A. 
Departments generally. [N.J.S.A. 40:69A-43(a)]
(1) 
Number. The City shall have a Department of Administration and such other departments, not less than two and not exceeding nine in number, as Council may establish by ordinance.
(2) 
Administrative allocation. All of the administrative functions, powers and duties of the municipality, other than those vested in the offices of the Municipal Clerk and the City Tax Assessor, shall be allocated and assigned within such departments.
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 17-20]
(3) 
Departments specifically. There shall be the following departments: Department of Administration, Department of Law, Department of Financial Administration, Department of Police, Department of Fire, Department of Recreation and Public Affairs, Department of Development and Planning, Department of Public Works.
[Amended 11-21-2006 by Ord. No. 06-12; 1-6-2009 by Ord. No. 08-18; 12-1-2009 by Ord. No. 09-04]
B. 
Officers and employees not assigned to a department.
(1) 
The Municipal Clerk and City Tax Assessor shall not be assigned to a specific department, but shall be subject to general administrative procedures and requirements as are departments of the City government, including but not limited to, the preparation and submission of an annual budget and of such periodic budget reports as are generally required of departments and such accounting controls, central purchasing practices, personnel procedures and regulations, and central data procession services as are generally required of departments. (N.J.S.A. 40:69A-43)
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 17-20]
(2) 
The Mayor shall, with the advice and consent of the Council, appoint the City Tax Assessor and all other City officers not assigned within a City department, subject to the terms of any general law providing for these officers, unless a different appointment procedure is clearly required by the Charter or by general law. (N.J.S.A. 40:69A-43)
C. 
Department head appointment; term; residency.
(1) 
Each department shall be headed by a department head.
(2) 
The department head shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council. [N.J.S.A. 40:69A-43(b)]
(3) 
Each department head shall serve during the term of the office of the Mayor appointing said department head, and until the appointment and qualification of any successor. [N.J.S.A. 40:69A-43(b)]
(4) 
At the time of the appointment, the department head need not be a resident of the City or state, but during tenure of office, the department head may reside outside the City only with the approval of Council.
D. 
Department head powers and duties. The head of each department, under the supervision of the Mayor and subject to the Charter and code shall:
(1) 
Appoint subordinate officers and employees within the department with the consent of the Mayor and may remove or suspend such officers and employees, subject to the provisions of Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes, or other general law.
(2) 
Prescribe the internal organization of the department and the duties of subordinate officers and employees within the department, subject to the provisions of Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes, and with the consent of the Mayor.
(3) 
Assign functions, powers and duties to subordinate officers and employees within the department, and modify such assignments as need appears.
(4) 
Supervise the work of the department and supervise and direct the work of the employees of the department.
(5) 
Delegate to division heads such of his powers as he may deem necessary for efficient administration.
(6) 
Report at least annually to the Mayor and Council in such form as shall be approved by the Business Administrator on the work of the department during the preceding year.
E. 
Removal of department heads and others.
(1) 
Mayor. The Mayor may in the Mayor's discretion remove any department head and, subject to any general provisions of law concerning the term of office or tenure, any other executive officer, who is not a subordinate departmental officer or employee, after notice and on opportunity to be heard. Prior to removal, the Mayor shall first file a written notice of this intention with the Council, and such removal shall become effective on the 20th day after the filing of said notice unless the Council shall prior thereto have adopted a resolution by a two-thirds vote of the whole number of the Council disapproving the removal.
(2) 
Council.
(a) 
The Council may remove any City officer other than the Mayor or a member of Council for cause, after notice and opportunity to be heard.
(b) 
The Council shall consider notices under Subsection E(2)(a) above and motions under this subsection only after notice and opportunity to be heard to the affected officer. The Clerk shall forthwith cause a copy of the notice or motion as the case may be, together with a statement of the charges involved and notice of the time and place fixed for hearing, to be served personally or by registered mail upon the officer affected. Hearing shall be held not less than 10 days nor more than 15 days after date of such service. Such hearing shall be open to the public pursuant to the Charter, Council may veto a removal under Subsection E(2)(a) above by a two-thirds vote of Council members and may adopt or defeat a motion under Subsection E(2)(b) above by a majority vote of the Council.
(3) 
Department head. Each department head, with the approval of the Mayor, shall have the power, except as specifically provided by law, to appoint, remove and suspend subordinate officers and employees within the department, subject to applicable civil service rules and regulations.
F. 
Dual appointments. A department head may serve as a division head or supervisor and a division head or supervisor may serve as a bureau head without additional compensation. Any person may be appointed to serve as head of two or more divisions or bureaus, unless otherwise provided by the Code, charter or state law.
G. 
Interim appointments. Whenever a vacancy exists in any office required by the Charter or Administrative Code to be filled by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council, including the office of department head, the Mayor may temporarily fill such a vacancy in the absence of any contrary provision in the Charter or statute by appointing an acting officer from among the existing officers and employees of the department affected. Such appointee shall have all the functions, powers and duties of the office until it shall be filled permanently. Any such appointment shall terminate not later than 90 days after the date of the appointment, unless the Council by resolution authorizes one or more extensions of such period. (N.J.S.A. 40A:9-12.1)
H. 
Vacancies in divisions. Whenever a vacancy exists in the office of any departmental division by resignation, removal, disability or otherwise, the director of the department with the Mayor's consent may fill such vacancy temporarily by appointing an acting head of such division who shall have and perform all the functions, powers and duties of such division until the office shall be filled permanently. Any such temporary appointment shall terminate not later than 90 days after the date of the appointment unless the Council shall, by resolution, authorize one or more extensions of such period.
I. 
Official surety bonds.
(1) 
Every officer or employee of the City who by virtue of the office or position is entrusted with the receipts, custody or expenditure of public moneys or funds and any other officer or employee who may be required to do so by the Council shall, before entering upon the duties of the office or position, qualify for and be covered by a surety bond in an amount as may be fixed by resolution of the Council, binding the officer or employee to the City in its corporate name and conditioned upon the true and faithful performance of the duty to the office or position.
(2) 
If any officer or employee shall not qualify or is unable to be covered by a surety bond as herein required within 30 days after due notification of the officer's or employee's election or appointment, that office may be declared vacant by the Council.
(3) 
ln every case in which any person is required by the laws of the state or by any ordinance of the City to give as bond for the faithful performance of the duties of the office, such bond shall be secured by a corporate surety authorized to do business in this state, and the premium therefor shall be paid by the City. Each such bond shall be approved as to form and sufficiency by the City Solicitor and nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the use of one or more blanket bonds when so approved.
For purposes of this section, "immediate family" means the spouse or dependent child of an officer or employee residing in the same household.
A. 
No officer or employee or member of his or her immediate family shall have an interest in a business organization or engage in any business, transaction, or professional activity, which is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of the officer's or employee's duties in the public interest;
B. 
No officer or employee shall use or attempt to use the officer's or employee's official position to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages for himself or herself or others;
C. 
No officer or employee shall act in his or her official capacity in any matter where the officer or employee, a member of his or her immediate family, or a business organization in which the officer or employee has an interest, has a direct or indirect financial or personal involvement that might reasonably be expected to impair his or her objectivity or independence of judgment;
D. 
No officer or employee shall undertake any employment or service, whether compensated or not, which might reasonably be expected to prejudice the officer's or employee's independence of judgment in the exercise of official duties;
E. 
No officer or employee, member of his or her immediate family, or business organization in which the officer or employee has an interest, shall solicit or accept any gift, favor, loan, political contribution, service, promise of future employment or other thing of value based upon an understanding that the gift, favor, loan, contribution, service, promise or other thing of value was given or offered for the purpose of influencing the officer or employee, directly or indirectly, in the discharge of official duties. This provision shall not apply to the solicitation or acceptance of contributions to the campaign of an announced candidate for elective public office, if the officer has no knowledge or reason to believe that the campaign contribution, if accepted, was given with the intent to influence the local government officer in the discharge of official duties;
F. 
No officer or employee shall use, or allow to be used, his or her public office or employment, or any information, not generally available to the members of the public, which the officer or employee receives or acquires in the course of and by reason of office or employment, for the purpose of securing financial gain for the officer or employee, any member of his or her immediate family, or any business organization with which the officer or employee is associated;
G. 
No officer or employee or business organization in which he or she has an interest shall represent any person or party other than the local government in connection with any cause, proceeding, application or other matter pending before any agency in the local government in which the officer or employee serves. This provision shall not be deemed to prohibit one employee from representing another employee where the City is the employer and the representation is within the context of official labor union or similar representational responsibilities;
H. 
No officer shall be deemed in conflict with these provisions if, by reason of his or her participation in the enactment of any ordinance, resolution or other matter required to be voted upon or which is subject to executive approval or veto, no material or monetary gain accrues to him or her as a member of any business, profession, occupation or group, to any greater extent than any gain could reasonably be expected to accrue to any other member of such business, profession, occupation or group;
I. 
No elected officer shall be prohibited from making an inquiry for information on behalf of a constituent, if no fee, reward or other thing of value is promised to, given to or accepted by the officer or a member of his or her immediate family, whether directly or indirectly, in return therefor; and
J. 
Nothing shall prohibit any officer or employee, or members of his or her immediate family, from representing himself, herself or themselves, in negotiations or proceedings concerning his, her or their own interests. (N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.5)
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 17-20]
No rule or regulation made by any department shall, except upon written approval of the Mayor, take effect until at least 10 days after it is filed with the Municipal Clerk as required by the Charter. The Municipal Clerk shall maintain a docket of all orders, rules and regulations filed in the Clerk's office which docket shall show the name of the issuing department, a brief description of the subject matter, and the date of filing. At the close of each year the Clerk shall, with the advice and assistance of the City Solicitor, compile and codify all of the orders, rules and regulations which then remain in force and effect. The Municipal Clerk may arrange for the printing and sale of such compilation within the limits of available appropriations.
The public, administrative and executive business offices of the City shall be open for the transaction of public business daily except Saturdays and Sundays and legal holidays, between such hours as the Business Administrator may prescribe with the approval of Council, except as otherwise provided by law. The Division of Police Administration, Division of Fire and Fire Safety, and the Streets and Roads Division of the Department of Public Works shall provide City services for 24 hours a day heretofore. All other departments shall provide City services for 24 hours a day in times of emergency. The Business Administrator or a department head may require any officer or employee to be in attendance for work on any day or days whenever he or she determines that a public exigency or emergency so requires.
A. 
Preservation. All the books, maps, papers, accounts, statements, vouchers and other documents whatsoever acquired or produced in any City department shall be carefully and conveniently filed, kept and preserved and be and remain the sole property of the City, and shall not at any time be removed from the offices of such department except when required for use in the official business of the City and shall then be returned to such office without delay. Each department head or City officer shall be responsible for assuring that the requirements of this section are complied with in respect to the particular office. This section shall be subject to the provision of Destruction of Public Records Law (1953) [N.J.S.A. 47:3-15 et seq.]. Upon the termination of the term of office or the employment of any officer or employee, the officer or employee shall forthwith deliver to the successor or if there is no successor to the Clerk or other person who may be designated by Council to receive the same, all moneys, papers, books, memoranda, accounts or data of any nature whatsoever pertaining to the officers or employee's office.
B. 
Inspection. All such documents and records of the City shall during office hours be open to public search, inspection, examination and photocopying subject to and within the limitations prescribed by law, including N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5 et seq., provided that such search, inspection and examination shall not extend to work papers of any department, nor to materials prepared for the prosecution or defense by the City of any legal action or right, nor to any investigatory reports, and provided that such search, inspection, examination and copying be made under such regulations as the officer, in whose custody such records, books and documents may be, shall establish for the safety and preservation thereof.
[Amended 3-15-2011 by Ord. No. 10-25]
C. 
Copying. A member of the public shall have the right during regular business hours and under the supervision of a representative of the custodian to copy public records by hand or to purchase copies of such records. Request for copies of such records shall be made on a form designed for the purpose. Except as otherwise provided by law or regulation, copies for the duplication of a government record embodied in the form of printed matter shall be made available upon the payment of $0.05 per letter-size page or smaller, and $0.07 per legal-size page or larger (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5b, as amended).
[Amended 3-15-2011 by Ord. No. 10-25]
D. 
Exceptions:
[Amended 3-15-2011 by Ord. No. 10-25]
(1) 
If it can demonstrated that the actual costs for duplication of a government record exceed the foregoing rates, the City shall be permitted to charge the actual cost of duplicating the record.
(2) 
Access to electronic records and nonprinted materials shall be provided free of charge, but the actual costs of any needed supplies such as computer discs may be charged.
(3) 
Whenever the nature, format, manner of collation, or volume of a government record embodied in the form of printed matter to be inspected, examined, or copied pursuant to this section is such that the record cannot be reproduced by ordinary document copying equipment in ordinary business size or involves an extraordinary expenditure of time and effort to accommodate the request, the City may charge, in addition to the actual cost of duplicating the record, a special service charge that shall be reasonable and shall be based upon the actual direct cost of providing the copy or copies; provided, however, that in the case of a municipality, rates for the duplication of particular records when the actual cost of copying exceeds the foregoing rates shall be established in advance by ordinance. The requestor shall have the opportunity to review and object to the charge prior to it being incurred.
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 17-20]
A. 
Powers and duties. The Municipal Clerk shall:
(1) 
Act as secretary of the municipal corporation and custodian of the City seal and of all minutes, books, deeds, bonds, contracts, and archival records of the City. The governing body may, however, provide by ordinance that any other specific officer shall have custody of any specific other class of record.
(2) 
Act as secretary to the governing body, prepare meeting agendas, be present at all meetings of the governing body, keep a journal of the proceedings of every meeting, retain the original copies of all ordinance and resolutions, and record the minutes of every meeting.
(3) 
Serve as the chief administrative officer in all elections held in the City, subject to the requirements of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes.
(4) 
Serve as chief registrar of voters in the City, subject to the requirements of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes.
(5) 
Serve as the administrative officer responsible for the acceptance of applications for licenses and permits and the issuance of licenses and permits, except where statute or City ordinance has delegated that responsibility to some other City officer.
(6) 
Serve as coordinator and records manager responsible for implementing local archives and records retention programs as mandated pursuant to Title 47 of the Revised Statutes. (N.J.S.A. 40A:9-133)
(7) 
Cause the Corporate Seal of the City to be affixed to instruments and writings pursuant to law, to exemplify any documents on record in the Clerk's office or to certify any act or paper from which the records of the Clerk's office shall appear to have been a public act of the City of public documents, and shall charge a fee as allowed by ordinance.
(8) 
Perform such other duties as are now or hereafter imposed by statute, regulation or by City ordinance or regulation. (N.J.S.A. 40A:9-133)
B. 
Minutes; recordings of ordinances and resolutions. The Clerk shall keep the minutes and records of the proceedings of the Council, and upon request of the Chairman, of any Council committee meeting. The Clerk shall preserve and compile all ordinances and resolutions. At the close of each year, with the advice and assistance of the City Solicitor, the Clerk shall update the codification of all the ordinances and resolutions or true copies thereof of the City which then remain in force and effect. The Clerk shall also properly index the record books compilation or codification of ordinances and resolutions. (N.J.S.A. 40:69A-182)
C. 
References of matters of the Council. Whenever the Council has taken any action requiring any act or forbearance by any officer or employee of the City or affecting the administration of the functions, duties or powers of any such officer or employee, it shall be the duty of the Municipal Clerk to communicate officially the action of the Council to the person affected and to retain the matter on the agenda of the Council for such further disposition as may be required. Each officer and employee shall, unless otherwise directed, direct his response to the action of the City Council to the attention of the Municipal Clerk for the presentation to and information of the Council.
D. 
Appointment and qualification.
(1) 
The Council shall appoint the Municipal Clerk. (N.J.S.A. 40A:9-133)
(2) 
No person shall be appointed as Municipal Clerk unless that person shall have a registered Municipal Clerk Certificate issued pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:9-133 et seq.
E. 
Term; vacancy; temporary appointment; tenure; removal.
(1) 
The Municipal Clerk shall be appointed for a three-year term.
(2) 
For purposes of tenure, the term of the Municipal Clerk shall be deemed to have begun as of the actual date upon which a person serving as Municipal Clerk is appointed.
(3) 
In the event of a vacancy in the office, an appointment shall be made for a new term and not for an unexpired term.
(4) 
The reappointment of an incumbent Municipal Clerk made within 60 days following the expiration of the prior term shall not be considered to be a new appointment, and the effective date of the reappointment shall date back to the date of expiration of the initial term of appointment.
(5) 
The City Council shall appoint a person to a three-year term as Municipal Clerk within six months after the previous Municipal Clerk has resigned or the office has otherwise become vacant.
(6) 
The City Council may appoint a person to serve as acting Municipal Clerk for a period of not more than six months should the office of Municipal Clerk become vacant.
(7) 
No Municipal Clerk shall attain tenure in office unless that person holds a Registered Municipal Clerk Certification. (N.J.S.A. 40A:9-133 et seq.)
(8) 
Any person who shall have been reappointed to the office of Municipal Clerk and having served as Municipal Clerk or performed the duties of the Municipal Clerk or not less than three consecutive years immediately prior to such reappointment shall acquire tenure.
(9) 
Upon receiving tenure, the Municipal Clerk shall continue to hold office during good behavior and efficiency notwithstanding the appointment was for a final fixed period of years and shall not be removed for political reasons but only for good cause shown and after a hearing before the Director of the Division of Local Government and in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:9-133.7.
F. 
Assistant Municipal Clerk. Council may appoint an Assistant Municipal Clerk to assist in the duties of the office of the Municipal Clerk and who shall perform the duties of the Municipal Clerk in the absence of the Municipal Clerk.
G. 
Clerk Pro Tempore. The President of City Council may appoint a Clerk Pro Tempore who shall keep the records and minutes whenever the Municipal Clerk or Assistant Municipal Clerk is unavailable.
A. 
Appointment and qualifications. The Tax Assessor and such Deputy Tax Assessors as necessary shall be appointed by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of Council. No person shall be appointed or reappointed as Tax Assessor or Deputy Tax Assessor unless that person holds a Tax Assessor Certificate.
B. 
Term. The Tax Assessor shall hold the office for a term of four years from the first day of July next following the appointment. Vacancies other than due to expiration of term shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired term.
C. 
Tenure; removal.
(1) 
Any person who shall have been reappointed to said office and having served as Tax Assessor for not less than four consecutive years immediately prior to such reappointment shall hold the position during good behavior and efficiency notwithstanding such reappointment was for a fixed term of years, and the Tax Assessor shall not be removed from the position for political reasons but only for good cause shown and after a proper hearing before the Director of the Division of Taxation or the Director's designee after due notice.
(2) 
Any person serving as Tax Assessor or Deputy Tax Assessor, whose Tax Assessor Certificate is revoked, shall be removed from office by the Director of the Division of Taxation, and the office shall be declared vacant.
D. 
Duties and powers. The Tax Assessor shall have, perform and exercise all functions, powers and duties as are provided by general law and ordinance, including:
(1) 
The assessment of property for the purpose of general taxation.
(2) 
The maintenance of adequate assessment records of each separate parcel of real property assessed or exempted, and the establishment and maintenance of such files, records and procedures as may be required for the evaluation and assessment of personal property pursuant to law.
(3) 
The maintenance of a current tax map of the City as a public record, and cause to be recorded thereon all changes in ownership or character of the real property assessed, employing for that purpose the facilities of other departments as provided by the Administrative Code. (N.J.S.A. 40A:9-146 et seq.; N.J.S.A. 40A:9-148; N.J.S.A. 54:1-35.25 et seq.)
A. 
Title. This section shall be cited as the Purchasing Agent Ordinance of the City of Bridgeton.
B. 
Purpose and scope. The purpose of this section is to prescribe the manner in which the Purchasing Agent of the City shall implement procedures and supervise the purchase of all materials, supplies, equipment, work, and contractual services of the City.
C. 
Office of Purchasing Agent. There is hereby established by the City Council an Office of Purchasing Agent which shall be constituted within the Department of Administration. The Office of Purchasing Agent shall be under the general supervision of the Mayor and under the specific direction of the Business Administrator. The Office of Purchasing Agent shall be headed by the Purchasing Agent of the City who shall be the Business Administrator, unless a separate appointment is made by the Mayor.
D. 
Powers and duties. The Purchasing Agent shall have general supervision over and responsibility for purchases made by the City. The Purchasing Agent shall have the powers and duties prescribed by this section subject to the review and supervision of the Mayor. The Purchasing Agent shall have the power, and it shall be the duty of the Purchasing Agent to:
(1) 
Develop municipal purchasing goals, objectives, policies, programs, procedures, rules and regulations for the acquisition of materials, supplies, equipment and services consistent with state law.
(2) 
To develop and prepare a purchasing procedures manual to be promulgated by the Mayor and distributed to all municipal departments, nonautonomous agencies and boards of the City containing procedures and instructions for initiating purchases by or on behalf of the City.
(3) 
To stimulate both bid and quotation competition in order to obtain the highest quality goods and services at the least expense to the City.
(4) 
To discourage uniform bidding and endeavor to obtain as full and open competition as possible on all purchases.
(5) 
To explore the possibilities of buying "in bulk" so as to take advantage of discounts.
(6) 
To prescribe and maintain such forms as may be necessary for the successful operation of the purchasing function.
(7) 
To consolidate requisitions of the like or common items to obtain the maximum economic benefit.
(8) 
To monitor and evaluate vendor performance.
(9) 
To maintain a centralized organization of qualified procurement of personnel.
(10) 
To acquaint and, when necessary, train appropriate City personnel in purchasing procedures.
(11) 
To establish and supervise storerooms and warehouses and maintain current inventory records of all materials, supplies and equipment placed in storerooms and warehouses, and to arrange for the transfer to or between departments, offices and agencies such supplies materials and equipment as need appears.
(12) 
To arrange, after governing body approval, for the disposal of surplus materials and equipment either by transfer to other municipal agencies or by public sale.
A. 
Purpose.
(1) 
The State of New Jersey has passed the Local Historians Enabling Act (N.J.S.A. 40:10A-1 et seq.), which provides as a matter of public policy that each municipality may participate to increase the education, appreciation and communication of our heritage through local historians.
(2) 
The City of Bridgeton determines that it is in its interest to appoint a Local Historian pursuant to this Act.
B. 
Position created. Pursuant to the aforesaid statute, the position of Local Historian is hereby established. The powers, duties and responsibilities of the Local Historian shall be those powers, duties and responsibilities set forth in the aforesaid statute.