All legislative power of the Township, except
in matters of health, shall be exercised by the Township Committee
pursuant to law, and in matters of health by the Board of Health.
[Added 4-28-2021 by Ord. No. 7-2021]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
AGENDA
A list of items to be discussed at a formal meeting which
gives participants a clear outline of what should happen in the meeting.
MEETING
Includes any gathering whether corporeal or by means of communications
equipment, which is attended by, or open to, all of the members of
the Township Committee, held with the intent, on the part of the members
of the body present, to discuss or act as a unit upon the specific
public business of that body. Meeting does not mean or include any
such gathering:
A.
Attended by less than an effective majority of the members of
the Township Committee; or
B.
Attended by or open to all the members of three or more similar
public bodies at a convention or similar gathering.
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPERS
Paid, published and circulated in the municipality and, if
there be no such newspaper, then in at least one published in the
county in which the municipality is located and said newspaper is
circulated; the official newspapers which are designated at the reorganizational
meeting annually.
PUBLIC BUSINESS
Includes all matters which relate in any way, directly or
indirectly, to the performance of the Township Committee's functions
or the conduct of its business.
RESOLUTION
Any act or regulation of the governing body that is required
to be reduced to writing but which may be finally passed at the meeting
at which it is introduced (N.J.S.A. 40:49-1).
[Amended 4-28-2021 by Ord. No. 7-2021]
The Township Committee shall organize annually
during the first week in January, at which time it shall elect a Mayor
and Deputy Mayor from among its members. The Mayor shall preside at
meetings of the Township Committee and perform such other duties as
the Township Committee or state law may prescribe. In the absence
or disability of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor shall perform all of
the duties and functions of the Mayor. The Township Committee shall
appoint professionals and fill the vacancies on statutory boards,
commissions and other municipally created authorities, commissions
or advisory boards.
[Amended 4-28-2021 by Ord. No. 7-2021]
The Mayor shall have the power to appoint subcommittees
of the Township Committee with the consent of the Township Committee.
He shall sign and execute documents and agreements on behalf of the
Township. He shall have the power to make proclamations concerning
holidays and events of interest to the Township. He shall exercise
the ceremonial power of the Township and every other power usually
exercised by Township mayors or conferred upon him by law. The Mayor
shall preside at meetings of the Township Committee and perform such
other duties as the Township Committee or state law may prescribe.
In the absence or disability of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor shall
perform all of the duties and functions of the Mayor. In the absence
or disability of the Deputy Mayor, the most senior member shall perform
all the duties and functions of the Deputy Mayor. For the purpose
of this section, the senior member shall be defined as the member
with the most consecutive years of service on the Township Committee.
[Amended 4-28-2021 by Ord. No. 7-2021]
A. Workshop meetings. The workshop meeting shall be held
for the primary purpose of holding detailed discussions of all matters
of Township business and interest. The agenda shall provide for the
opportunity for each Township Committee and Subcommittee Chair to
provide a verbal report on the activities related to their subcommittee.
In the event of the absence of the Chair, the Vice Chair of the subcommittee
shall provide the report.
B. Regular meetings. The Township Committee shall hold
its annual organizational meeting during the first week in January.
The Committee shall establish a schedule of regular executive and
public business meetings by resolution adopted by the Township Committee
at its annual organizational meeting or as may be modified from time
to time pursuant to law. The regular meeting shall be held for the
primary purpose of conducting the Township’s public business,
including the taking of action on items necessary for the operations
and needs of the Township and its residents. This shall include the
introduction and adoption of ordinances and the holding of associated
public hearings.
C. Special
meetings. Special meetings of the Township Committee shall be held
as the need therefor arises and shall be held in compliance with the
Open Public Meetings Act (N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq.).
D. Emergency
meeting. Upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present,
the Township Committee may hold a meeting notwithstanding the failure
to provide adequate notice if:
(1) A meeting
is required in order to deal with matters of such urgency and importance
that a delay for the purpose of providing adequate notice would be
likely to result in substantial harm to the public interest; and
(2) The
meeting is limited to discussion of, and acting with respect to, such
matters of urgency and importance.
[Amended 4-28-2021 by Ord. No. 7-2021]
All regular and special meetings of the Township
Committee shall be open to the public, except for those portions of
such meetings which the Committee determines to hold in private session
pursuant to the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act. The rules
of procedure to be followed and rules for the consideration of nominations
submitted by the Mayor and for the conduct of other business of the
Committee shall be provided by resolution. In accordance with N.J.S.A.
10:4-12(a), the Township Committee shall be required to set aside
a portion of every meeting of the Township Committee, the length of
the portion to be determined by a majority vote of the municipal governing
body and set forth in the resolution adopted by the Township Committee
at its annual organizational meeting or as may be modified from time
to time pursuant to law.
A majority of the full membership of the Township
Committee shall constitute a quorum; provided, however, that no ordinance
shall be adopted by the Township Committee without the affirmative
vote of a majority of the full membership of the Committee. If a quorum
is not present at the appointed time for any meeting, the presiding
officer or the Clerk may declare the meeting adjourned.
The vote upon every ordinance and upon resolutions
shall be taken by roll call, and the yeas and nays shall be entered
on the minutes. The minutes of each meeting shall be maintained and
signed by the Township Clerk.
All ordinances shall be introduced, read, heard
and enacted in the manner provided by general law.
[Added 2-26-2014 by Ord. No. 1-2014]
The Mayor and members of the Township Committee shall, within
each of their terms of office, attend one or more basic training courses
on their responsibilities and obligations as local government officials.
Such courses should include the subjects of budgeting, policy setting,
local government contracting, risk management, and the Open Public
Records Act and may be coordinated through Rutgers University, county
government, the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, the New
Jersey Association of Counties, the New Jersey Council of Mayors,
a local Mayors Association, joint insurance fund, or other qualified
instructional provider.