[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of South Hackensack 12-2-1976 as Ch. 42 of the 1976 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Uniform Construction Codes — See Ch. 97.
Sewers and sewage disposal — See Ch. 180.
Solid waste — See Ch. 186.
Streets and sidewalks — See Ch. 189.
The Department of Public Works shall consist of the following:
A. 
Superintendent of Public Works.
B. 
Assistant Superintendent. Said individual, in the absence of or at the direction of the Superintendent of the Department of Public Works, shall assist in the implementation of all policies, work orders and directions formulated by the Superintendent. The Assistant Superintendent shall have no authority to formulate policies, work orders or directions. The Assistant Superintendent shall report directly to the Superintendent regarding the implementation of all assigned tasks. He or she shall have the authority to recommend policies, disciplinary action or necessary tasks to the Superintendent who shall have the sole discretion and authority to direct and implement the same.
[Amended 7-11-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-03]
C. 
Foreman of Public Works.
D. 
Such general laborers and machine operators consisting of a number of not less than three but which may be more in number if the Township Committee member deems necessary.
E. 
Any persons hired for part-time, emergency or seasonal work by the Superintendent of Public Works with the consent of the Township Committee, which consent shall be obtained within one month after the individual is hired. The Township Committee member in charge of the Department of Public Works shall, prior to a part-time, seasonal or emergency worker being hired, be notified by the Superintendent of Public Works of the hiring of this individual and shall consent thereto.
It shall be the function of the Department of Public Works to maintain public property, public streets, sewerage and drainage, snow removal, tree removal and maintenance, trash removal, garbage collection, if necessary, operation of the Township equipment which falls within the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works by its very nature and any other items designated or deemed necessary by the Township Committee.
A. 
The Superintendent of Public Works or the Township Committee member in charge of the Department of Public Works shall, with the consent of the Township Committee, promulgate and from time to time amend and supplement a manual of rules and regulations which shall provide for the administration and operation of the Department of Public Works and prescribe the duties and conduct of the members thereof and which shall contain such other matters as necessary for the proper function of the Department of Public Works.
B. 
All members of the Department of Public Works shall be subject to and faithfully abide by the rules and regulations.
A. 
The general administration and control of the Department of Public works is vested in the Township Committee member who shall be appointed annually by the Township Committee to be in charge thereof. He or she, together with the Superintendent of Public Works, shall be responsible for the efficiency and general good order of the operations of the Department and the members thereof.
B. 
Said Township Committee member shall have the power to promulgate orders or to amend and supplement existing orders as may be necessary for the proper conduct and efficiency of the Department of Public Works.
C. 
The Superintendent of Public Works may issue orders which may be necessary for the proper conduct and efficiency of the Department of Public Works, provided that no such orders issued by the Superintendent of Public Works shall in any way conflict or be inconsistent with the rules issued by the Township Committee member in charge of the Department of Public Works.
D. 
There is hereby reserved to the Township Committee the power to amend, alter or countermand any order issued by the Township Committee member in charge of the Department of Public Works or by the Superintendent of Public Works.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 42-5, Residency requirements, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 4-8-1988.
Every member and employee of the Department of Public Works shall, before entering upon the performance of his or her duty, subscribe to an oath or affirmation to bear true faith and allegiance to the government established in this state, to support the Constitution of the United States of America and the state and to faithfully, impartially and justly perform and discharge the duties of his or her office, which oath shall be filed with the Township Clerk and shall be in the form provided by statute.
[Amended 6-5-1980]
A. 
The appointment or employment of any officer, employee or regular member of the Department of Public Works, when first made, shall be for a probationary period of six months and shall become permanent upon the expiration of said six-month period only in the event that performance under such appointment or employment during said six-month period shall be found by the Township Committee to have been satisfactory and shall have been so certified by that body.
B. 
Any officer, employee or regular member of the Department of Public Works shall hold the office to which he or she has been presently appointed during good behavior, physical and mental capacity, efficiency and residence of the Township of South Hackensack and, in the case of the appointment of any future employees or members, within the County of Bergen as previously provided by this chapter.
[Amended 6-5-1980]
A. 
Proceedings for the removal of any person who holds an office as an employee or regular member of the Department shall be for good cause at a public hearing, and service of the notice of the charges for the removal of such officer, employee or regular member of the Department shall be made at least ten days prior to the hearing, and the individual shall be entitled to have the assistance of his or her own counsel in defending him or her in any proceedings for the removal from his or her particular position.
B. 
Proceedings for the removal of any officer, employee or regular member of the Department shall be in accordance with the statute, laws of the State of New Jersey and the rules and regulations of the Department of Public Works.
C. 
An individual may be suspended from his or her office of employment as a regular member of the Department for a period not to exceed five working days by the Township Committee member in charge of the Department of Public Works, but such suspension shall be subsequently approved by the Township Committee at a public meeting. Such suspension shall be in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the Township Committee.
The Township Committee shall fix and authorize by ordinance the salary to be paid to an officer, employee or regular member or part-time worker of the Department of Public Works by a Salary Ordinance properly enacted by it in accordance with the statutes made and provided for by the State of New Jersey.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 67, Salaries and Compensation.
All officers, members and employees of the Department of Public Works shall be subject to all the laws enacted for the conduct, benefits and protection for officers, members and employees provided by the State of New Jersey, including but not limited to the Veteran's Tenure Act and Exempt Fireman's Act, pursuant to state law.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 38:16-1 et seq. and 40A:14-60.