The Planning Board shall elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson
from its members. The Board shall also select a Board Secretary, who
may be a member of the Board, a municipal employee or any other individual
designated by the Board. The Board Secretary shall act as the administrative
officer to the Board for all purposes set forth in the Municipal Land
Use Law. The Board may also select a Recording Secretary, whose job
it shall be to assist the Board Secretary, in all respects, with their
administrative duties to the Board.
There is hereby created the Planning Board Attorney. The Board
may annually appoint a Board Attorney who shall be an attorney licensed
in the State of New Jersey and who shall not be the City Attorney.
Said attorney shall receive such compensation as agreed upon by the
attorney and the Board, in an amount not exceeding the amount appropriated
by the City Commissioners for such purpose and/or an amount not exceeding
moneys or deposits in escrow with respect to applications, whichever
the case may be. The Board Attorney shall be the legal advisor of
the Planning Board and shall prosecute and defend actions by and against
the Board. The Board Attorney shall swear in all witnesses giving
testimony before the Board.
The Chairperson, subject to this chapter, shall decide all points
of order and matters of procedure governing the meeting, unless otherwise
directed by a majority of the Board in session at the time. The Chairperson
shall have, subject to this chapter and governing statutes, all the
powers and perform all the duties normally appertaining to his/her
office.
The Vice Chairperson shall preside at all Board meetings and
hearings in the absence of the Chairperson.
The Board shall adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary
to carry into effect the provisions and purposes of this chapter.
In the issuance of subpoenas, administration of oaths and taking of
testimony, the provisions of the County and the Municipal Investigations
Law of 1953 (N.J.S.A. 2A:67A-1 et seq.) shall apply.
No member of the Planning Board shall act on any matter in which
he or she has, either directly or indirectly, any personal or financial
interest. Whenever any such member shall disqualify himself or herself
from acting on a particular matter, he or she shall not continue to
sit with the Board on the hearing of such matter nor participate in
any discussion or decision relating thereto.