[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.