for a term of one year. The initial appointment of the two additional members shall be as follows: one member for a term of three years; and one member for a term of two years. Thereafter, the term of its members shall be for a period of three years.
The Mayor shall nominate and, with the advice and consent of the Borough Council, appoint all members of the Commission. The Council liaison shall be annually selected by the Borough Council at the reorganization meeting of the Borough held in January of each year. The members of the Commission shall annually select one of its members as Chairperson. Vacancies occurring on the Commission otherwise than by expiration of their term of office shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term in the same manner as an original appointment. A vacancy shall exist in the event that a member fails to attend and participate in or at Commission meetings for a period of eight consecutive weeks without being excused by a majority of the Commission members at the conclusion of such period, provided, however, that the Commission may refuse to excuse only with respect to those failures to attend and participate which are not due to legitimate illness. The Commission shall promptly advise the Mayor and Council upon a vacancy in its membership.
The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
A. 
To establish, amend, and supplement its own bylaws to the extent not inconsistent with this article nor with any other municipal, state or federal regulation or law. The Commission shall meet at a minimum on a monthly basis.
B. 
To exercise full and exclusive control over the planning, organization, promotion and implementation of the two annual parades conducted in the Borough: 1) the Memorial Day Parade; and 2) the Winter Festival Parade.
C. 
To supervise and control the organization, promotion, maintenance, operation and regulation of the Borough of Metuchen parades, the same to include all forms of public entertainment activities carried on in connection therewith. The Commission shall effect such expenditures and hire such personnel as may be necessary to carry out these duties in accordance with the budgetary appropriations duly adopted by the Mayor and Council.
D. 
To recommend, in writing, to the governing body rules, regulations and standards as it shall prescribe for the organization, promotion, maintenance, conduct, management and supervision of the parades conducted within the Borough.
E. 
To coordinate with all state and local agencies, departments, committees, commissions and any county, state, federal and private agencies for the purpose of the organization, promotion, maintenance, operation and regulation of the Borough of Metuchen parades set forth herein.
F. 
To foster, through community effort, good will, cooperation and coordination among the residents, businesses, groups, associations of the Borough in order to effectively organize, promote, maintain, operate, conduct and regulate the Metuchen parades set forth herein.
G. 
To make a written semiannual report in January and June of each year to the Mayor and Council detailing its activities for each parade, and, if requested, to make presentations before the Mayor and Council at such time as the Council shall request or the Commission deems desirable.